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