INDONESIA RESPONDS CONSTRUCTIVELY TO TIP DEMARCHE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 007216 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/IET, EAP/RSP, G/TIP ALSO FOR USAID ANE/SPOTS, ANE/SEA, IGAT/WID, DCHA/DG DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT DEPT PASS TO DEPT OF LABOR FOR ILAB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL EAID ELAB KJUS KCRM ID SUBJECT: INDONESIA RESPONDS CONSTRUCTIVELY TO TIP DEMARCHE, FOCUSES ON TASKS AHEAD REF: A. JAKARTA 2979 - 2006 TIP REPORT ¶B. JAKARTA 3490 - ANTI-CORRUPTION MOVES FORWARD ¶C. JAKARTA 3680 - POLICE FREE CHILD PROSTITUTES ¶D. STATE 85638 - TIP DEMARCHE Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) We delivered the Indonesia TIP report demarche (ref D) to relevant senior GOI officials. Based on the existing strong partnership with the U.S. Mission, the officials responded constructively with a litany of recent and near-term actions. The outlook for passage this year of the anti-trafficking in persons bill remained positive. Senior officials cited President Yudhoyono's personal commitment to better protect Indonesians abroad. End Summary. Senior Officials Receive Demarche -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On June 5 we informed the GOI of Indonesia's Tier II Watch List status. We delivered the Indonesia TIP report demarche (ref D) on June 6-7 to the senior officials who lead the Indonesian Government's national anti-trafficking task force, Deputy Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Maswita Djaya and Deputy Women's Empowerment Minister Sumarni Dawam Rahardjo. We also provided them with an Indonesian translation of the country narrative. We conveyed the same information to senior officials and advisors at the Attorney General's Office during a June 7 meeting with the Attorney General. We will present this information to the National Police Headquarters in the coming days. Focus on Action Items -------------- ¶3. (SBU) We discussed the report in detail with Maswita and Sumarni, with particular focus on the action items identified in the 2006 TIP report, including passage of the comprehensive anti-trafficking bill. We also emphasized the importance of documenting and accurately reporting law enforcement statistics. Both Maswita and Sumarni, in separate meetings, responded constructively to the demarche. They acknowledged the inclusion of incomplete (underreported) law enforcement data in the GOI's own annual trafficking report for 2006. Maswita and Sumarni expressed optimism regarding passage of the TIP law and increased actions against child prostitution and abusive child domestic labor. They believed anti-corruption measures specifically tied to trafficking constituted the most difficult of the three areas for improvement, but noted progress in Indonesia's larger anti-corruption campaign. Maswita and Sumarni reviewed a number of recent and pending GOI actions. ¶4. (SBU) The anti-trafficking bill: Indonesia's parliament (DPR) continued to work on the bill and would soon make the formal request to President Yudhoyono to assign an executive counterpart to complete the deliberations. Given Yudhoyono's public pledge in December 2005 to pass the law as soon as possible, the officials expected a quick turnaround from the Palace and passage of the law this year. (Comment: The U.S.-funded technical advisor working with the parliamentary committee shares this view, estimating September as the earliest possible timeframe for passage. End Comment.) ¶5. (U) Guidelines for child domestic workers: The Women's Ministry, with technical assistance from the ILO, completed guidelines for child domestic workers and announced these in a public ceremony in May. The guidelines do not have the effect of law. ¶6. (U) Regulations on child domestic workers: The Manpower Ministry has drafted new governmental regulations on the rights of child domestic workers and responsibilities of employers. The Ministry is now seeking input from local governments. A traditional view of child servants as part of the family unit as opposed to employees remained a difficulty for completing regulations that the GOI could hope to implement. ¶7. (U) MOU with Malaysia: Indonesia and Malaysia concluded a memorandum of understanding on "the Recruitment and JAKARTA 00007216 002 OF 002 Placement of Indonesian Domestic Workers," signed May 13 in Bali. The GOI hoped this would provide legal clarity and greater protection for Indonesians working in Malaysian households. Indonesia has similar MOU's with Hong Kong and Taiwan. ¶8. (U) Bank credit scheme for migrant workers: Several Indonesian banks, with GOI instigation, had begun credit schemes for migrant workers. This in part was designed to mitigate situations of debt bondage to migrant worker recruiting agencies (PJTKI). ¶9. (U) New migrant worker body: The GOI was on track to form the new migrant worker agency this year ("the Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement and Protection Agency") inspired in part by the Philippines model. The agency would offer integrated government services and streamline the migrant worker process. ¶10. (U) New women's center in Batam: The Batam local government had donated five hectares of land for a new expansive women's shelter and training facility, and the Coordinating Minister has sought donations from Batam businesses to fund Rupiah 7 billion (USD 760 thousand) in construction costs. (Note: Batam, near Singapore, is a major transit and destination point for trafficking. End Note.) ¶11. (U) Sustainable return/reintegration efforts: The Coordinating Ministry had readied a modest budget of Rupiah 500 million (USD 54 thousand) to carry out pilot return/reintegration efforts in three districts. The object was to arrive at a model that was affordable and could be sustained by the GOI and local governments in the future. Current internationally-funded return/reintegration efforts, like that of IOM, were too costly for Indonesia to replicate. Presidential Commitment -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Maswita ascribed positive developments related to migrant worker protection to President Yudhoyono's personal outrage at the plight of Indonesian laborers abroad. The President's "hair was on fire" following his visits to Malaysia and Saudi Arabia (major receiving countries for Indonesian workers). Part of his anger was directed at Indonesian officials, leading to the current crackdown on corruption in Indonesia's diplomatic posts in Malaysia, which includes a criminal investigation of the Indonesian ambassador. Comment -------------- ¶13. (SBU) The GOI's constructive response to this year's critical country narrative and tier ranking reflects the strong relationship the U.S. Mission has built with senior Indonesian officials on the trafficking issue. It also highlights the multi-dimensional efforts underway in Indonesia to make further headway against this serious crime. PASCOE