TUNISIA: 2009 TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000831 DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, NEA/RA, AND NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KTIP KCRM TS SUBJECT: TUNISIA: 2009 TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT REF: A. TUNIS 775 ¶B. TUNIS 758 ¶C. STATE 104684 Classified by Ambassador Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) During the year, no reports of instances of trafficking have come to the attention of the Embassy, UNHCR, or the IOM. As of mid-November, the Tunisian Government has not taken any action this year on modifying its laws covering prostitution or child labor to specifically criminalize trafficking. The GOT has also not undertaken any awareness raising campaigns or measures to expand its protection services for trafficking victims or create a victim identification mechanism. ¶2. (C) The Embassy has been in continuous consultation with UNHCR and IOM representatives in Tunisia to advise them of the GOT's Tier II Watch status and to solicit their assistance in discussing the problems of trafficking with the GOT and in pressing the GOT to strengthen their legal regime and develop protective mechanisms. Both organizations said they have so far received no reports of trafficking occurring in, to, or through Tunisia in 2009. UNHCR and IOM have also discussed the TIP issue, in general terms, with the GOT in the past, and tell us they will consider ways to incorporate more trafficking material into their future discussions. ¶3. (C) The Embassy has had a number of interactions with the GOT in 2009 on the subject of TIP. The Embassy delivered the TIP report to the government on June 15, with an explanation of the consequences of being listed as a Tier II Watch country. The Political-Economic Counselor raised the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August, requesting further discussions with the appropriate officials. The Ambassador discussed the Action Plan, which arrived at Post October 7, with the Minister of Justice (ref B),and with a senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs official (ref A) in subsequent October meetings. The Minister of Justice has provided a working contact in the Ministry and the Embassy has had a meeting request with that contact pending since mid-October. ¶4. (C) In the Ambassador's discussion with Saida Chtoui, Secretary of State for Asia and the Americas, one of two deputies to Foreign Minister Abdallah, the latter complained that the GOT had provided the Embassy an extensive document responding to the Embassy's questions in early 2008 which had been "ignored." (Note: In fact, the information provided by the GOT document was factored into the Embassy's input for both the 2008 and 2009 reports. End note.) Chtoui also questioned the fairness of Tunisia's placement on the Tier II Watchlist but expressed grudging willingness to continue the bilateral dialogue on TIP. GRAY