Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASMARA29
2008-01-17 13:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:  

ASMARA - UNMEE COMBATING SEA AND TIP

Tags:  KPKO PREL ER 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 171326Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9394
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1578
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1756
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000029 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/E
DEPT FOR IO/PSC - CHANDI SITHOLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: KPKO PREL ER
SUBJECT: ASMARA - UNMEE COMBATING SEA AND TIP

REF: REF: A) STATE 170451 B) ASMARA 629

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000029

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/E
DEPT FOR IO/PSC - CHANDI SITHOLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: KPKO PREL ER
SUBJECT: ASMARA - UNMEE COMBATING SEA AND TIP

REF: REF: A) STATE 170451 B) ASMARA 629

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (U) Per Reftel A, the following is Post's Sexual
Expolitation and Abuse (SEA) and Trafficking In Persons (TIP)
report.


2. (SBU) There continue to be very few reported cases of
either SEA or TIP involving UN Peacekeeping Mission to
Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE) personnel in Eritrea. The Chief
of the UNMEE Conduct and Disciplinary Unit (CDU) Saif Ullah
Malik and Human Rights Officer (HRO) Monyluak Kual said that
there were no substantiated incidents of either SEA or TIP
during the reporting period. In March 2007 there was one
case of human smuggling in which an expatriate UNMEE
contractor was illegally transporting a group of Eritreans to
Ethiopia in his official vehicle. This individual was
apprehended by the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE)
and expelled from the country. There were three paternity
cases arising from consensual sexual relations between UNMEE
staff and Eritreans, although none involved SEA.


3. (U) UNMEE requires all personnel to participate in
training on SEA and TIP, proper conduct, and sexual
harassment. Malik has visited every team site since July
2007 to personally conduct these training courses, noting
that he has trained 1759 people. The training courses are
interactive, involving both role playing and scenarios. He
also mentioned that the zero tolerance policy is heavily
emphasized and strictly enforced.


4. (U) The recently added CDU is the focal point for the
reporting of all new cases of SEA and TIP. The sole Conduct
and Disciplinary Officer (CDO),Malik, collects information
about each case before passing it to UN Headquarters in New
York for investigation. The panel investigation system
(Reftel B) for SEA and TIP cases is no longer being used, and
all investigations are now conducted outside of UNMEE.


5. (U) UNMEE's outreach efforts to the local population
continue to be difficult (Reftel B),but there has been
improvement. There was a November radio broadcast on a state
owned Eritrean radio station regarding TIP and SEA and the
procedure for filing a complaint, and another broadcast is
planned in the future. UNMEE instituted a 24-hour hotline to
report cases. There are no NGOs or human rights groups in
Eritrea available to comment on UNMEE's efforts to combat SEA
and TIP.


6. (C) Comment: Malik's description of the effectiveness of
programs combating SEA and TIP being handled by UNMEE varies
sharply from previous reports (Reftel B, paragraph 6). Malik
said outreach efforts have led to a condition in which all
cases of TIP and SEA make it to his attention, and that few,
if any, cases will go unreported. Due to the desperate
condition of many Eritrean citizens, particularly in the
remote areas where many UNMEE personnel serve, it is very
likely that there are unreported SEA cases in which Eritreans
"consent" to sexual relations with UNMEE staff in exchange
for promises of food, transportation out of Eritrea, or other
inducements that only expatriates can provide. Malik stated
that consensual sexual relationships are not considered to be
SEA and are not investigated by the CDU. End Comment.
MCMULLEN