Cablegate: Guatemala Hosts Usg-Funded Seminar On Trafficking

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #2040 2831853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101853Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4077
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 4591

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 002040

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP, WHA/OAS, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB PGOV PREL SMIG GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA HOSTS USG-FUNDED SEMINAR ON TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a regional seminar
on trafficking in persons (TIP) October 3-4. The two-day
seminar was organized by the OAS as part of its USG-funded
project to combat TIP in the Western Hemisphere. Focused on
"Legislation Against Trafficking in Persons in Central
America," the seminar brought together over 30 legislators
from the region to draft a model legislative framework to
combat the transnational problem.

2. In his opening remarks, the President of the Guatemalan
Congress reaffirmed Guatemala's commitment to combating TIP.
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Anamaria Dieguez highlighted
GOG efforts, including development of a national plan of
action (2007-2017), establishment and official recognition of
an inter-institutional committee in July, coordination of a
public awareness campaign beginning last year, and approval
of regional guidelines for repatriation of child victims of
trafficking at a regional conference on migration in New
Orleans earlier this year.

3. Christopher Hernandez-Roy, OAS Director of the Department
of Public Security, stressed that TIP is a transnational
problem that requires a transnational solution. In its 2005
Global Report, the ILO reported that there were at least 12.3
million victims of forced labor worldwide. Of the 12.3
million, 9.8 million were exploited by private agents and
more than 2.4 million were victims of trafficking.

4. Hernandez-Roy stressed the need for a comprehensive legal
framework modeled on the 2000 UN Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women
and Children (Palermo Protocol), and compatible legislation
in neighboring countries. While seven countries in the
Western Hemisphere have comprehensive anti-TIP laws, with
Colombia as the model, no Central American country has
comparable legislation. Article 194 of the Guatemalan Penal
Code codified TIP as an offense, but did not provide a
comprehensive framework that addresses prevention,
prosecution, and victim protection in accordance with the
Palermo Protocol.

5. A panel of Latin American legal experts -- a congresswoman
from Argentina, a judge from Ecuador, and an official from
the Colombian Ministry of Interior and Justice -- shared
their experiences in drafting and implementing anti-TIP
legislation from the perspective of prevention,
criminalization, and victim protection. During break-out
working group sessions, legislators collaborated in drafting
a model regional legal framework incorporating these three
elements to use as a reference in drafting anti-TIP
legislation in their home countries.
Derham

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