US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI2495

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002495 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2010 
TAGS: PHUM, ELAB, TC, Camel Jockeys 
SUBJECT: UAE LEADERS COMMITTED TO TIP PLAN FOLLOW THROUGH 
 
REF: A. ABU DHABI 2437 
 
     B. STATE 99833 
     C. STATE 98157 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary.  The UAE leadership has reacted calmly to the 
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Tier 3 designation and action 
plan.  UAE leaders designated Presidential Affairs Minister 
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed to oversee the plan's implementation 
and have asked two specific questions about the action plan. 
Interior Minister Saif bin Zayed told the press June 6 that 
he was confident that the steps the UAE was taking to combat 
trafficking would lead to a "positive outcome."  UNICEF 
officials, meanwhile, want to ensure that the UAEG not rush 
the repatriation of child camel jockeys before verifying the 
identities and parentage of the children and caring for their 
psychological needs.  In contrast to the leadership, lower 
level police officials, particularly in Dubai, criticized the 
TIP report as unfair.  This message contains an action 
request, paragraph 6.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) 
asked his brother, Presidential Affairs Minister Sheikh 
Mansour, to be the enforcer who will ensure follow up on all 
six points in the Trafficking in Persons action plan for the 
UAE.  Four of the Al Nahyan brothers ) Mohammed, Deputy 
Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 
Hamdan, Mansour, and Information Minister Abdullah ) met 
June 1 on the margins of Sheikh Hamdan's son's wedding to 
review the action plan.  They also reviewed the report and 
action plan with Interior Minister Sheikh Saif and Labor 
Minister Al Kaabi over the weekend.  "Khaleej Times" reported 
June 6 that Sheikh Saif viewed the TIP report as "a good 
occasion to look at the issues from another perspective, as 
if you're having an auditor look at what you've done.  We,re 
confident that all the steps we're taking are leading to a 
positive outcome."  On June 4, the Embassy delivered to MbZ's 
Foreign Policy Advisor the Secretary's letter urging the UAEG 
to take steps to combat the trafficking problem. 
 
3. (C) The Embassy has received two specific questions from 
the UAEG since we delivered embargoed copies of the report 
and action plan (refs B and C) to select UAEG officials on 
July 1 and 2. 
 
A)  The UAEG wanted to know at what age is a person no longer 
considered a "child" in the context of "child trafficking." 
 
B)  The UAEG also wanted assurances that the USG would raise 
the UAE from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List if the UAE 
accomplished all six steps suggested in the action plan. 
 
4. (C) Meanwhile, UNICEF officials have expressed concern to 
us that the UAEG may rush the repatriation of young camel 
jockeys to demonstrate UAEG action in response to USG TIP 
concerns.  From UNICEF's perspective, it is important that 
the UAEG undertake DNA testing to verify the identities and 
parentage of the boys and provide psychological counseling 
for the boys while the boys are in the UAE.  Once they are 
repatriated, it would be much harder for UNICEF to verify 
identities and provide care.  We have urged UNICEF to raise 
their concerns directly with the UAEG and will explore these 
issues with our UAEG interlocutors as well. 
 
5. (SBU) While the Abu Dhabi leadership has reacted to the 
UAE's Tier 3 ranking by focusing on action plan follow-up, 
lower level Dubai police officials have criticized the 
report.  "Gulf News" reported June 5 that a spokesman for the 
Human Rights Department of Dubai Police called the report 
unfair and said that U.S. sanction threats were toothless and 
would not help solve the problem.  Major Arif Baqer, Deputy 
Director of Dubai Police's Human Rights Department, told 
"Gulf News" he was "shocked" by the TIP report, adding that 
he had addressed all contentious issues with G/TIP Reports 
Officer Feleke Assefa during his May 7-10 mission to Abu 
Dhabi and Dubai.  "Gulf News" cited a senior official from 
the Dubai Police Human Rights Department who said, "We do our 
best to eliminate trafficking (of women for sexual 
exploitation).  We push for these women to be treated as 
victims, not criminals in the courts and at immigration." 
The same official said most women working in the sex industry 
in Dubai were not being forced.  "There are very few genuine 
victims of human trafficking. Many of them came to work as 
prostitutes and have saved enough money to go home." 
 
6. (U) Action Request:  We would appreciate receiving by 
Washington COB  Tuesday, June 7 cleared language from G/TIP 
and DRL in response to the para 3 points. 
SISON