ENGAGING VIETNAM ON TIP

UNCLAS HANOI 000435 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/AWH, PRM/PIM, AND G/TIP BANGKOK FOR REFCOORD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV TIP ELAB KWMN KCRM SMIG PREL VM SUBJECT: ENGAGING VIETNAM ON TIP REFS: A) HANOI 0309; B) HANOI 356; C) HANOI 400 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: A recent high-profile labor dispute involving Vietnamese workers in Jordan threatens to distract attention from the steady and increasing progress Vietnam continues to make on its anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts. Despite the significant efforts the GVN has made particularly within the last year, much remains to be done and the GVN is receptive to our ongoing cooperation on anti-TIP efforts. Downgrading Vietnam's TIP status, however, would endanger that cooperation and jeopardize the USG's ability to make further progress on this issue. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Much attention has been focused on a recent case involving Vietnamese workers in Jordan (reftels). Mission Vietnam shares the assessment of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that this case was a labor dispute rather than an incident involving forced labor. We note that the source of most, if not all, the assertions critical of the GVN in this case was one organization which reportedly paid one of the protest organizers in Jordan two thousand dollars to lead the strike. Reftels have addressed most of those assertions, while some details remain in dispute. What is not disputed is that the GVN, which does not have an embassy in Jordan, responded to the crisis by sending an interministerial team that helped repatriate all the workers who wanted to leave Jordan. The GVN has repeatedly asserted that the workers who have returned have faced no punishment or penalties from the government and we have seen no credible information to the contrary. ¶3. (SBU) The Jordan case has drawn attention away from Vietnam's ongoing efforts in prosecution, protection, and assistance to victims, including protection of labor trafficking victims. Within the last year, the GVN issued Directive 16 to draft new legislation on a comprehensive new anti-TIP law and broadened the definition of trafficking to include men, not just women and children. It issued Decision 17 on repatriating, reintegrating, and providing assistance to sex trafficking victims returning from abroad. A national Center for Women's Development was opened in Hanoi that provides shelter, counseling, financial and vocational support to sex trafficking victims. New victim assistance and assessment centers were established. ¶4. (SBU) In Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, international NGOs are working together with at-risk women and children, educators and provincial officials to promote safe migration and raise awareness of trafficking schemes. IOM continues to work with the GVN on PRM-funded anti-TIP projects. ¶5. (SBU) On the law enforcement side, Vietnamese courts convicted more than 300 individuals in TIP cases in 2007, an increase over the previous year. The Ministry of Public Security established a special unit to combat child sex abusers. And Vietnam just signed an anti-TIP MOU with Thailand that establishes specific assistance measures by the two countries for repatriating TIP victims and helping them reintegrate into the community (septel). ¶6. (SBU) These measures constitute concrete steps by Vietnam to increase its anti-TIP efforts within the last year. Indeed, as a developing country with limited resources, Vietnam is clearly making a significant effort. This does not indicate, however, that further action is not needed. For example, Vietnam has not yet ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. And with its growing focus on sending increasing numbers of laborers overseas, the GVN must not neglect the need to protect workers from forced labor and TIP. ¶7. (SBU) Anti-TIP cooperation is an area where Mission Vietnam has had great success with limited resources. For example, USAID has funded TIP prevention activities such as scholarships for at-risk girls and awareness raising activities in coordination with schools and the Vietnamese Women's Union as well as limited reintegration assistance (counseling and vocational training) for returning TIP victims. Our assistance is welcomed by our GVN interlocutors and we have the potential to do more. Failure to recognize the concrete improvements the GVN has made, however, would jeopardize the USG's ability to continue engaging the GVN effectively and to maintain momentum on anti-TIP efforts in Vietnam. ¶8. (U) This cable was coordinated with ConGen Ho Chi Minh City. MICHALAK