TRAFFICKING & SLAVERY CLAIMS SHUT DOWN LOCAL

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001293 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM SMIG ELAB KFRD MZ SUBJECT: TRAFFICKING & SLAVERY CLAIMS SHUT DOWN LOCAL COMPANY ¶1. On November 2, the Mozambican Labor Inspectorate (IGT) suspended all activities of Mozambican flower producer, Golden Roses (owned by the wife of a former Minister of Foreign Relations) due to indications of gross worker rights violations, including slavery-like working conditions. In the week prior to the suspension, some 90 workers at Golden Roses began to protest poor living conditions, unsanitary water, no bathrooms, lack of food, and lack of safety equipment. The demonstrations eventually drew the interest of the press, and subsequently the Ministry of Labor, which sent an inspector to the company headquarters the day after the press report. The inspector found enough evidence to immediately suspend activities until the company implements a list of recommendations made by the IGT. ¶2. While the press rightly focused on working conditions, they did not pursue the story's apparent ties to internal trafficking in persons. Nearly 100 workers were recruited by the owner in Tete and Manica provinces, promised certain working conditions, including decent housing and food and fair wages, and provided with transportation to Maputo Province. Some workers compared working and living conditions to being in prison. Because many of the workers did not have money to return to their provinces, they opted to demonstrate in the hopes of gaining press attention. The Mozambican Human Rights League (LDH) is closely following the issue and has stated that despite the lack of a law against trafficking in persons, this case seemed to certainly fall under that category. ¶3. COMMENT: While reports of worker rights violations are not uncommon in Mozambique, this is one of the rare occasions where a Mozambican company is involved (most recent cases have involved Chinese companies). The link to a former Minister of Foreign Relations is also noteworthy, particularly because the IGT did not hesitate to act despite the company's connections to a high-ranking former government official. While the case may not meet the USG definition of trafficking, it is nonetheless significant that the issue was discussed openly, particularly in a country where few citizens are aware that the problem exists. End comment. Chapman