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Cablegate: Sri Lanka: Proposed Tip Benchmarks

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OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #1449 2961008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231008Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7050
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0556
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0475
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 7464
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 5605
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4078
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1475
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4124
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3217
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 8062
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 5670
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0424
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2385
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001449

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: PROPOSED TIP BENCHMARKS

REF: A. COLOMBO 1304

B. COLOMBO 1188
C. STATE 113842
D. AND PREVIOUS

1. In accordance with the Short Term Action Plan for Sri
Lanka provided by G/TIP, post recommends the following
benchmarks for use in evaluating Government of Sri Lanka
progress in combating trafficking in persons:

-Working with the International Organization for Migration
(IOM), set up and begin using a new case management and
tracking database to record data on victims and progress on
trafficking cases.

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-Pass witness protection and victim assistance legislation in
parliament by February 2008. This new law will encourage
victims to participate in investigations against traffickers,
and provide victims with a legal right to assistance.

-Begin new TIP investigations and prosecutions under the 2006
anti-trafficking law or the human smuggling section of the
Immigration and Emigration Act.

-Hold at least one government-hosted TIP roundtable to raise
awareness and generate support for a national
anti-trafficking policy. Participation should include
relevant GSL ministries, embassies, and NGOs. Results of the
roundtable should be highlighted in a GSL press release.

-Activate a GSL working group to coordinate and develop
policies on TIP. The working group should include the
Foreign Employment Ministry, Foreign Employment Bureau,
Women's Empowerment and Child Development Ministry, National
Child Protection Authority, Attorney General's office, and
the Women's and Children's Bureau of the Sri Lanka Police.

-Document contact with law enforcement counterparts in at
least two prostitution source countries.

-Sign at least one additional migrant labor memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with a foreign employment destination
country. The GSL should push to include provisions for
rights of victims, including the right to participate in
trials of abusive employers and protection from punishment
for offenses committed as a result of being trafficked.

-Document assistance provided to victims of trafficking
repatriated from abroad.


2. COMMENT: These benchmarks have been discussed with the
GSL and IOM, which will be implementing a $500,000 USG-funded
anti-trafficking program in Sri Lanka. Post assesses that
these benchmarks represent significant, yet realistic,
objectives for the GSL on combating human trafficking. Post
will continue to coordinate closely with the GSL on its
anti-trafficking efforts and will report further developments.
MOORE

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