2009 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LABOR DIPLOMACY:

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001072 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR, EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, G/TIP; DEPT OF LABOR FOR BSASSER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT APER ELAB PHUM ID SUBJECT: 2009 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LABOR DIPLOMACY: EMBASSY JAKARTA NOMINATION REF: A. STATE 46831 ¶B. JAKARTA 629 ¶C. (08) JAKARTA 1057 ¶D. (08) JAKARTA 8672 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Mission nominates Stanley J. Harsha for the 2009 Award for Excellence in Labor Diplomacy. Counselor for Political Affairs Joseph L. Novak has nominated Stan with the full endorsement of Ambassador Cameron R. Hume. ¶2. (U) SUMMARY (Con'd) Stan has performed his Labor Attache responsibilities in absolutely outstanding fashion. His analysis of key issues, his nurturing of a wide network of contacts, and his operational effectiveness, creativity and responsiveness have helped place labor issues squarely at the center of Mission efforts to reinforce Indonesia's respect for worker rights. Moreover, working with the U.S. Department of Labor, the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM),Stan's efforts have achieved practical results--in line with the goals of Transformational Diplomacy--by directly helping workers suffering abuse. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (U) Mr. Harsha's outreach to a wide variety of agencies and labor rights organizations and collaborative approach enabled the USG to promote stronger worker protection in Indonesia, particularly in the area of migrant worker protection. He has achieved this through dedication to his labor portfolio despite other reporting and management responsibilities as the Deputy Political Counselor in a very busy Mission. Mr. Harsha chaired regular U.S. Mission interagency trafficking of persons (TIP) committee attended by State, USAID, DOJ, Consular, Econ and PAS, which resulted in close collaboration such that USG projects worked seamlessly with one another. SAVING BURMESE MIGRANT WORKERS ¶4. (U) His work protected the lives of hundreds of Burmese migrant workers. When nearly 400 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrant workers washed up near-death on Indonesian shores, enroute to Malaysia seeking employment, Mr. Harsha devoted his energies to ensure their welfare. Initially, the Department of Foreign Affairs talked about sending the Rohingyas back to Burma where they certainly would have been persecuted. IOM and UNHCR could not get access for several weeks. He visited the Rohingya camp in a remote location, the first international observer to meet with this group, documenting their condition through videotaped interviews. He used this information to refute GOI assertions that the Rohingyas might not be political refugees, citing their stories of persecution. Mr. Harsha gained assurance from senior Indonesian diplomats that the Rohingyas would not be sent to Burma. His intervention led directly to IOM and UNHCR access, and political protection status. Mr. Harsha furthermore used reporting cables to document the dire need for the USG to provide funding for care of the Rohingyas in Indonesia, resulting in nearly $295,000 in prompt funding from the office of Population, Refugees and Migration. INNOVATIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS ¶5. (U) In addition, Mr. Harsha's intensive collaboration with Indonesian labor/human rights NGOs, government agencies and IOs has enabled him to pioneer innovative approaches to labor rights. For example, Mr. Harsha targeted several parts of Indonesia with the most severe labor and trafficking problems for field visits, and in each location met with all the relevant government agencies, NGOs and labor leaders. In addition, he visited factories and locations with trafficking victims, such as migrant worker holding centers, red light districts and rehabilitation centers. His frequent visits to a migrant workers processing terminal at the Jakarta international airport focused attention on identifying trafficked Indonesians returning from Malaysia and the Middle East. At Mr. Harsha's request, IOM trained airport officials to screen for trafficking victims. He requested that IOM and USG agencies train not only police, prosecutors and judges, but also officials from Immigration, Manpower, Foreign Affairs, and NGO activists, in a comprehensive approach. This became the model for dozens of TIP training workshops. The result has been greatly enhanced cooperation, such as joint raids on trafficking syndicates by police and manpower, shutting down several large illicit manpower brokers. ¶6. (U) Maintaining rapport and trust with all GOI agencies key to labor and migrant protection. Mr. Harsha used this personal touch to achieve breakthroughs. For example, he cultivated strong relationships with senior officials at the Manpower Ministry and the Agency for Overseas Migrant Worker Protection, despite their corrupt reputation of promoting worker exploitation. This deepening relationship resulted in these agencies participating in USG-funded TIP workshops and in greater emphasis on fighting trafficking. HELPED WORKERS ESCAPE SLAVERY ¶7. (U) Mr. Harsha's outreach resulted in yet other progress to protect worker rights: His persistent intervention for a trafficked Burmese seafarer, held captive by his employer for over a year, resulted in his freedom under UNHCR protection. A woman he helped rescue from a trafficking situation in Iraq, by working with IOM and the GOI, returned to Indonesia and helped many fellow migrant workers escape. She was chosen as a State Department TIP Hero in 2009. ¶8. (U) He has worked with NGOs and GOI officials to press for enforcement of the 2007 anti-TIP law. Arguably, stepped up enforcement by police, prosecutors, immigration and manpower officials is in part a response to his constant pressing for action against traffickers and corrupt officials. He also managed the DRL democracy and small grants solicitations, and through his persuasion at proposal review meetings and drafting of recommendations secured several important grants for both labor and TIP projects for Indonesia. ¶9. (U) Besides the above-cited accomplishments in transformational diplomacy, Mr. Harsha also devoted time to report on developments to Washington. He drafted the annual TIP report and thoroughly researched the labor component of the human rights report. His child labor report and forced labor and child labor in the production of goods report identified in great detail the industries where child labor is exploited. He personally documented exploitation of children in the shoe industry through field visits to factories. He also documented worst forms of child labor and forced child labor in the food processing industry, agriculture and mining as part of his in-depth reporting. ¶10. (U) Mr. Harsha's extensive outreach included meetings with labor leaders at their offices and in factories across Indonesia. In several cases he was the first labor official of any foreign mission to meet with labor leaders and his visits uncovered new issues. His third annual fasting month celebration was attended by over 100 labor leaders, and first-ever initiative by a labor attach in Indonesia. In addition, he consults frequently with human rights NGOs protecting rights of children and worker rights. He also meets with the Indonesian business organizations and U.S. chamber representatives to discuss labor issues. He has met with several ministers and other senior officials to discuss labor protection issues. He attended many conferences and workshops hosted by ILO, IOM, Solidarity Center, Save the Children and other U.S. Mission partners, addressing thousands of children and workers at these events. Three of his labor/TIP nominees participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program in 2008/09. DOL AND DRL RECOGNITION ¶11. (U) The Department of Labor sent the following message in April 2009 regarding Mr. Harsha's contributions: "The Department of Labor would like to express its deep gratitude for the support provided over the past year by Mr. Stanley Harsha. Despite having a very large portfolio, Mr. Harsha has always found time to assist DOL in its efforts to combat child labor and trafficking. He has maintained regular contact with DOL grantees, has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his efforts to collect information on child labor in Indonesia for the Department's annual Child Labor Report, and has supported DOL staff in their field visits. Mr. Harsha's passion and commitment to labor issues is evident and is much appreciated by all those in DOL who have the pleasure of working with him." ¶12. (U) DRL endorsed these comments, adding: "We enthusiastically join in DOL's praise, particularly in calling attention to the outstanding work you have done to raise the profile of labor issues at your post and your thorough and timely responses to a wide range of tasking and email requests for additional information. Indonesia is one of our top priority countries, and you have done stellar work in keeping us fully informed of recent developments and analyzing the complex labor environment in the country." ¶13. Proposed citation: For management of a collaborative approach to labor and trafficking issues in Indonesia which has led to significant breakthroughs in the protection of Indonesian and other international migrant workers and close cooperation between the USG and international organizations, NGOs and Indonesian government agencies, as well as in-depth reporting on labor issues. ¶14. The following three cables are written examples of Mr. Harsha's work: -- (09) Jakarta 629, Rohingyas Treated Well in Indonesia, International Access Granted; -- (08) Jakarta 1057, Exploitation in the Cottage Shoe Industry; -- (08) Jakarta 8672, Trial Begins for Alleged Trafficker of Migrant Labor to Iraq ¶15. The Political Counselor nominated Mr. Harsha for this award and the COM has endorsed it. HUME