US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI3297

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ABU DHABI 003297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, ELAB, ETRD, KJAN, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE TIP ACTION PLAN UPDATE: PROSECUTIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 99833 
 
     B. ABU DHABI 3194 
     C. DUBAI 3469 
 
1. Summary: With one week to go before the end of the 60-day 
TIP action plan assessment period, the UAE continues to make 
progress in addressing the suggested steps in the action plan 
(ref A).  The UAEG has provided data on 19 investigations and 
prosecutions of persons of different nationalities 
responsible for human trafficking, and we are expecting more 
such data in the coming days.  The number of underage camel 
jockeys identified has risen to 630, and the number of boys 
who have been repatriated to source countries has increased 
from 111 to 169.  We are also learning for the first time 
that Dubai authorities have shut down 39 hotels and a number 
of massage parlors and night clubs as part of their efforts 
to end the exploitation of women.  The UAEG also informed us 
that authorities monitor the problem of domestic worker abuse 
and the courts hand out stiff sentences to those accused of 
abuse.  The local press continues to run stories almost daily 
about the government's actions to protect workers from 
employers who do not live up to their responsibilities. 
 
2. Summary continued: The following is a review of progress 
made since our July 19 update on the mini-action plan (ref 
B), keyed to the six points in the action plan.  It is based 
on information provided to us by the UAEG.  We are continuing 
to encourage additional progress from our UAEG interlocutors 
on a daily basis.  End Summary. 
 
NATIONAL COORDINATOR 
-------------------- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation: Appoint a national coordinator 
with sufficient authority to oversee the implementation of 
this mini-action plan. 
 
UAEG Response: Completed (see ref A). 
 
IDENTIFICATION AND PROTECTION FOR CAMEL JOCKEYS 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation: Identify and provide protection, 
within the U.A.E., for at least 700 foreign child camel 
jockeys that are trapped in exploitation and begin providing 
them with appropriate rehabilitation, repatriation, and 
reintegration services.  The number of victims identified and 
protected at 
government-provided shelters or elsewhere will be verified by 
the International Organization for Migration or UNICEF. 
 
UAEG Response: 
 
NEW DEVELOPMENT: 630 BOYS HAVE NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED (SEE 
BELOW). 
 
(Note: On May 8, 2005, the UAE Ministry of Interior and 
UNICEF signed a project agreement for identifying, rescuing, 
rehabilitating and reintegrating up to 3,000 children 
estimated to be in the UAE working in the camel jockey 
industry.  Since June 2, the UAE has established three 
shelters in Abu Dhabi for housing and rehabilitating children 
rescued from camel farms.  While at the shelters, the 
children receive health, psychological, and social care in 
order to prepare them for repatriation, according to 
information provided by the UAEG.) 
 
-- According to UAEG statistics through July 24, 630 boys 
have been identified in the camel jockey industry. 
Repatriation formalities of 318 cases have been finalized 
under UNICEF supervision and in conjunction with source 
country embassies.  (Note: The UAEG says that 169 children 
have been repatriated already, and that this was done "after 
ensuring that the children have received their compensation 
due from the date of their arrival in UAE up to the date of 
their departure."  End note)  A breakdown by nationality of 
those in the repatriation pipeline shows that 215 are from 
Pakistan, 47 from Bangladesh, 40 from Sudan, 13 from 
Mauritania, and 3 from Eritrea.  In addition, there are 312 
boys in the three shelters.  The nationality breakdown for 
those boys is as follows: 144 from Pakistan, 108 from 
Bangladesh, 65 from Sudan, and 4 from Eritrea. 
 
-- The Ministry of Interior has directed Infiltration Control 
departments to raid places suspected of hiding children 
employed as camel jockeys.  This is done in conjunction with 
investigation and follow-up sections in Immigration 
Departments. 
 
-- The Ministry of Interior has introduced a new Follow-Up 
Section to monitor camel racing events.  It reports directly 
to the Under Secretary of the Ministry. 
 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION 
----------------------------- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation: Investigate and begin prosecuting 
at least 10 persons responsible for the trafficking, abuse, 
and exploitation of trafficked children in the camel racing 
industry.  Investigate and commence prosecution of at least 5 
cases involving the trafficking of women for sexual 
exploitation.  Investigate and commence prosecuting at least 
5 cases of abuse of foreign domestic workers and laborers. 
Persons convicted should receive sufficient penalties 
reflecting the heinous nature of trafficking crimes.  All 
investigations and prosecutions should be conducted with due 
regard to individual human rights. 
 
UAEG Response: 
 
NEW DEVELOPMENT: INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS, INCLUDING 5 
FOR TRAFFICKING CAMEL JOCKEYS, 9 FOR TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN, 
AND 5 FOR ABUSES AGAINST DOMESTIC WORKERS; CLOSURE OF 39 
HOTELS; REPATRIATION OF TAJIK WOMEN. (SEE BELOW) 
 
(Note: On July 5, President Khalifa issued a federal law that 
prohibits persons below age 18 from either sex from 
participating in camel races, and subjects traffickers to 
jail sentences not exceeding three years, and/or fines of not 
less than 50,000 Dirhams, or $13,500.  In the case of repeat 
offenders, the penalties will be doubled.  The law took 
effect upon signature.) 
 
-- The UAEG has provided us with evidence of 5 cases of 
trafficking of underage camel jockeys that are being 
investigated.  All the cases are in Al Ain jurisdiction in 
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  A chart provides the case numbers, 
names of the accused, names and nationalities of victims, 
type of accusation, and status of investigation. 
 
-- The UAEG has provided us with evidence of 9 cases of 
trafficking in women, including three cases in Sharjah court 
and six in Ajman court.  A chart provides the case numbers, 
names of the accused, type of accusation, and sentence.  The 
accusations include "directing a prostitution house," 
"exploitation of prostitution," and forcing women into 
prostitution.  Most of the cases resulted in jail sentences 
and deportation, but one sentence was for a 3-year jail 
sentence and 90 slashes with a whip.  (Note: The trafficking 
case reported in ref C was not reflected in the chart 
provided to us by the UAEG.  The Dubai Criminal Court is 
prosecuting a "gang" consisting of five men and one woman on 
charges of forcing an Indian woman into prostitution.  We 
will report septel any additional trafficking-related 
prosecutions from Dubai after the Consul General's July 31 
meeting with the Dubai Attorney General.  End note.) 
 
-- The UAEG has provided us with evidence of 5 cases of 
abuses against domestic workers, including four from Al Ain 
court in Abu Dhabi Emirate, and one from Al Ain religious 
court.  A chart provides the case numbers, names of the 
accused, names and nationalities of victims, types of 
accusations, and sentence.  Four of the cases involved rape, 
two involved alcohol, and one involved "disgrace by force." 
In all cases the sentences handed down involved jail.  The 
case from the Al Ain religious court included both a life 
sentence and financial compensation to the victim, while one 
of the other cases included both a life sentence and 60 whips 
for alcohol consumption. 
 
-- The UAEG also informed us that 39 hotels were closed in 
Dubai in addition to a number of night clubs and massage 
parlors, in 2004 and 2005.  Tourist bureaus that provided 
tourist visas with the motive of exploiting women were also 
closed. 
 
-- The UAEG noted its cooperation with Tajik authorities to 
repatriate trafficking victims to Tajikistan.  The Tajik 
women had entered the UAE with forged passports and had 
misrepresented themselves, according to the UAEG. 
 
MECHANISM FOR IDENTIFICATION AND PROTECTION OF VICTIMS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation: Develop and implement a formal 
mechanism for the systematic identification and protection of 
trafficking victims, including women in sexual servitude and 
women and men trafficked as domestic workers and laborers. 
Expand the availability of hotlines for foreign workers to 
report instances of abuse and to seek assistance. 
 
UAEG Response: 
 
NEW DEVELOPMENT: POLICE TRAINING CONFIRMED. (SEE BELOW) 
 
-- The UAE Government is developing several systems for the 
identification and protection of trafficking victims. 
Several seminars have been organized by the Officers' 
Training Institute in conjunction with the Police Research 
and Studies Center to educate police officers about how to 
follow up trafficking crimes, in addition to training courses 
on how to detect trafficking crimes. 
 
-- Special courses have been organized for prosecution staff, 
judges, and other authorities.  The courses will cover 
investigations, combating trafficking, and identifying 
trafficking victims. 
 
ESTABLISHING SHELTERS; FORMAL PROTECTION 
---------------------------------------- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation:  Establish shelters in Abu Dhabi 
and Dubai for trafficking victims, particularly for abused 
domestic workers, women forced into sexual servitude, and 
male laborers, where such victims can receive protection, 
including counseling, medical, physiological, and other 
appropriate rehabilitation assistance regardless of their 
immigration status.  Articulate how the U.A.E. government 
will extend formal protection to domestic workers and other 
laborers, currently without any protection outside of their 
employment contracts. 
 
UAEG Response: 
 
NEW DEVELOPMENT: CONFIRMATION FROM UAEG THAT PROTECTION OF 
DOMESTIC WORKERS EXISTS.  (SEE BELOW) 
 
-- The contract signed between domestic staff and the 
employer is a civil contract which falls under civil 
obligations law.  However, there are some procedures which 
fall under immigration law. 
 
-- The Coordination and Follow-Up sections within the 
Naturalization and Residence Department look into complaints 
submitted by domestic workers in order to sort them out.  If 
they fail to settle the matter then they refer it to the 
court. 
 
-- In all cases the domestic worker before his/her final 
departure signs a special form in the presence of an 
authorized official stating that he/she has received all 
financial dues and that he/she does not owe the employer 
anything. 
 
-- With respect to assault and abuse of domestic workers, the 
cases are investigated then referred to the court.  Some of 
the cases receive severe punishments ) up to life 
imprisonment. 
 
PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 
------------------------- 
 
Action Plan Recommendation:  Conduct broad public awareness 
campaigns highlighting the rights and obligations of domestic 
workers and laborers, and the consequence of abusing such 
workers. 
 
UAEG Response: 
 
There continues to be a steady stream of newspaper articles 
in the major daily papers intended to raise public awareness 
about working conditions and workers' rights: 
 
-- "Gulf News" July 26: The Ministry of Labor has temporarily 
suspended any transaction it has with 97 different companies 
that failed to observe the new mid-day break rule.  The 
Ministry plans to begin imposing fines in August.  Companies 
that violate the rule face fines of $2,700 and suspension of 
transactions with the Ministry. 
 
-- "Khaleej Times" July 26: The Ministry of Labor announced 
that absconding laborers would be jailed for at least 30 days 
before being deported.  Companies employing such workers 
illegally would be financially liable for each day the worker 
spends in jail, would be fined $2,700 and blacklisted for 
employing workers without valid visas. 
 
-- "Khaleej Times" July 27: The Ministry of Labor will summon 
the manager of a cleaning company to investigate the case of 
9 Sri Lankan women who filed a complaint over non-payment of 
salaries.  The women were fired for expressing 
dissatisfaction over harsh working conditions. 
 
-- "Khaleej Times" July 26: The Director of Dubai 
Naturalization and Residency announced a shelter for maids 
who abscond from their sponsors because of ill treatment. 
 
-- "Gulf News" July 20: The Dubai Economic Council Affairs 
suggested that a center be established to provide shelter to 
housemaids who have had disputes with their sponsors.  It 
also proposed the creation of a security fund for the labor 
force. 
 
-- "Khaleej Times" July 25: New employers will have to bear 
the cost of transferring the visas of employees who change 
sponsors.  The Ministry of Labor warned that employers who 
force the employee to pay the visa transfer fee will be 
subject to penalties.  Workers are still required to obtain a 
"no objection" certificate from their former sponsor before 
changing sponsors. 
 
-- "Khaleej Times" July 20: The Ministry of Labor will launch 
a new system for registering the labor force from the GCC 
working in the private sector to ensure they receive social 
security benefits from the UAEG. 
 
COMMENT: 
------- 
 
3. The UAEG has provided long-awaited evidence that it is 
investigating and prosecuting cases involving human 
trafficking, one of the key suggestions in the mini-action 
plan.  We will report via July 31 septel on Dubai 
investigations and prosecutions, any updated camel jockey 
data, and additional public outreach activities, including 
public statements about workers' rights and responsibilities. 
 
SISON