Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SANTODOMINGO1651
2006-05-18 21:30:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

CLEARANCE TO ACCEPT AWARD - RAMAN, JAY

Tags:  AMGT APER 
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VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #1651 1382130
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 182130Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4787
INFO RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN PRIORITY 0005
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001651 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA, WHA/EX, WHA/CAR (BENT)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT APER
SUBJECT: CLEARANCE TO ACCEPT AWARD - RAMAN, JAY

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001651

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA, WHA/EX, WHA/CAR (BENT)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT APER
SUBJECT: CLEARANCE TO ACCEPT AWARD - RAMAN, JAY


1. Embassy Santo Domingo asks that WHA/EX obtain
authorization for FSO Jay Raman to accept the "Order of
Police Merit" recognizing his contributions while serving as
political officer (human rights and labor) 2004-2005.


2. On June 16, 2005 Dominican President Leonel Fernandez
issued Decree No. 340-05, inter alia awarding Jay Raman,
human rights officer at Embassy Santo Domingo from 2004-2005,
the Order of Police Merit ("Condecoracion de Merito
Policial"). The award consists of a certificate, which was
sent to him through the Embassy earlier this year.


3. The regulation governing gifts and decorations from
foreign governments, 22 CFR 3.7, states in relevant part that:

(a) Decorations tendered in recognition of - outstanding or
unusually meritorious performance may be accepted, retained,
and worn by an employee, subject to the approval of the
employing agency...

(b) The decision as to whether a decoration has been awarded
for outstanding or unusually meritorious performance will be
made:

(1) For the Department of State, by the supervising Assistant
Secretary of State or comparable official...

SIPDIS


4. Embassy advises WHA that Jay Raman's work in Santo
Domingo should be considered as "outstanding or unusually
meritorious performance," as contemplated by 22 CFR 3.7.
Raman, then a junior officer on a rotational assignment in
Santo Domingo, was the Embassy officer responsible for issues
of human rights and trafficking in persons (TIP),for which
he received a Meritorious Honor Award in 2005. DRL
recognized his excellent work on the 2005 report on
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy. He worked closely
with Dominican authorities and NGOs to improve the country's
human rights record, for example by arranging and
coordinating briefings and training for the members of
incoming Fernandez administration on the application of U.S.
and Dominican TIP laws. Raman's efforts were factors in
obtaining tangible results, including, for example, the
conviction of a sitting Dominican Congressman for alien
smuggling in a high-profile case that had been stalled for
several years. Dominican prosecutors also obtained the first
ever trafficking conviction under the Dominican Republic's
TIP law.


5. Jay Raman is currently serving in Tallinn, Estonia.


6. Recommendation: that the appropriate WHA official
authorize Jay Raman to accept the Dominican Order of Police
Merit and WHA/EX advise Embassies Santo Domingo and Talinn.
HERTELL