Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DUBAI411
2007-06-25 09:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Dubai
Cable title:  

ANWAR GARGASH OUTLINES ROLE OF NEW UAE HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Tags:  PGOV PHUM SOCI AE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4726
RR RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDE #0411/01 1760940
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 250940Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5525
INFO RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 2549
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 8638
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 000411 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR L-KDAUGIRDAS, P-HMUSTAPHA, NEA/ARP
NSC FOR EABRAMS, NRAMCHAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI AE
SUBJECT: ANWAR GARGASH OUTLINES ROLE OF NEW UAE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
COMMITTEE, UNDERSCORES COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS

REF: STATE 79549

DUBAI 00000411 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Paul R Sutphin, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 000411

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR L-KDAUGIRDAS, P-HMUSTAPHA, NEA/ARP
NSC FOR EABRAMS, NRAMCHAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI AE
SUBJECT: ANWAR GARGASH OUTLINES ROLE OF NEW UAE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
COMMITTEE, UNDERSCORES COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS

REF: STATE 79549

DUBAI 00000411 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Paul R Sutphin, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) SUMMARY: Dr. Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for
Federal National Council Affairs (FNCA) discussed the role of
UAE's new Human Trafficking Committee (HTC),which he chairs,
with the Ambassador and Consul General on June 21 in Dubai.
While Gargash said the UAEG was disappointed by the country's
2007 Tier II (watchlist) ranking in the 2007 Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) Report (reftel),the UAE government is looking
forward. The UAEG recognizes and accepts "the basic principles
and universal standards" with respect to human trafficking. The
HTC will work to ensure what Gargash termed "widespread but
disparate efforts" to counter TIP in the UAE are coordinated and
tracked so that accurate information about them can be compiled.
The HTC will be an advocate for combating human trafficking and
enforcing the UAE's anti-TIP legislation, and will look to help
coordinate local and federal efforts. The HTC would also work
to produce an initial report taking stock of anti-TIP efforts.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) Dr. Anwar Gargash, Dr. Saeed M. Al Ghufli (Assistant
Secretary General for FNCA) and Ms. Lana Zaki Nusseibah

SIPDIS
(Director of Media and Communications for FNCA),met with the
Ambassador, the Consul General, and poleconoff (notetaker) to
discuss the UAE's efforts to combat human trafficking and the
role of the new HTC June 21 at Gargash's Dubai office.

-------------- --------------
DISAPPOINTMENT OVER TIP RANKING, NEED TO LOOK FORWARD
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Gargash is close to UAE VP, PM and Dubai Ruler Mohammed
bin Rashid al Maktoum. He was recently appointed to chair the
UAE's HTC, which was established in April 2007. The HTC held
its second meeting (and first under Gargash's chairmanship) June
17 to consider the US TIP report. He underscored that while the
UAEG was "disappointed for about 24 hours" by the UAE's 2007 TIP

report ranking, and that some in the UAEG consider the report
"interference in the country's internal affairs," the government
was nonetheless looking to address the issue head on. He
acknowledged that TIP problems remain in the UAE, but that the
government is committed to remedying them. The UAEG recognizes
and accepts "the basic principles and universal standards"
concerning human trafficking. He cited the enactment of a human
trafficking law, the work done with UNICEF and source nations to
resolve the camel jockey issue and support the victims, and the
creation of the HTC as "first steps" in the UAE's efforts to
combat human trafficking. Note: The UAEG will hold a conference
with the camel jockey source countries, Bangladesh, Mauritania,
Pakistan, and Sudan, on June 26 and 27 as part of Phase II of
the UNICEF program. Congen Dubai will send an observer to the
conference. End note.

-------------- --------------
ROLE OF THE HTC: ADVOCATE, NOT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Gargash admitted he is new to the issue, but was working
to learn about it. (Note: given the ease with which Gargash
discussed the issue, he appears to be getting up to speed
quickly. End note.) Gargash said the HTC's role is that of an
advocate for enforcement of the UAE's anti-TIP law, and a
coordinator for anti-TIP activities throughout the country. The
HTC, however, will not try to set and enforce policy, as an
"Executive Committee" might. Rather than taking over from the
police, courts, and social services, the HTC will try to
coordinate and encourage enforcement of the law. He said there
had been "widespread but disparate efforts" to combat human
trafficking at both the federal and local levels in recent
years. He hoped the HTC would be able to ensure more
prosecutors were trained in TIP issues, and that there are more
enforcement cases brought forward, stating "part of our job is
to make sure there are more cases."


5. (C) While there are efforts underway in the area of victim
assistance and social services, these may not be readily
apparent to the outside -- and will be more effective if
properly coordinated. Gargash said he would look to increase
assistance to trafficking victims and to ensure increased
support to areas where such assistance might not now be

DUBAI 00000411 002.2 OF 002


available.

--------------
HTC to Report on Human Trafficking in the UAE
--------------


6. (C) Gargash said that the HTC will also strive to ensure
there is accurate information about TIP and anti-TIP efforts in
the UAE. One of the HTC's first tasks will be to produce a
"comprehensive" report on human trafficking, and
anti-trafficking efforts. The Ambassador underscored that
complete information about the UAE's anti-TIP efforts was vital
to understanding the situation and ensuring the USG's annual TIP
report was as accurate as possible. Gargash reiterated that the
HTC will strive to ensure the report reflects "real figures",
i.e. an accurate picture of the human trafficking problem in the
UAE. This will be done by cataloguing information gathered from
police, prosecutors, and social services throughout the UAE.
Since this is a new initiative, and the information is "not
perfect," Gargash admitted he does not expect the first UAEG
report to be 100 percent accurate. He does believe further
reports will improve in scope and accuracy. Gargash reminded
the Ambassador that the HTC members "are not a group of
academics, but we are policy promoters." Ambassador encouraged
Gargash to think about issuing the UAEG report publically rather
than keeping it UAEG-only.

-------------- --------------
A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM COMPOUNDED BY CHALLENGING DEMOGRAPHICS
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Gargash emphasized that human trafficking is a universal
problem and the UAE's aim is to deal with it effectively and in
a straightforward manner. However, the UAE's demographics pose
a serious challenge. With more than 80 percent of UAE's
population made up of expatriates, and the enormous mix of
nationalities in Dubai, there are considerable awareness and
cultural challenges to addressing the problem. He noted that
Emirati nationals often regard human trafficking as a national
security problem, but said that national security concerns
should not prevent the country from dealing with the problem.
He also characterized the 10th Circuit case against MbR as a
"nuisance case."

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) We understand that the June 17 HTC meeting reviewed the
Department's TIP report and discussed measures needed to improve
the UAE's ranking. The Committee also reportedly reviewed the
role of the Red Crescent in providing social support to TIP
victims as well as heard from a Sharjah police researcher on a
study on police training for TIP crime investigation. We are
optimistic that Gargash will be a positive interlocutor on the
range of TIP issues; we will engage with the HTC to review steps
in the Action Plan in the near future. Gargash clearly
understood that increased TIP prosecutions and victim assistance
efforts were key steps. END COMMENT.
SUTPHIN