US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1472

UNCLAS ANKARA 001472 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, SMIG, KFRD, PREF, TU, TIP IN TURKEY 
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: MFA ALLOCATES "157" HOTLINE NUMBER 
 
1. (U) In response to G/TIP inquiries, national and 
  international media sources published the following news 
  article about TIP in Turkey. 
 
2. (U) Published Thursday, March 10 by the semi-official 
Anatolian News Agency; http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/: 
 
    TITLE: Foreign Ministry Allocates a Hotline for Victims 
    of Human Trafficking 
 
    BEGIN TEXT: ANKARA (A.A) - 10.03.2005 - Turkish Foreign 
    Ministry allocated a hotline "157" for the victims of 
    human trafficking which will be operational next month. 
 
    Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday, "Turkey attaches 
    great importance to combat against trafficking in human 
    beings which emerged as a new concept following the 
    rapid social and economic changes in the world in 
    recent years." 
 
    "Within that scope a National Task Force has been 
    established under the chairmanship of Foreign Ministry 
    and an Action Plan prepared by the Task Force and 
    approved by the Prime Ministry has been implemented in 
    2003," noted the Ministry. 
 
    "Within the framework of these efforts, a hotline `157' 
    has been allocated for the victims of trafficking in 
    Turkey. This hotline will be operational nationwide as 
    of April 15th, 2005," added the Ministry. 
 
    Foreign Ministry stated, "157 tip off number/emergency 
    hotline for the victims of trafficking will be staffed 
    by Russian, Romanian and Turkish speaking personnel. 
    The emergency calls from victims or third persons which 
    would be received by the hotline operators will be 
    conveyed to the security authorities for their 
    immediate action." END TEXT. 
 
3. (U) While the number "111" had previously been requested 
for the hotline for ease of remembering, the MFA and Turk 
Telecom settled on "157" for practical reasons.  The new 
number is less prone to prank calls and misdials (from 
children holding down numbers).  This number also parallels 
other law enforcement emergency "154" and "155", making it 
easier for Turkish residents to remember. 
 
4. (SBU) The hotline will be operated by IOM for the first 
six months of "training," then turned over to a qualified 
NGO.  According to Ozlem Kural of the MFA, they would prefer 
an NGO with branches in several cities, to enable greater 
assistance and response to victims wherever they are 
located.  As part of a campaign launching and publicizing 
the hotline, passport inserts with the number will be handed 
out at entry points to travelers matching victim profiles. 
 
EDELMAN