Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUALALUMPUR1110
2008-12-22 09:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR VISITS GOVT TIP SHELTER; MORE VICTIMS

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM MY 
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VZCZCXRO2111
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #1110/01 3570904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220904Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2155
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001110 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP AND G/TIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM MY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS GOVT TIP SHELTER; MORE VICTIMS
RESCUED

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 212 -- GOVT SHELTERS OPEN

Summary and Comment
-------------------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001110

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP AND G/TIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM MY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS GOVT TIP SHELTER; MORE VICTIMS
RESCUED

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 212 -- GOVT SHELTERS OPEN

Summary and Comment
--------------


1. (SBU) The Ambassador visited the Malaysian government's
trafficking victims' shelter for women in Kuala Lumpur on
December 17 at the invitation of the Women's Minister. The
shelter housed 11 adult victims of sex trafficking, while the
nearby children's shelter housed four girls. A senior
Women's Ministry official noted the shelter personnel had
limited experience and welcomed U.S. expertise. With the
most recent raids, Malaysian authorities have rescued at
least 79 suspected sex trafficking victims since March of
this year. We were left with the impression that the Women's
Ministry is well intentioned in its operation of the
shelters, but its approach to protecting and assisting
victims could benefit from exposure to international best
practices. End Summary.

Ambassador Witnesses Shelter in Operation
--------------


2. (SBU) The Ambassador conducted a one and one half-hour
visit of the GOM's TIP shelter for women victims in Kuala
Lumpur on December 17 at the invitation of the Women's
Minister. Noorul Ainur, Director General, Department of
Women's Development within the Women's Ministry, escorted the
Ambassador. Both the Kuala Lumpur women's shelter and the
nearby children's TIP shelter are renovated two-story homes
with a normal capacity of about 20 people each. At the time
of the visit, the women's shelter housed 11 victims of sex
trafficking: seven Indonesians, two Vietnamese, and two
Indians. The children's shelter housed four sex trafficking
victims; two Indonesians and two Thai. We found the women's
shelter clean and seemingly well organized, with a kitchen
and living room on the first floor, and sleeping quarters on
the second floor. Consistent with photos provided to the
Department earlier this year, the shelter is enclosed by a
fence and barbed wire, and access is restricted to
operational personnel only. Two security guards and two to
four protection officers are on duty at any given time. The
women receive training in sewing and other basic skills. The
shelter also provides counseling sessions. The Ambassador
spoke briefly with some of the women who volunteered (in
limited English) their experiences and their desire to go
home.


3. (SBU) Director General Noorul discussed the shelter
operations in an open and frank manner. She admitted that
the Ministry's protection officers assigned to the shelters
have limited experience and explained she has met with NGOs,
including the Women's Aid Organization, to get their feedback
on shelter operations. Noorul requested U.S. expertise and
models for operating TIP shelters, and the Ambassador pledged
to provide any relevant information. We informed Noorul that
the United Nations Interagency Program on Trafficking in
Persons (UNIAP),with regional offices in Bangkok, is
interested in meeting with the GOM to discuss training
programs. (Comment: Embassy met with UNIAP in November,
encouraged the project to expand activities to Malaysia, and
provided UNIAP with GOM and civil society contact
information. End Comment.) Noorul informed the Ambassador
that the third TIP shelter, recently designated in Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah, is currently under renovation and should be
ready for operations in January. Throughout the meeting,
Noorul expressed the Ministry's willingness to cooperate with
the Embassy and told the Ambassador that excluding
translators, he was the first foreign guest to visit the
shelter.

Recent Raids Free More Victims
--------------


4. (SBU) Most of the victims we saw at the shelter had been
rescued from sex trafficking in mid-December. Police
conducted at least three raids to rescue suspected sex
trafficking victims in the greater Kuala Lumpur area. In one
case, an Indonesian victim escaped the traffickers and filed
a police report, leading to a raid on a location, operating
as a "massage center" in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of
Damansara, that freed another six Indonesian women and two
Indonesian girls, both reportedly age 17. Police rescued two
Thai girls, ages 16 and 17, from Sentul, also in the vicinity
of Kuala Lumpur. The Embassy is seeking further details on
these cases. With the most recent raids, Malaysian
authorities have rescued at least 79 suspected sex
trafficking victims since March of this year.

KUALA LUMP 00001110 002 OF 002


KEITH