INDONESIA - DOL DRAFT LIST RE TRAFFICKING (TVPRA)

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000159


DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR MMITTELHAUSER, G/TIP FOR SSTEINER, EAP/MTS,
EAP/MLS
DEPT OF LABOR/ILAB RRIGBY, BSASSER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ELAB KTIP ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - DOL DRAFT LIST RE TRAFFICKING (TVPRA)

REF: A) STATE 43120
B) 08 JAKARTA 1097
C) 08 JAKARTA 1057


1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General Surabaya
and Consulate Medan.


2. (U) SUMMARY: Mission appreciates the opportunity to comment on
the Department of Labor's draft Trafficking Victims Protection
Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) Report. We request further information
on how the draft list of Indonesian goods produced by child labor
was determined, including the documentation used in the assessment.
We also provide more contextual information on the production
process. We believe that the incidence, severity and evidence of
child labor in Indonesia for the three goods proposed in the draft
TVPRA do not justify a listing. We furthermore believe that such a
listing would be counter-productive to the solid cooperation we
enjoy with Indonesians--and the progress they have made already--in
preventing the Worst Forms of Child Labor (WFCL).
END SUMMARY.

ANALYZING THREE CATEGORIES


3. (U) Ref A listed three products as using child labor in
Indonesia: footwear; tobacco; and, gold. The following provides
Mission's analysis for child labor in these three industries.

WEST JAVA SANDAL PRODUCTION


4. (U) Mission reported on the manufacturing of women's shoes and
sandals in the cottage shoe industry in Ciomas Regency (district),
West Java (refs B and C). We sourced a 2008 report by a local Non
Government Organization (NGO) Elsppat which had conducted research
for the International Labor Organization (ILO). Elsppat credibly
documented about 600 children age 14 and up working under WFCL
conditions. Labatt also visited Ciomas to interview children and
families employed in this cottage industry.


5. (U) The incidence appeared to be limited to this one community
producing what apparently are local or counterfeit labels for small
shops in Indonesia. We have no evidence of purchases by major
companies. Children employed in this cottage industry were aged
14-17, mostly from the same area of Ciomas, working for their own
families or neighbors.

CONCERTED ONGOING EFFORTS


6. (U) As a result of work by the ILO and Elsppat, the local
community has been proactive in improving working conditions for
children and eliminating WFCL in this industry. These efforts have
resulted in some villages in this regency no longer employing child
labor and others implementing healthier work conditions. Elsppat
also has set up healthier industries for youth such as sewing and
income-producing enterprises for adults to reduce the pressure for
children to work. Increased spending on education by the GOI also
has helped children stay in school. Finally, ILO and Elsppat have
received good cooperation from local government officials to reduce
child labor in Ciomas and these efforts are on-going. Much work
still needs to be done but there has been good progress over the
past two years.


7. (U) Mission suggests that given the isolated incidence of this
problem and ongoing efforts to combat it, an effective way forward
would be to continue to work with the community and local government
to step up efforts, including an awareness campaign among the small
wholesale buyers and retailers. Listing this product at a time when
efforts have begun to deal with the problem in earnest would be
unproductive.

PROGRESS RE TOBACCO INDUSTRY


8. (U) Mission also reported isolated incidences of the use of
child labor in tobacco growing and processing in North Sumatra and
East Java (Ref B). In North Sumatra, a 2004 ILO study documented
seasonal child labor under WFCL conditions on several tobacco
plantations. In 2008, however, Consulate Medan interviewed reliable
NGOs and personally visited one of these plantations, finding that
children were no longer employed.


9. (U) This progress could be the result of ILO working with the
local government and communities to reduce WFCL. It also might be
due to awareness by European buyers, following the ILO report, which
may have resulted in closing or partial closing of the European
market for North Sumatra tobacco using child labor. ILO could not
produce any recent evidence that child labor persisted in North
Sumatran tobacco plantations.


10. (U) Separately, a 2006 ILO-IPEC study documented seasonal use
of children in conditions of WFCL helping their families in tobacco
production in Jember District, East Java. ConGen Surabaya also
researched this matter in 2008. About 86 percent of the children
were age 15 or older. Incidence was limited to that one district.


11. (U) However, ILO also reported that while this type of seasonal
use of child labor persists, ILO and a local NGO have successfully
worked with the local government and communities to significantly
reduce the practice over the past 10 years. Efforts have included
awareness programs by the local government and promotion of
compulsory schooling for children.


12. (U) Given the limited incidence of WFCL in the tobacco industry
and demonstrated success by the government and communities to
eliminate the practice, we see little value in listing this product
in the TVPRA at this point. Rather, we should continue to work with
ILO and local NGOs to monitor the situation and assist with further
action where needed.

GOLD INDUSTRY REPORTS UNSUBSTANTIATED


13. (U) Mission has cited unsubstantiated reports from local NGOs
about exploitation of child labor in gold mining (ref B). We have
yet to receive any reliable corroborating information and therefore
recommend gold not be listed. Mission is interested in receiving
and investigating any credible reports which DOL might have received
on this.

WORKING CLOSELY


14. (U) Mission looks forward to working with DOL on clarifying the
use of child labor for the three products listed in this draft. We
furthermore would like to discuss programs we could pursue to
address the situations and their complexities.

HUME