Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE525
2008-08-18 12:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST TIP; NEW
how-toVZCZCXRO2958 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0525/01 2311250 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 181250Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7614 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0396 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2334 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000525
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE; STATE FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST TIP; NEW
PROGRAMS AND A WAVE OF ARRESTS
SUMMARY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000525
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE; STATE FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST TIP; NEW
PROGRAMS AND A WAVE OF ARRESTS
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) Macedonia continues to make progress in fighting
trafficking in persons (TIP),aggressively pursuing
traffickers in a wave of recent arrests and prosecutions,
many involving minor victims. Additionally, the GOM's
Anti-TIP Commission has worked with the Ministry of Labor and
Social Policy to gather data on TIP awareness and developed
and conducted TIP-prevention programs in communities
throughout Macedonia. The Commission also recently conducted
trainings for journalists on legal issues related to TIP.
Finally, the National Anti-TIP Commission Secretary, Kiro
Todorovski, inspired by a recent International Visitors,
Leadership Program on TIP issues, has shared Macedonia,s
best practices with other colleagues throughout Europe, and
has drafted a plan for a national database of child-crime
perpetrators, based on the U.S. model, which he has put
before the new Government. End Summary.
POLICE DISCOVER OTHER VICTIMS OF TIP
--------------
2. (SBU) Trafficking of Minors: In the last six months
police arrested 18 perpetrators in six cases of trafficking
of minors. Eight minors aged 9-17 years, all Macedonian
nationals, were identified as victims.
3. (SBU) In a February case, parents and another relative
permitted the sexual abuse of a minor child by a taxi driver,
who, in return, paid them money and provided transportation
free of charge. Four persons -- the family members and the
taxi driver -- were charged in the case, and remain in
custody awaiting trial. The child victim was taken to the
TIP shelter.
4. (SBU) In a March case, two Gevgelia residents were
charged with trafficking of a 16-year old female. The victim
was taken to the TIP shelter, and the suspected perpetrators
remain in custody awaiting trial.
5. (SBU) In an April case, a nine-year-old girl from
Pallatica, near Tetovo, was sold by her father to the owner
of a village cafe for MKD 7,000 (less than USD 200) to work
as a &companion8 to customers. Police became involved when
the bar owner prevented the father from taking his daughter
back home after learning she was not attending school and was
going to be re-sold to an owner of a night club in Gostivar.
Police suspected that her 14 year-old sister was also a
victim and took them both to the TIP victims, shelter. Five
persons were charged in the case, and all remain in custody.
6. (SBU) In a July case the owner of a cafe in Gevgelia and
her assistant were arrested for assisting labor exploitation
and trafficking of two minor girls, aged 9 and 14. The owner
and her remain in custody awaiting trial and the victims
remain in the TIP shelter.
7. (SBU) In another July case, authorities pressed charges
against the owner of a Tetovo bar and his assistant for
sexual and labor exploitation of a 14 year-old girl and
forced prostitution of a 17 year-old girl. Both remain in
custody awaiting trial, and the victims remain in the TIP
shelter.
8. (SBU) Forced Prostitution: In the past six months,
police investigators have discovered a total of six cases of
forced prostitution and have arrested 11 perpetrators who
remain in detention awaiting trial. Four of the cases are
being prosecuted as criminal acts of &intermediation and
prostitution8 committed by five persons, while two others
fall under &pandering and enabling sexual acts8 committed
by six persons. The victims are seven Macedonian nationals,
aged 14-26 years.
9. (SBU) Human Trafficking: In a March case, police
arrested three residents of the Shuto Orizari section of
Skopje for trafficking of an 18-year old Bosnian for the
purpose of forced marriage. The victim was taken to the TIP
shelter, and the three suspected perpetrators remain in
custody awaiting trial.
SKOPJE 00000525 002 OF 003
10. (SBU) Human Smuggling: In the past six months, police
have charged 26 persons with human smuggling in 4 separate
cases. All suspects remain in custody awaiting trial. In
the largest of the human smuggling cases, dubbed "Operation
Dragon," 24 Macedonians were arrested in two separate cases
of trafficking 18 Chinese citizens, who entered Macedonia
from Serbia, seeking to transit to Greece.
11. (SBU) In a high-profile case in July, police arrested a
known trafficker for illegally harboring five women, four
Serbians and a Bulgarian, in the Tetovo bar he owns. The
case is being prosecuted as &smuggling of migrants8 since
the women were not found to be held against their will,
having returned for a third time to Macedonia after two
previous prosecutions. The bar owner is in custody awaiting
trial. The women were taken to the shelter, but have since
departed.
12. (SBU) In another case in early August, police
discovered six Afghan citizens, aged 18-23, hidden in a truck
with Turkish license plates at the Macedonian-Albanian
border. The Turkish driver was arrested and charged with
&smuggling of migrants8. He is in custody awaiting trial,
while the Afghans were sent to the shelter for illegal
migrants.
ANTI-TIP COMMISSION CONDUCTS TRAININGS AND DEVELOPS NEW
PROGRAMS
-------------- --------------
13. (SBU) The Anti-TIP Commission, in cooperation with the
Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, conducted a national
poll of over 1000 respondents on TIP awareness. Based on the
data, the Anti-TIP Commission organized and conducted
TIP-prevention town hall meetings with NGOs, youth
organizations and local authorities in several municipalities
throughout Macedonia. The Commission also provided
additional training for social workers dealing with victims
of TIP, and to journalists to better inform their reporting
on TIP cases.
14. (SBU) The Commission successfully completed the
establishment of the Trans-national Referral Mechanism for
victims of TIP in cooperation with the International Center
for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Macedonia also
signed an MoU with ICMPD and became a partner state of the EU
countries in the organization.
15. (SBU) Inspired by his recent International Visitors,
Leadership Program (IVLP) on Anti-TIP strategies, National
Anti-TIP Commission Secretary Kiro Todorovski drafted a plan
for developing a public national register of child sex crime
perpetrators, which is currently being reviewed by the
government. He expects the GoM will approve and fund the
program in coming months.
FUTURE STEPS OF THE COMMISSION
--------------
16. (SBU) The Anti-TIP Commission has developed an aggressive
agenda for the coming six months, including developing a
detailed budget for the future needs of the Anti-TIP
Commission, providing additional training for prevention and
prosecution of TIP crimes, training of a National Reporter
for anti-TIP efforts in cooperation with OSCE, and developing
a separate shelter for domestic victims of TIP.
17. (SBU) The GoM at the highest levels is committed to
combating trafficking in persons. In a July 23 meeting with
Interior Minister Jankuloska, the DCM noted that Macedonia's
effective performance merited a Tier 1 ranking in the most
recent June 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report, and
emphasized the critical importance of prosecuting traffickers
to protect victims and to prevent people from becoming
victims. Jankuloska concurred fully and pledged strengthened
efforts In a July 28 meeting, the Ambassador indicated to
Minister Jankuloska that while Macedonia should be proud of
the efforts and performance that resulted in the Tier 1
ranking, the GoM will have to further increase its efforts to
maintain that standing. Minister Jankuloska replied that
reaching that standard took a real commitment and a great
effort and noted that the MoI now has the responsibility to
SKOPJE 00000525 003 OF 003
sustain that level of effort and is committed to make further
progress in combating trafficking of persons.
COMMENT
--------------
18. (SBU) Macedonia is not resting on its laurels following
its designation by the State Department as a Tier 1 country,
but instead is pressing forward in a range of areas.
Excellent coordination between the Anti-TIP Commission and
other government agencies, the police, and NGOs continues to
facilitate progress across a range of TIP-related areas. We
expect further progress in coming months, including the
development of a new shelter dedicated to the specific
long-term needs of domestic victims of TIP, who are now
co-located with foreign victims who are often only in the
shelter briefly during a transit period, and further
development of a regional witness protection program as a new
option for victims of trafficking. End Comment.
Navratil
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE; STATE FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST TIP; NEW
PROGRAMS AND A WAVE OF ARRESTS
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) Macedonia continues to make progress in fighting
trafficking in persons (TIP),aggressively pursuing
traffickers in a wave of recent arrests and prosecutions,
many involving minor victims. Additionally, the GOM's
Anti-TIP Commission has worked with the Ministry of Labor and
Social Policy to gather data on TIP awareness and developed
and conducted TIP-prevention programs in communities
throughout Macedonia. The Commission also recently conducted
trainings for journalists on legal issues related to TIP.
Finally, the National Anti-TIP Commission Secretary, Kiro
Todorovski, inspired by a recent International Visitors,
Leadership Program on TIP issues, has shared Macedonia,s
best practices with other colleagues throughout Europe, and
has drafted a plan for a national database of child-crime
perpetrators, based on the U.S. model, which he has put
before the new Government. End Summary.
POLICE DISCOVER OTHER VICTIMS OF TIP
--------------
2. (SBU) Trafficking of Minors: In the last six months
police arrested 18 perpetrators in six cases of trafficking
of minors. Eight minors aged 9-17 years, all Macedonian
nationals, were identified as victims.
3. (SBU) In a February case, parents and another relative
permitted the sexual abuse of a minor child by a taxi driver,
who, in return, paid them money and provided transportation
free of charge. Four persons -- the family members and the
taxi driver -- were charged in the case, and remain in
custody awaiting trial. The child victim was taken to the
TIP shelter.
4. (SBU) In a March case, two Gevgelia residents were
charged with trafficking of a 16-year old female. The victim
was taken to the TIP shelter, and the suspected perpetrators
remain in custody awaiting trial.
5. (SBU) In an April case, a nine-year-old girl from
Pallatica, near Tetovo, was sold by her father to the owner
of a village cafe for MKD 7,000 (less than USD 200) to work
as a &companion8 to customers. Police became involved when
the bar owner prevented the father from taking his daughter
back home after learning she was not attending school and was
going to be re-sold to an owner of a night club in Gostivar.
Police suspected that her 14 year-old sister was also a
victim and took them both to the TIP victims, shelter. Five
persons were charged in the case, and all remain in custody.
6. (SBU) In a July case the owner of a cafe in Gevgelia and
her assistant were arrested for assisting labor exploitation
and trafficking of two minor girls, aged 9 and 14. The owner
and her remain in custody awaiting trial and the victims
remain in the TIP shelter.
7. (SBU) In another July case, authorities pressed charges
against the owner of a Tetovo bar and his assistant for
sexual and labor exploitation of a 14 year-old girl and
forced prostitution of a 17 year-old girl. Both remain in
custody awaiting trial, and the victims remain in the TIP
shelter.
8. (SBU) Forced Prostitution: In the past six months,
police investigators have discovered a total of six cases of
forced prostitution and have arrested 11 perpetrators who
remain in detention awaiting trial. Four of the cases are
being prosecuted as criminal acts of &intermediation and
prostitution8 committed by five persons, while two others
fall under &pandering and enabling sexual acts8 committed
by six persons. The victims are seven Macedonian nationals,
aged 14-26 years.
9. (SBU) Human Trafficking: In a March case, police
arrested three residents of the Shuto Orizari section of
Skopje for trafficking of an 18-year old Bosnian for the
purpose of forced marriage. The victim was taken to the TIP
shelter, and the three suspected perpetrators remain in
custody awaiting trial.
SKOPJE 00000525 002 OF 003
10. (SBU) Human Smuggling: In the past six months, police
have charged 26 persons with human smuggling in 4 separate
cases. All suspects remain in custody awaiting trial. In
the largest of the human smuggling cases, dubbed "Operation
Dragon," 24 Macedonians were arrested in two separate cases
of trafficking 18 Chinese citizens, who entered Macedonia
from Serbia, seeking to transit to Greece.
11. (SBU) In a high-profile case in July, police arrested a
known trafficker for illegally harboring five women, four
Serbians and a Bulgarian, in the Tetovo bar he owns. The
case is being prosecuted as &smuggling of migrants8 since
the women were not found to be held against their will,
having returned for a third time to Macedonia after two
previous prosecutions. The bar owner is in custody awaiting
trial. The women were taken to the shelter, but have since
departed.
12. (SBU) In another case in early August, police
discovered six Afghan citizens, aged 18-23, hidden in a truck
with Turkish license plates at the Macedonian-Albanian
border. The Turkish driver was arrested and charged with
&smuggling of migrants8. He is in custody awaiting trial,
while the Afghans were sent to the shelter for illegal
migrants.
ANTI-TIP COMMISSION CONDUCTS TRAININGS AND DEVELOPS NEW
PROGRAMS
-------------- --------------
13. (SBU) The Anti-TIP Commission, in cooperation with the
Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, conducted a national
poll of over 1000 respondents on TIP awareness. Based on the
data, the Anti-TIP Commission organized and conducted
TIP-prevention town hall meetings with NGOs, youth
organizations and local authorities in several municipalities
throughout Macedonia. The Commission also provided
additional training for social workers dealing with victims
of TIP, and to journalists to better inform their reporting
on TIP cases.
14. (SBU) The Commission successfully completed the
establishment of the Trans-national Referral Mechanism for
victims of TIP in cooperation with the International Center
for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Macedonia also
signed an MoU with ICMPD and became a partner state of the EU
countries in the organization.
15. (SBU) Inspired by his recent International Visitors,
Leadership Program (IVLP) on Anti-TIP strategies, National
Anti-TIP Commission Secretary Kiro Todorovski drafted a plan
for developing a public national register of child sex crime
perpetrators, which is currently being reviewed by the
government. He expects the GoM will approve and fund the
program in coming months.
FUTURE STEPS OF THE COMMISSION
--------------
16. (SBU) The Anti-TIP Commission has developed an aggressive
agenda for the coming six months, including developing a
detailed budget for the future needs of the Anti-TIP
Commission, providing additional training for prevention and
prosecution of TIP crimes, training of a National Reporter
for anti-TIP efforts in cooperation with OSCE, and developing
a separate shelter for domestic victims of TIP.
17. (SBU) The GoM at the highest levels is committed to
combating trafficking in persons. In a July 23 meeting with
Interior Minister Jankuloska, the DCM noted that Macedonia's
effective performance merited a Tier 1 ranking in the most
recent June 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report, and
emphasized the critical importance of prosecuting traffickers
to protect victims and to prevent people from becoming
victims. Jankuloska concurred fully and pledged strengthened
efforts In a July 28 meeting, the Ambassador indicated to
Minister Jankuloska that while Macedonia should be proud of
the efforts and performance that resulted in the Tier 1
ranking, the GoM will have to further increase its efforts to
maintain that standing. Minister Jankuloska replied that
reaching that standard took a real commitment and a great
effort and noted that the MoI now has the responsibility to
SKOPJE 00000525 003 OF 003
sustain that level of effort and is committed to make further
progress in combating trafficking of persons.
COMMENT
--------------
18. (SBU) Macedonia is not resting on its laurels following
its designation by the State Department as a Tier 1 country,
but instead is pressing forward in a range of areas.
Excellent coordination between the Anti-TIP Commission and
other government agencies, the police, and NGOs continues to
facilitate progress across a range of TIP-related areas. We
expect further progress in coming months, including the
development of a new shelter dedicated to the specific
long-term needs of domestic victims of TIP, who are now
co-located with foreign victims who are often only in the
shelter briefly during a transit period, and further
development of a regional witness protection program as a new
option for victims of trafficking. End Comment.
Navratil