US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE1895

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR D, G, P, G/TIP, EUR/PGI, EUR/UBI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KCRM, KWMN, NL 
SUBJECT: STATUS OF DUTCH EFFORTS TO COMBAT TIP - "WE WANT TO 
DO IT OUR WAY" 
 
REF: (A) STATE 115541  (B) THE HAGUE 1803 
(C) THE HAGUE 1712  (D) THE HAGUE 1446 
 
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Overview 
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1.   The evidence of the past seven weeks indicates that the 
Dutch will be good to their word in G/TIP Ambassador 
Miller's June 7 meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Bot and 
Justice Minister Donner (reftel D).  First, that they will 
work towards "concrete, measurable targets" in combating 
trafficking in persons (TIP).  Second, that they will be 
guided by their own national priorities, not USG draft 
benchmarks.  Mollified somewhat by Ambassador Miller's 
reassurance that the Netherlands is a sovereign state and 
the USG is "not telling you what to do," the Dutch have 
engaged in constructive discussions with Embassy officials 
about the concrete and measurable steps they are taking to 
deal with the scourge of trafficking.  We estimate that by 
early November there will be a significant record of serious 
and sustained progress even though the Dutch timetable for 
implementing the current tranche of anti-TIP efforts 
culminates in January 2005. 
 
2.  On a national basis, the GONL is aggressively pursuing 
its goals of protecting minors, cracking down on escort 
services, identifying and assisting illegal aliens, 
combating organized crime influence, and enabling women to 
escape prostitution and find acceptable employment.  Many of 
these initiatives have the added benefit of directly 
addressing concerns laid out in the draft U.S. benchmarks. 
On a regional basis, the Dutch (mirroring our own NSPD 22) 
are forging partnerships through a Joint Investigation Team 
with the U.K., Belgium, Germany and Europol to combat TIP in 
Bulgaria.  More broadly, they are utilizing their EU 
Presidency to galvanize the Commission's Expert Group of 
Human Trafficking and by funding International Organization 
for Migration (IOM) and OSCE victim assistance projects. 
 
3.   Based on our continued dialogue with the GONL, the 
following is our assessment of what we can expect to see in 
terms of substantive, specific and measurable steps towards 
the fulfillment of Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 
statutory criteria by the end of the year: 
 
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Prevention 
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- The Justice Ministry will have launched a campaign against 
human trafficking that targets "Johns" - clients of 
prostitutes - via websites used by customers, brothel 
operators and prostitution businesses.  The Ministry will 
have disseminated information to Johns about a program for 
the anonymous reporting of TIP offenses. 
 
- Owners and operators within the sex industry will have 
implemented and enforced a Code of Conduct that requires 
owners and operators within the industry to report TIP 
suspicions to authorities, inform suspected TIP victims of 
their rights, and publish contact information of NGOs 
providing victim assistance. 
 
- By January 1, 2005, the Justice Ministry will have created 
a new National Expertise Center against Youth Prostitution. 
This center will collect facts, figures, background 
information and best law-enforcement practices to combat the 
"lover boy" problem. 
 
- The Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Health, Welfare 
and Sport (VWS), and Ministry of Social Affairs will have 
substantially augmented programs to support prostitutes 
"stepping out" (leaving) prostitution.  The Interior 
Ministry will have launched an initiative informing 
prostitutes who seek alternative employment of their 
eligibility for welfare benefits.  The VWS Ministry has 
already granted the De Graaf foundation a subsidy to guide 
local government development of coherent assistance packages 
to those "stepping out" of prostitution.  Finally, the 
Social Affairs Ministry will have subsidized projects 
developed by NGO's the Red Thread and the Scarlet Cord 
including re-socialization and psychosocial support 
programs, and training modules that help ex-prostitutes find 
new jobs. 
 
- The GONL will have spent $500,000 per year to fully fund 
the Bureau of the National Rapporteur, and $375,000 to fund 
the Foundation Against Trafficking in Women (STV). The 
amount cited for the STV does not include government funding 
for STV's programs and projects. By fall, the National 
Rapporteur will have published a supplemental report 
encompassing 2003 figures. 
 
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Prosecution 
----------- 
 
- The Justice Ministry will have shifted resources into 
combating TIP and sexual crimes involving minors in the 
illegal prostitution sector, where police believe such 
problems are concentrated.  One shift will be the regulation 
of escort services.  The Justice Ministry will have 
disseminated among municipalities and implemented best 
practices for administrative enforcement in the escort 
sector.  The Hague, Eindhoven and Amsterdam have already 
concluded the pilot project developing these "best 
practices." 
 
- The Interior Ministry will have installed a TIP module for 
criminal investigators at the new police academy and will 
have trained police and prosecutors specifically on 
operations and profiles of "lover boys."  The Justice 
Ministry will have trained prosecutors and judges on TIP 
during two-day courses. 
 
- Parliament will have adopted legislation passed by the 
Second Chamber (Lower House) on June 29 that expands the 
definition of trafficking to include labor trafficking. The 
legislation also increased the maximum sentences for 
trafficking crimes to 15 years, bringing sentencing ceilings 
for these crimes in line with those of other serious crimes. 
 
- The Dutch will have established a Joint Investigative Team 
with the UK, Belgium, Germany, Europol and Eurojust to 
combat trafficking in Bulgaria. 
 
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Protection 
---------- 
 
- The Dutch will have pushed a victim assistance program, 
including return and re-integration of victims to their 
countries of origin, onto the EU agenda.  They will have 
supported the work of the European Commission's Expert Group 
on Human Trafficking, and they will have donated 
approximately 2 million Euros to IOM and OSCE victim 
assistance projects in the Balkans. 
 
- By the fall of 2004, the GONL will have passed 
implementing legislation allowing B-9 permit holders, 
including TIP victims pursuing prosecutions, to work. 
 
- The Immigration Service will have developed an enhanced 
training program for immigration police to identify and 
assist TIP victims during immigration actions. 
 
- The VWS Ministry will have protected TIP victims with 
acute safety risks by supporting pilot projects establishing 
"safe-houses" - private shelters with secret addresses- and 
the Dutch Cabinet will have structurally increased subsidies 
for women's shelters. 
 
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Comment 
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4.   While Ministers Bot and Donner made clear to Ambassador 
Miller in June that they would not be bound in their 
national program by terms set by another government, they 
are making appreciable progress in eliminating severe forms 
of trafficking in areas the Dutch have identified as 
national priorities.  As noted, there is substantial overlap 
between the Dutch national priorities and the draft U.S. 
benchmarks. By early November, two months prior to the Dutch 
timeframe for TIP program results, we anticipate there will 
be enough statistics to substantiate progress.  Although the 
resentment conveyed to Ambassador Miller by both Dutch 
Cabinet Ministers lingers just beneath the surface, GONL TIP 
officials continue to work with the U.S. toward the 
development of clear guidelines to measure progress fighting 
human trafficking on a national, regional and multilateral 
basis.  Post meets again with Justice and Foreign Ministry 
officials August 9 to discuss the development of agreed 
steps. 
 
Sobel