

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287
Articles
Brazil
Sri Lanka
United Kingdom
Sweden
00. Editorial
United States
Latin America
Egypt
Jordan
Yemen
Thailand
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
2011/05/13
2011/05/14
2011/05/15
2011/05/16
2011/05/17
2011/05/18
2011/05/19
2011/05/20
2011/05/21
2011/05/22
2011/05/23
2011/05/24
2011/05/25
2011/05/26
2011/05/27
2011/05/28
2011/05/29
2011/05/30
2011/05/31
2011/06/01
2011/06/02
2011/06/03
2011/06/04
2011/06/05
2011/06/06
2011/06/07
2011/06/08
2011/06/09
2011/06/10
2011/06/11
2011/06/12
2011/06/13
2011/06/14
2011/06/15
2011/06/16
2011/06/17
2011/06/18
2011/06/19
2011/06/20
2011/06/21
2011/06/22
2011/06/23
2011/06/24
2011/06/25
2011/06/26
2011/06/27
2011/06/28
2011/06/29
2011/06/30
2011/07/01
2011/07/02
2011/07/04
2011/07/05
2011/07/06
2011/07/07
2011/07/08
2011/07/10
2011/07/11
2011/07/12
2011/07/13
2011/07/14
2011/07/15
2011/07/16
2011/07/17
2011/07/18
2011/07/19
2011/07/20
2011/07/21
2011/07/22
2011/07/23
2011/07/25
2011/07/27
2011/07/28
2011/07/29
2011/07/31
2011/08/01
2011/08/02
2011/08/03
2011/08/05
2011/08/06
2011/08/07
2011/08/08
2011/08/09
2011/08/10
2011/08/11
2011/08/12
2011/08/13
2011/08/15
2011/08/16
2011/08/17
2011/08/18
2011/08/19
2011/08/21
2011/08/22
2011/08/23
2011/08/24
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Antananarivo
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Alexandria
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embasy Bonn
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Brazzaville
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangui
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Belfast
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Cotonou
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chiang Mai
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Chengdu
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
DIR FSINFATC
Consulate Dusseldorf
Consulate Durban
Consulate Dubai
Consulate Dhahran
Embassy Guatemala
Embassy Grenada
Embassy Georgetown
Embassy Gaborone
Consulate Guayaquil
Consulate Guangzhou
Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Hong Kong
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kolonia
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Krakow
Consulate Kolkata
Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Lusaka
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lome
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy Libreville
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Leipzig
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Mission Geneva
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Mogadishu
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maseru
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Merida
Consulate Melbourne
Consulate Matamoros
Consulate Marseille
Embassy Nouakchott
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Nuevo Laredo
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Consulate Nagoya
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Praia
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Moresby
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Podgorica
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Hillah
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Surabaya
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy Tirana
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York
USMISSION USTR GENEVA
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Mission CD Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
UN Rome
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vientiane
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AMGT
ASEC
AEMR
AR
APECO
AU
AORC
ADANA
AJ
AF
AFIN
AMED
AS
AM
ABLD
AFFAIRS
AMB
APER
ACOA
AND
AA
AE
AADP
AID
AO
AL
AG
AORD
ADM
AINF
AINT
ASEAN
AORG
ABT
APEC
AY
ASUP
ARF
AGOA
AVIAN
ATRN
ANET
AGIT
ASECVE
ABUD
AODE
ALOW
ADB
AN
ADPM
ASPA
ARABL
AFSN
AZ
AC
AIAG
AFSI
ASCE
ASIG
ACABQ
ADIP
AFGHANISTAN
AROC
ADCO
ACOTA
ANARCHISTS
AMEDCASCKFLO
AK
ARABBL
ASCH
ANTITERRORISM
AGRICULTURE
AOCR
ARR
ASSEMBLY
AORCYM
AFPK
ACKM
AGMT
AEC
APRC
AIN
AFPREL
ASFC
ASECTH
AFSA
AINR
AOPC
AFAF
AFARI
AX
ASECAF
ASECAFIN
AT
AFZAL
APCS
AGAO
AIT
ARCH
AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL
AMEX
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
AORCD
AVIATION
ARAS
AINFCY
ACBAQ
AOPR
AREP
AOIC
ASEX
ASEK
AER
AGR
AMCT
AVERY
APR
AEMRS
AFU
AMG
ATPDEA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AORL
ACS
AMCHAMS
AECL
AUC
ACAO
BA
BR
BB
BG
BEXP
BY
BRUSSELS
BU
BD
BTIO
BK
BL
BE
BMGT
BO
BM
BX
BN
BWC
BBSR
BTT
BC
BH
BILAT
BUSH
BHUM
BT
BTC
BMENA
BOND
BAIO
BP
BF
BRPA
BURNS
BUT
BBG
BCW
BOEHNER
BOL
BASHAR
BIDEN
BFIN
BZ
BEXPC
BTIU
CPAS
CA
CASC
CS
CBW
CIDA
CO
CODEL
CI
CROS
CU
CH
CWC
CMGT
CVIS
CDG
CTR
CG
CF
CHIEF
CJAN
CBSA
CE
CY
CB
CW
CM
CHR
CD
COE
CV
COUNTER
CT
CN
CPUOS
CTERR
CVR
CVPR
CDC
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CONS
COM
CACS
CR
CONTROLS
CAN
CACM
COMMERCE
CAMBODIA
CFIS
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITES
CONDOLEEZZA
CZ
CTBT
CEN
CLINTON
CFED
CARC
CTM
CARICOM
CSW
CICTE
CYPRUS
CBE
CMGMT
CARSON
CWCM
CIVS
COUNTRYCLEARANCE
CENTCOM
CAPC
COPUOS
CKGR
CITEL
CQ
CITT
CIC
CARIB
CVIC
CAFTA
CVISU
CDB
CEDAW
CNC
CJUS
COMMAND
CENTER
COL
CAJC
CONSULAR
CLMT
CBC
CIA
CNARC
CIS
CEUDA
CHINA
CAC
CL
DR
DJ
DEMOCRATIC
DEMARCHE
DOMESTIC
DISENGAGEMENT
DB
DA
DHS
DAO
DCM
DAVID
DO
DEAX
DEFENSE
DEA
DTRO
DPRK
DOC
DTRA
DK
DAC
DOD
DRL
DRC
DCG
DE
DOT
DEPT
DOE
DS
DKEM
ECON
ETTC
EFIS
ETRD
EC
EMIN
EAGR
EAID
EFIN
EUN
ECIN
EG
EWWT
EINV
ENRG
ELAB
EPET
EIND
EN
EAIR
EUMEM
ECPS
ES
EI
ELTN
ET
EZ
EU
ER
EINT
ENGR
ECONOMIC
ENIV
EFTA
ETRN
EMS
EUREM
EPA
ESTH
EEB
EET
ENV
EAG
EXIM
ECTRD
ELNT
ENVIRONMENT
ECA
EAP
EINDIR
ETR
ECONOMY
ETRC
ELECTIONS
EICN
EXPORT
EARG
EGHG
EID
ETRO
EINF
EAIDHO
ECIP
EENV
EURM
EPEC
ERNG
ENERG
EIAD
EXBS
ED
EREL
ELAM
EK
EWT
ENGRD
EDEV
ECE
ENGY
EXIMOPIC
ETRDEC
ECCT
EUR
ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID
EFI
ECOSOC
EXTERNAL
ESCAP
ETCC
EENG
ERA
ENRD
ECLAC
ETRAD
EBRD
ENVR
ECONENRG
ELTNSNAR
ELAP
EPIT
EDUC
EAIDXMXAXBXFFR
EETC
EIVN
EDRC
EGOV
ETRA
EAIDRW
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ESA
ETRDGK
ENVI
ELN
EPRT
EPTED
ERTD
EUM
EAIDS
EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM
EDU
EV
EAIDAF
EDA
EPREL
EINVEFIN
EAGER
ETMIN
EUCOM
ECCP
EIDN
EINVKSCA
ENNP
EFINECONCS
ETC
EAIRASECCASCID
EINN
ETRP
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
EIAR
EINDETRD
ECONEFIN
EURN
ETRDEINVTINTCS
EFIM
ETIO
EATO
EIPR
EINVETC
ETTD
ETDR
EIQ
ECONCS
ENRGIZ
EAIG
ENTG
EUC
ERD
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EEPET
EUNCH
ESENV
ECINECONCS
ETRDECONWTOCS
ECUN
FR
FI
FOREIGN
FARM
FIR
FAO
FK
FARC
FAS
FJ
FREEDOM
FAC
FINANCE
FBI
FTAA
FM
FCS
FAA
FORCE
FDA
FTA
FT
FCSC
FMGT
FINR
FIN
FDIC
FOR
FOI
FO
FMLN
FISO
GM
GERARD
GT
GA
GG
GR
GTIP
GH
GZ
GE
GB
GY
GAZA
GJ
GEORGE
GOI
GCC
GMUS
GI
GLOBAL
GV
GC
GL
GOV
GKGIC
GF
GWI
GIPNC
GUTIERREZ
GTMO
GANGS
GAERC
GUILLERMO
GASPAR
HR
HA
HYMPSK
HO
HK
HUMAN
HU
HN
HHS
HURI
HUD
HUMRIT
HUMANITARIAN
HUMANR
HL
HSTC
HILLARY
HCOPIL
HADLEY
HOURANI
HI
HUM
HEBRON
HUMOR
IZ
IN
IAEA
IS
IMO
ILO
IR
IC
IT
ITU
ID
IV
IMF
IBRD
IWC
ICAO
ICRC
INF
IO
IPR
ISO
IK
ISRAELI
IQ
ICES
IDB
INFLUENZA
IRAQI
ISCON
IGAD
IRAN
ITALY
IRAQ
ICTY
ICTR
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
IQNV
IADB
INTERNAL
INMARSAT
IRDB
ILC
INCB
INRB
ICJ
ISRAEL
INR
IEA
ISPA
ICCAT
IOM
ITRD
IHO
IL
IFAD
ITRA
IDLI
ISCA
INL
INRA
INTELSAT
ISAF
ISPL
IRS
IEF
ITER
INDO
IIP
IND
IEFIN
IACI
IAHRC
INNP
IA
INTERPOL
IFIN
ISSUES
IZPREL
IRAJ
IF
ITPHUM
ITA
IP
IRPE
IDA
ISLAMISTS
ITF
INRO
IBET
IDP
IRC
KMDR
KPAO
KOMC
KNNP
KFLO
KDEM
KSUM
KIPR
KFLU
KE
KCRM
KJUS
KAWC
KZ
KSCA
KDRG
KCOR
KGHG
KPAL
KTIP
KMCA
KCRS
KPKO
KOLY
KRVC
KVPR
KG
KWBG
KTER
KS
KN
KSPR
KWMN
KV
KTFN
KFRD
KU
KSTC
KSTH
KISL
KGIC
KSEP
KFIN
KTEX
KTIA
KUNR
KCMR
KCIP
KMOC
KTDB
KBIO
KBCT
KMPI
KSAF
KACT
KFEM
KPRV
KPWR
KIRC
KCFE
KRIM
KHIV
KHLS
KVIR
KNNNP
KCEM
KLIG
KIRF
KNUP
KSAC
KNUC
KPGOV
KTDD
KIDE
KOMS
KLFU
KNNC
KMFO
KSEO
KJRE
KJUST
KMRS
KSRE
KGIT
KPIR
KPOA
KUWAIT
KIVP
KICC
KSCS
KPOL
KSEAO
KRCM
KSCI
KNAP
KGLB
KICA
KCUL
KPRM
KFSC
KQ
KPOP
KPFO
KPALAOIS
KREC
KBWG
KR
KTTB
KNAR
KCOM
KESS
KINR
KOCI
KWN
KCSY
KREL
KTBT
KFTN
KW
KRFD
KFLOA
KHDP
KNEP
KIND
KHUM
KSKN
KOMO
KDRL
KTFIN
KSOC
KPO
KGIV
KSTCPL
KSI
KPRP
KFPC
KNNB
KNDP
KICCPUR
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KDMR
KFCE
KIMMITT
KMCC
KMNP
KSEC
KOMCSG
KGCC
KRAD
KCRP
KAUST
KWAWC
KCHG
KRDP
KPAS
KTIAPARM
KPAOPREL
KWGB
KIRP
KMIG
KLAB
KSEI
KHSA
KNPP
KPAONZ
KWWW
KGHA
KY
KCRIM
KCRCM
KGCN
KPLS
KIIP
KPAOY
KTRD
KTAO
KJU
KBTS
KWAC
KFIU
KNNO
KPAI
KILS
KPA
KRCS
KWBGSY
KNPPIS
KNNPMNUC
KNPT
KERG
KLTN
KPREL
KTLA
KO
KAWK
KVRP
KAID
KX
KENV
KWCI
KNPR
KCFC
KNEI
KFTFN
KTFM
KCERS
KDEMAF
KMEPI
KEMS
KBTR
KEDU
KIRL
KNNR
KMPT
KPDD
KPIN
KDEV
KFRP
KTBD
KMSG
KWWMN
KWBC
KA
KOM
KWNM
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KRGY
KNNF
KICR
KIFR
KWMNCS
KPAK
KDDG
KCGC
KID
KNSD
KMPF
KWMM
MARR
MX
MASS
MOPS
MNUC
MCAP
MTCRE
MRCRE
MTRE
MASC
MY
MK
MG
MU
MILI
MO
MZ
MEPP
MCC
MEDIA
MOPPS
MI
MAS
MW
MP
MEPN
MV
MD
MR
MC
MCA
MT
MIL
MARITIME
MOPSGRPARM
MAAR
MOOPS
ML
MA
MN
MNUCPTEREZ
MTCR
MUNC
MPOS
MONUC
MGMT
MURRAY
MACP
MINUSTAH
MCCONNELL
MGT
MNUR
MF
MEPI
MOHAMMAD
MAR
MAPP
MNU
MFA
MTS
MLS
MEETINGS
MERCOSUR
MED
MNVC
MIK
MBM
MILITARY
MAPS
MARAD
MDC
MACEDONIA
MASSMNUC
MUCN
MQADHAFI
MPS
NZ
NATO
NI
NO
NU
NG
NL
NPT
NS
NA
NP
NASA
NSF
NEA
NANCY
NSG
NRR
NATIONAL
NMNUC
NC
NSC
NAS
NARC
NELSON
NATEU
NDP
NIH
NK
NIPP
NR
NERG
NSSP
NE
NTDB
NT
NEGROPONTE
NGO
NATOIRAQ
NAR
NZUS
NCCC
NH
NAFTA
NEW
NRG
NUIN
NOVO
NATOPREL
NV
NICHOLAS
NPA
NSFO
NW
NORAD
NPG
NOAA
OPRC
OPDC
OTRA
OECD
OVIP
OREP
ODC
OIIP
OAS
OSCE
OPIC
OMS
OFDP
OFDA
OEXC
OPCW
OIE
OSCI
OM
OPAD
ODPC
OIC
ODIP
OPPI
ORA
OCEA
OREG
OMIG
OFFICIALS
OSAC
OEXP
OPEC
OFPD
OAU
OCII
OIL
OVIPPRELUNGANU
OSHA
OPCD
OPCR
OF
OFDPQIS
OSIC
OHUM
OTR
OBSP
OGAC
OESC
OVP
ON
OES
OTAR
OCS
PREL
PGOV
PARM
PINR
PHUM
PM
PREF
PTER
PK
PINS
PBIO
PHSA
PE
PBTS
PA
PL
POL
PAK
POV
POLITICS
POLICY
PO
PRELTBIOBA
PKO
PIN
PNAT
PU
PGOVPREL
PALESTINIAN
PTERPGOV
PELOSI
PAS
PP
PTEL
PROP
PRELAF
PRHUM
PRE
PUNE
PIRF
PVOV
PROG
PERSONS
PROV
PKK
PRGOV
PH
PLAB
PDEM
PCI
PRL
PRM
PINSO
PERM
PETR
PPAO
PERL
PBS
PETERS
PRELBR
PCON
POLITICAL
PMIL
POLM
PKPA
PNUM
PLO
PTERM
PJUS
PARMP
PNIR
PHUMKPAL
PG
PREZ
PGIC
PAO
PROTECTION
PRELPK
PGOVENRG
PATTY
PSOC
PARTIES
PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ
PMIG
PAIGH
PARK
PETER
PHUS
PKPO
PGOVECON
POUS
PMAR
PWBG
PAR
PGOVGM
PHUH
PTE
PY
POLUN
PDOV
PGOVSOCI
PGOVPM
PRELEVU
PGOR
PBTSRU
PHUMA
PHUMR
PPD
PGV
PRAM
PARMS
PINL
PSI
PKPAL
PPA
PTERE
PGOF
PINO
PREO
PHAS
PAC
PRESL
PORG
PS
PGVO
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PINT
PRELP
PREFA
PNG
PTBS
PFOR
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
PREK
PHJM
POLINT
PGOVE
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PECON
PEACE
PROCESS
PLN
PEDRO
PF
PGPV
PCUL
PGGV
PSA
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PGIV
PHUMPREL
POGOV
PEL
PBT
PAMQ
PINF
PSEPC
POSTS
PAHO
PHUMPGOV
PGOC
PNR
RS
RP
RU
RW
RFE
RCMP
RIGHTSPOLMIL
REFORM
RO
ROW
ROBERT
REACTION
REPORT
REGION
RELATIONS
RAY
ROBERTG
RIGHTS
RM
RATIFICATION
RREL
RBI
RICE
ROOD
REL
RODHAM
RGY
RUEHZO
RELIGIOUS
RELFREE
RUEUN
RELAM
RSP
RF
REO
REGIONAL
RUPREL
RI
REMON
RPEL
RSO
SCUL
SENV
SOCI
SZ
SNAR
SO
SP
SU
SY
SI
SMIG
SYR
SA
SW
SF
SR
SYRIA
SNARM
START
SPECIALIST
SG
SNIG
SCI
SGWI
SE
SIPDIS
SANC
SELAB
SN
SETTLEMENTS
SCIENCE
SENVENV
SENS
SPCE
SPAS
SECURITY
SENC
SOCIETY
SOSI
SENVEAGREAIDTBIOECONSOCIXR
SEN
SPECI
ST
SL
SENVCASCEAIDID
SC
SECRETARY
STR
SNA
SOCIS
SADC
SEP
SK
SHUM
SYAI
SMIL
STEPHEN
SNRV
SKCA
SENSITIVE
SECI
SCUD
SCRM
SGNV
SECTOR
SAARC
SENVSXE
SWMN
STEINBERG
SOPN
SOCR
SCRS
SWE
SARS
SNARIZ
SUDAN
SENVQGR
SAN
SM
SFNV
SSA
SPCVIS
SOFA
SCULKPAOECONTU
SENVKGHG
SHI
SEVN
SH
SNARCS
SNARN
SIPRS
TBIO
TW
TRGY
TSPA
TU
TPHY
TI
TX
TH
TIP
TSPL
TNGD
TZ
TS
TC
TK
TURKEY
TERRORISM
TPSL
TINT
TRSY
TERFIN
TPP
TT
TECHNOLOGY
TE
TAGS
TRAFFICKING
TJ
TN
TO
TD
TP
TREATY
TR
TA
TIO
TECH
TF
TRAD
TNDG
TWI
TPSA
TWL
TAUSCHER
TRBY
TL
TV
THPY
TSPAM
TREL
TRT
TNAR
TFIN
TWCH
THOMMA
THOMAS
TERROR
TRY
TBID
UK
UNESCO
UNSC
UNGA
UN
US
UZ
USEU
UG
UP
UNAUS
UNMIK
USTR
UY
USUN
UNEP
UNDC
UV
UNPUOS
UNSCR
USAID
UNODC
UNRCR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNCRIME
UA
UNHRC
UNRWA
UNO
UNCND
UNCHR
USAU
UNICEF
USPS
UNOMIG
UNESCOSCULPRELPHUMKPALCUIRXFVEKV
UR
UNFICYP
UNCITRAL
UNAMA
UNVIE
USTDA
USNC
UNCSD
USCC
UNEF
UNGAPL
USSC
UNMIC
UNTAC
UNCLASSIFIED
USDA
UNCTAD
USGS
UNFPA
UNSE
USOAS
UE
UAE
UNCHS
UNDESCO
UNC
UNSCS
UKXG
UNGACG
UNHR
UNBRO
UNCHC
UNFCYP
UNIDROIT
WHTI
WIPO
WTRO
WHO
WTO
WMO
WFP
WEET
WS
WE
WA
WHA
WBG
WILLIAM
WI
WSIS
WCL
WEBZ
WZ
WW
WWBG
WMD
WWT
WMN
WWARD
WITH
WTRQ
WCO
WEU
WB
WBEG
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08DILI67, TIMOR-LESTE 2008 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT SUBMISSION
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08DILI67.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
08DILI67 | 2008-03-01 03:31 | 2011-08-24 01:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Dili |
VZCZCXRO2055
OO RUEHCHI RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHDT #0067/01 0610331
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 010331Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3890
INFO RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 3317
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 DILI 000067
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/RSA, G/TIP, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PREL SMIG ID
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE 2008 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT SUBMISSION
REF: STATE 2731
DILI 00000067 001.2 OF 008
¶1. (SBU) The following is Embassy Dili's submission in
preparation for the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report. Please
note paragraph designations are keyed to reftel questions:
--------
OVERVIEW
--------
¶A. Timor-Leste is a destination country for trafficking victims.
Nearly all trafficking victims are women. It is difficult to
give a precise estimate of the number of trafficking victims as
there have been no recent comprehensive studies and the
government does not compile statistics on this issue. In 2004,
a local NGO conducted a baseline study of human trafficking and
the sex industry and estimated that as many as 115 of the
approximately 360 sex workers in the capital might be victims of
trafficking. Although there has been no recent study, reliable
sources estimated that the number of foreign trafficking victims
remained approximately the same. Several establishments in the
capital are known commercial sex operations suspected of being
involved in trafficking; following the increased presence of
internationals since 2006, several additional establishments
have reopened. There are indications that increased
vulnerability accompanying the long-term internal displacement
of thousands of East Timorese over the last year, widespread
poverty, and lack of understanding of human trafficking among
the populace, could contribute to Timor-Leste becoming a source
country. The sources for information on trafficking victims are
the offices of the Prosecutor General and Immigration, in
addition to two women's and children's rights NGOs. The numbers
and the sources are reliable. However, due to limitations in
their mechanisms to prevent and prosecute human trafficking,
more cases likely go unidentified. Women are at higher risk
from being trafficked into Timor-Leste from neighboring
countries in the region, as well as internally from throughout
the districts into Dili to work on the sex trade.
High transportation costs in and out of the country combined
with relatively high wages make Timor-Leste a comparatively
expensive source country, particularly when compared with
neighboring Indonesia. There were no known attempts to traffic
Timorese men, women, or children abroad this past year.
¶B. Although Embassy sources indicate that the decline in
internationals in Dili through early 2006 may have caused the
numbers of foreign trafficking victims to decrease, this trend
appears to have been reversed with the new influx of
internationals that accompanied the arrival of international
peacekeeping forces in May 2006, followed by the establishment
of a new UN mission in August 2006. Moreover, local NGOs and
international organizations have noted a continued increase in
domestic trafficking. Whereas initially it appeared that
domestic trafficking victims were taking the place of foreign
victims in some establishments as the international presence
decreased, observers now note that the new influx of
internationals since June 2006 raises the concern that both
external and internal trafficking may increase; however, it is
difficult to gauge any specific degree to which this is in fact
the case. International forces are subject to a "zero
tolerance" policy for participating and/or enabling trafficking,
to include procuring prostitutes. International forces
authorities conducted eight investigations for allegations of
impropriety by its members, with the results of these
investigations still pending. The age of the domestic
trafficking victims, cites as low as 12 in some cases, is also a
cause for concern. These victims, usually from extremely poor
families, are promised lucrative jobs or educational
opportunities in Dili. It appears that the domestic victims are
not subsequently held forcibly or through debt bondage, nor are
false documents being used. Neither are employment, travel, and
tourism agencies or marriage brokers involved with or fronting
for traffickers or crime groups to traffic individuals. Rather,
having become dependent on the money they earn for survival and
facing humiliation at home and an almost complete lack of
services for victims, they conclude that they have no
DILI 00000067 002.2 OF 008
alternative other than to continue. We have not yet seen
evidence of coercion or force being used to keep victims trapped
in prostitution but rather lack of education and social
pressures tend to keep victims in prostitution once they have
been lured through fraudulent practices. A widespread lack of
understanding that their treatment is forbidden by law also
contributes to victims' inability to take action. Trafficking
victims in Timor-Leste are mostly forced to work as sex workers.
There have been vague reports of incidents of labor
trafficking, particularly involving men, but none have been
verified and there is a lack of research into this possibility.
In November 2008, a group of 18 Timorese children were stopped
by Timor-Leste's immigration authorities at Dili's airport from
departing to Malaysia for what their sponsor, a local foundation
closely affiliated with orphanages, called a trip to study in
that country. The children's ages ranged from 7 to 17. The
group also included an additional eight Timorese over the age of
¶18. The Prosecutor General issued the order preventing their
departure on the grounds that the sponsoring foundation failed
to account for critical information, such as letters of parental
consent, the location of the schools, the names and addresses of
the minor's guardians in Malaysia, and an approximate date of
return upon completion of studies. The letters of parental
consent were critical because some children in Timor-Leste who
live in orphanages have living parents. The steps taken by the
Prosecutor General and the Timorese immigration authorities
demonstrate the Government of Timor-Leste's commitment to
strengthen their mechanisms to prevent the possible trafficking
of children. At present, the investigation launched by the
Prosecutor General and immigration authorities on this case
remains pending. This event pointed to the possibility of
Timor-Leste becoming a source country as well as the increased
vulnerability to such efforts resulting from poverty and the
displacement of large numbers of Dili residents over the last
year. In addition, local contacts and the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) are concerned that domestic
trafficking may have become more of a problem since 2006. In
several cases, Timorese victims are working as sex workers along
with foreign victims, but they are unable to confirm a trend.
¶C. The Government of Timor-Leste continued to rely on
international organizations and NGOs to raise awareness and
prevent trafficking in persons. The Trafficking Working Group is
chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and includes the
Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of
Social Solidarity, the Victims Protection Unit (VPU) of the
national police (PNTL), and the Office for the Promotion of
Gender Equality, in addition to international organizations and
NGOs. It did not meet for over a year after the political
crisis of 2006, however, it resumed meetings last August 2007
and held another meeting in February 2008. Of these, the
Ministry of Labor has been most active in anti-trafficking
efforts, although essentially on an ad hoc basis to provide
protection and assistance to victims. The Ministry of Justice
was responsible for drafting the new penal code, which defines
and punishes the crime of trafficking; however, the code remains
in limbo, awaiting action by the government, and the judicial
system continues to rely on the Indonesian penal code. At this
time the Immigration and Asylum Act of 2003 remains the only
applicable law for prosecuting TIP cases. The Ministry of the
Interior oversees the Immigration Police, Border Police and the
national police force, all of which theoretically have
significant logistical roles to play in the protection of
victims.
¶D. Both financial and human resources are major obstacles to the
government effectively monitoring the trafficking problem and
providing adequate protection to victims. There have also been
rumors that some police officers, possibly with higher level
collaboration, have protected brothels, but these reports remain
difficult to substantiate. The police are not well funded and
lack adequate training to identify and assist trafficking
victims. Due to its access to relatively large inflows of
petroleum revenues, the government has sufficient financial
resources available. However, the continued shortage of trained
civil servants and the fact that the scope of the trafficking
problem in Timor-Leste is relatively small when compared to
other challenges make it unlikely that substantial government
funds will be committed to providing assistance or protection
DILI 00000067 003.2 OF 008
for trafficking victims in the near future. The national
political and security crisis that commenced in April 2006, and
the remaining problems stemming from it, have only increased the
scope of problems faced by Timor-Leste, temporarily displaced
the priority given to anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts.
The February 11, 2008 armed attacks against the President and
Prime Minister may continue to distract from the government's
ability to focus attention on this issue.
¶E. The government does not have specific anti-trafficking
efforts in place beyond basic legislation and the establishment
of a working group, however, it has made significant
improvements in working with NGOs to train police and civil
service staff in human trafficking awareness. The government
also does not collect or publish assessments or statistics of
anti-trafficking efforts by law enforcement officials. The
services provided by international organizations or NGOs are not
systematically monitored by the government, although they have
been discussed in the working group.
--------------------------------------------
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS
--------------------------------------------
¶A. The Immigration and Asylum Act of 2003 criminalizes both
internal and external trafficking in persons for sexual
exploitation and trafficking for non-sexual purposes. The law
was written to reflect the norms established by the Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. There are
no other laws currently applicable in Timor-Leste that address
trafficking. The government has not taken steps toward
promulgating a comprehensive anti-TIP law based on the Bali
Process. However, immigration officials, with funding from IOM,
regularly attend meetings on the Bali Process. A new penal code
based largely on the Portuguese penal code was approved by the
Council of Ministers (cabinet) in late 2005. However, due to
unrelated concerns, the President at the time did not promulgate
it and the establishment of a Timorese penal code remains in
limbo. The articles in the 2005 draft that pertain to
trafficking conform largely to the norms established by the
Trafficking Protocol. Pending the promulgation of a penal code,
Timor-Leste's judicial system continues to rely on the
Indonesian penal code.
¶B. The penalties applied to traffickers do not vary depending
on the type of trafficking. The Immigration and Asylum Act
states that traffickers "shall be punished by imprisonment of
not more than 8 years or fewer than 3 years." The law does have
a special provision for minors. Those convicted of trafficking
a minor under 18 years of age, "shall be punished by
imprisonment of not more than 12 years or fewer than 5." There
were no convictions or cases persecuted for sexual exploitation
or human trafficking during the reporting period.
¶C. The criminalization of trafficking contained in the
Immigration and Asylum Act of 2003 applies to all forms of
trafficking, including for labor exploitation. There are no
separate laws addressing labor trafficking as a distinct
offense. There were no known or reported cases of labor
trafficking during the reporting period.
¶D. Under the Indonesian Penal Code, which is still in force,
rape carries a maximum penalty of 12 years imprisonment and is
thus more severe than the penalty for trafficking, (except
trafficking of minors).
¶E. Government regulations prohibit persons from organizing
prostitution; however, under the Court of Appeals'
interpretation of Indonesian laws, prostitution is not illegal.
Nonetheless in past years, there were reports of women being
DILI 00000067 004.2 OF 008
arrested for prostitution. That was not the case in this
reporting period. Foreign women allegedly involved in
prostitution during two law enforcement raids on two Dili bars
in January 2008 were detained for immigration violations. Local
authorities acknowledge the criminality of the activities of the
brothel owner/operator and pimps under provisions of the
Indonesian penal code. However, raids and arrests are
infrequent and there have to date been no prosecutions for such
activities.
¶F. The Prosecutor General has not prosecuted any cases against
human trafficking in this reporting period. The absence of a
witness protection system compounds this problem. However, it
took some steps to prevent human trafficking in the country. In
January 2, 2008, the United Nations Police forces (UNPOL) and
the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNYL) conducted a joint raid
at a Dili bar suspected of serving as a brothel. They arrested
32 suspects, most of them women from the People's Republic of
China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and some Timorese. On January 16,
the PNTL held a unilateral raid without prior planning or
coordination with UNPOL at another Dili bar, where they arrested
over 87 suspects. In both cases, the Timorese police detained
but released all suspects after 48 hours with the only charges
levied against them being immigration violations, since the
suspects entered the country on tourist visas or without visas.
Over 30 women were repatriated under "voluntary abandonment,"
while the remaining victims are still receiving assistance from
local NGOs, or remain in the country unaccounted for. The
Office of the Prosecutor General dismissed the case without any
indictments and no further action was taken due to the lack of
witnesses against the suspected human traffickers and bar
owners. The foreign suspects in the 2006 case in which Timorese
women were being targeted for travel to Syria as domestic
servants, but were intended to be forced into prostitution
overseas, was dropped by the Prosecutor General for lack of
evidence. However, there have been no reports of Timorese women
being recruited to work abroad under human trafficking schemes.
The high transportation costs in and out of the country combined
with relatively high wages make Timor-Leste a comparatively
expensive source country, particularly when compared with
neighboring Indonesia.
It should also be noted that 4000 criminal cases. The
government is in the process of retraining and recertifying
personnel throughout the system, from police to judges, and has
only a couple of dozen functioning judges and prosecutors. The
national police are still recovering from complete collapse in
2006 and are under the tutelage of the United Nations. The
Timorese police will only begin to acquire independent authority
over an incremental basis during the course of 2008.
¶G. The Deputy Prosecutor General attended a U.S. State
Department sponsored International Visitors Program in the fall
of 2007 which was focused on recognizing, investigating,
preventing, and prosecuting human trafficking. Upon returning
to the U.S., he promoted greater awareness of this issue through
an editorial on the evils of human trafficking and the rights of
victims, as well as through close cooperation with international
organizations and local NGOs who combat human trafficking.
While no specialized training is provided exclusively by the
government, it held several short training courses for
Dili-based police officers conducted by IOM in partnership with
the government. IOM in coordination with the Alola Foundation
implemented a comprehensive awareness program for officials and
police officers in this reporting period. In addition, the
government's Victims Protection Unit (VPU) received gender
protection training from these NGOs.
¶H. There were no reports of cases requiring cooperative
international investigations with foreign governments in the
investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. However, on
December 5, 2007, the Indonesian police patrolling the border
between Indonesia and Timor-Leste in Belu district, East Nusa
Tenggara province (West Timor), detained eight Chinese teenage
girls who were believed to be victims of a human trafficking
operation that would have forced them into prostitution in Dili.
The women had Timorese tourist visas, but admitted under
questioning that they wanted to go to Dili to seek employment.
DILI 00000067 005.2 OF 008
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) was
informed of this case.
¶I. The government has never extradited a person charged with
trafficking in other countries. No country has ever made a
request for extradition from Timor-Leste. There were no reports
of human trafficking cases requiring extraditions during this
reporting period.
¶J. There is limited evidence of tolerance of trafficking by
border officials who are allegedly bribed to let victims enter
Timor-Leste. There are also reports that some police officers
in Dili have accepted bribes in exchange for allowing brothels
where potential trafficking victims are working to continue
operating. Some international and local NGOs have alleged
credibly that some members of the police frequent these
establishments.
¶K. No investigations have been undertaken to explore these
claims of low-level government tolerance of trafficking.
¶L. Timor-Leste does not contribute troops to international
peacekeeping efforts, except for a National police member
assigned to peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
¶M. Sex tourism is not currently known as a problem in
Timor-Leste. The country does not have child sexual abuse laws
with extraterritorial coverage at this time. However, the
Government of Timor-Leste has worked with local women's and
children's rights NGOs to raise public awareness on prevention
against human trafficking and child sex abuse. These campaigns
have included distribution of leaflets in Tetum, the local
language, throughout various communities, which included the
telephone numbers for the government's National Social Service
Division, the police, and three local and international NGOs.
------------------------------------
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
------------------------------------
¶A. The government does not provide temporary or permanent
residency status to foreign trafficking victims. Several
victims have been repatriated through the help of their
embassies or an international organization and were thus not
deported. Shelter and access to services is mostly provided by
NGOs and international organizations.
¶B. Timor-Leste does not fund or have victim care or victim
health care facilities. Despite these weaknesses, the Ministry
of Labor has shown a consistent willingness to help arrange
assistance and shelter for victims with international and local
NGOs when cases are brought to their attention and have made
safe houses available to victims. Overall, the lack of services
does not reflect a lack of political will to assist victims, but
rather a lack of human resources. In addition, there is
currently a lack of clear standard operating procedures (SOP)
for authorities to refer to when handling trafficking cases. At
present, only the Immigration Department of the Ministry of
Interior has an SOP for TIP cases. However, the Deputy
Prosecutor General wrote an extensive editorial on the evils of
human trafficking and the rights of victims which was printed on
Timor-Leste's largest newspaper in December 2007. He was also a
participant in the State Department's fall 2007 International
Visitors Program on combating human trafficking.
¶C. The government does not provide any funding to foreign or
DILI 00000067 006.2 OF 008
domestic NGOs for services to trafficking victims. This is not
specifically because of a lack of will, but because of emerging
priorities the government has had to deal with since the 2006
crisis and its lingering problems which remain unresolved. In
spite of this, the office of the Prosecutor General has reported
that they are aware of this problem and will seek future funding
to assist trafficking victims.
¶D. The government's law enforcement, immigration, and social
services personnel do not have a formal referral process system
of proactively identifying victims of trafficking among
high-risk persons with whom they come in contact (e.g., foreign
persons arrested for prostitution or immigration violations).
NGOs, international organizations, and the Ministry of Labor
have offered services to victims on an ad hoc basis upon being
informed of trafficking cases. Sources at IOM informed us that
the development of standard operating procedures for referrals
and other aspects of handling TIP victims continues to be a top
priority among the organizations working on this issue.
¶E. Although the laws of Timor-Leste do not penalize
prostitution, it is not a regulated trade.
¶F. The rights of trafficking victims are respected. In the
January 2 and January 16 raids against two Dili bars, the women
were charged for immigration violations due to working in the
country with a tourist visa, but were released within 24 hours
and referred to two local women's and children's rights NGO.
Some were repatriated under "voluntary departure."
¶G. There were no prosecutions for trafficking. The lack of a
witness protection system makes it difficult for victims to step
forward and serve as witnesses, which is essential for the
government to successfully prosecute such cases. However,
victims may file civil suits or seek legal action against
traffickers and they are not impeded access to such legal
redress. There are no other means for victims to seek
restitution.
¶H. There are no formal forms of protection for victims and
witnesses. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Labor has provided safe
houses as well as basic supplies to victims identified in
cooperation with local NGOs on a case by case basis. These
supplies are meant to help the victims rebuild their lives and
rejoin the community, but typically fall short of what the
victims actually require.
¶I. The government does not provide specialized training on this
issue. However, IOM working with four ministries established a
migration research center which provides training that includes
anti TIP materials. A short training course has been organized
in previous years by IOM for members of the police force. A
significant expansion of such training was made possible during
this reporting period by a joint IOM/Alola Foundation project
which has been approved for funding by the State Department's
Global Fund for Trafficking. IOM reports that law enforcement
officials have, to date, responded positively to the idea of
such courses.
¶J. Local representatives of international organizations and NGOs
are not aware of any Timorese victims of trafficking in general
and certainly none who have returned to Timor-Leste. The quick
action by both the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of
Interior in 2006 to prevent an apparent international
trafficking scheme from successfully transporting young women
out of the country is a good sign. However, there has to date
been no test case to determine what, if any, assistance would be
provided to repatriate Timorese victims of TIP.
¶K. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the
DILI 00000067 007.2 OF 008
Ministry of Labor have provided safe houses as well as basic
supplies to victims identified in cooperation with local NGOs on
a case by case basis. These supplies are meant to help the
victims rebuild their lives and rejoin the community, but
typically fall short of what the victims actually require.
International organizations and NGOs did not receive any funding
from the government for victim assistance during this period.
---------
PEVENTION
---------
¶A. The government acknowledges that trafficking victims are
present in Timor-Leste. In part because of the relatively low
incidence of trafficking compared to other more widespread
problems, the government has not devoted substantial resources
to analyzing the issue. The government is also greatly hindered
by lack of qualified staff overall and a general inability to
implement programs without international assistance; e.g., for
five consecutive years the government has been unable to fully
execute its budget, often by wide margins. International
organizations, diplomatic missions, and local NGOs play an
important role in bringing this issue to the government's
attention. Although there were no known cases of Timorese women
being lured for trafficking abroad during this reporting period,
the 2006 case in which an apparent international effort to
traffic Timorese women to Syria has made the government more
aware of the risks of Timor-Leste becoming a source country.
There has also been an increase in awareness of internally
displaced person (IDP) camps as potential targets for both
domestic and international trafficking. International
Organization for Migration (IOM), in coordination with the
government and other international organizations, has led focus
groups within the camps to educate camp populations about the
risks of TIP. The numbers of IDPs peaked at 150,000 in May
2006, of which approximately 80,000 were in Dili. By February
2008, the number of IDPs in the country was approximately
100,000, and in Dili the numbers estimated were 30,000 people in
about 58 camps.
¶B. There have been no exclusively government-run
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns conducted
during the reporting period. However, they have been conducted
in partnership with international and local NGOs. Over 600
police officers have been trained on identifying and combating
human trafficking through this partnership of institutions. In
addition, poster and leaflets campaigns against human
trafficking -targeted at assisting potential victims have been
distributed in Dili and through the districts reaching countless
citizens. These leaflets and posters provide emergency contact
telephone numbers for the police and NGOs. One poster campaign
prominently features high-level government officials with
handcuffs and arms extended calling against bondage, human
trafficking, and abuse.
¶C. The Trafficking Working Group serves as the medium for
exchange and collaboration among international organizations,
NGOs, and government. The group's mandate is to review current
trafficking cases and advise the government on appropriate
legislative actions. One of the working group's main future
goals is to establish clear standard operating procedures for
the handling of all TIP cases across the different agencies and
organizations involved. The group ceased to be active with the
onset of national crisis early 2006, but resumed meetings last
August 2007 with the inauguration of a new government. It held
a second meeting in Dili on February 20, 2008.
¶D. Government authorities do not monitor immigration and
emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking. Senior
immigration officials admit that border police and immigration
officials are often unable to distinguish between illegal
immigrants and trafficking victims.
DILI 00000067 008.2 OF 008
¶E. The government has a Trafficking Working Group but does not
have a public corruption task force, although it does have an
Inspector General who is charged with investigating allegations
of corruption against public officials. In addition, the
responsibilities of the independent Office of the Provedor for
Human Rights and Justice included anticorruption and the office
has the power to investigate cases and make recommendations to
the relevant authorities.
¶F. There is no national plan of action against human trafficking
plan at present. International organizations expect the current
Trafficking Working Group to develop a national plan of action
to combat human trafficking a top priority.
¶G. The government has not taken any steps to reduce the demand
for commercial sex acts. The two January 2 and January 16 bar
raids in Dili did not target prostitution in itself but rather
possible human trafficking (of which there was no proof) and
illegal immigration.
¶H. Timor-Leste is not included in the list of countries as part
of the new criteria to the TVPA's minimum standards by the 2005
TVPRA, and a response is not applicable.
¶I. Timor-Leste does not contribute over 100 troops for
international peacekeeping efforts, thus the government has not
had to adopt measures to ensure that its nationals deployed
abroad as part of a peacekeeping operation do not engage in or
facilitate severe forms of trafficking or exploit victims of
such trafficking.
KLEMM