JORDANIAN RESPONSE TO G/TIP REPORT: SURPISED AT

UNCLAS AMMAN 001859

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR G/TIP, DRL, AND NEA/ELA
STATE PASS TO USTR (FRANCESKI, KARESH, ROSENBERG)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PHUM QIZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN RESPONSE TO G/TIP REPORT: SURPISED AT
DEMOTION, BUT HOPEFUL FOR IMPROVEMENTS

REF: A. A) STATE 55790

B. B) AMMAN 776


1. (U) Summary: Following Post delivery of Ref A points
and an advance copy of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP)
Report on Jordan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there
has been moderate press coverage and limited civil society
reaction. The general feeling among media, civil society,
and government contacts is that the Government of Jordan
(GOJ) has made significant efforts in the past year to deal
with labor issues, particularly in the Qualifying Industrial
Zones (QIZs). While few are claiming the demotion of status
to Tier 2 Watchlist is undeserved, there is a sense that it
will not be long before Jordan is bumped up again, a result
of continued GOJ efforts to improve labor conditions. End
Summary.

Government Reaction: TIP Fails to Recognize Improvements
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) Political Counselor delivered Ref A points to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Human Rights Directorate on
June 3, but found little reaction to the Tier 2 Watchlist
designation. Directorate staff thanked the Embassy for the
advance copy of the TIP Report and assured PolCouns that a
response was forthcoming. In contrast to the relative
silence of the MFA, the press reports sounds of discontent
from the Ministry of Labor (MoL). Ambassador discussed the
TIP Report with Labor Minister Bassem Al-Salem during his
farewell call on June 17, stressing the importance of
enacting anti-trafficking legislation, prosecuting those who
violate labor laws, and increasing protection for vulnerable
workers. Salem commented that the report failed to
accurately reflect the strides that Jordan has made, adding
that a detailed, formal response was forthcoming. Despite
expressing his disappointment, Salem readily agreed on these
points for action, noting that comprehensive labor law reform
was inscribed on the ag
enda for Parliament's Extraordinary Summer Session, requiring
a vote before the session ended.

Mixed Media Reaction to TIP Release
--------------


3. (U) The June 4 release of the TIP report garnered a mixed
bag of media attention. The opposition daily Al-Ghad ran
several stories since its release, giving the issue
front-page attention along with the initial government
reaction on June 6 and June 8. One article announced that
Jordan is threatened with "punishments" for alleged
violations against foreign workers, and that the government
"was not able to exempt Jordan" from activities related to
"trafficking in persons." Another stated that Jordan had
agreed under the newly established Better Work Project, which
is supported by the International Labor Organization and
partly financed by USAID, to allow U.S. "evaluators" to
inspect the work environment within the QIZs. Al-Ghad
further reported the "Labor Ministry is preparing an official
reply to accusations in a new American report that considers
Jordan still in violation of foreign workers' rights."


4. (U) Columnist Hashem Kraisat, in the June 10 edition of
the independent, opposition daily Al-Arab al-Yawm, asserted
that the potential for penalties brought on by the reported
incidence of trafficking conditions within QIZs is further
evidence that the QIZs may be more trouble than they are
worth. The article noted the "receding status" of the QIZs
"as well as the headache they cause dictate the need for
serious treatment on all levels...The point should be that
Jordan benefits from these zones not suffer from their
burden."

Industry Reaction: One QIZ Praises GOJ Anti-TIP Efforts
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) Garment factory manager Yanal Beasha from the Al
Tajamouat QIZ near Amman had not read the TIP Report, but
when PolOff informed him about the drop in status, he
declared it "pretty annoying" since the GOJ has given such
visible attention to labor issues in the past year. While
Beasha maintained that any increased government scrutiny or
auditing of the QIZs does not worry him, he noted that this

may highlight a few problems for some small subcontractors.
He is confident that Jordan will not fall further to Tier 3
next year.


6. (SBU) United Garments factory owner and Manager Karim
Saifi had also not heard of the report, but expressed some
concern about the status change since previous public
criticism of labor conditions in QIZs had affected his
business. He noted that labor problems in Jordan have been
dealt with transparently and promptly so the report may work
to the industry's advantage if foreign investors see how well
the GOJ and factories handle the criticisms in the report.

Civil Society Reaction: TIP Key to Raising Awareness
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) UNIFEM's Human Rights and Labor Program Officer,
Ghada Aku Al-Rous, believes that while Tier 2 Watchlist may
seem appropriate now, time is needed to determine the full
effects of current reform efforts by the MoL, as well as the
level of political will needed to pass provisions for
domestic workers in the draft labor law. She is very hopeful
that Jordan will continue to make serious efforts to improve
conditions in this sector. Rous also noted that the TIP
Report is an important tool that empowers the work that
UNIFEM does on
trafficking by highlighting the issue. Aida Abul Ras,
President of the labor rights non-governmental organization
Friends of Women Workers, also maintains that the MoL has
worked to sort out problems with QIZ workers. She told
PolOff that today there is much more awareness about the
issue of trafficking writ large as compared to years past.


7. (SBU) Despite previous public claims of inadequate
government services and attention to migrant workers in the
QIZs by President of the Textile and Garment Union, Fathalla
Al-Omrani, Al-Ghad used several quotes of his, taken out of
context, to defend the GOJ track record after the release of
the TIP Report. According to Al-Ghad, Omrani highlighted the
freedoms and services that foreign and domestic workers
enjoy. Omrani later told PolOff, however, that these
comments were taken out context and he maintains that there
are still serious problems, as evidenced by the 46 strikes in
the QIZs and 3,000 complaints the Union reportedly received
from foreign workers last year.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) It is too early to tell whether the report's
recommendations for increased prosecutions or a new
trafficking law will be seen this year as a result of the TIP
Report. Labor Minister Salem is focused on the importance of
prosecutions, and told Ambassador he has discussed this point
with the Interior Minister - and Ambassador wished so once
again. Given the GOJ's transparent and open approach to such
issues in the past, we do expect the GOJ to take the TIP
report seriously and to continue down its current path of
reform to combat trafficking in persons. Post anticipates
additional public reaction to the TIP Report once the Arabic
version is posted online.

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