DEMARCHE TO TIMOR-LESTE ON 2009 TIP REPORT

UNCLAS DILI 000151 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM TT SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO TIMOR-LESTE ON 2009 TIP REPORT REF: STATE 60526 ¶1. (U) On June 16, DCM met with officials at Timor-Leste's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the 2009 Trafficking In Persons report for Timor-Leste, per reftel. MFA participants included USA Bilateral Affairs Officer Ms Elda Ferreira; Ms Sebastiana Barros, Human Rights Officer in the Multilateral Affairs Directorate; and Ms Natividade Villanova Almeida of the Consular Affairs Directorate. ¶2. (U) After hearing our presentation, the MFA officials acknowledged that trafficking could become a serious problem in Timor-Leste, and noted that the GOTL was continuing to work with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to improve training of Timorese officials and law enforcement. Ms. Almeida said that she represented the MFA in a GOTL inter-agency working group on trafficking, and that work was proceeding slowly. She added that the nature of the problem still requires socialization in Timor-Leste, and that the working group was developing materials for inclusion in school curricula to correct this. Ms Ferreira proposed that the Embassy meet with the MFA on a regularly scheduled basis to monitor progress. ¶3. (U) The 2009 TIP report has been translated into Tetum and will be posted on Embassy Dili's website in the coming days. It has also been forwarded under cover of a diplomatic note to the relevant GOTL ministries, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights, and law enforcement agencies. KLEMM