SOLDIER BAR BROTHEL ALIVE AND THRIVING

UNCLAS ACCRA 000755 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR AF/W (DBANKS, DHEFLIN, TDOUGHERTY),G/TIP (VZEITLIN), INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, AF/RSA (MHARPOLE) DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID PARIS FOR D'ELIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL SMIG ASEC PREF KCRM KWMN GH SUBJECT: SOLDIER BAR BROTHEL ALIVE AND THRIVING REF: STATE 58361 ¶1. (SBU) On June 6, 2008, at approximately 2230 hours two Embassy officials visited the establishment known as the "Soldier Bar" located around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Accra, to determine if prostitution, particularly involving minors, took place at this location. It had been reported previously that this bar had been shut down and razed by the Government of Ghana (GOG). ¶2. (SBU) Embassy officials observed that organized prostitution involving young girls, who appeared to be between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, is still being conducted at the Soldier Bar. Embassy officials also observed that the "Soldier Bar" is a very active and well-organized prostitution "business" operation that takes place nearly every night from approximately 2100 hours well into the next morning. There were approximately sixty to seventy young girls working on the night of the visit. It was also observed that although some portions of the establishment had been torn down, the primary locus of the operation had simply moved to other areas of the bar. There did not appear to be any cessation of the previous business. Clientele consisted entirely of Ghanaians and did not include expatriates or other foreign nationals. DOLAN