AMBASSADOR'S MEETS WITH TIP ACTIVIST TRIMARCO AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000965

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

G/TIP FOR BARBARA FLECK AND KATIE BRASNEHAN
G/IWI PENNY RECHKEMMER
DRL FOR CATHERINE NEWLING
WHA/PPC FOR MIKE PUCCETTI
WHA/BSC FOR DREW BLAKENEY
USDOJ FOR AMY YOUNG
VILNIUS FOR KELLY
GUATEMALA FOR FEATHERSTONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2017
TAGS: ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG KWMN PGOV AR
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETS WITH TIP ACTIVIST TRIMARCO AND
UPDATE ON ANTI-TIP BILL

REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 300


B. BUENOS AIRES 519

C. BUENOS AIRES 753

D. BUENOS AIRES 793

E. BUENOS AIRES 814

F. BUENOS AIRES 838

G. BUENOS AIRES 881

Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ANTHONY WAYNE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary. On May 4, Ambassador Wayne met with Susana
Trimarco, an activist fighting against trafficking in persons
(TIP) in Argentina and recent State Department International
Woman of Courage award winner (REF A). Part of the meeting
was filmed by Pablo Milstein, a local award-winning
documentary filmmaker, who hopes to make a documentary about
Ms. Trimarco's efforts to find her daugher who is believed to
have been kidnapped and trafficked for the purposes of sexual
exploitation. Ms. Trimarco informed the Ambassador of recent
GOA assistance to help establish her anti-TIP foundation.
She also gave a status update on the anti-TIP bill currently
being considered by the Argentine Congress, asserting that
the latest iteration of the draft anti-TIP bill is not
sufficiently comprehensive. In a subsequent conversation
with Poloff May 15, Trimarco indicated that she would be
meeting with Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez to discuss
ways to strengthen the Senate version of the anti-TIP bill.
(Ambassador had talked with Fernandez and urged that he meet
with Trimarco and Congressional Deputies supporting a more
comprehensive bill.) Trimarco also asserted that her
petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had
been accepted and that the Commission would soon investigate
her case. End Summary.

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GOA Provides Assistance to Trimarco's anti-TIP Foundation
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2. (C) On May 4, Ambassador Wayne met with Susana Trimarco,
an activist fighting against trafficking in persons (TIP) in
Argentina and recent State Department International Woman of
Courage award winner. Trimarco told the Ambassador that she
had recently met with Dr. Oscar Parrilli, Secretary General
of the Presidency, who provided expedited assistance and a
$3000 grant to help her obtain juridical status for her
anti-TIP foundation, "Maria de los Angeles". She stated that
she hopes to begin raising funds for her foundation so that
she can continue her work in conducting trafficking
investigations, rescuing and assisting victims, with the
ultimate aim of finding her daughter, Marita de Veron, who is
believed to have been kidnapped and trafficked for the
purposes of sexual exploitation. Part of the meeting was
filmed by Pablo Milstein, a local award-winning documentary
filmmaker, who intends to make a documentary about Ms.
Trimarco's efforts to find her daughter and fight human
trafficking.


3. (C) In a follow-up conversation with poloff on May 15,
Ms. Trimarco indicated that the GOA is offering her
additional assistance to support her efforts to combat TIP.
She claims that Minister of Justice Alberto Iribarne offered
to provide her with a grant to cover her monthly salary,
transportation and hotel costs once her foundation has been
legally established. Dr. Parrilli has also, reportedly,
offered to provide bus transportation for mothers of
trafficking victims so that they can attend meetings that
Trimarco organizes.


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IACHR Petition
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4. (C) Ms. Trimarco also informed poloff that she recently
submitted a petition to the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights (IAHCR) explaining her situation. Since then,
Trimarco asserted that the IAHCR responded positively to her
petition, advising her that her complaint regarding
government complicity in human trafficking had been accepted
by the Commission and that they would soon investigate her
case.

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Draft Law--Status Update
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5. (C) Ms. Trimarco also briefed the Ambassador on May 4
about the status of the draft anti-TIP bill in the Argentine
Congress. Trimarco stated that she had recently received a
copy of the latest draft bill being considered in the lower
house and noted that, at first glance, the bill was not as
comprehensive as the one envisioned by Deputy Cordoba. She
stated that her team of lawyers would review the draft bill
and offered to send the Embassy their analysis of the bill.
She also informed the Ambassador of her recent meeting with
Eduardo Duhalde, Secretary of Human Rights, who encouraged
her to organze a meeting between Senators, Deputies, and
mothers whose children are feared to have been trafficked, so
that they can offer their ideas on what needs to be in the
law. According to Ms. Trimarco, Duhalde promised to attend
any meeting that she organized. The Ambassador suggested
that Ms. Trimarco consider doing what many U.S. NGOs do: a
letter campaign where concerned members of civil society send
a letter expressing concerns and outlining their ideas to key
legislators. Ms. Trimarco said that this was an excellent
idea and said that she would consider such an effort.


6. (C) On May 7, Ambassador talked by phone with Interior
Minister Fernandez about his trip to Washington, his meeting
there on trafficking, and the current status of Argentine
anti-TIP legislation. Ambassador urged Fernandez to meet
with Trimarco and Congressional Deputies supporting more
comprehensive legislation to try to work through differences
and get a bill passed soon.


7. (C) On May 15, Ms. Trimarco told poloff that she had
spoken to Minister of Interior Anibal Fernandez, who asked to
meet with her on May 22 to offer suggestions on how to
improve the anti-TIP bill that was approved by the Senate.
(Note: Although the bill was introduced by Senator Vilma
Ibarra, the Minister has informed us that this is his
Ministry's bill and that it enjoys President Kirchner's
support.) She stated that Minister Fernandez told her that
it would not be politically feasible to create a TIP
secretariat within the Office of the Presidency as stipulated

SIPDIS
in Deputy Stella Maris Cordoba's bill since other Ministries,
including Social Development, Public Health, Interior, and
Justice, could provide victims assistance and organize
prevention campaigns. She indicated that she intends to tell
Minister Fernandez that the draft law should: a) stipulate
the creation of a national plan for prevention and victims'
assistance; b) include all aspects of the trafficking chain
in its definition of trafficking in persons; c) proscribe
stiffer penalties; and d) state that victim's consent is
irrelevant. Ms. Trimarco stated that Minister Fernandez
would then amend the bill and invited her to speak with the
various Congressional Committees in support of the modified
Senate bill. Poloff will meet with Ms. Trimarco following
the meeting with Minister Fernandez and will report septel.

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Comment
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8. (C) Our sources in the Argentine Congress tell us that
the Criminal Legislation Committee has circulated a legal
opinion on the draft anti-TIP law that omits key components
of the human trafficking chain as defined by the Palermo
Protocol (e.g., receipt of victims). Embassy staff contacted
Committee staffers to inquire whether the omission was
intended, and they assured us that the omission was a mistake
and that they would soon recirculate a new legal opinion. We
have requested a copy of the new opinion.


9. (C) Contrary to what Deputy Cordoba reported to the
Ambassador on April 27 (REF E),our sources have also
clarified that the Budget Committee and the Family, Woman,
Children, and Adolescents Committee did not attend an April
26 meeting that had been convoked by the Criminal Legislation
Committee. This means that the bill is now under review by
the other two Committees, which will most certainly delay
passage. Since then, Deputy Cordoba has circulated a
minority opinion that preserves the Palermo Protocol
definition in its entirety and maintains that victims' assent
is irrelevant. It is unclear why the semantic change from
"victim's consent" to "victim's assent" was made and what
impact that would have when it comes time to interpret and
implement the law should Cordoba's version be passed.


10. (C) One contact has indicated that Senator and First
Lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has taken a personal
interest in passing anti-TIP legislation. Another contact
stated that "Kirchner insiders higher than Minister
Fernandez" have indicated that the Casa Rosada prefers an
anti-TIP bill more in line with Cordoba's version than
Fernandez's version. As we get closer to the October
elections, it is possible that the Casa Rosada may wait to
push for anti-TIP legislation until later in the campaign
season in order to get the biggest electoral bang for the
buck. Embassy staff will continue to weigh in with key
legislators to highlight the importance of passing
comprehensive anti-TIP legislation as soon as possible.


11. (C) It is important to note that Secretary General of
the Presidency Parrilli is Kirchner's point-man for dealing
with piqueteros, and it is customary GOA practice to co-opt
social movements before they can cause any significant
political damage. Still, recent GOA gestures to assist
Trimarco in her efforts to establish a foundation and
organize other mothers of trafficking victims is a welcome
sign of GOA commitment to fight human trafficking. End
Comment.
WAYNE