BOLIVIA: USG-BACKED CONFERENCE SPURS TIP

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000799 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP PGOV PHUM PREL SNAR KDEM ASEC KJUS BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: USG-BACKED CONFERENCE SPURS TIP SOLUTIONS/COOPERATION REF: A. LA PAZ 729 ¶1. Summary: On April 21 and 22 the Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS),in a joint initiative with the United Nations, Office of International Migration (OIM) and the Attorney General's Office, organized Bolivia's first International Conference on Trafficking in Persons in the city of Cochabamba. Organized around a "triple theme" of prevention, protection, and prosecution, the conference's established a coordinated strategy to combat trafficking in persons, especially of women and children, by bringing together a diverse group of actors, including representatives from the Bolivian government, law enforcement, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The conference also helped support the important role of the Prosecutor's office in criminal investigations of trafficking cases. This report supplements reftel cable. End Summary. TIP Background in Bolivia - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. Bolivia is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. Bolivians are trafficked mainly to Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Spain for forced labor in sweatshops, factories, and agriculture. Young Bolivian women and girls are trafficked within the country from rural to urban areas for commercial sexual exploitation. Members of indigenous communities are at risk for domestic labor exploitation, particularly on sugar cane and Brazil nut plantations. Bolivian children are trafficked internally for forced labor in mining, agriculture, and as domestic servants. Some reports indicate that parents have sold or rented their children into farm labor exploitation near border areas with Peru. Undocumented migrants from Asia reportedly transit Bolivia; some may be trafficking victims. The Government of Bolivia is making an effort to fight trafficking in persons (TIP) despite limited resources. The government demonstrated significant anti-trafficking progress by increasing law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders and by expanding victim services and prevention efforts. Attendees - - - - - ¶3. One of the underlying goals of the conference was to bring together state and non-state actors to increase knowledge on human trafficking, increase awareness, and build capacity for cooperation and increased prosecution of TIP-related crimes. This aspect of the conference was a success, with 214 participants from throughout Bolivia, including significant government representation, Congressional deputies, Cochabamba police chiefs, Ombudsman office representatives, Catholic Church representatives, members of the diplomatic corps in Bolivia, the District Attorney, members of the Organization of American States (OAS),and speakers from Peru and Mexico. Day One: Analysis and Proposals - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. While in many areas the GOB and USG have a tense bilateral relationship, the fight against trafficking in persons helped create common ground. Congressional Human Rights Commission President and member of the ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party Elizabeth Salgueiro gave a presentation on draft legislation designed to prosecute those who commit TIP-related crimes. Under this legislation, the prosecutor's office would be able to seize assets from TIP-related criminal organizations, use undercover agents to investigate, and jail clients for up to ten years for trafficking minors. The draft legislation included provisions for the protection and assistance of TIP victims. Salgueiro expressed concern about the rise in the number of TIP cases and congratulated the Embassy for sponsoring the conference. ¶5. The District Attorney, representing the Attorney General's office, offered full cooperation from his office to prosecute TIP-related crimes. In a separate presentation, the Ombudsman's representative provided an overview of TIP crimes in Bolivia and highlighted specific areas needing improvement, such as victims' shelters, better border control, and the need for a higher conviction rate of traffickers. ¶6. The United Nations sent two experts from Peru and Mexico. Both addressed trafficking in persons from an international perspective and discussed how organizations must work together to combat this problem. They cited corruption and poverty as leading factors in typical trafficking cases. "We need to make this a long-term, sustainable program capable of supporting not only public prosecution and police services in the fight against trafficking, but also other justice operators, such as the judiciary and border control authorities," said Felipe De La Torre, a crime prevention expert with the UN's Mexico City Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Victims in Bolivia - - - - - - - - - - ¶7. The NAS created and presented a video to show the tragic testimony of several Bolivian victims forced into prostitution. Conference attendees learned about NAS initiatives to support victims and fight trafficking in persons. Under a new program, NAS will provide care to victims after they are rescued by the police. Victims will be taken to shelters and receive psychological and health treatment, vital steps toward their ultimate reintegration into society. In some cases, the program will provide funds to transfer victims safely back to their cities of origin. Day Two: Work groups - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. During the conference's second day, attendees broke up into five work groups on the following topics: 1) Prevention, 2) Protection 3) Domestic criminal persecution, 4) International Criminal Persecution, and 5) Strategy. The fourth and fifth groups agreed that trafficking-related crimes require a comprehensive international approach in the countries of origin, transit, and destination. Such an approach also would include measures to prevent trafficking, punish traffickers, and protect victims, with an emphasis on protecting their internationally recognized human rights. Each group presented ideas and activities that would help achieve the conference's "triple theme" of prevention, protection, and prosecution. Comment: One Step Forward - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶9. Many challenges remain. As one specific example, the GOB's proposed legislation, while forward-leaning, may suffer from a lack of funding. It is also likely that many programs, including those related to victims assistance, may be undermined by a lack of coordination between the central government and municipalities, particularly when different political parties are in control. As a result, domestic NGOs and international organizations could have an increasingly important role to play. As an example, the International Organization for Migration will be in a good position to assist with its "know how" on transporting rescued victims to their cities of origin. ¶10. Nevertheless, the conference was an excellent first step toward raising consciousness about and coordinating the fight against TIP-related crimes. The number and range of domestic and international agencies represented, both within and outside of Bolivia, helped start conversations that can lead to improved inter-institutional cooperation.