This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 THE HAGUE 000174 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, EUR/PGI, EUR/UBI 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG NL
SUBJECT: RECENT TIP DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS 
 
REF: 03 THE HAGUE 2205 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Below follows an update of recent developments in 
the Netherlands re trafficking in persons (TIP).  Contents: 
 
Legislation: 
--New TIP Bill Submitted to Lower House (Paras 2-4) 
Protection: 
--Parliament Discusses National TIP Report (5-10) 
--Dutch Government Sets Up Shelter in Angola (11-14) 
--Extra Funds for Domestic Shelters (15) 
Prevention: 
--Prime Minister Visits La Strada Poland (16) 
Prosecution: 
--Child Sex Tourist Arrested (17) 
--Police Arrest Organizers of Sex Trips (18) 
--Traffickers Arrested (19-20) 
Illegal Labor: 
--More Control of Illegal Labor (21) 
--Fines for Families Exploiting Au Pairs (22) 
Prostitution: 
--Closure of Street-Walking Zones (23) 
--Local Authorities Fine Solicitation (24) 
--Bad Times for Sex Clubs (25) 
--Sting Operation in South (26) 
Other Issues: 
--Conclusion of Dutch OSCE Presidency/EU Agenda (27) 
--Comment (28). 
 
----------- 
Legislation 
----------- 
 
New TIP Bill Submitted to Lower House 
-------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U) On November 12, 2003, Justice Minister Donner 
submitted to the Lower House (Second Chamber) of Parliament 
the "bill on smuggling of and trafficking of persons."  The 
bill implements the following international regulations: 
-- The U.N. Facultative Protocol concerning the sale of 
children, prostitution and child porn under the Child Rights 
Convention; 
-- The U.N. Treaty against Transnational Organized Crime; 
-- The U.N. Trafficking in Persons Protocol; 
-- The U.N. Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants; 
-- The EU Framework Convention on Fighting Trafficking in 
Persons; 
-- The EU Guideline on assistance upon illegal entry, 
illegal transfer, and illegal residence; and 
-- The EU Framework Decision to combat sexual exploitation 
of children and child porn. 
 
¶3.  (U) The bill is in the final stages of the customary 
legislative process and its passage is not disputed.  It is, 
however, not predictable when the process will be complete 
and the bill will go into effect.  Minister Donner said he 
expects to have the new legislation in place by June 1, 
¶2004.  The deadline for ratification of the EU Framework 
Convention is August 2004. 
 
¶4.  (U) The bill expands the definition of people 
trafficking to all forms of modern slavery and the removal 
of human organs.  It defines exploitation as "exploitation 
of another in prostitution, other forms of sexual 
exploitation, forced or compulsory labor or services, 
slavery and practices that can be compared to slavery or 
bondage."  In an explanatory memo, Donner noted that 
"exploitation may also be an extremely long work week at 
disproportionately low pay under bad conditions."  In this 
respect, he said the Justice Ministry's Scientific Research 
and Documentation Center (WODC) had been asked to initiate a 
study into the various forms of modern-day slavery in the 
Netherlands.  Exploitation of minors, defined as people 
under 18, is always punishable, even if there is no 
coercion.  The bill raises the maximum penalty for all types 
of trafficking to 12 years and 15 years in case of death, 
which are commensurate with penalties for other grave crimes 
(i.e., rape). 
 
---------- 
Protection 
---------- 
 
Parliament Discusses National TIP Report 
---------------------------------------- 
¶5.  (U) On November 25, the Second Chamber discussed the 
first two annual reports by the National Rapporteur on 
Trafficking in Persons.  The parliament spotlighted 
protection of foreign TIP victims and in particular the 
Rapporteur's criticism that most victims do not make use of 
the B-9 status under the Dutch immigration law, which allows 
a three month residency to consider pressing charges and a 
longer residency during the judicial process.  According to 
the Rapporteur, only five percent of the estimated 3,500 TIP 
victims per year make use of that regulation. 
 
¶6.  (U) Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk agreed with the 
Chamber that the B-9 regulation could be better utilized. 
She wondered whether its disuse was due to unfamiliarity 
with the scheme or fear or uncertainty among the victims. 
Minister Verdonk considered the matter so important she 
requested WODC, the Justice Ministry's research center, to 
study the bottlenecks and report this spring.  Verdonk also 
agreed to improve the information flow about B-9 procedures 
to all police and immigration officers via newsletters. 
Reacting to criticism that the alien police too quickly 
deport illegal women who may be TIP victims without pointing 
them to the B-9 regulation, Verdonk said the problem had 
been raised with police and immigration authorities. 
 
¶7.  (U) Victims also have the possibility to request a 
permanent residence permit on humanitarian grounds. 
However, over the past three years, only 28 such requests 
were made.  One recognized problem is the requirement that 
victims themselves prove the risks associated with 
repatriation (although publicly provided legal aid is 
available).  Minister Verdonk has now agreed the government 
will work with the victim to collect evidence to support the 
claim. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The discussion took a political turn in the 
disagreement between the majority coalition parties of 
Christian Democrats (CDA), Liberals (VVD) and Social- 
Liberals (D66) and the opposition Socialist Party (SP) 
supported by Labor (PvdA) over the opposition's resolution 
asking the government to give TIP victims automatic, 
permanent residence, provided they cooperate in criminal 
investigations against their perpetrators.  The government 
coalition and Minister Verdonk opposed this fearing it would 
attract illegal aliens to the Netherlands.  Verdonk promised 
the Chamber a more critical assessment this spring of the 
risks of repercussions to victims in their countries of 
origin.  (COMMENT: USG public intervention in this aspect of 
the debate must be carefully considered and balanced to 
avoid undesired political fallout that could harm U.S. 
interests.  END COMMENT.) 
 
¶9.  (U) Verdonk told the Chamber that she has agreed with 
the Social Affairs Minister that TIP victims, who are in B-9 
status, will be allowed "to participate in the regular labor 
process (except for prostitution activities)."  This change, 
long sought by TIP victim protection advocates, will not 
take place, however, until the B-9 regulations have been 
rewritten, a process that will take an undetermined period 
of time.  Once implemented, this will bring the Netherlands 
in line with a draft EU guideline on improving the legal 
position of TIP victims. 
 
¶10.  (U) The Second Chamber also adopted a resolution asking 
the government to promote information campaigns about 
prostitution at high schools, in particular focusing on the 
risks of "lover boys."  The resolution asked the government 
to start a national awareness-raising campaign among 
prostitutes, which should include a central (stepping-out) 
phone line for prostitutes having questions about 
assistance, etc.  Justice Minister Donner promised the 
Chamber an inventory of such campaigns and of witness 
protection programs in the first half of 2004.  The 
inventory will also include an assessment of possible 
problems with legalized prostitution and an action plan to 
counter these.  The action plan will include proposals to 
intensify TIP investigations and prosecutions.  Donner noted 
that it was too early to judge the effects of the lifting of 
the ban on brothels and he saw no reason yet to withdraw the 
law.  According to Donner, various ministries, including 
Welfare and Education, constantly monitor the effects of the 
law. 
 
Dutch Government Sets Up Shelter in Angola 
------------------------------------------ 
¶11.  (U) In September 2003, Minister Verdonk opened a 
shelter for single underage asylum seekers ("Ama's") near 
Luanda, Angola.  The shelter is meant for Angolan youth who 
have been denied refugee status in the Netherlands and are 
repatriated.  The shelter, paid with Dutch aid funds, is a 
joint project of the Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries, 
and was built by the IOM. 
 
¶12.  (U) Out of a total of more than 9,000 Ama's in the 
Netherlands from various countries, some 75 percent are not 
eligible for permanent residence and should be deported. 
The problem is the Rights of the Child treaty forbids 
deportation of underage refugees if there is no evidence of 
assistance in their native countries.  They must then remain 
in the Netherlands until they're adults.  Verdonk has set up 
special refugee centers in the Netherlands, where Ama's are 
prepared for the return to their native countries. 
 
¶13.  (U) The Scarlet Cord organization for Amsterdam 
prostitutes has set up a special project to prevent Ama's 
from going into prostitution.  According to the 
organization, the project will make them aware of "lover 
boys" and people smugglers, who lure them into prostitution. 
There are anecdotal reports some Ama's have indeed become 
prostitutes. 
 
¶14.  (U) As a result of stricter immigration rules, the 
number of Ama's who requested asylum in the Netherlands 
dropped from 6,705 in 2000 to about 1,100 in 2003.  The 
number of Angolan Ama's dropped from 854 in 2002 to 137 in 
¶2003. 
 
Extra Money for Domestic Shelters 
--------------------------------- 
¶15.  (U) In 2004, the Dutch government will increase the 
previously budgeted amount for women's shelters by 1.2 
million euros.  It will continue to add money to the 
regularly budgeted amount, achieving a 4 million increase by 
¶2007.  The extra funds are required to increase capacity of 
these shelters for, mostly, battered women and trafficking 
victims.  (In the Netherlands, there are no separate 
shelters for TIP victims.) 
 
---------- 
Prevention 
---------- 
 
Prime Minister Visits La Strada Poland 
-------------------------------------- 
¶16.  (U) Prime Minister Balkenende visited the La Strada 
organization in Warsaw, Poland, on October 28, 2003.  The 
international La Strada network is aimed at preventing 
trafficking in women in source countries through awareness 
and lobby campaigns, prevention activities and concrete 
direct assistance to victims.  Media reports quoted 
Balkenende as saying he admired La Strada's activities and 
would continue to support them.  (See reftel - GONL funding 
is 1.5 million USD over four years.) 
 
----------- 
Prosecution 
----------- 
 
Child Sex Tourist Arrested 
-------------------------- 
¶17.  (U) For the first time since 1997 (when there was a 
conviction for abuse in the Philippines), the Dutch police 
arrested (in October 2003) a Dutchman for sexual abuse of 
minors in a foreign country.  The man alleged committed rape 
in Gambia between 1996 and 2002.  A combination of NGO 
information, investigative journalism and police work led to 
this arrest.  A change to the previous law in October 2002 
made it possible to prosecute Dutch nationals in the 
Netherlands for sexual abuse with minors committed in 
another country, even if the offense was not a crime in the 
original country.  Moreover, now the victim no longer has to 
report the offense to the police.  Prosecutors are still 
investigating this case. 
 
Police Arrest Organizers of Sex Trips 
------------------------------------- 
¶18.  (U) On November 29, 2003, 200 police officers searched 
18 premises throughout the country in a major investigation 
and disruption of a child pornography network.  Seven 
arrested suspects are accused of producing and distributing 
child pornography and organizing sex trips to other 
countries, including Tunisia, Romania and the Czech 
Republic.  Evidence suggests the group worked with American 
counterparts.  The investigation continues. 
Traffickers Arrested 
-------------------- 
¶19.  (U) Since January 2003, the Supra-Regional Police Team 
"Haaglanden-Hollands Midden," which is specialized in 
fighting organizations engaged in trafficking in persons, 
has been investigating a major case against a group of 
Bulgarians and a Dutchman suspected of having trafficked at 
least 10 Bulgarian women to the Netherlands, mostly under 
false pretense, to work in the Dutch prostitution business. 
Six suspects were arrested in The Hague, and one in 
Bulgaria. 
 
¶20.  (U) In a separate case, in November 2003, the Alkmaar 
court imposed a three-year prison sentence on the two main 
Bulgarian suspects of a people trafficking network.  The 
group of five men and one woman, were found guilty of 
forcing Bulgarian women into prostitution in the 
Netherlands.  The public prosecutor had demanded a four-year 
sentence against the two main suspects.  The others (two 
Bulgarians, a Turk and a Dutchman) received from 8 months to 
265 days. 
 
------------- 
Illegal Labor 
------------- 
 
More Control on Illegal Labor 
----------------------------- 
¶21.  (U) The Social Affairs Ministry will raise the number 
of labor inspectors in 2004 by 80 to 180 in an effort to 
fight illegal labor.  In addition, in September 2003, the 
Cabinet approved a proposal by the Social Minister, which 
will enable labor inspectors to penalize employers hiring 
illegal workers directly.  Currently, violations of the 
Labor Law are punishable only through criminal law 
procedures.  The maximum fine will be 45,000 euros.  The 
proposal still requires parliamentary approval. 
 
Fines for Families Exploiting Au Pairs 
-------------------------------------- 
¶22.  (U) Minister Verdonk announced recently that families 
who make their au pairs work longer than 30 hours a week can 
now expect a substantial fine and a five-year ban on 
employing au pairs.  Research shows many host families do 
not keep to the regulations with girls often performing 
heavy duties, which is not permitted. 
 
------------ 
Prostitution 
------------ 
 
Closure of Street-Walking Zones 
------------------------------- 
¶23.  (U) Amsterdam has closed, as of December 2003, its 
specially designated street walking zones for prostitutes 
(distinct from prostitutes working from brothels and windows 
- the "red light" districts).  The Hague has limited the 
hours of its street-walking zone as of October 2003 and will 
close it down completely in 2005.  Rotterdam has proposed 
closing its zone in 2005 as well.  According to the cities' 
mayors, the zones, originally intended as places where drug- 
addicted prostitutes only could work (and get some 
assistance), have become too busy with other women, mostly 
from Eastern Europe, who often are illegal and/or TIP 
victims.  Amsterdam Mayor Cohen said he no longer wants to 
"lend a helping hand" to criminals.  Cohen spoke of a 
"devil's dilemma" between assistance and the fight against 
crime.  On the one hand, he finds the zone a safe place for 
prostitutes who receive low-threshold care.  On the other 
hand, many women are TIP victims and/or illegal.  Some 
welfare organizations fear that the measure will drive these 
women underground, where control is much more difficult. 
 
Local Authorities Fine Solicitation 
----------------------------------- 
¶24.  (U) Local authorities are now permitted to designate 
incitement to prostitution as an offense in their local 
regulations.  A fine imposed by the municipality of Heerlen 
on a man who was looking for sex for sale is justified, 
according to the Den Bosch court of appeal.  A district 
court had sentenced the man to a fine of 110 euros early 
last year for causing a public nuisance by driving slowly 
through the Heerlen streets asking streetwalkers for their 
prices.  Considering the fine a violation of the 
constitution, human rights and his privacy, the man 
appealed.  The appeals court, however, rejected his 
arguments in November 2003.  Heerlen has no plans to take 
action against streetwalkers themselves provided they stay 
in designated areas. 
Bad Times for Sex Clubs 
----------------------- 
¶25.  (U) The VER prostitution branch organization reported 
in October 2003 that the legalization of prostitution has 
led to a decrease in brothels.  As a result of staff 
shortages and stricter licensing, the number of sex clubs in 
the Netherlands dropped over the past three years from about 
1,200 to less than 800.  According to the VER, Dutch women 
often prefer to work independently, offering escort services 
from their homes or a hotel, in order to avoid being taxed 
when working for legal brothels.  The VER reports that some 
60% of women employed in brothels come from abroad, mostly 
from outside the EU. 
 
Sting Operation in South 
------------------------ 
¶26.  (U) Over the past few weeks, regional police in the 
Eindhoven area (Brabant South-East) have targeted escort 
services in a sting operation to prevent their use as covers 
for illegal prostitution.  On 12 occasions, investigators 
called for escorts to come to hotel rooms.  Upon arrival, 
the women were questioned about trafficking.  Meanwhile, 
police also questioned their drivers about TIP activity. 
Foreign women were taken to the police station where they 
were questioned by a special TIP team.  Six escorts were 
working without permits and four of them (from Eastern 
Europe and South America) were deported as illegal aliens; 
one was an asylum seeker; and the last had a B-9 temporary 
residency permit (for her help with a police investigation 
involving TIP).  The bosses of the escorts are being 
prosecuted and one of the escort agencies has had its 
license withdrawn (for repeated violations).  According to 
the team leader, no TIP victims were discovered.  In 
addition to mounting such sting operations, The Den Bosch 
public prosecutor's "prostitution control teams" want to 
bombard the agencies' phone lines with fax messages to 
prevent them from conducting business.  The sting has been 
criticized by some politicians as "provocation" (similar to 
entrapment in the U.S.) and they have called upon the 
Justice Minister to investigate. 
 
------------ 
Other Issues 
------------ 
 
Conclusion of Dutch OSCE Presidency/EU Agenda 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶27.  (U) At the December 2003 OSCE Ministerial concluding 
the Dutch presidency, the Council endorsed a 25-page Action 
Plan on trafficking and established a mechanism to provide 
assistance to OSCE States to combat TIP.  The mechanism 
consists of two parts: a Special Representative appointed by 
the Chairmanship-in-Office and a special unit in the OSCE 
Secretariat.  The Dutch presidency also furthered a number 
 
SIPDIS 
of OSCE projects on trafficking in South Eastern Europe. 
The Dutch have indicated they intend to follow up on these 
efforts and make TIP a priority during their 2004 EU 
presidency (July-December). 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶28.  (SBU) The Dutch have a solid foundation in and 
commitment to anti-TIP efforts.  They are moving ahead with 
improvements on most items from our anti-TIP agenda, and the 
last six months reflect significant progress.  Notable 
positive highlights include: the steady progress of new 
legislation expanding TIP definitions and penalties, 
Minister Verdonk's public promises for practical evaluation 
of victim protections and changes allowing B-9 victims to 
work, parliamentary calls for public awareness campaigns, 
GONL arrests and prosecutions, and clear inroads into 
cracking down on illegal and crime-infested forms of 
prostitution (e.g., streetwalking).  Movement on legislative 
changes is not as swift as we would like but the Dutch 
consensus model does not permit a fast track for favored 
matters despite our efforts to stress the importance of 
implementing the changes quickly.  Having openly discussed 
and decided on appropriate time frames and rejected changes 
with little practical value, they are satisfied their anti- 
TIP efforts are serious, sustained and well-directed.  Post 
will continue to work with the Dutch on fighting TIP and 
will steadily, firmly and gently push them to make necessary 
improvements. 
Sobel