GEORGIA LAUNCHES ANTI-TIP CAMPAIGN IN SVANETI

UNCLAS TBILISI 002061

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC, G/TIP, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA LAUNCHES ANTI-TIP CAMPAIGN IN SVANETI



1. (U) As part of a national anti-trafficking awareness
campaign, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) - a
USAID implementing partner - conducted consultations and
distributed anti-TIP publications in the remote, mountainous
border region of Svaneti from 27 July until 2 August. Rumors
of possible TIP activity and involuntary servitude, stemming
from the Government's actions to reassert control over this
region last summer, led GYLA to conduct this portion of their
national anti-TIP campaign "No to TIP" in Svaneti at this
time.


2. (U) Two GYLA representatives targeted local village
residents. During the consultations, the experts discussed
trafficking issues, including characteristics and stages of
trafficking, rights and responsibilities of TIP victims, and
victim prevention. Svaneti is an area of anti-TIP concern in
Georgia, due to the isolation of the province and the
region's tradition of "kords meribi" or "white servants."
This tradition, which has existed since Soviet times but
increased since the 1992-93 civil war, is a labor practice
wherein a family takes in a house servant in exchange for
food and shelter. These servants may be displaced people who
choose to stay and work. Or, they may be held against their
will in involuntary servitude, as slaves. Despite a mostly
warm reception by the villagers, the GYLA representatives
were unable to directly speak with any of these servants.
Most of the villagers would only speak about the servant
tradition in a circumspect manner, with none admitting to
employing any themselves. In addition to targeting
residents, the GYLA representatives also briefed local police
on recently enacted anti-TIP legislation and GYLA's
USAID-funded prevention materials.


3. (SBU) Comment: The extension of anti-TIP education
programs to the remote and under-served region of Svaneti
represents another step forward in Georgia's ongoing fight
against human trafficking. GYLA's demonstrated expertise and
leadership in combating TIP, in partnership with Georgian
civil society, continues to bolster the GoG's efforts to
eradicate this scourge. Svaneti remains a largely closed
society, where law enforcement is difficult and suspicion of
outsiders reigns supreme. Due to the mountainous terrain and
road conditions, Svaneti lies approximately 12 hours by car
from the capital. Lying on the Russian border, it is
vulnerable to trafficking and insulated from intervention
efforts. End comment.
PERRY