MINISTER OF MANPOWER RECEIVES INITIAL TIP DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000409 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, G/TIP, DRL AND NEA/MEPI DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR JAMES RUDE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL KCRM KMPI KWMN ELAB SMIG MU SUBJECT: MINISTER OF MANPOWER RECEIVES INITIAL TIP DEMARCHE REF: A. STATE 59116 ¶B. STATE 58779 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) On June 4, the Ambassador demarched Minister of Manpower Juma bin Ali al Juma on the 2008 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report for Oman, providing him with both the country narrative and 60-day action plan (refs A, B). The Ambassador passed similar information to the office of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). As expected, Juma was displeased that Oman would remain on Tier 3 and made the oft repeated claim that Oman does not have a significant problem with labor or sex trafficking, particularly in comparison with other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The Ambassador focused Juma on Oman's lack of action over the past year to combat TIP or care for its victims, calling the Minister's attention to the fact that Oman had not fulfilled the recommended steps in last year's action plan. As the Ambassador walked Juma through the 2008 plan, Juma asked his note takers to place particular emphasis on the recommendations that Oman "enact already drafted anti-trafficking legislation" and "establish a system of support services and shelters for victims of trafficking." "We are not happy to be on this list," Juma told the Ambassador, "and (the Sultan) and the rest of the government are paying attention." ¶2. (C) Comment: Juma requested the meeting with the Ambassador after poloff quietly informed the Director General (DG) of Labor Care, a close contact of the Embassy, about the contents of the TIP report on the afternoon of June 3. According to the DG, Juma wanted to hear about the report before leaving on June 4 for the International Labor Organization's annual conference in Geneva. The Embassy plans to send a copy of Oman's country narrative and action plan to the office of Yusef bin Alawi, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, and will report any substantive response septel. End Comment. GRAPPO