2010 TIP REPORT INPUT FOR VATICAN CITY STATE/HOLY SEE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000029 SIPDIS DEPT FOR: G/TIP; G (LAURA PENA); EUR/WE (MARTIN); EUR/PGI; INL; DRL; PRM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB MCA VT SUBJECT: 2010 TIP REPORT INPUT FOR VATICAN CITY STATE/HOLY SEE REF: STATE 2094 REPORTING QUESTIONS -------------- ¶1. (U) Following are responses to reftel questions, keyed to reftel paragraphs: 25 A. Reliable sources (MFA officials) report that there is no trafficking-related activity in Vatican City State. 25 B. There is no documentation of trafficking in persons in Vatican City State. Vatican City State comprises just 0.17 square miles, and has a population of only about 800 -- about 450 of the residents are Vatican citizens, and the remainder are Italians, or nationals of other countries who work for the Holy See. Vatican City's sole purpose is to provide the Holy See (the universal government of the Catholic Church) a sovereign and independent enclave within the city of Rome from which to operate as a sovereign state. 25 C,D.E. N/A. There is no trafficking of persons in, to, or from Vatican City State. 26 A thru F. N/A. TIP is not a problem in Vatican City State. 27 A thru L. N/A. Vatican City State has a complicated legal system based in part on Italian law, its own laws as defined by the Holy See, and the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church. Where Vatican City State has not enacted laws on a specific issue (e.g., TIP) -- and when such laws in the Italian penal code are not contrary to Catholic doctrine, Canon Law or other legislation enacted by the Holy See -- Italian law may/may be applied. Most of the 800 or so residents of Vatican City State to which such laws may be applied are male Roman Catholic clergy, monks, nuns, and Swiss Guards. (Note: In addition to their vows of service to others, most of these individuals are bound by vows of celibacy.) 28 A thru M. N/A. TIP is not a problem in Vatican City State. 29 A thru D. The Holy See's Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerants has the lead on TIP issues at the Vatican, and provides moral and doctrinal guidance for Vatican residents -- and, indeed, for Catholics globally -- on the issue. Other agencies focused on TIP include the Holy See's Secretariat of State (MFA-equivalent) and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. These entities prepare policy documents on TIP-related issues for use within the Catholic Church, and as moral/conscience guidance for the wider international community. They may also collaborate with members of Catholic religious orders, lay movements, and charitable organizations in anti-TIP efforts. 29 E, F, G. N/A 30 A, B. The Holy See, which oversees Vatican City State, provides moral and doctrinal guidance condemning TIP as a grave sin and a crime against human dignity. It has been a consistent voice at the international level to draw attention to TIP, its victims, and its social consequences. It supports international and U.S.-funded TIP prevention and rehabilitation programs. COMMENDABLE INITIATIVES -------------- VATICAN 00000029 002 OF 002 ¶2. (U) Over the past five years, a counter-trafficking training project for religious personnel -- funded by PRM and private sources, supported by Embassy Vatican and the Holy See, and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) -- has achieved considerable results: -- Creation and verification of a training module to promote better understanding of the trafficking phenomenon; -- Training of more than 500 nuns in some 40 countries to address the needs of victims of trafficking through direct assistance, and in TIP prevention activities for at-risk groups; -- Development of a self-sustaining mechanism of grass-roots sharing of best practices, and of training activities among Catholic women religious; -- Creation of a global network of women religious for international referrals for mutual assistance and information exchange to better support victims of trafficking and at-risk groups in origin, transit and destination countries; -- Promotion and launching of the same training and networking efforts for male religious of various faiths (i.e., inter-religious, not just Catholic),replicating and enhancing the awareness raising and capacity-building module of the nuns' program; and -- Preparation of two training manuals: one for Catholic nuns (PDF copy available at Embassy's Portal, Policy Issues section http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php?title=V atican),and another for male religious leaders, already beta-tested with Muslim theology students training with the World Islamic Call Society in Libya, and with a group of Catholic clergy in Portugal. The module is due for publication in 2010/2011. NOYES