US embassy cable - 03ANKARA678

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2013 
TAGS: KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, SMIG, KFRD, ASEC, PREF, ELAB, TU 
SUBJECT: GOT FOCUSES EFFORTS ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING INITIATIVES 
 
 
REF: ANKARA 419 
 
 
(U) Classified Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 (b) and 
(d). 
 
 
1. (U) This is an action request; please see para 6. 
 
 
2. (U) Jan. 23 MFA DDG for Consular Affairs Topcuoglu called 
us in to discuss GOT developments in the fight against 
trafficking-in-persons (TIP).  Topcuoglu stressed local, 
regional, and national efforts to raise awareness of the 
issue, prosecute individuals accused of TIP, and assist TIP 
victims. 
 
 
3. (C) Recent GOT initiatives include: 
- Implementation of anti-trafficking law- Article 201 (b)- 
which was passed in August 2002.  While definitive 
information from the GOT Records Department is pending, MFA 
highlighted four cases currently pending in local Turkish 
courts.  Two trials are ongoing (one on the Black Sea Coast 
and one in eastern Turkey) while two cases accusing multiple 
individuals of TIP are continuing in Istanbul. 
- Draft law centralizing the issuance of work permits in the 
Ministry of Labor has been submitted to Parliament. 
Currently, multiple Ministries, including Ministries of 
Education, Tourism, and Labor, have the right to give 
preliminary permission to issue work permits.  The annex to 
the law will set up a work permit system for women to work in 
domestic services.  Passage of this law would allow for 
tighter examination of who is applying and receiving work 
permits. 
- Establishment of a coordination committee for TIP within 
the Ministry of Interior.  Various departments are 
represented, including Foreigners and Borders departments, 
Organized Crime and Smuggling department, and Public Security 
department. 
- Governors of 15 cities, believed to be principal 
destination points for victims of TIP, are exploring the idea 
of converting state-owned unused social training centers to 
shelters for TIP victims. 
- Governorates of same 15 cities have been instructed by the 
Ministry of Interior to issue humanitarian visas and 
temporary residence permits for TIP victims to begin the 
rehabilitation process. 
- Ministry of Interior will give the first training program 
to raise awareness of the TIP issue to 75 officers from 15 
provinces in the next few months. 
- The Directorate on the Problems and Status of Women held a 
panel in December 2002 on the issue of TIP.  The 200 plus 
attendees included NGO representatives, journalists, police 
chiefs, and MFA officials.  According to the MFA, each group 
offered a different perspective of the situation but believed 
both GOT agencies and NGOs must work together to assist 
victims. 
 
 
4. (C) Emb requested a copy of GOT's national action plan and 
timeline for the implementation of projects.  Topcuoglu 
responded that the next meeting of the inter-agency working 
group is imminent and claimed the plan would be completed 
then.  Topcuoglu continued that shelter openings were a 
"medium term" issue to be resolved, since buildings must be 
identified and then NGOs would take over the management of 
the shelter. 
 
 
-------------------------- 
Comment and Action Request 
-------------------------- 
 
 
5. (C) Comment.  These significant initiatives illustrate GOT 
steps to focus on concrete actions to combat the problem of 
trafficking.  These set GOT anti-TIP actions in motion on a 
national level and demonstrate the GOT's commitment to 
increasing victim assistance and prosecuting perpetrators of 
trafficking-in-persons. 
 
 
6. (C) Action request.  MFA DDG Firat Fatma Topcuoglu will 
attend G/TIP conference in February "Pathbreaking Strategies 
in the Global Fight Against Sex Trafficking."  Embassy 
reiterates its request for a meeting between G/TIP director 
Miller and Topcuoglu (reftel).  Such a meeting would help GOT 
continue to focus its efforts on combating TIP. 
PEARSON