Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTODOMINGO141
2009-01-30 19:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
DOL DRAFT LIST FOR TVPRA: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHDG #0141 0301901 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 301901Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO TO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2193 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0100 RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PRIORITY 2211 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0148 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0959 RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 1121 RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 2910 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0034 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JAN 0485 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 1148 RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO PRIORITY 1245 RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4926 RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN PRIORITY 1949 RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 0001 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0223
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000141
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOL FOR ILAB (R RIGBY),STATE FOR DRL/ILCSR (M
MITTELHAUSER),LA PAZ FOR A/DCM C LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EIND ELAB ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP DR
SUBJECT: DOL DRAFT LIST FOR TVPRA: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
REF: A. STATE 1730
B. 08 SANTO DOMINGO 0887
C. BEIJING 100
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000141
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOL FOR ILAB (R RIGBY),STATE FOR DRL/ILCSR (M
MITTELHAUSER),LA PAZ FOR A/DCM C LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EIND ELAB ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP DR
SUBJECT: DOL DRAFT LIST FOR TVPRA: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
REF: A. STATE 1730
B. 08 SANTO DOMINGO 0887
C. BEIJING 100
1. (SBU) This message responds to the Department of Labor's
request for comments on its draft list of products produced
with child or forced labor, as required under the TVPRA Act
(Ref A). Embassy Santo Domingo opposes the inclusion on the
list of the Dominican sugarcane industry for forced labor.
2. (U) Post draws DOL's attention to our previous message on
this issue (Ref B),in which we stated that our best
available information indicates that forced labor no longer
exists in the sugarcane industry. In Ref B, we noted that
while an activist stated in 2005 that forced labor existed in
the sugarcane industry, the same activist stated that the
practiced had stopped in 2005.
3. (U) Specifically, Ref B stated: "(The activist) stated
that prior to 2005, sugar plantations would recruit workers
from Haiti, who upon their arrival in the plantations were
held in locked enclosures, restricted in movement by armed
guards, and had documents taken or removed. However, after
2005, these practices were stopped, though workers from Haiti
continue to be smuggled into the country, the activist
alleged."
4. (SBU) Post also shares the concerns expressed by Embassy
Beijing (Ref C) and other posts regarding the need to include
appropriate caveats (regarding reliability of information,
etc.) in DOL's final report.
(U) Please visit us at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOL FOR ILAB (R RIGBY),STATE FOR DRL/ILCSR (M
MITTELHAUSER),LA PAZ FOR A/DCM C LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EIND ELAB ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP DR
SUBJECT: DOL DRAFT LIST FOR TVPRA: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
REF: A. STATE 1730
B. 08 SANTO DOMINGO 0887
C. BEIJING 100
1. (SBU) This message responds to the Department of Labor's
request for comments on its draft list of products produced
with child or forced labor, as required under the TVPRA Act
(Ref A). Embassy Santo Domingo opposes the inclusion on the
list of the Dominican sugarcane industry for forced labor.
2. (U) Post draws DOL's attention to our previous message on
this issue (Ref B),in which we stated that our best
available information indicates that forced labor no longer
exists in the sugarcane industry. In Ref B, we noted that
while an activist stated in 2005 that forced labor existed in
the sugarcane industry, the same activist stated that the
practiced had stopped in 2005.
3. (U) Specifically, Ref B stated: "(The activist) stated
that prior to 2005, sugar plantations would recruit workers
from Haiti, who upon their arrival in the plantations were
held in locked enclosures, restricted in movement by armed
guards, and had documents taken or removed. However, after
2005, these practices were stopped, though workers from Haiti
continue to be smuggled into the country, the activist
alleged."
4. (SBU) Post also shares the concerns expressed by Embassy
Beijing (Ref C) and other posts regarding the need to include
appropriate caveats (regarding reliability of information,
etc.) in DOL's final report.
(U) Please visit us at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN