US embassy cable - 03HARARE444

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, AF/RS 
A, USAID 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KCRM, KWMN, SMIG, KFRD, PREF, ELAB, ASEC, ZI, TIP 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE - TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 2002 - 
2003 
 
REF: SECSTATE 22225 
 
1. (SBU) Overview of Zimbabwe's 
Activities to Eliminate Trafficking in Persons: 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
A. There continued to be infrequent anecdotal reports that 
Zimbabwe was a country of origin and transit for 
internationally trafficked persons, particularly women and 
children.  Unlike in previous years, there were no reports 
that Zimbabwe was a destination country.  These reports 
suggested that trafficking might also occur within the 
country,s borders.  There were no reliable numbers or 
estimates regarding the magnitude of the problem.  At the 
writing of this report, a local NGO, Connect, was compiling a 
report of approximately twenty cases of trafficking of girls 
within Zimbabwe; the report was not expected to give 
comprehensive statistics on trafficking in, through, or from 
Zimbabwe. 
 
B. A South African NGO, Molo Songololo, claimed that Zimbabwe 
was a transit point for children being trafficked from third 
countries such as Asia and Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe to 
South Africa; however, they could provide no specific cases 
or numbers of cases. 
 
C. Connect suggested that in the current economic downturn, 
more families had accepted some form of payment in exchange 
for allowing their teenage daughters to be commercial sex 
workers in other towns within Zimbabwe, notably the border 
town of Beitbridge.  Unlike in previous years, there were no 
reports that Zimbabwe was a destination country. 
 
D. The Connect report is expected later this year. 
 
E. There were no reports that Zimbabwe was a destination 
point for internationally trafficked victims.  There were no 
details available about the conditions into which victims 
were allegedly trafficked within Zimbabwe. 
 
F. Infrequent anecdotal reports suggested that female 
teenagers were targeted primarily.  There was no information 
available concerning traffickers, or their methods. 
 
G. Officials in the Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of 
Education, Sports and Culture were willing to address 
whatever trafficking may be occurring, but they had no data 
on the scope of the problem for which to design a response, 
and were relying on NGOs to alert them to any specific cases. 
 In August 2001, Parliament passed and signed into law the 
Sexual Offenses Act, which makes it a crime to transport 
persons across the country's borders for the sex industry. 
Traffickers also can be prosecuted under other legislation, 
such as immigration and abduction laws.  A trafficked person 
has the option to take his or her case before the Victim 
Friendly Courts (VFCs). 
 
H. There was no indication that government authorities 
facilitated, were complicit in, or condoned trafficking in 
persons. 
 
I. While the government seemed willing to address the 
problem, in the current economic downturn, there are very 
limited government resources to gather comprehensive data on, 
or respond to anecdotal reports of trafficking. 
 
2. (SBU) Prevention: 
-------------------- 
 
A. The GOZ recognizes that some trafficking in persons 
occurs, but without specific data had not addressed the issue 
as a large-scale problem. 
 
B. The primary government authority that would combat 
trafficking is the Zimbabwe Republic Police.  The Ministries 
of Justice and Education, and the Victim Friendly Courts, all 
play a role in combatting trafficking. 
 
C. In September 2002, the Child and Law Foundation of 
Zimbabwe held an international conference entitled, 
"Protecting the Sexuality of our Children - Southern Africa 
Regional Meeting" in Harare.  A High Court judge opened the 
conference, and representatives from the Ministries of 
Justice, Education, and Social Welfare also attended.  The 
South African NGO Molo Songololo presented research 
methodologies for data gathering on sexual exploitation. 
Participants acknowledged the need for additional research 
and data-gathering on trafficking in southern Africa. 
 
D. The GOZ supports programs that promote the rights of and 
opportunities for women and children.  The Ministry of Social 
Welfare in particular runs three programs focused on enabling 
children to stay in school. 
 
E. The GOZ's capacity to effectively support prevention 
programs is badly hampered by a shortage of resources. 
 
F. The GOZ and civil society groups communicate on the issue 
of trafficking in persons, but there have been no joint 
programs or proposals to date. 
 
G.  Zimbabwe's borders are porous; the Department of 
Immigration exercises little control over who crosses into 
and out of Zimbabwe.   Provided with evidence of trafficking, 
we suspect law enforcement agencies would respond 
appropriately. 
 
H. The GOZ has no multi-agency working group or task force on 
trafficking.  It has a public corruption task force which is 
ineffective. 
 
I. See 3. C. 
 
J. The GOZ does not have a national plan of action to address 
trafficking in persons. 
 
K.  The GOZ has not designated a responsible official to 
develop anti-trafficking programs. 
 
3. (SBU) Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers: 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
A. While no laws specifically address trafficking in persons, 
common law prohibits abduction and forced labor, and the 
August 2001 Sexual Offenses Act makes it a crime to transport 
persons across the border for sex. 
 
The Zimbabwe constitution provides that "no one may be held 
in slavery or servitude or be made to perform forced or 
compulsory labor." 
 
The Zimbabwe Criminal Code prohibits corruption of children 
and young persons, and penalizes any person who allows a 
child or a young person to reside in or to frequent a 
brothel.  Similarly, the code penalizes any person who causes 
the seduction, abduction, or prostitution of a child or young 
person.  The code even prohibits allowing the child or young 
person to consort with, enter into employment, or continue in 
the employment of any prostitute or person of known immoral 
character.  Punishment for these offenses is a fine or 
imprisonment for up to 2 years or both. 
 
The Zimbabwean Immigration Act penalizes any person who by 
bribery induces or attempts to induce any immigration officer 
to violate his or her duties under the Act.  The Act 
criminalizes forgery of travel documents for the purposes of 
entering, remaining in, or departing from the country in 
contravention of the act.  The Act penalizes anyone who 
hinders or obstructs any police officer or immigration 
officer in executing his or her duties under the Act. 
 
B. There is no penalty specific to trafficking in persons. 
 
C. There is no minimum penalty for rape or forcible sexual 
assault.  Individuals convicted of one of these crimes must 
be imprisoned, but the length of incarceration is determined 
by precedent.  Sentences for rape convictions typically range 
from four or five years to fifteen years, depending on the 
circumstances of the particular crime. 
 
D. The GOZ has not prosecuted any cases of trafficking to 
date. 
 
E. There was no information available concerning traffickers. 
 
F. No specific cases of trafficking were reported. 
 
G. See 4. F. 
 
H. See 4. F. 
 
I. There were no reports of extradition from Zimbabwe of 
those charged with trafficking in other countries. 
 
J. There was no indication of government involvement in, or 
tolerance of trafficking, at any level. 
 
K. See 4. J. 
 
L. The GOZ ratified ILO Convention 182 on December 11, 2000, 
Conventions 29 and 105 on August 27, 1998.  The GOZ has not 
signed or ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on 
the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child 
Prostitution, and Child Pornography.  The GOZ has not signed 
or ratified the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons. 
 
4. (SBU) Protection and Assistance to Victims: 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
A. No specific victims of trafficking were identified. 
 
B. See 5. A. 
 
C. See 5. A. 
 
D. See 5. A. 
 
E. See 5. A. 
 
F. There was no indication that the GOZ provided specialized 
training for government officials in recognizing, protecting 
or assisting trafficking victims within Zimbabwe or through 
Zimbabwe's foreign missions. 
 
G. See 5. A. 
 
H. No NGOs reported working with trafficking victims.  At the 
time of writing, Connect was researching anecdotal reports on 
trafficking and reported that local police had been very 
cooperative. 
 
6. (U) Post point of contact for Trafficking in Persons is 
Political Officer Audu Besmer (office phone  263-4-250-593 
extension 291; fax  263-4-253-000, e-mail: 
besmeram@state.gov).  The estimated hours spent per officer 
in preparation of this report are as follows (Ref):  Polfsn 
15 hours, Poloff 8 hours, Polchief 0.5 hour review, DCM 0.5 
hour review, AMB 0.5 hour review. 
SULLIVAN