CDEBACA TO GOK AND KUWAITI NGOS: NEW BILL IS KEY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001134

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KMPI KTIP ELAB KU
SUBJECT: CDEBACA TO GOK AND KUWAITI NGOS: NEW BILL IS KEY
TO PROGRESS ON TIP

REF: A. KUWAIT 608

B. KUWAIT 761

C. KUWAIT 811

D. KUWAIT 832

E. KUWAIT 844

F. KUWAIT 1078

G. KUWAIT 788


1. (U) Summary: Highlights of the November 16 visit to Kuwait
by Ambassador at Large for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and
Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in
Persons Luis CdeBaca:

--Meeting with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
(MOSAL),Ambassador CdeBaca emphasized the critical role of
Kuwait's anti-TIP bill in enabling Kuwait to make progress on
this critical issue, while GOK officials emphasized their
efforts to investigate labor complaints while explaining that
as only one-third of the total population, Kuwaitis see
strict oversight of the expat population here in the context
of national security as well as economic and human rights
terms.

--Meeting with the Kuwait Human Rights Society (KHRS) NGO,
Ambassador CdeBaca explored the crossover between the
institutions and training necessary to care for child abuse
victims and those necessary to care for trafficking victims.

--Meeting with the International Labor Organization (ILO),
Ambassador CdeBaca discussed the short-comings of Kuwait's
new labor bill and the potential of the anti-TIP bill.

--With the press, Ambassador CdeBaca held a one-on-one
interview with AP reporter Diana Elias. End summary.


2. (U) During his first visit to Kuwait in his capacity as
Ambassador at Large for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and
Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in
Persons, Ambassador CdeBaca on November 16 discussed with top
MOSAL officials some of the similar trafficking problems
experienced by both the U.S. and Kuwait as migrant labor
destination countries. Although MOSAL U/S Mohammad Al-Kandari
emphasized that there were significant differences between
the two countries' labor experiences because Kuwait's
two-million-strong foreign worker population is twice the
size of its one-million-strong citizen population, he
acknowledged Ambassador CdeBaca's point that parliament's
passage of the anti-TIP bill would open the door to
opportunities for USG anti-TIP training for GOK lawyers,
victim counselors, and police. (Note: Since the appointment
of MOSAL Minister Al-Afasi in May 2009, MOSAL has led the GOK
on progressive policies for foreign workers (REFS A-E).
However, MOSAL's reforms do not apply to Kuwait's 550,000
domestic workers, who fall under the Ministry of Interior's
jurisdiction. End note.)


3. (U) In a subsequent meeting, Ambassador CdeBaca engaged
the leadership of the NGO Kuwait Human Rights Society (KHRS)
on crossover between two of the group's main goals: helping
child abuse victims and helping trafficking victims. The KHRS
leaders were receptive to Ambassador CdeBaca's suggestion
that many of the GOK institutions and training sought by the
NGO to help child abuse victims -- shelters, counselors, and
police training -- could be adapted to help trafficking
victims as well. In response to accounts from KHRS director
Ali Al-Baghli of foreign maids stealing from Kuwaiti sponsors
and Kuwaiti sponsors physically abusing maids, Ambassador
CdeBaca suggested the GOK mandate training for both incoming
foreign workers and prospective sponsors.


4. (U) Meeting with ILO Officer-in-Charge Thabet Al-Haroun,
Ambassador CdeBaca discussed Kuwait's draft labor bill and
the potential for passage of the anti-TIP bill. Haroun
expressed regret that proposed amendments that would have
enabled the new labor bill to apply to domestic workers
failed to pass. Haroun expressed concern that MOSAL was
ill-prepared to implement the bill because it has provided no
training to its staff concerning the major changes in the
law. Haroun agreed with Ambassador CdeBaca that passage of
the anti-TIP bill would greatly increase opportunities for
USG anti-TIP training for GOK staff and expressed his belief
that the U.S. TIP report has played a major role in hastening
GOK labor reforms.


5. (U) Ambassador CdeBaca also met with the top two officials
of the Kuwait Trade Union Federation (Chairman Khalid Al-Azmi
and Deputy Chairman Abdul Rahman Al-Ghanim),Kuwait's
International Organization for Migration Officer-in-Charge
Iman Ereiqat, and labor attaches from sending countries

KUWAIT 00001134 002 OF 002


Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The
problem of exploitative and fraudulent recruitment practices
by labor agents in source countries and the Kuwaiti
government's de facto policy of deporting runaway migrant
workers were common themes in these meetings.


6. (U) In an interview with local AP reporter Diana Elias,
Ambassador CdeBaca discussed the enormity of the trafficking
problem in Kuwait and his optimism that the GOK was taking
steps in the right direction. The following day, the local
dailies ran favorable accounts of his visit.


7. (U) Comment: Ambassador CdeBaca's visit coincided with
the Kuwaiti parliament's growing debate over trafficking and
labor issues, particularly the new draft labor law (REF F;
SEPTEL). Awareness of the challenges facing expatriate
laborers appears to be growing -- helped by the many
forward-leaning public comments of the MOSAL Minister (REF
G). Many of the key anti-TIP actors with whom Ambassador
CdeBaca met are determined to improve Kuwait's record in
these areas and were encouraged by his discussion of common
challenges and his offer to identify additional areas of
cooperation and support.


8. (U) This cable was cleared by G/TIP staff.

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visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

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WILLIAMS