Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
09STATE109948 | 2009-10-23 20:25:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Secretary of State |
VZCZCXRO8739 PP RUEHPOD DE RUEHC #9948/01 2962046 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 232025Z OCT 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 9370 RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU PRIORITY 1038 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 2110 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 4769 RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA PRIORITY 2383 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA PRIORITY 1938 |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 109948 |
1.(U) This is an action cable; action request in paras 5 and 6. 2.(SBU) The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as amended in 2003, requires the Secretary of State to submit a "Special Watch List" of countries on the TIP Report that either 1) had moved up a tier on the TIP Report over the last year or 2) were ranked on Tier 2 but a) had not shown evidence of increasing efforts to address severe forms of TIP from the previous year, b) were placed on Tier 2 because of commitments to carry out additional future actions over the coming year, or c) had a significant or significantly increasing number of victims of severe forms of TIP. 3.(SBU) The "Special Watch List" has been submitted to Congress, as required, along with the President's determinations for sanctions of Tier 3 countries. The TVPA, as amended, now requires the Secretary to submit to Congress an Interim Assessment on the Special Watch List countries no later than February 1, 2010. 4.(SBU) The Interim Assessment, which the Department plans to release on January 5, 2010, will serve as a narrowly-focused progress report, assessing only a country's key deficiency(s) highlighted in the June 2009 TIP Report. Measuring progress or lack of progress in addressing these deficiencies (the basis for which the country was placed on the Watch List initially) is the main purpose of the Interim Assessment. This will not/not serve as a large-scale analysis of anti-trafficking efforts in the relevant country. Similarly, it will not describe the trafficking problem in that country (readers can refer to the 2009 TIP Report for that). Finally, it will not mention Tiers or allude to progress in achieving a higher tier or, conversely, forecast a fall to a lower tier. 5.(U) Action Request for Action Addressees: Please answer the questions addressed to your Post in para 6 in concise analytical terms, citing examples of the progress (or lack thereof) sparingly. Post's submission should not exceed four or five paragraphs. The final Interim Assessment will include a narrative of no more than half a page on each country's progress. Please provide these responses to the Department via front-channel cable -- slugged for EUR/PGI and G/TIP -- no later than November 16. 6. (U) Interim Assessment Requirements: A. FOR EMBASSY BAKU: Please summarize the progress, or lack thereof, the Government of Azerbaijan has made in: (a) implementing the national victim referral mechanism adopted in August 2009 and ensure that identified male, female, and child victims of both sex and labor trafficking are referred for assistance; (b) allocating sufficient funding to fully implement the national trafficking action plan adopted in February 2009; (c) increasing inter-agency coordination of anti-trafficking efforts and identify points of contact within responsible offices as designated in the national action plan; (d) improving victim assistance and protection for child victims of trafficking through proactive identification of trafficking victims among vulnerable populations -- such as street children -- and increase the amount of time children are permitted to stay at child homeless shelters and other facilities; and (e) increasing efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict government officials complicit in trafficking and ensure, as appropriate, that those convicted serve time in prison. Please report on any other significant developments. B. FOR EMBASSY CHISINAU: Please summarize the progress the Government of Moldova has made in: (a) continuing to investigate and prosecute officials, complicity in trafficking, and seeking punishment for such officials; (b)improving data collection on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences for trafficking offenders; (c)increasing anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts; (d) continuing to disburse resources for victim assistance and protection; (e) boosting proactive efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims, including child victims and victims trafficked within Moldova; and (f) considering prevention activities specifically targeted at reducing the STATE 00109948 002 OF 002 demand for human trafficking in Moldova. Please report on any other significant developments. C. FOR EMBASSY KYIV: Please summarize the progress, or lack thereof, the Government of Ukraine has made in: (a) seeking sentences for convicted traffickers that require them to serve appropriate jail time; (b) taking steps to curb trafficking complicity by government officials; (c) continuing trafficking-specific training for prosecutors and judges; (d) increasing funding for victim protection and assistance; (e) developing formal systems to guide law enforcement in proactive identification of trafficking victims and referral of victims to available services; (f) taking steps to provide specialized protection and assistance to child trafficking victims; and (g) considering awareness initiatives targeted at potential clients of the sex trade and labor trafficking beneficiaries to reduce the demand for human trafficking. Please report on any other significant developments. D. FOR EMBASSY MOSCOW: Please summarize the progress, or lack thereof, the Government of Russia has made in: (a) developing a comprehensive national strategy that addresses all forms of trafficking and provides comprehensive victim assistance throughout Russia and providing funding from federal, regional and or municipal budgets to implement this national strategy; (b) allocating funding to anti-trafficking NGOs that provide victim assistance and rehabilitative care; (c)increasing the number of victims identified and assisted; (e) designating trafficking-specific responsibilities to relevant government ministries on the national and regional levels and establishing an official federal coordinating body with the authority to implement a national strategy; (f) increasing the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions for all types of trafficking offences, including government officials complicit in trafficking; (g) ensuring convicted traffickers and convicted complicit officials are sentenced to some time in prison; (h) creating a central repository for comprehensive trafficking data; (i) continuing efforts to raise public awareness of both sex and labor trafficking; and (j) continuing to take steps to prevent the use of forced labor in construction projects of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Please report on any other significant developments. E. FOR EMBASSY PODGORICA: Please summarize the progress, or lack thereof, the Government of Montenegro has made in: (a) vigorously investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses, and convicting and sentencing trafficking offenders, including public officials complicit in trafficking;(b)ensuring that convicted traffickers receive adequate punishment; (c) improving tracking of human trafficking law enforcement data; (d) increasing efforts to identify victims among vulnerable groups, such as women arrested for prostitution violations, undocumented migrants, and child beggars, and refer them to the government shelter or trafficking NGOs; (e) provide protections for potential child victims of trafficking; (f) continuing the recently launched anti-trafficking awareness campaign; and (g) continuing vigorous efforts to coordinate all anti-trafficking entities within Montenegro. Please report on any other significant developments. F. FOR EMBASSY RIGA: Please summarize the progress, or lack thereof, the Government of Latvia has made in: (a) providing government-funded assistance to a greater number of trafficking victims; (b) increasing efforts to identify victims of trafficking among vulnerable populations, such as women and girls in prostitution, and refer these victims for assistance; (c) ensuring law enforcement, border guards and labor inspectors receive labor trafficking training; (d) ensuring that a majority of convicted traffickers serve some time in prison; (e) taking steps to expand available victim services to areas outside of Riga; (f) working with NGOs to improve services available to victims of trafficking; and (g) increasing efforts to raise awareness about both sex and labor trafficking. Please report on any other significant developments. CLINTON |