SUCCESSFUL HIGH-PROFILE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000389 SIPDIS STATE FOR G/TIP BFLECK, WHA/PDA JDICKSON, CPETERSON, INL DHOOKER, G/IWI IMARR, AND WHA/BSC MDASCHBACH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV GTIP KPAO GIWI SNAR MX PA SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL HIGH-PROFILE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS CAMPAIGN -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Embassy's Public Diplomacy and Political-Economic Sections, and the local Military Information Support Team, collaborated on a successful anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) campaign launched in conjunction with the June 16 release of the Department's TIP Report. The campaign brought attention to a problem many Paraguayans would prefer to ignore, addressed USG policy objectives, dampened possible negative reaction to the TIP Report, provided targeted assistance, and painted the U.S. in a sympathetic light as a country that cares about TIP victims. The campaign included a visiting U.S. speaker specializing in TIP; several media events by the Ambassador; an event highlighting a USD 280,000 donation from G/TIP for an anti-TIP project in the Tri-Border Area of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil; an extensive anti-TIP radio and print campaign; and the underwriting of the publication of a second edition of the Paraguayan government's TIP Intervention Manual for prosecutors. END SUMMARY. -------------- ANTI-TIP SPEAKER ) U.S ATTORNEY RUBEN PEREZ -------------- ¶2. (U) The Embassy kicked off its anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) campaign during the week of June 8 in the lead-up to the June 16 release of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. PD programmed a visiting speaker, Ruben Perez, a Spanish-speaking U.S. Attorney specializing in TIP prosecutions on the Mexican border, who visited Paraguay June 7-11. Mr. Perez gave a series of well-received workshops with local prosecutors and presentations at local universities; appeared on leading TV and radio shows; and was interviewed by all three leading dailies. ¶3. (U) The keynote event and media magnet for the Embassy's anti-TIP campaign was an event anchored by the Ambassador and Perez at the Women's Secretariat attended by the Minister of Women, the Secretary for Children and Adolescents, the country's top TIP prosecutor, and representatives from the Foreign Ministry. Media coverage was extensive and positive ) bringing further attention to TIP and portraying the U.S. in a positive light as a country that cares about TIP victims. Speaker Perez also appeared on the leading evening talk show. (NOTE: By coincidence, the talk show host (Humberto Rubin) happens to be the husband of the Minister of Women who also appeared on the show, a point in our favor as we pitched the idea of a show dedicated to TIP. END NOTE.) -------------- IOM TRI-BORDER AREA ANTI-TIP PROJECT DONATION -------------- ¶4. (U) On June 17, the Embassy hosted a media event keynoted by the Ambassador to announce a USD 280,000 award from G/TIP to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to finance a project to assist Paraguayan, Argentine, and Brazilian officials to prosecute traffickers, assist TIP victims, and alert potential victims of the dangers associated with TIP. Ambassador's speech highlighted both the donation and key findings from the Department's TIP Report, and she gave IOM Paraguay Director Guillermo Sosa an oversized check at the event, widely publicized by Paraguay's leading dailies, radio stations, and television outlets. The IOM, Tri-National Anti-TIP Network (a network of anti-TIP NGOs in the Tri-Border Area),and 2008 International Women of Courage Award winner Cynthia Bendlin (in attendance) will work together to implement the project. -------------- PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS -------------- ¶5. (U) Embassy-sponsored anti-TIP radio public service announcements (PSAs) began airing June 17 in both Spanish and Guarani on 16 radio stations covering over 90 percent of the country. (NOTE: Many TIP victims come from rural eastern Paraguay and often do not speak Spanish. END NOTE.) As part of the anti-TIP campaign, PD, Pol-Econ, and the local Military Information Support Team (MIST) collaborated with the Paraguayan government,s Inter-Institutional Roundtable for the Prevention and Combat of TIP on the development of PSAs (30 seconds) in the form of victim,s testimonials designed to highlight the nature of the problem and warn potential victims of the dangers posed by human traffickers. (NOTE: The Inter-Institutional Roundtable, led by the Foreign Ministry and Public Ministry, is the government,s primary mechanism for fighting TIP. END NOTE.) -------------- AMBASSADOR'S OP-ED -------------- ¶6. (U) On Sunday, June 21, ABC Color, the country's leading daily, published an op-ed by the Ambassador highlighting in part some of the recommendations contained in the TIP report while reinforcing our message of positive engagement. -------------- TIP INTERVENTION MANUAL -------------- ¶7. (U) The Embassy's anti-TIP campaign will conclude with the publication of a second edition of the government's TIP Intervention Manual on June 30. Originally published by the Paraguayan government in 2006 with financial support from INL, the manual has been updated to include the new Paraguayan TIP statute that went into effect on June 16. MIST and INL provided funds to publish 4,000 copies of the revised manual. Pol-Econ worked closely with TIP Prosecutor Teresa Martinez and her co-author, an anti-TIP crusader, to update the manual. The original manual proved so popular that copies have been dispersed throughout Latin America. This revised manual will acquaint a new cadre of Paraguayan prosecutors, police, and anti-TIP officials with new methods for intervening in TIP cases and using the new Paraguayan Penal Code to fight human trafficking. -------------- PARAGUAYAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR TIP -------------- ¶8. (U) The campaign also reinforced efforts the new Paraguayan government has made in the past year to increase public awareness of human trafficking and provide additional TIP training to government officials. The government's anti-TIP Roundtable launched a five-year report of its activities March 13; the report's launch event in Asuncion received media attention with then-Foreign Minister Hamed Franco presiding. The Public Ministry hosted an International TIP Seminar May 25 in Asuncion attended by over 300 Paraguayan officials and foreign dignitaries, and the Women's Ministry hosted an anti-TIP seminar in Ciudad del Este May 27 in conjunction with the MERCOSUR Women's Conference. The Embassy's anti-TIP campaign followed these important government-sponsored events and helped boost efforts to fight human trafficking. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (U) The successful collaboration with the Paraguayan government on an anti-Trafficking in Persons campaign was designed to shed light on an ugly problem, help victims (and potential victims),reinforce USG policy goals, and portray the U.S. in a sympathetic light as a country that cares about TIP victims. The campaign also helped preempt the Paraguayan government's reaction to the TIP report and minimize the Paraguayan media's ability to use our Congressional reports to criticize the USG. The collaboration among PD, Pol-Econ, and MIST was an excellent example of intradepartmental and interagency cooperation and a best practice. Media coverage, both electronic and print, was extensive and reinforced our message of positive engagement and bilateral collaboration in addressing this very difficult problem. END COMMENT. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion AYALDE