Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TASHKENT1938
2007-11-07 10:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

JIZZAKH ANTI-TRAFFICKING NGO DESCRIBES COMPLICATED

Tags:  PHUM CVIS ECON KCRM KWMN PGOV PREL SOCI UZ 
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RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #1938/01 3111049
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 071049Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8729
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3433
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9642
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4049
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 3912
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2120
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 001938 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017
TAGS: PHUM CVIS ECON KCRM KWMN PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: JIZZAKH ANTI-TRAFFICKING NGO DESCRIBES COMPLICATED
RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS

REF: TASHKENT 1419

Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 001938

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017
TAGS: PHUM CVIS ECON KCRM KWMN PGOV PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: JIZZAKH ANTI-TRAFFICKING NGO DESCRIBES COMPLICATED
RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS

REF: TASHKENT 1419

Classified By: POLOFF R. FITZMAURICE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).


1. (C) Summary: During a trip to Jizzakh province on October
31, poloff met with local officials and a local NGO to
discuss trafficking-in-persons (TIP). Local NGO leader
Nazifa Kamilova, whose organization has received some
government assistance, complained that more needed to be done
to strengthen anti-TIP efforts. Kamilova also said a local
organization, the Jizzakh Business Incubator, was involved in
human trafficking and U.S. visa fraud. End summary.


2. (C) During a trip to Jizzakh province on October 31,
poloff met with Nazifa Kamilova, the head of the Jizzakh
province branch of the anti-trafficking NGO Istiqbolli Avlod
(Note: The province branches of Istiqbolli Avlod, although
sharing a common name, operate as separate NGOs, with the
Tashkent branch unofficially representing the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) in Uzbekistan. End note.)
Currently in their third year of a five-year action plan,
Kamilova's NGO has held anti-trafficking events at local
educational institutions, publicized information on
trafficking in the local media and provided human rights
training to local law enforcement officials. The NGO also
was given a grant from USAID (via IOM/Istiqbolli Avlod
Tashkent) to operate an emergency anti-trafficking hotline,
which receives an average of 180 calls a month, approximately
two or three of which are from trafficking victims abroad
seeking assistance in returning to Jizzakh (the hotline
number is advertised in prisons in countries that receive a
large number of Uzbek trafficking victims, such as the United
Arab Emirates.)


3. (C) During their first meeting, which was held in the
presence of hokimiyat (provincial administration) officials,

Kamilova stressed to poloff the "high level" of cooperation
and support her organization has received from the
government, noting in particular that they have been provided
office space free of charge from the local branch of the
Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (LDPU),one of the
five legally registered parties in Parliament. In October
2006, her NGO received a one-year grant worth 5.5 million
soums (4,430 dollars) from the National Association of NGOs
(an ostensibly independent, but government-controlled
organization). In addition, the local Women's Committee
(another state-controlled organization) has helped victims
returning to Jizzakh find employment, and, in one case, paid
for the treatment of a victim who had contracted
tuberculosis.


4. (C) According to her, local media outlets have run
anti-trafficking advertisements free of charge. The local
Jizzakh television station, "Bakhtiyor Shahbos," has run a
one-minute commercial twice a week, the local "Samzar" radio
station has run a thirty second commercial three times a week
and the local paper, "Jizzakh Pravda," has carried an
advertisement for the anti-trafficking hotline in every
issue. In addition, the provincial newspaper for lawyers,
"Adolat," has run several articles about trafficking and its
victims.

ANTI-TRAFFICKING EVENT AT LOCAL MOSQUE
--------------


5. (C) Kamilova also described a recent anti-trafficking
seminar held at Jizzakh's Kuch-Chinor mosque which brought
together more than 80 imams from across the province. The
event was organized with the support of the Women's Committee
and the hokimiyat's advisor on spiritual issues. According
to Kamilova, this was the first time she was aware of when
women were invited into a mosque to give a presentation to
imams. Her organization was warmly received by the imams,
who appeared very interested in learning more about the
issue.

ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS OF MOVIE "HUMAN TRAFFICKING"
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Poloff originally met Kamilova when she traveled to
Tashkent in July to attend the Embassy's screening of the

TASHKENT 00001938 002 OF 003


movie "Human Trafficking" (reftel). Kamilova later borrowed
a copy from Istiqbolli Avlod in Tashkent and has since held
several screenings of the movie at anti-trafficking seminars
in Jizzakh, including for law enforcement officials. In each
case, the movie was positively received by the audience.
Kamilova said that she already had discussed broadcasting the
movie with Bakhtiyor Shahbos TV, who agreed to show an edited
version if the necessary broadcast rights could be granted.

ANTI-TRAFFICKING ART CONTEST AT LOCAL SCHOOL
--------------


7. (C) After the meeting, poloff went with Kamilova and the
hokimiyat officials to preside over an anti-trafficking art
contest at the Jizzakh art lyceum, a boarding school for
disadvantaged children with artistic potential in the 5th
through 9th grades. Kamilova noted that such children,
mostly orphans, were vulnerable to trafficking, and
therefore, she held frequent events at the school. During
her last event, she organized the art contest by giving the
students one month to paint anti-trafficking posters.


8. (C) Upon arriving at the school, poloff was treated like
a visiting dignitary and presented with large bouquets of
flowers, presents, and the traditional bread and salt, all
the while being filmed by Bakhtiyor Shahbos TV. Poloff was
asked to judge the more than 30 paintings and choose first,
second and third places (poloff was later informed that, in
fact, the school had already chosen the winners.) Poloff was
genuinely impressed by both the students' artistry, as well
as the understanding they displayed of the dangers of human
trafficking. Along with Kamilova and the local officials,
poloff then handed out prizes to the winners.


9. (C) Poloff had arranged with Kamilova in advance to
participate in the art contest, but without the presence of
hokimiyat officials. As Kamilova later explained, the
officials at the Jizzakh hokimiyat called her the day before
the event and instructed her to invite them and to change the
time to fit their schedule. (Comment: In accordance with GOU
demands, the Embassy notifies the MFA in advance of all
official travel by State Department officers. Our planned
itinerary is often shared as well, to avoid cancellation of
events. End comment.)

SEPARATE MEETING ALONE WITH KAMILOVA
--------------


10. (C) After the contest, poloff returned to Kamilova's
office to continue their conversation without the presence of
local officials. The tone of the second meeting was markedly
different, with Kamilova emphasizing the lack of support she
received from local officials. The hokimiyat, as she stated,
"ne meshaet, ne pomogaet," or in other words, it neither
interfered in her activities, nor supported them. According
to her, most of the support she received from hokimiyat
officials lacked substance. She also blamed government
corruption for exasperating the trafficking problem for labor
migrants, specifically accusing the Ministry of Labor's
Agency for Foreign Labor Migration Affairs, which arranges
foreign labor contracts for Uzbek citizens in countries such
as South Korea, of demanding bribes between 3,000 and 5,000
dollars from each applicant.


11. (C) Kamilova also expressed concerned about the
long-term financial viability of her organization, noting
that her one grant from the National NGO Association already
expired in October and her other grant from USAID (via
IOM/Istiqbolli Avlod in Tashkent) to operate the
anti-trafficking hotline would run out run out in November.
Kamilova also told poloff about her ideas for future
projects, including organizing a children's theater to raise
awareness on trafficking issues. Poloff encouraged Kamilova
to apply for a grant with the Embassy's Democracy Commission
and from government sources, including the National NGO
Association and a new Cabinet of Ministers program to provide
state funding to NGOs in the form of subsidies and grants.

JIZZAKH BUSINESS INCUBATOR ACCUSED OF TRAFFICKING
-------------- --------------


TASHKENT 00001938 003 OF 003



12. (C) Kamilova told poloff that her NGO was involved in a
criminal case in September against the Jizzakh Business
Incubator, which it accused of facilitating the trafficking
of over 200 Uzbek labor migrants to Russia. According to
Kamilova, the Jizzakh Business Incubator falsely claimed to
be affiliated with the United Nations, and for a fee, offered
to find employment for individuals in Russia. Those who paid
were then transported to Russia by bus and were dropped off
at various locations between Krasnodar and Moscow, at which
point their passports were allegedly seized by accomplices
and they were forced to work at construction sites with
little or no remuneration. At least 82 of the victims later
returned to Uzbekistan and participated in the criminal case
against the organization, though Kamilova is unsure of what
happened to the other victims. Two individuals at the
Business Incubator, Umarkul Ugamov and the organization's
accountant, were convicted of trafficking and received a
two-year sentence and an 8,000 dollar fine (approximately 100
dollars for each victim),but their prison sentence was
immediately commuted, and their conviction remains under
appeal.


13. (C) Kamilova said that the Jizzakh Business Incubator
also has been involved in U.S. visa fraud, helping to send
three women to the United States in 2005 and 2006, ostensibly
to study English for nine months. Relatives approached
Kamilova and told her that they have not had any contact with
the women since they left Uzbekistan. She fears that the
three women may have been trafficked for sexual exploitation.
According to her, four additional individuals are currently
applying for U.S. visas to study English through the Business
Incubator. Kamilova said that she approached the four
individuals and warned them, but they refused to believe her.
The Business Incubator reportedly charged each of the
applicants different amounts, ranging from 2,000 to 10,000
dollars. It also claimed (falsely) that it had a contact
within the Embassy who arranged for the visas to be issued.

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


14. (C) Despite her harsh criticism of local officials
during her second meeting alone with poloff, it is clear that
the government has given Kamilova's NGO substantive support,
including providing it with rent-free office space and a
grant worth almost 5,000 dollars (serious money here).
Nevertheless, with the financial sustainability of her
organization in question, the government has a clear
opportunity to assist in combating trafficking by providing
additional assistance to NGOs like Kamilova's, potentially
through the National Association of NGOs or a new program
adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on April 28, under which
officially registered NGOs engaging are eligible to receive
state subsidies and grants.


15. (C) Consular officer could find no record of English
students sponsored by the Jizzakh Business Incubator being
issued visas during the time period alleged by Kamilova. In
October, a group of potential conference participants
sponsored by the Jizzakh Business Incubator were refused
visas under INA Section 214B. The consular section's Fraud
Prevention Unit is now aware of potential fraud through the
Jizzakh Business Incubator and will continue to investigate
the case.
NORLAND