US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI474

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000474 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TW, Human Rights/TIP 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS DEMARCHE DELIVERED 
 
REF: STATE 009756 
 
1. (SBU) AIT Acting Deputy Director Chuck Bennett delivered 
reftel Trafficking in Persons (TIP) talking points on 
February 2 to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Administrative 
Vice Minister and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) 
Administrative Deputy Minister.  AIT Political Section Chief 
James Huskey delivered the TIP demarche talking points on 
February 3 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) North 
American Department Director General. 
 
Ministry of Justice 
------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) In response to the demarche, MOJ Vice Minister Yen 
Da-ho told AIT that most of the TIP concerns we raised fall 
under the jurisdiction of the MOI and not the MOJ.  He 
assured AIT that MOJ is very serious about TIP issues and 
wants to cooperate with the U.S.  Yen pointed out that the 
new MOJ Minister, Hung Mao-lin, had specifically mentioned 
the problem of TIP during his February 1 arrival speech at 
MOJ, stating that TIP is a crime and that it not only gives 
Taiwan a bad image abroad, but is itself a basic human rights 
issue.  Beijing's reluctance to repatriate Mainland Chinese 
women on a regular basis, Vice-Minister Yen explained, 
contributes to overcrowding at Taiwan detention facilities. 
Nevertheless, he continued, conditions at Taiwan's illegal 
immigrant detention centers have been improved and several 
NGOs are working with the women. 
 
3. (SBU) AIT told Vice Minister Yen that Washington stands 
ready to assist the Taiwan authorities at any time with TIP 
training, cooperation, or any other assistance needed to 
improve the TIP situation in Taiwan.  The Vice Minister 
thanked AIT and said his office will stay in contact with AIT 
on this issue. 
 
Ministry of Interior 
-------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) In response to the demarche, MOI Deputy Minister 
Chien Tai-lang told AIT that MOI has already begun to make 
improvements on the TIP issue.  Since December 2004, Chien 
said Taiwan authorities have increased efforts to distinguish 
between TIP victims and non-victims at the detention centers. 
 MOI is now placing confirmed victims in a separate area with 
better facilitates and placing them on a priority 
repatriation list.  In response to AIT's request for 
elaboration, Deputy Minster Chien explained that a judge must 
determine if a detainee is a TIP victim and once that 
determination has been made, the court assigns the victim to 
the separate area where they have access to better care, 
including counseling services.  Echoing MOJ Vice Minister 
Yen, Chien stated that that PRC unwillingness to repatriate 
Mainland women detained in Taiwan on a regular basis 
continues to exacerbate the situation. 
 
5. (SBU) AIT acknowledged that the PRC's unwillingness to 
repatriate Mainland women held in detention centers places 
Taiwan in a difficult position.  Deputy Minister Chien 
responded that Taiwan hopes Washington will urge Beijing to 
be more cooperative on the TIP issue.  He thanked AIT and 
said he clearly understood the concerns raised by AIT. 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
--------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) In response to the demarche, MOFA's North America 
Director General Victor Chin stated that Taiwan takes the TIP 
issue very seriously and wants to cooperate with the U.S. on 
this issue.  He assured AIT that his department would work to 
ensure that other government agencies are aware of the TIP 
concerns raised by AIT and active in resolving any problems. 
TIP, he explained, has become a high-profile issue in Taiwan, 
and Taiwanese NGOs are already working with TIP victims at 
detention centers.  Like Yen and Chien, he explained that the 
TIP issue in Taiwan is rendered more difficult by PRC 
unwillingness to accept the return of Mainland women without 
proper documents.  He also emphasized the problem Taiwan 
authorities have in differentiating actual trafficking 
victims from the large number of illegal immigrants seeking 
economic opportunities, as virtually all detainees claim to 
be trafficking victims. 
 
7. (SBU) AIT thanked Chin for his assistance in relaying our 
concerns to other government offices.  Chin directed his 
department section chiefs present to stay engaged on this 
issue and work closely with AIT. 
 
8. (SBU) AIT will continue to provide G/TIP with any updates 
or additional information on Taiwan's progress on the TIP 
issue. 
PAAL