Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NICOSIA395
2009-06-18 16:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHNC #0395 1691604 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 181604Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9935 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5498 RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0027 RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0052 RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST 0114 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0074 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN 0188 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1419 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0536 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1476
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000395
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, IO/UNP, IO/PSC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL KCRM CY
SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA,
BUT ADDITIONAL TRAINING LIKELY NEEDED
REF: SECSTATE 57469
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000395
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, IO/UNP, IO/PSC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL KCRM CY
SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA,
BUT ADDITIONAL TRAINING LIKELY NEEDED
REF: SECSTATE 57469
1. (U) Per Reftel instructions, on June 16 and 18, POLOFF
contacted UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Civil Affairs Officer
Maria Wilkins. Wilkins serves as UNFICYP's appointed "gender
focal point," and is charged with educating UN civilian,
police and military personnel about sexual harassment, sexual
exploitation, and trafficking in persons (TIP). Wilkins
stated that UNFICYP enforces the Secretary General's "no
tolerance" policy, per circular #56, with regard to local
establishments that sponsor prostitution. According to
Wilkins, every new employee must undergo a mandatory
orientation session regarding trafficking. Fifteen training
sessions have taken place between July 14, 2008 and May 31,
2009, in which a total of 395 UNFICYP staff received "conduct
and discipline" (CD) and "sexual exploitation and abuse"
(SEA) training. According to Wilkins, there were no TIP or
SEA infractions over the past year.
2. (U) On June 18, POLOFF contacted Rita Superman, Director
of the Cyprus Police Anti-TIP unit, who confirmed that she
had not encountered any trafficking or SEA cases involving
UNFICYP personnel; however, Superman had heard anecdotal
accounts of UN peacekeepers visiting cabarets, particularly
in the Agia Napa area. Superman also stated that in certain
instances, she had reached out to UN police to investigate
Interpol reports of trafficked victims from Moldova being
held in "nightclubs" in the Turkish Cypriot community. In
each instance, UN police responded that they had spoken with
the alleged victim, who "had no complaints;" no further
action was taken. Superman suggested that additional
training on victim identification for UN police might be a
good idea.
3. (U) On June 18, POLOFF contacted Elena Pissaridou,
Director of Cyprus-based NGO Stigma. Pissaridou stated that
she had received no reports of trafficking or SEA cases
involving UNFICYP personnel. No incidents had been reported
in the media.
4. (U) It is Post's assessment that UNFICYP's anti-TIP and
SEA training has been adequate, since neither NGOs or the
media have reported incidents of TIP/ SEA misconduct by
UNFICYP personnel during the reporting period; however, based
on Superman's comments, additional training on identification
procedures for UN police, as well as additional CD training
for UN peacekeepers stressing the "off-limits" policy
regarding cabarets, would likely be useful.
Urbancic
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, IO/UNP, IO/PSC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL KCRM CY
SUBJECT: UN MISSION IN CYPRUS WORKING TO COMBAT TIP/SEA,
BUT ADDITIONAL TRAINING LIKELY NEEDED
REF: SECSTATE 57469
1. (U) Per Reftel instructions, on June 16 and 18, POLOFF
contacted UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Civil Affairs Officer
Maria Wilkins. Wilkins serves as UNFICYP's appointed "gender
focal point," and is charged with educating UN civilian,
police and military personnel about sexual harassment, sexual
exploitation, and trafficking in persons (TIP). Wilkins
stated that UNFICYP enforces the Secretary General's "no
tolerance" policy, per circular #56, with regard to local
establishments that sponsor prostitution. According to
Wilkins, every new employee must undergo a mandatory
orientation session regarding trafficking. Fifteen training
sessions have taken place between July 14, 2008 and May 31,
2009, in which a total of 395 UNFICYP staff received "conduct
and discipline" (CD) and "sexual exploitation and abuse"
(SEA) training. According to Wilkins, there were no TIP or
SEA infractions over the past year.
2. (U) On June 18, POLOFF contacted Rita Superman, Director
of the Cyprus Police Anti-TIP unit, who confirmed that she
had not encountered any trafficking or SEA cases involving
UNFICYP personnel; however, Superman had heard anecdotal
accounts of UN peacekeepers visiting cabarets, particularly
in the Agia Napa area. Superman also stated that in certain
instances, she had reached out to UN police to investigate
Interpol reports of trafficked victims from Moldova being
held in "nightclubs" in the Turkish Cypriot community. In
each instance, UN police responded that they had spoken with
the alleged victim, who "had no complaints;" no further
action was taken. Superman suggested that additional
training on victim identification for UN police might be a
good idea.
3. (U) On June 18, POLOFF contacted Elena Pissaridou,
Director of Cyprus-based NGO Stigma. Pissaridou stated that
she had received no reports of trafficking or SEA cases
involving UNFICYP personnel. No incidents had been reported
in the media.
4. (U) It is Post's assessment that UNFICYP's anti-TIP and
SEA training has been adequate, since neither NGOs or the
media have reported incidents of TIP/ SEA misconduct by
UNFICYP personnel during the reporting period; however, based
on Superman's comments, additional training on identification
procedures for UN police, as well as additional CD training
for UN peacekeepers stressing the "off-limits" policy
regarding cabarets, would likely be useful.
Urbancic