VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #1439/01 2561531
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121531Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 001439 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR GTIP MFORSTROM, WHA/CAR JTILGHMAN, WHA/PPC 
SMILLER, INL DKOHN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIP DR
SUBJECT: GODR REACTIONS TO TIP TIER 2 WATCH-LIST PLAN 
 
REF: STATE 92774 
 
SANTO DOMI 00001439  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Per reftel instructions, Poloff delivered 
demarche and left the Tier 2 watch-list action plan 
recommendations as a non-paper with key Dominican officials. 
Our recommendations may be of assistance as the GODR is in 
the process of developing its own, multi-agency "integrated 
action plan" to combat trafficking. In seeking to establish a 
working rapport with these officials, Poloff found that they 
were quite open about their concerns and complaints. They 
believe they are working hard to combat trafficking in 
persons, that previous TIP reports were unbalanced, and that 
the USG ought to provide additional resources both to conduct 
more accurate surveys and to address the socio-economic root 
causes of trafficking. Post expects such candid, but 
productive, exchanges to continue as preparation of the 
interim TIP assessment advances in the coming months.  End 
Summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) In the course of delivering reftel points and 
watch-list action plan at the Dominican Foreign Ministry, 
Poloff met with Rosario Graciano, Under Secretary for 
Consular and Immigration Issues, Sonia Vidal, Chief of the 
Human Smuggling and Trafficking Office, and Kenia Angeles 
Caceres, Minister Counselor for Migration Affairs.  At the 
Attorney General's office, Poloff met with Dr. Frank Soto, 
Assistant Prosecutor General, who heads the team that 
prosecutes trafficking cases, and one of his prosecutors, 
Hector Perez. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During these meetings GODR officials openly shared 
their perspectives - something that may prove helpful as Post 
builds effective working relations. Among the key points 
made: 
-- Officials at the Foreign Ministry noted that relevant 
agencies have formed a working group that has drafted an 
"Integrated Action Plan for the Inter-Institutional 
Commission to Combat the Smuggling and Trafficking of 
Persons". The officials were thus open to receiving a copy of 
the non-paper with recommendations contained in reftel. 
-- MFA officials acknowledged that they have yet to secure 
funding for the measures the proposed Integrated Plan may 
provide, but they are very aware of the need for resources to 
ensure that the plan can be implemented.  They said there is 
the political will to combat trafficking in the DR - noting 
the First Lady's interest in the subject - but acknowledged 
that funding for the plan (or lack thereof) will be a sign of 
the strength of that political will. 
-- While on the subject of funding - and questioning where 
previous TIP reports obtained their estimates about the 
numbers of victims of trafficking - the MFA officials 
informally requested USG assistance to conduct surveys about 
the extent and nature of the trafficking problem in the 
Dominican Republic.  (Note: Post would welcome discussing the 
possibility of G/TIP funding for such an initiative in the 
DR. End Note) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Dr. Soto is well known to the Embassy as a friendly, 
helpful contact. Nevertheless, he feels that TIP reports 
rigidly copy one another - including errors - year after 
year.  He also spoke candidly about the sensitivity of the 
TIP Report's discussion of Haitian workers in the Dominican 
Republic.  While lamenting the poor conditions in which many 
undocumented Haitians find themselves, he stated that as they 
come voluntarily into the DR and can leave when they wish, 
they are not "forced or slave" labor in most cases. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  The GODR officials Poloff met were 
courteous, but clearly frustrated.  They understand the 
importance of the TIP issue - and the possible assistance 
related consequences of remaining on the Tier 2 watch-list 
over time - but they generally question the basis of some 
assertions made in previous TIP reports. Moreover, seeing 
poverty as a major driver of illegal migration, Dominican 
officials draw a fairly sharp line between economic duress 
and "real" trafficking (i.e., "the use of force, fraud, or 
coercion to exploit a person for profit" - as defined on page 
7 of the 2008 TIP report). 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment continued:  Poloff underscored the need for 
progress and invited GODR officials to provide specific 
comments, facts and/or figures to strengthen the TIP report. 
If GODR officials do so, and thereby move beyond complaining 
that Embassies are over-reliant on newspaper and NGO reports, 
this would facilitate the preparation of the assessment. 
Fortunately, the timing of the demarche was good, given that 
relevant GODR agencies are working on a comprehensive, 
inter-agency plan of action. (They were to hold a meeting on 
Sept 10, per Soto.)  Whether the DR legislature will fund 
such a plan adequately, and whether more USG assistance will 
 
SANTO DOMI 00001439  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
become available, have yet to be seen.  End Comment. 
FANNIN