VISIT TO DUSHANBE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS SHELTER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000252

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL/AAA BUHLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KWMN SNAR IOM TI
SUBJECT: VISIT TO DUSHANBE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS SHELTER


DUSHANBE 00000252 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) SUMMARY: On February 14, 2007, International Narcotics
and Law Enforcement Officer visited the INL-funded and
International Organization for Migration (IOM)-administered
Trafficking in Persons Shelter located in Dushanbe. This was an
unannounced visit following up a previous visit on 18 January by
foreign service national staff. The shelter Director and
employees provided free access to the facility. The shelter was
well-equipped with ample food, medicine and supplies, and the
staff appeared competent and professional. END SUMMARY




2. (U) International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Officer met
with the new Trafficking in Persons shelter director Muhabbat
Pirnazarova who apparently also serves as the International
Organization for Migration program manager for the Trafficking
in Persons program. EmbOff advised Pirnazarova that the Embassy
expects the shelter to develop into a fully independent,
self-sustaining organization, and that International
Organization for Migration personnel should not run the shelter
directly. EmbOff followed up with International Organization
for Migration country director regarding this management issue,
and he agreed that Pirnazarova must be assigned as a full time
employee of the shelter. The previous director, Ibodad Mirzoeva,
was fired by International Organization for Migration in
November 2006 following a series of cross-accusations between
her and International Organization for Migration staff. During
this visit two shelter staff explained that Mirzoeva was using
the office and equipment for her personal business interests and
had cut a deal with a cotton manufacturer to supply women from
the shelter as laborers. (NOTE: Neither International
Organization for Migration nor the Embassy have evidence that
this was actually the case. END NOTE)




3. (U) At the time of the visit, there were three women in the
shelter, all between the ages of 24 and 30. One of the women
was in a sewing class with a local teacher hired by the
facility. The Director stated she was looking for a reputable
massage therapist to provide instruction to one of the girls who
is interested in getting a license in massage therapy. She also
reported that a chemistry and biology teacher is currently
conducting a tutorial fro two women who are hoping to take the
entrance exam for Dushanbe Medical College for Nursing. During
a brief discussion with these women, they reported that they
were comfortable and relieved to be back in Tajikistan after
being repatriated from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. One of them
mentioned that she missed her family who live in Kulob, but was
afraid to contact them. The Director stated that she is
encouraging the woman to call her family and has offered to act
as go-between if needed.




4. (U) Other staff at the Shelter at the time of the visit
included a female physician and female psychiatrist. Both
reported that the victims were in relatively good health (slight
malnutrition). The psychiatrist noted that most of the victims
who have passed through the shelter over the last few months had
clearly experienced serious trauma, but that their short stays
at the shelter did not provide enough time to address their
emotional issues. The director stated that a night nurse is
present at the shelter Monday through Friday and that another
had been hired to work nights on Saturday and Sunday.




5. (U) Upon inspection, the facility appeared clean and orderly.
The library had several shelves of used books including
instruction manuals, Persian literature, math and science books
and romance novels. The medical unit was well stocked with
medicine and first aid supplies. The kitchen, where victims cook
their own meals, was stocked with staples and sundries including
bread, milk, vegetables and chicken in the refrigerator. The
Director noted that a former guest of the shelter had taken
advantage of the industrial-sized oven to learn to bake as a
possible way to make money.




6. (U) Considering that this was an unannounced visit, Embassy
is impressed that the shelter was clean, organized, fully
staffed and equipped, and was supporting multiple victims who
noted that they feel safe at the shelter. The Department's
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement funded
this project almost a year ago and the shelter officially opened
in April 2006. Since then, it has supported over 50 trafficked
persons who were repatriated as a result of the Government of

DUSHANBE 00000252 002.2 OF 002


Tajikistan and International Organization for Migration efforts
with destination countries such as the United Arab Emirates.
INL has funding to support the shelter for another year using
FY-2007 funds. The U.S. Agency for International Development is
supporting a similar shelter for minors in Khujand. That
funding for the Khujand shelter will run out in March 2008.
HUSHEK