US embassy cable - 04QUITO2595

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 002595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PPC, WHA/AND, AND G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, EC, Trafficking 
SUBJECT: TIP IN ECUADOR:  TRAINING, RAIDS, AND THE ABA'S 
PROJECT 
 
REF: QUITO 2519 
 
1. (U) Summary.  The International Labor Organization (ILO) 
and Ecuadorian police began their joint training series on 
September 23 to teach the police about commercial sexual 
exploitation of minors (CSEM).  The police conducted 25 raids 
from September 3 to 8 and rescued 30 minors.  The American 
Bar Association (ABA) continued its project to combat 
trafficking in persons (TIP) in Ecuador by sending experts on 
September 20 to analyze the problem and suggest additional 
solutions.   The press actively reported on alien smuggling 
and TIP issues, such as the accusations that several 
officials (including Jorge Poveda, the head of the National 
Police) supported alien smugglers, and the decision that 
Amcit Joseph Day, suspected of child pornography, will be 
prosecuted first in Ecuador and then in the U.S.  End Summary. 
 
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DINAPEN:  CSEM TRAINING BEGINS AND RAIDS CONTINUE 
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2. (U) On September 23 - 24, the ILO kicked off its series of 
training sessions with DINAPEN, the unit of the police that 
protects children.  The police are providing partial 
financing. Seven two-day training sessions will occur to 
train all 250 DINAPEN police in Ecuador.  A full day of the 
training focuses on CSEM.  Sessions included an analysis of 
CSEM in Ecuador, the government's policy on protecting 
children, and a small group session to plan intervention and 
prevention strategies.  PolOff attended the opening session. 
 
3. (U) At a breakfast with the Ambassador on September 24, 
Minister of Government Raul Baca told her that at the 
training, the police offered to allocate additional vehicles 
to use in DINAPEN raids.   Baca also said he recently 
discussed the importance of TIP with President Gutierrez and 
encouraged him to make it a priority. 
 
4. (U) DINAPEN continued raiding establishments suspected of 
employing child prostitutes.  From September 3 to 8, DINAPEN 
conducted 25 raids and found 30 minors.  (Report faxed to 
WHA/PPC on September 22.)  All children were returned to 
relatives.  Fully two-thirds of the minors were found in 
Azuay province although only 3 raids were conducted there. 
In addition to the 30 minors believed to be engaged in 
prostitution, police found an additional 62 minors in these 
raids, some of whom were abandoned, living on the streets, 
and inhaling glue fumes. 
 
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ABA BEGINS ITS PROJECT IN ECUADOR 
--------------------------------- 
 
5.  (U) The ABA sent two TIP experts from Johns Hopkins 
University to Quito from September 20 to 24.  The experts 
analyzed the TIP problem in Ecuador, met with charities and 
NGOs that may be able to assist victims, and will report on 
their findings and suggested ways for combating TIP to us. 
They are expected to attend some of the DINAPEN training 
sessions on September 24.  They also will return in November 
to conduct site visits to areas where TIP is a particular 
problem. 
 
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PRESS REPORTS ACCUSATIONS OF ALIEN SMUGGLING AND PORNOGRAPHY 
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6. (SBU) A suspected migrant smuggler accused General Poveda, 
several other police officers, and members of the military of 
also being involved in alien smuggling.  Attorney General 
Mariana Yepez is investigating the accusations, and no 
charges have been made.  Embassy sources cannot confirm the 
accusations; they may be retaliatory or a ploy to gain 
leniency.  However, we will consider closely our ties with 
Poveda should facts bear out accusations. 
 
7. (U) On September 22, "El Comercio" newspaper reported that 
a judge in Guayaquil reaffirmed his decision to deny the 
attorney general's request to extradite Joseph Day to the 
U.S. on child pornography charges.  Day will be tried in 
Ecuador on charges of minor corruption.  (There are currently 
no laws penalizing child pornography, but the Ministry of 
Government is drafting a law to criminalize child pornography 
and use of the Internet for this purpose.)  The media reports 
that after being tried in Ecuador, he will be deported to the 
U.S. for a trial on child pornography charges.  This case 
appears in "El Comercio" and several other newspapers 
frequently and has raised public consciousness about child 
pornography. 
 
8. (U) At the ILO/DINAPEN training, Baca publicly spoke about 
the importance of fighting CSEM.  He said training the police 
was vital.  Media was present, and PolOff will notify the 
Department next week of any mention on television or in the 
newspaper of Baca's speech. 
 
9. (U) Comment.  PolOff recently gave Ecuadorian officials 
the Tier 2 Watch List action plan.  We will continue to work 
with them and NGOs to encourage them to comply and provide 
the Department with a report by November 15.  The Embassy 
will encourage congresspeople to speak out against TIP and 
enact the pending anti-TIP legislation in a quick manner.  We 
also will follow up with the ILO and DINAPEN to monitor the 
training series in other provinces.   End Comment. 
KENNEY