DVC DIALOGUE PLACES SPOTLIGHT ON INDONESIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001126 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, G/TIP, EAP/RSP, DRL/IL AND EAP/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ELAB SMIG ID SUBJECT: DVC DIALOGUE PLACES SPOTLIGHT ON INDONESIAN TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS HERO REF: JAKARTA 759 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (U) SUMMARY: G/TIP Director Ambassador Luis CdeBaca held a June 29 DVC dialogue with key GOI officials and NGO leaders regarding the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report on Indonesia. Ambassador Hume opened the program by presenting the 2009 TIP Hero Award to an Indonesian migrant worker who had escaped trafficking in the Middle East and then helped others to escape. An audience of over 50 officials, NGO leaders and media attended the dialogue. National print, TV and radio journalists reported extensively on the event. END SUMMARY. PRESENTING TIP AWARD ¶3. (U) On June 29, Ambassador Hume presented Indonesian migrant worker Elly Anita with the 2009 TIP Hero Award during a 90-minute DVC with Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP). Ambassador Hume told the audience, "Elly Anita is a migrant worker who escaped trafficking in the Middle East through her own ingenuity and willpower, and has since helped to rescue other migrant workers. This is the fifth year in a row that an Indonesian has received this prestigious award." ¶4. (U) During the dialogue, Ambassador CdeBaca praised Indonesian progress in fighting trafficking, particularly in law enforcement. He also commended the recent GOI decision to suspend sending Indonesian domestic workers to Malaysia until the current MoU with Malaysia is renegotiated to protect their basic rights. Ambassador CdeBaca also raised several areas where Indonesia could improve, including by: --Enforcing criminal penalties against manpower brokers which traffic workers, and eliminating recruitment fees which put workers into debt bondage. --Protecting migrant workers overseas (particularly the right to retain their travel documents in Malaysia). --Stopping domestic trafficking of women for sexual exploitation. --Providing an adequate budget to deal with trafficking in the new National Plan of Action. INDONESIAN PANEL COMMENTS ¶5. (U) The Indonesian panelists included: I Gusti Made Arka, Director General for Manpower Supervision, Ministry of Manpower; Andhika Chrisnayudhanto, Deputy Director for Countering Transnational Crimes at the Foreign Affairs Department; Fachry Sulaiman, Deputy Director for Protection of Overseas Citizens at Foreign Affairs; and, Wahyu Susilo of Migrant Care (2007 TIP Hero). ¶6. (SBU) Made Arka, who in conversations with Labatt a year ago did not take seriously the need to renegotiate the MoU with Malaysia, has now changed his views. He responded to Ambassador CdeBaca that the GOI is seeking to change the terms of the MoU to protect workers rights. This includes a proposal that would allow migrant labor to hold their own passports and to have a day off each week. The GOI also is proposing a joint Indonesian-Malaysian committee to regulate and monitor employees of Indonesian migrant workers, domestic servants in particular. The suspension in sending migrant workers is intended to be in place until these issues are resolved. ¶7. (U) The Manpower Ministry also is reviewing cost structures to reduce the fees charged to migrant workers, Made Arka said. The GOI plans to negotiate MoUs with all receiving countries to better protect workers' rights, citing accords with Jordan, Hong Kong and Taiwan as positive models. If Indonesia needs to choose between "remittances" and "dignity" for workers, Made Arka said he would prefer the latter. ¶8. (U) Wahyu Susilo said that despite a strong 2007 anti-trafficking law, implementation needs to be stronger. He praised the TIP report for putting pressure on other countries to improve their treatment of Indonesian workers. ¶9. (U) An NGO activist in the audience complained about poor protection of returning migrant workers at Jakarta JAKARTA 00001126 002 OF 002 International Airport. Made Arke acknowledged that although the migrant worker terminal was designed to protect workers, that in reality they are exploited there. Wahyu Susilo suggested that workers have the freedom to use the special terminal set up for them or to go through regular immigration like other passengers. ¶10. (U) Other aspects of the discussion focused on technical issues of the TIP report which Ambassador CdeBaca explained. Overall, the DVC was notable for the openness of the discussion and the willingness of GOI officials to respond honestly on difficult issues. Prior to this DVC, the Ministry of Manpower has seldom if ever openly admitted the shortcoming of the migrant worker protection system. Clearly, this ministry came prepared to respond to criticisms noted in the report. The Foreign Ministry officials on the panel told Labatt that the Indonesian TIP report is a fair, accurate and in-depth assessment of the trafficking situation. NGO activists told us the dialogue was outstanding, regretting only that there was not more time. EXTENSIVE NATIONAL COVERAGE ¶11. (U) National newspapers, TV and radio reported extensively on the presentation of the TIP Hero award to Elly Anita by Ambassador Hume. They also interviewed Ms. Anita. The dialogue itself was also reported in some detail. Coverage reached tens of millions of Indonesians. HUME