BRUNEI REQUESTS TARGETED TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS TRAINING

UNCLAS BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000316 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE SINGAPORE FOR ICE DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP (NEUMAN),EAP/MTS, and DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KTIP BX SUBJECT: BRUNEI REQUESTS TARGETED TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS TRAINING REF: A) BANDAR 87 B) RSO/ICE telcom, e-mails -------------- SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request for ICE Singapore to organize a study visit to the U.S. for GoB anti-TIP personnel. See paragraph ¶2. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Government of Brunei (GoB) has requested USG support in improving its ability in combating trafficking in persons with an emphasis on immigration enforcement. The GoB seeks to build their capacity to identify, investigate, and prosecute cases involving human trafficking. Post requests Singapore ICE support to design and lead a study visit to the U.S. to demonstrate best practices of border and immigration enforcement, police skills in identifying and investigating trafficking in persons, prosecutorial procedures, and victim assistance. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The GoB has made important, but largely uncoordinated efforts to develop the capacity to identify, investigate, and prosecute trafficking in persons (TIP) cases. To date, the GoB has not had a successful prosecution under its TIP law, although investigative labor enforcement efforts have been effective in minimizing the potential number of TIP victims. (ref A) ¶4. (SBU) Post's interventions over the last two months with the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs -- including the Labor and Immigration Departments, Police and Attorney General's Chambers -- have helped build a case for Brunei to consolidate its anti-TIP efforts into a cohesive National Action Strategy. At an October 20 social call at her home during the post-Ramadan Hari Raya holiday, Datin Salbiah Sulaiman, the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for security issues, told DCM that she was looking to raise the profile of the TIP issue within the interagency Committee on Trans-National Crime and sought a briefing on how to clearly define TIP cases. ¶5. (SBU) The Brunei Immigration Department has approached Post with a request to learn about best practices in combating TIP. We believe that this presents a unique opportunity to leverage new political will to combat TIP and promote interagency collaboration among key GoB law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over all aspects of TIP cases. ¶6. (SBU) Post has identified TIP as a specific need for GoB law enforcement agencies which include the Immigration and National Registration Department, Royal Brunei Police Department, andAttorney Generals Chambers. Post believes that themost effective education of GoB personnel on TIPissues would occur via a small (six to eight peole) inter-agency delegation visit to the United tates. This visit would provide first hand knowlede to the delegation through visits to U.S. facilties and personnel responsible for dealing will ll phases of TIP cases, from initial investigatin through prosecution. ¶7. (BU) ICE has the unique ability to organize and facilitate training of this type. As the lead agency within the USG for migration integrity and human smuggling enforcement, ICE has infrastructure and ongoing operations already in place in which to showcase and train GOB interlocutors. With this infrastructure, ICE is particually well positioned to provide TIP assistance by being able to showcase each phase of a TIP case beginning with the initial investigation, starting from an immigration inspection or police action, through the follow up investigation, victim/witness assistance, prosecution and deportations. ICE has the mandate within the USG to enforce TIP laws and has the expertise in working with State Department and Department of Justice subject matter experts in human trafficking. ¶8. (SBU) Post requests that ICE Attache Singapore develop an all-encompassing itinerary for GoB law enforcement to visit the United States on the subject of Trafficking in Persons. Post requests that ICE Attache Singapore coordinate this visit with ICE office of Internatioanal Affairs and relevant ICE domestic offices. Post requests that an ICE representative with established relationships with various GoB agencies set forth in paragraph (5), above, escort the GoB delegation. All costs for the Brunei participants of the delegation will be covered by the GoB and Post understands that all costs incurred by the ICE representatives will be paid for with ICE funding. ¶9. Post requests that the training delegation visit the United States prior to the conclusion of the third quarter of FY 08 (NLT June, 2008). ¶10. (U) Post's Regional Security Officer has reviewed and concurred with this request. SKODON