CAMBODIA: 2007 2ND QUARTER REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000936 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR G/TIP, EAP/MLS and EAP/RSP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KWMN CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA: 2007 2ND QUARTER REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ¶1. (U) Summary: During the period April to June 2007, the Cambodian police arrested four human traffickers, one German pedophile, and two pimps. At least five victims of trafficking were rescued during the reporting period and ten sex workers were removed from brothels. Cambodian courts sentenced fourteen human traffickers, three pimps and one American pedophile. Trafficking in persons (TIP) non-governmental organizations (NGOs) generally reported a decrease in police and court cooperation in anti-TIP activity compared to previous quarters. However, government reports show little change in court and police workload. Police and court activity are detailed starting at para. 7. The Svay Pak neighborhood of Phnom Penh, made infamous as a child sex trade destination, and which officials declared shut down by a series of high-profile raids, is reported to be operational again. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and NGOs cooperated on the RGC's national task force to combat trafficking in persons, which was publicly announced this quarter. End summary. TIP Activity Lull? -------------- ¶2. (SBU) This quarter we received information from the Ministry of Interior (MOI); Phnom Penh Municipal Court; shelters: AFESIP, Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC),and World Hope International; court monitor: ADHOC; and rescue organizations: Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) and International Justice Mission (IJM). Nearly all of the trafficking in persons (TIP) NGOs that provided the Embassy with quarterly TIP data reported lower numbers this quarter than in the first quarter of 2007, and in some cases lower than any quarter in the past 12 months. Many NGO contacts stated that the decreases were in cases related to work that relies on cooperation from Cambodian authorities for referrals, law enforcement, and official investigations. AFESIP normally includes in its quarterly reports complaints filed with the police and courts based on information from victims that come to them for shelter services, and the action taken by police and courts based on these complaints. In past quarters, police and courts have had good track records of responding to AFESIP. However, this quarter AFESIP reports that, of the three complaints they filed with the Ministry of Interior and local courts, no action has yet been taken on the cases. ¶3. (SBU) At a May 31 TIP luncheon during EAP/MLS Deputy Director Eleanor Nagy's visit to Post, former IJM Director Kaign Christy posited that the drop in activity may be due to complacency among governmental actors who feel less nervous now that Cambodia is off Tier 3. However, more recently, APLE's new director Seila Samleang told us that since January 2007 the Phnom Penh municipal anti-human trafficking unit has had internal problems that have led to a decrease in police activity. ¶4. (U) The first quarter of 2007 saw a marked jump in reported activity of the Phnom Penh Court, as compared to previous quarters. Q2 figures for court cases and convictions reported by the PP Court are more on par with the usual activity. MOI activity this quarter is roughly equal with that in the first quarter of 2007, but appears to be lower than quarterly activity in 2006. Svay Pak Endures -------------- ¶5. (SBU) IJM's concerns that the child sex trade may be continuing in the Svay Pak neighborhood of Phnom Penh were recently reported in The Cambodia Daily newspaper. The article stated Svay Pak is "back in business" quoting IJM that the high level of government officials' involvement with the area makes it difficult to stop the child sex trade there. IJM's Christy and Director of Investigations Ron Dunne told Poloff the Svay Pak neighborhood of Phnom Penh is still operating as a center for sex tourism and the sexual exploitation of children. They said that although the area became a focus of police raid activity, the area continues to harbor traffickers and pimps and the victims they exploit, however trafficking activity was pushed "underground". IJM described trafficking activities in Svay Pak as difficult to pinpoint, as a cunning network of perpetrators and the winding alleys of the area make it easy for businesses to pack up and hide quickly. National Task Force -------------- ¶6. (U) On April 6, the RGC publicly launched the "National Task Force to implement the bilateral and multilateral-agreements and Memoranda of Understanding between the Royal Government of Cambodia and Relevant Countries on the Elimination of Trafficking in Persons and Assisting Victims of Trafficking" (NTF). The NTF is meant to be a coordinating mechanism for anti-TIP entities and action. It is headed by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA) You Ay with 18 RGC member agencies such as MOWA, MOI, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth, Ministry of Justice, PHNOM PENH 00000936 002 OF 003 Ministry of Labor, Council of Ministers, Cambodian National Council for Children, Cambodian National Council for Women, and the national police. In May, the NTF finalized a structure that included working groups on prevention, protection and prosecution. Each group includes NGO and RGC members and is broken down into smaller committees, called cluster groups, that will focus on activities such as creating best practices, court training, law enforcement training and shelter activities. This quarter's activity includes determining cluster group composition and responsibilities. Police Activity -------------- ¶7. (U) On April 3, local police in the Ochrov neighborhood of Siem Reap helped rescue a 19-year-old from working as a prostitute during a sex trade crackdown. CWCC worked together with the police on the rescue and the woman is now receiving care at a CWCC shelter. ¶8. (U) On April 23, police in Banteay Meanchey province assisted a 19-year-old runaway in finding support services at a CWCC shelter. Police recognized the youth as vulnerable to trafficking. There were no arrests made connected to this case. ¶9. (U) On May 8, the Phnom Penh municipal anti-human trafficking police arrested German citizen Walter Munz, age 62, on charges of debauchery for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in the Prampi Makara district of Phnom Penh. Police arrested Munz while he was in a guesthouse room with the victim. APLE assisted police with the case, as the organization had Munz under observation since March. Munz appears to have been jailed in the past in Germany for child sexual abuse. The case is currently awaiting trial. ¶10. (U) On May 19, police in Poipet, near the border with Thailand, arrested 31-year-old Chrin Da on charges of trafficking after he sold an 18-year-old disabled woman into begging in Thailand. The woman was picked up by Thai police and returned to Poipet where the trafficker found her and threatened to send her back to Thailand. The owner of the house where the victim was staying went to police and ADHOC for intervention. ¶11. (U) On May 24, IJM assisted police to arrest one brothel manager and rescued seven sexually exploited women ages 18 to 21 from the "76" brothel in Poipet. All are Vietnamese. The owner of the brothel was not on site during the raid and was not arrested. IJM reported that one raid operation during this quarter and one operation during the previous quarter were sabotaged, they believe, because of leaked information. There are several possibilities for the source of the leak including: IJM staff, police, or someone within the Ministry of Interior's Department of Anti-Human Trafficking who had access to IJM's investigation information. ¶12. (U) On May 28, police in the town of Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province conducted a brothel raid and arrested an 18-year-old Vietnamese man, Keo Samang, on charges of sexual exploitation. Keo Samang was working as brothel manager and was pimping two 19-year-old Vietnamese women at the time of arrest. Keo Samang is being held by police in Banteay Meanchey awaiting court investigation and trial. ¶13. (U) On June 18, immigration authorities in Koh Kong, and police under the local anti-human trafficking office proactively, cooperatively and swiftly acted to rescue two infants from being trafficked into Thailand. The ringleader of the incident escaped arrest but three female suspects were arrested on charges of human trafficking by the Koh Kong police. The victims are seven days and six weeks old. World Hope International describes the traffickers as well-prepared and well-funded. The traffickers are under arrest until their trial in a Koh Kong court. The Ministry of Social Affairs placed the infants in the care of World Hope International. Court Cases -------------- ¶14. (U) On April 25, the Appeals Court convicted two perpetrators on charges of trafficking. The two Cambodian offenders each received 15-year prison sentences and were ordered to pay 1,500,000 riel (about USD 365) compensation to each of their four victims, ages 18-24. Police arrested the pair in October 2002. AFESIP provided legal aid to the victims and reported the court decision to the Embassy. ¶15. (U) On May 3, two traffickers were convicted by the Svay Rieng provincial court and received five-year prison sentences. A third suspect was acquitted. Svay Rieng police were responsible for the arrest of the individuals. AFESIP provided legal aid to the victims and reported the court decision to the Embassy. ¶16. (U) On May 30, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced two females of Vietnamese descent connected with the crimes of U.S. pedophile Michael Joseph Pepe. The two offenders were convicted on PHNOM PENH 00000936 003 OF 003 charges of pimping and human trafficking. IJM reports that the women were responsible for procuring four girls ages 9-12 for sex with Pepe. The women received 27- and 15-year sentences. In February, Pepe was escorted to the U.S. by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to face charges in California under the PROTECT Act. ¶17. (U) On May 31, Judge Chhay Kong of the PP Court sentenced a woman, Nguyen Thi Haing, 22, and a man, Hor Phien Bien, 22, to 12 years in prison each from the date of arrest for the crime of human trafficking. The two offenders were arrested in Phnom Penh on June 19, 2002 for trafficking Vin Thi Thaing, female, age 22, into prostitution. ¶18. (U) On May 31, the Kampot provincial court convicted one individual arrested on charges of trafficking in January 2007. The perpetrator was sentenced to two years in prison and a three million riel (about USD 735) fine. AFESIP provided legal aid to the victims and reported the court decision to the Embassy. ¶19. (U) On June 1, Judge Iv Kim Sry of PP Court sentenced three women charged with human trafficking. Thirty-five-year-old "Abdullahkina" was sentenced to 15 years in prison from her arrest date, Nguyen Thi Yung, 49, 17 years from the date of arrest, and Pham Thi Em, 51, 15 years from date of arrest. They were arrested in Phnom Penh on Nov. 15, 2006 for trafficking victims into prostitution. ¶20. (U) On June 4, Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced U.S. citizen Boris Myron Ma to 13 years in prison and a three million riel (about USD 735) compensation fine for debauchery after he paid a pimp to procure a 14-year-old girl for sex. The pimp, Lay Seng Hor, was originally charged with human trafficking but on June 4 was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison on a pimping charge. Three other males were also sentenced in connection with the case: Ek Sok, 44, Ek Sophea, 33, Ros Bann, 48, received pimping convictions; they will each serve eight years in prison. ¶21. (U) On June 27, PP Court sentenced a Vietnamese woman, Nguyen Thi Lung, age 39, to 15 years in prison on charges of kidnapping. Nguyen Thi Lung was arrested in May 2006 when she tried to sell and prostitute a 12-year-old Vietnamese girl in Phnom Penh. The offender is also required to pay 10 million riel (about USD 2400) in punitive damages to the victim. ¶22. (U) On June 28, court officials assisted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials as they made preparations to escort Roger Dale Green back to the U.S. where he faces charges under the PROTECT Act for sex with two underage girls. ¶23. (U) On June 29, the PP Court acquitted British citizen, Paul Bower, of charges that he sexually abused two underage boys, ages 12 and 14, in January. Bower was working as an English teacher in Phnom Penh when he was arrested. MUSSOMELI