Cablegate: Forced or Child Labor -- Indonesia's Response To

VZCZCXRO5564
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1532 2580641
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150641Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3311
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001532

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL/ILCSR, G/TIP
PASS TO US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ILAB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ELAB ID
SUBJECT: FORCED OR CHILD LABOR -- INDONESIA'S RESPONSE TO
USDOL LIST

REF: STATE 92560

1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please
handle accordingly.

2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Mission has reviewed USG points re the
U.S. Department of Labor's list of goods produced by forced
labor or child labor with Indonesian Department of Foreign
Affairs and other contacts. Deputy Pol/C (Labatt) explained
that the primary purpose of the list was to promote awareness
and increase efforts to eliminate child labor and forced
labor in the production of goods. Our contacts responded
that the GoI was committed to the elimination of such labor
and was engaged with a variety of actors, including the USG,
in combating the problem. END SUMMARY.

3. (SBU) Per reftel, Mission has reviewed USG points re the
US Department of Labor's list of goods produced by forced
labor or child labor with the GOI. (Note: The list is
mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection
Reauthorization Act, "TVPRA," of 2005.) DepPol/C made the
points to Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) Director for
Human Rights Affairs Wiwiek Setyawati Firman on September 10.
Deputy Pol/C explained that the intent of the report was to
raise awareness and increase efforts to eliminate child labor
and forced labor. Mission also flagged the report to other
key ministries.

4. (SBU) DepPol/C went into the details of the report. She
emphasized that the listing of sandals, gold and tobacco did
not indicate that all production of these products involved
child labor, but that there were significant incidences of
child labor in these industries. Moreover, the list did not
serve as a legal basis for a ban on imports. That said, it
was important that the GOI take steps to eliminate these
forms of labor in the production of goods. The USG was a
partner in this effort and would continue to work with
Indonesia in this key area.

5. (SBU) Our GOI contact listened carefully to the USG
points. Firman responded that the GoI was working to
eliminate all forms of child and forced labor in Indonesia,
including in those industries highlighted in the report. She
noted that in addition to its own programs, the GoI was also
working with NGOs and governments from around the world,
including the United States. to stop child or forced labor.
It was a difficult problem, she allowed, but Indonesia would
continue its efforts to counter the use of such labor.

OSIUS

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