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

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.)

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Comment

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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.



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