SICHUAN SEES HUMAN TRAFFICKING INCREASE SINCE 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHENGDU 000208 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM AND G/TIP JUSTICE FOR OPDAT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KWMN PHUM SMIG PGOV CH SUBJECT: SICHUAN SEES HUMAN TRAFFICKING INCREASE SINCE 2005 REF: CHENGDU 165 CHENGDU 00000208 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) This cable contains sensitive but unclassified information - not for distribution on the Internet. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Sichuan Province has seen a dramatic increase in human trafficking cases since 2005, a Sichuan Public Security Bureau (PSB) official reported, though in the past five months provincial authorities have successfully rescued 400 people and made 437 arrests. Sichuan is having some success using a DNA databank to match rescued children (abducted for illegal adoptions) with their parents, and has also set up telephone and e-mail hotlines to receive information on possible cases. For prevention, the PSB is promoting a campaign of seven "do's and don'ts" intended to help women and children avoid situations that might lead to being trafficked. End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) Following up on news reports on Sichuan's recent anti-trafficking efforts, PolEconOff met September 24 with Yue Wenmao, Deputy Director of the Sichuan PSB's Penal Investigative Branch, and Cao Hong, Section Chief in the PSB Anti-Trafficking Office. Trafficking Up Since 2005, But Recent Success by PSB -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Since 2005, Sichuan Province has seen a dramatic increase in human trafficking cases, Yue reported, particularly trafficking of infants and children for illegal adoptions (primarily males) and trafficking of women who are forced to work as prostitutes. (Note: China's definition of TIP differs from the U.S./international definition, and includes children kidnapped for illegal adoptions. End Note.) Women are sometimes trafficked for forced marriages, but this is not as common as in other provinces, Yue claimed. Most of Sichuan's cases involve women or children from Sichuan trafficked to other provinces, with very few cases of people from other provinces or foreign nationals being trafficked to Sichuan. Despite 2008 press reports suggesting children from Sichuan were being trafficked to Guangdong Province for labor, Yue told PolEconOff that Sichuan currently does not have a problem with child trafficking for labor purposes. ¶5. (SBU) In the last five months, Yue continued, Sichuan has handled more than 370 trafficking cases, of which 290 have been resolved. 144 cases involved children, and 182 cases involved women. The PSB rescued 176 children and 224 women, and arrested 427 people, Yue reported. In addition, the PSB located approximately 1,000 missing children, though these children were not victims of trafficking, he said, but rather were children and teenagers who had run away from home or skipped out on school. (Note: Numbers offered by Yue in our meeting closely followed those in a recent Sichuan News Network (SNN) report on the Sichuan PSB's anti-trafficking efforts. End Note.) Using DNA to Reunite Victims with Families -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Sichuan has had success using a DNA databank to reunite rescued children with parents, Yue said, adding that DNA has only recently begun to be used in anti-trafficking efforts in China. Under this nationwide system, anti-trafficking officials collect DNA samples from parents whose children have gone missing as well as from rescued children and then seek matches. So far in Sichuan, 175 samples have been entered into the databank, and parents of 16 children have been successfully identified by local authorities. PSB Connects to Public Through Phone and Email -------------- - ¶7. (SBU) In addition to using the DNA databank, Sichuan officials have also increased direct communication with the public via a telephone hotline and dedicated e-mail address, Yue reported. This allows anti-trafficking officers to communicate with domestic NGOs and the public, including parents and relatives of missing women or children, helping the PSB uncover trafficking cases, he said. At the same time, people in Sichuan are gaining a greater understanding of the PSB's anti-trafficking work. Asked about frequency of calls to the hotline, Section Chief Cao said they receive 10-20 calls per month. Prevention: The Seven "Do's and Don'ts" -------------- ¶8. (SBU) According to a recent Sichuan News Network report, the Sichuan PSB is promoting a prevention strategy consisting of the CHENGDU 00000208 002.2 OF 002 "Trafficking Seven Do's and Seven Don'ts" (guaimai qi yao qi bu yao) for women and children to help them avoid situations that might lead to becoming victims of trafficking: 1) Don't be over-trusting when looking for work, do remain vigilant; 2) Don't rush out to look for work, do take enough money to cover daily expenses; 3) Don't trust promises and temptations, do gather sufficient information about the job; 4) Don't avoid registration in order to save money, do remember to fully complete the job registration forms; 5) Don't accept a ride by the middleman to visit a potential job site, do make your own way there; 6) Don't stop regular contact with your family, do make sure they know your whereabouts; 7) Don't panic in a dangerous situation, do look for help in a timely manner. Structure of Sichuan Anti-Trafficking Efforts -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Sichuan developed its own anti-trafficking action plan modeled on the central government's 2008 anti-trafficking action plan, Yue reported. Sichuan's anti-trafficking structure includes an Anti-TIP Leading Group, chaired by a Vice Governor, which includes representatives from 32 provincial departments. At the operational level, the Sichuan PSB maintains its own anti-trafficking office run by a Deputy Director of the PSB. The PSB's anti-trafficking office maintains very close working relations with the Sichuan Provincial Women's Federation (a branch of the All-China Women's Federation),Yue continued, the latter mainly conducting education campaigns. BROWN