Uzbekistan: TIP Update: Trends and Tactics

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TASHKENT 001603 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB PGOV KTIP UZ SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: TIP Update: Trends and Tactics REF: 2009 STATE 100928; 2009 TASHKENT 1549 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: From early October to mid-November, poloff has had several meetings with government officials, NGO leaders, and representatives from the human rights community to discuss trends in trafficking, as well as anti-trafficking efforts. The GOU continues to prioritize traditional TIP issues, addressing prevention, protection, and persecution in the areas of sex and labor trafficking, and working productively with the leading anti-TIP NGO, Istikbolli Avlod. It does not consider state-organized forced labor in the cotton sector as a form of human trafficking. End summary. Trends in Trafficking -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Violence Against Central Asians: Violence in Russia against Central Asians is a growing concern for both victims of labor trafficking and legal migrant workers. Shukrat Ganiev, a human rights analyst from the Bukhara district, reported that in October, six caskets arrived in Bukhara from Moscow, where migrants were killed in violence between the Armenian and Russian Orthodox Communities and the Uzbek Community. Oliya Ilmuradova, the director of a local TIP NGO in Surhandaryo Province, reported that most of the labor migrants from Surhandaryo are still heading to Russia, but due to both the increased number of hate crimes and the decline in available jobs in Moscow, many are going to smaller cities in the east. ¶3. (SBU) Orphans at Greater Risk: Representatives from NGOs and the GOU exhibit a growing concern that young adults (primarily women) who grow up in orphanages are particularly vulnerable to becoming victims of trafficking. With no family or community support network, they are easy prey for people offering opportunities and money elsewhere. Bukhara analyst Ganiev lamented the fact that there is no real mechanism to protect children in Uzbekistan, and stressed that a juvenile justice system is needed that can help to address the problem. ¶4. (SBU) Corruption: Corruption is a significant factor in trafficking. Analyst Ganiev accused border guards and low-level officials in Uzbekistan, Russia, and Kazakhstan of complicity with human traffickers, stating that they take bribes in return for allowing easy transit. He believes that clamping down on the corruption would stop the money flow, which he claims is inextricably linked to the narcotics trade originating in Afghanistan. GOU Prevention Efforts -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Outreach: The Deputy Minister of Labor Shukhrat Saidov reported that over the past few years, the MoL has conducted an active outreach campaign, hosting round table discussions, funding television and radio broadcasts, and placing articles in the print media, as well as posting billboards and distributing brochures. Saidov stated that the Agency for External Foreign Migration (under the MoL) provides weekly training sessions for people going abroad, in an effort to educate them of their rights and responsibilities. In addition, the MoL is in the process of conducting a social poll to monitor trafficking, and based on the results, will hold additional regional seminars on prevention. Head of the Agency for External Foreign Labor Migration (under the MoL) Gafurjon Usmanov reported that he works closely with tv, TASHKENT 00001603 002 OF 006 radio, and newspapers on anti-TIP campaigns in an effort to inform citizens of the law. His office also conducts seminars with the help of local hokims (city administrators),mahallas (neighborhood-level administrators),and the country's Women's Committee; and administers two hotlines that are available for reporting trafficking. Reports can also come in through the agency's website. The General Prosecutor's Office, while generally focused on prosecutions, also produces pamphlets for border guards to distribute, and is looking for other creative ways to educate the public, such as by talking with movie producers about how they present TIP problems. ¶6. (SBU) Biometric Passports: Deputy Prosecutor General Alisher Sharafutdinov reported that the development of a new biometric passport may help to to prevent trafficking. He states that the new passport, which is only in the development stages now, will allow better monitoring of migration trends and improve the social support for migrants. Civil society representatives are hopeful that it will also cut down on corruption of border guards, who will not be able to easily accept a passport that does not belong to the traveler. ¶7. (SBU) Tracking Database: Nodir Kurbanov, the Head of the Trafficking Unit in the Ministry of InternaI Affairs (MIA), reported that the MIA is completing a joint project with the UNODC, started in 2007, of creating a specialized database of trafficking cases. He hopes to complete the database this year, and to be able to use it to track TIP trends starting in early 2010. Protection: Rehabilitation Center Opened -------------- -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On November 8, the Ministry of Labor opened the long-awaited Republican Rehabilitation Center in Tashkent, a victims center that will accommodate 30 people and will provide services to both men and women. The Center has a large nursing staff, but also employs one psychologist, one lawyer, and one social worker to assist victims with finding employment. (Note: Nodira Karimova, director of the leading anti-TIP NGO in Uzbekistan, believes that the Center will be more of a medical institution than a traditional shelter that addresses the needs of victims holistically. Nevertheless, the Center fills a gap in services, as the two other existing NGO-run shelters do not accommodate male victims.) ¶9. (SBU) Deputy Minister Saidov reported that after the GOU has some experience with the Rehabilitation Center, it hopes to open regional centers for TIP victims, perhaps in the Ferghana Valley, the Samarkand/Bukhara area, or Navoi. The location of the next facility will depend on the number of reported cases from each region. Prosecution -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Interagency Commission Activities: Deputy Prosecutor General Sharafutdinov is the senior prosecutor responsible for trafficking issues, and chairs the Interagency Commission that addresses TIP. The Commission is currently working on recommendations for the Supreme Court to ensure that TIP-related crimes are properly classified as such. It also works to improve law enforcement, to improve relations with NGOs, and to increase the professionalism of people working in the field. The Commission's next meeting, scheduled for the end of the year, will address what still needs to be done to fully implement the National Action Plan against TIP. TASHKENT 00001603 003 OF 006 ¶11. (SBU) Staffing Increases: Kurbanov reported an increase in attention to TIP issues, illustrated by an increase in the number of personnel devoted to TIP issues. Staffing in Tashkent has increased from eight to sixteen and in Samarkand from six to thirteen. He reported that the total number of people throughout the country now monitoring TIP cases is 134. ¶12. (SBU) Fewer Amnesty Possibilities: A common TIP-related problem in years past was that first-time TIP offenders were eligible for amnesty, and often did not serve full prison terms. Sharafutdinov reported that that loophole has been narrowed. He explained that now, fewer TIP offenders are eligible to apply for amnesty due to mitigating circumstances. Currently, women, minors, foreign nationals, and those suffering from serious health problems may apply. If a trafficker is a repeat offender or if the damages to the victim(s) are quite severe, the trafficker is not eligible for amnesty despite any mitigating circumstances. ¶13. (SBU) 2009 Cases: Kurbanov reported that between January and September 2009, 959 TIP cases have been opened. Of those, 318 have been in sex trafficking, and 641 labor trafficking. Increased International Cooperation -------------- ¶14. (SBU) The MIA's Kurbanov reported that several officials have participated in study trips this year to France, Italy, the UAE, and Moldova, in coordination with the UNODC and OSCE. He reported good working relations with counterparts in Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, as well as with law enforcement in the UAE. ¶15. (SBU) Nodira Karimova, director of the leading anti-TIP NGO in Uzbekistan, also noted improved international and cross-border cooperation, but still sees it as an area with potential for major advances. She described a case in July this year in which her office served as an intermediary between the Uzbek Embassy in India, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs in Uzbekistan, and officials in India. The parties worked together both to get the victims in India repatriated and to get the traffickers returned for prosecution. Kurbanov pointed to the same case as an example of successful international cooperation. ¶16. (SBU) Coordination with the UAE: The UAE remains one of the leading destination points for trafficked Uzbek women and girls. Kurbanov stated that a study trip to the UAE this year resulted in increased cooperation with law enforcement, and a successful repatriation of several Uzbek girls. Currently, when the UAE informs the Uzbek MFA that Uzbek girls are being held, the MFA tells the Ministry of Internal Affairs. MIA then works directly with the UAE to get the Uzbek citizens out quickly. The View from the Leading TIP NGO -------------- ¶17. (SBU) Cooperation with the GOU and other Partners: Istikbolli Avlod is the leading local NGO addressing trafficking in persons in Uzbekistan, and the local implementing partner of the International Office for Migration (IOM). Its director, Nodira Karimova, has been a force for change in how the government and law enforcement address TIP issues. Karimova described the progress made in training law enforcement to identify both victims of TASHKENT 00001603 004 OF 006 trafficking and the traffickers themselves, as well as an upcoming project to train customs officers and to expand a victim referral program. She also discussed partnering with local churches to support victims, and training local imams to address attitudes toward victims. Karimova described productive relationships between her organization and the various relevant ministries and law enforcement groups, and expressed her amazement about how much progress has been made in the past few years on TIP issues. She also expressed her opinion that all border guards should be provided with victim identification training. ¶18. (SBU) Shelters for Victims: Istikbolli Avlod runs two shelters for victims of TIP - one in Tashkent and one in Bukhara. Women generally stay in the shelter for anywhere from two weeks to three months, depending on the level of trauma they have experienced. The Tashkent shelter can accommodate 12-15 women, and can also provide for their children, if necessary. (Since 2005, 43 children have spent time in the shelter.) Local police assist in relations with the neighbors, calling the shelter a place for "girls without families," rather than identifying it as a shelter for TIP victims. At the shelter, women receive medical attention, psychological attention, legal assistance, and vocational training. Women can also receive vocational training to prepare for life after the shelter. Currently the shelter receives funding from USAID, but the grant will expire in June 2010. ¶19. (SBU) Employment Opportunities for Victims: Karimova noted improvements in finding employment for former victims, stating that the Ministry of Labor promotes "labor markets," in which disadvantaged people are matched to certain jobs. Under the program, selected employees can't be fired by the company that hires them; employment decisions must go through the MoL. Such protections are part of the comprehensive TIP law passed in March ¶2008. (Note: Deputy Minister of Labor Saidov recently described a new program slated to begin soon that will match open jobs to socially disadvantaged people, and will take into account the work and skills of the applicants, as well as their location. If they are unskilled, the Ministry will provide training and a stipend until they are suitable for employment.) ¶20. (SBU) Hotlines and Personal Connections Pay Off: Lilya Khamzayeva, also with the Tashkent branch of Istikbolli Avlod, reported in a meeting with DAS Krol on November 20 an instance of a call coming in to an Andijon-based TIP hotline from women taken to Dubai. Thanks to the personal relationship between Karimova and officials in Dubai, the trafficked women were located, brought to a law enforcement facility, and returned to Uzbekistan within two days of the hotline report. ¶21. (SBU) Future Plans: Looking ahead, Karimova mentioned that the NGO would like to conduct training for journalists, stating that although the press has significantly increased its coverage of TIP issues, journalists tend to focus on the sensationalist aspects of stories, and would benefit from training on how to cover TIP cases. In the longer-term, Karimova sees the NGO opening a small business - perhaps a laundry or a bakery - that will provide victims with a place to develop skills and will allow the shelter to be self-sustaining. ¶22. (SBU) Jizzakh Branch Activities: Jizzakh, located about three hours southwest of Tashkent, is primarily an agricultural area, but it has become a trafficking center due to its close proximity to the Kazakh and Tajik borders, as well as the difficult economic circumstances there. Nazifa Kamalova is the Project Manager for the Jizzakh branch of Istikbolli Avlod, and she reports that many victims of both internal and external trafficking wind up in Jizzakh and come to her for assistance in requesting new passports for those whose documents have been taken, in initiating criminal cases, and in helping to find employment. Most of their TASHKENT 00001603 005 OF 006 efforts, however, are directed at community outreach and awareness raising, and these programs include an innovative project of training young people to visit schools and talk with students on a peer-to-peer level about trafficking. These young trainers teach through interactive games, videos, and question and answer sessions. Kamalova said they have 46 young trainers throughout the district, some of whom are still students themselves, and that the program has been very successful. ¶23. (SBU) Registration for IOM: IOM is currently not registered in Uzbekistan, although it implements a fair number of programs through Istikbolli Avlod. When IOM representatives visited in October for a conference, they stated that they had been told that all the necessary agencies had approved their recent application for registration, and that the application was "on the President's desk." Khamzayeva reported, however, that in early November she received a request from the MFA to submit details on all of IOM's activities in Uzbekistan since 2002. Khamzayeva is taking the MFA's interest as a positive sign. Forced Labor in the Cotton Sector -------------- ¶24. (SBU) The GOU generally does not consider forced labor in the cotton sector in its anti-trafficking efforts. Deputy Prosecutor General Sharafutdinov did state that Uzbekistan has to face the child labor issue, and mentioned that a draft law is in the parliament that seeks to create criminal punishment for using child labor. Deputy Minister of Labor Saidov stated that the Ministry is trying to educate the people on child rights, and if that is not successful, will look at possible criminal punishment for using forced labor - referring to the same draft legislation. Suggestions for Moving Forward -------------- ¶25. (SBU) Train Uzbek Embassy Officials: Analyst Ganiev discussed the issue or radicalization of diaspora communities abroad, noting that radical imams target migrant workers, who return to Uzbekistan after a year or two with radical religious views. Ganiev believes the GOU needs to reach out to diaspora communities through its embassies to help Uzbeks with their problems and provide them with alternatives to radicalization. Tashkent-based human rights analyst Sukhrobjon Ismoilov also encouraged government involvement in diaspora communities, stating that right now, migrants are often taken advantage of (sometimes even by long-term members of the diaspora who claim to be able to help them) because they do not know their rights. Ganiev also encouraged more training for Uzbek embassy officials on TIP issues, claiming that he has documented 15 cases of Uzbeks applying to Uzbek embassies for new travel documents who were unable to obtain them. It could be that officials are unaware that this is a common problem with victims of trafficking, and thus do not give appropriate attention to the problem. ¶26. (SBU) Improve Official Attitudes: Ismoilov believes an attitudinal shift in how the government looks at migrant workers is necessary before it will be able to effectively tackle labor trafficking. He avers that officials look at migrant workers as traitors looking for easy money, not as useful citizens contributing to the Uzbek society and economy through remittances. (Note: An article in the state-sponsored press on November 13 seems to confirm this, stating that a social poll showed that the majority of trafficking victims are men between 25-40 who consider high earnings more important than the content of work.) TASHKENT 00001603 006 OF 006 Comment -------------- ¶27. (SBU) The GOU continues to address TIP issues, making concerted efforts to address prevention, protection, and prosecution of sex and labor trafficking. NGO leaders report a cooperative relationship with various government agencies, and highlight government anti-TIP efforts as well as their own substantial achievements. End Comment. BUTCHER BUTCHER