UN MISSION IN CYPRUS SENSITIVE TO ISSUES OF HUMAN

UNCLAS NICOSIA 001113 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO CY SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS SENSITIVE TO ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION REF: STATE 112531 ¶1. (U) Post provides the following information in response to REFTEL request. ¶2. (U) The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has appointed a "gender focal point," Ms. Sally Anne Corcoran, who is charged with educating UN civilian personnel and forces in Cyprus about sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and trafficking. Until six months ago, she was also UNFICYP's Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) focal point, but now this responsibility has been delegated to a second staff member. Corcoran leads mandatory training sessions for all new personnel and chairs regular meetings among the UN agencies present here to discuss gender and exploitation issues. She reports that UNFICYP maintains the SYG's "no tolerance" policy in Cyprus with regard to local establishments that sponsor prostitution. Cabarets, nightclubs and pubs where sex is available for purchase are off limits to all UN personnel, and UNFICYP has issued a circular (#56, dated 7/29/05) stating that anyone caught in these establishments will immediately be expelled from the country. Thus far, no offenders have been reported, but UNFICYP military and civilian supervisors appear very serious about discouraging SEA within their own ranks. They have also shown an active interest in combating TIP and SEA within the local community by offering their facilities to NGOs wishing to meet bicommunally on TIP. ¶3. (U) Both the GOC and wider public appear to believe that UN forces in Cyprus are not involved with trafficking and sexual exploitation here. This stands in stark contrast to wide-spread observations that Turkish forces stationed in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots are the primary clientele of nightclubs there. ¶4. (U) Post has not observed any mention of UN abuses in the local media. The GOC's Ministry of Interior (as coordinator of Cyprus's National Action Plan to combat trafficking) indicated that it is unaware of any problem with UN troops related to TIP or SEA. Rather, it has recently been in contact with UNFICYP regarding the possible sharing of resources for a national information campaign. Local Greek Cypriot NGOs contacted include migrant support group KISA (Action for Support, Equality, and Anti-Racism),the Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies (MIGS),and the anti-trafficking Stigma organization. KISA and MIGS said they were unaware of any problem relating to the UN. The Turkish Cypriot group "Prologue Consulting" (the most active civil society actor on trafficking in the north, currently conducting a research project on the scale and detail of the problem) said that it had not heard any negative reference to UN personnel. ¶5. (SBU) The Stigma organization, however, reported that it believed UN personnel frequented cabarets. Stigma is unique among the NGOs because it runs the only shelter for victims of trafficking in Cyprus. It said that privately, victims described UN personnel (including officers) as clients who "treated them much better than their other clients, paid much more, and paid them directly, rather than their employers." Corcoran told us that UNFICYP is aware of rumors that its personnel frequent cabarets. She said the UN is investigating, but that to date they have been unable to prove any single incident or corroborate these reports. SCHLICHER