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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 003667 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR MCISAAC AND G/TIP LINDERMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV DR
SUBJECT: USG REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS HITS 
DOMINICAN NEWS 
 
REF: A. STATE 126171 
     ¶B. SANTO DOMINGO 3626 
 
 ¶1.  (U)  Embassy Santo Domingo delivered the Dominican 
Republic section of the  2003 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 
report to the Foreign Ministry on June 14; the Embassy press 
release on the subject made all the dailies the next day. 
The story grew as on June 16, in response to a written 
question, the Embassy confirmed USG revocation of the B1/B2 
visa of former Director of Migration, Miguel Vasquez in 
December 2002, under section 212(a)(6)(E) (alien smuggling) 
of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.  The visa 
revocation story led the news on the 17th and continued to 
have extensive media coverage on Friday, June 18.  Less 
public, but just as important, were informal discussions on 
consular and TIP issues between emboffs and representatives 
of the Fernandez government to be inaugurated on August 16. 
End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
TIP report delivered - official response limited to date 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Trafficking in Persons (TIP) was on the front pages 
and in private discussions last week in the Dominican 
Republic.  On June 14, poloffs delivered the 2003 Trafficking 
in Persons report and reftel talking points to Ambassador 
Rogert Espaillat, Deputy Director of the Americas Desk at the 
GODR Foreign Ministry.  Espaillat noted the importance of the 
report and thanked us for our efforts to work with the 
Dominican Republic to improve its record on TIP issues. 
Poloffs stressed the need for continued efforts to enforce 
the 2003 anti-TIP law and urged the need for arrests and 
prosecutions.  Ambassador Espaillat agreed that the GODR has 
taken the first steps to combat TIP, but needs vigorous 
future efforts. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Poloffs explained that the "watch list" designation 
means that the GODR will be subject to an interim status 
report on its anti-TIP efforts.  Ambassador Espaillat 
acknowledged the designation and stated that he would pass 
all the information to Foreign Minister Guerrero Prats. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Editorial reaction mixed, but no defense to content of TIP 
report 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4.  (U)  The Embassy issued a press release on the 2003 TIP 
report on the afternoon of June 14th.  The press release and 
the 2003 TIP report were featured in the Santo Domingo 
dailies over the next two days.  Editorial reaction was 
mixed.  Respected newspaper "El Caribe" stated, "The picture 
presented by the U.S. Department of State on trafficking in 
persons in the Dominican Republic is gut wrenching . . . the 
sad part behind this situation is the impunity that 
permanently seems to protect the organizers of this trade. . 
. the government must vigorously assume responsibility to put 
a stop to these crimes, pursuing and arresting traffickers." 
 
¶5.  (U)  "Hoy" editors acknowledged a problem in the 
Dominican Republic: "U.S. preaching on (TIP) may be offensive 
to many Dominicans, but we've been lax and need to tighten 
up."  Left-of-center, independent "El Nacional" took offense 
to the U.S. role in producing the report, but did not deny 
the accuracy of its content.  "El Nacional" asserted, "No 
institution or world forum has given the United States the 
right or authority to condemn or take over other nations . . 
.(the report) would be valid if it came from an organization 
such as the United Nations (or other multilaterals)." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Visa revocation shows USG serious on alien smugglers/anti-TIP 
efforts 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.  (U)  On June 16, the Embassy's press section responded to 
a written request from "El Caribe" newspaper regarding the 
revocation of the B1/B2 visa of Miguel Vasquez (until March 
2004 Director of Migration, currently Minister without 
Portfolio and Special Assistant to President Mejia).  The 
next day, all dailies reported that the former Migration 
Director's B1/B2 visa had been revoked in December 2002, 
under section 212(a)(6)(E) (alien smuggling) of the U.S. 
Immigration and Nationality Act. 
 
¶7.  (U) The front page headlines on the visa revocation came 
on June 17, the day of  day-long consultations between 
Fernandez transition team members of the Dominican Liberation 
Party (PLD) and the US Embassy (reftel B).  During a kickoff 
breakfast for the event, the Ambassador used the headlines as 
his opening to discuss the importance of anti-corruption 
efforts and to indicate seriousness of the USG in pursuing 
alien smugglers and traffickers. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Transition leaders learn about TIP issues 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U)  Ref A points were made by the Ambassador and other 
emboffs throughout the day, and specifically and in detail 
during the session on anti-corruption and the session 
dedicated to consular and TIP issues.  During the 
consular/TIP session, poloff presented PLD transition team 
members with copies of the 2003 TIP report (Dominican 
Republic portion) and explained the Department's evaluation 
criteria.  PLD attendees were receptive and grateful for the 
information.  Emboffs will arrange further discussions with 
the PLD transition team  to explain TIP and emphasize the 
importance of the GODR's role in combating TIP, arresting 
those involved and ensuring that the accused are prosecuted. 
 
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Comment 
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¶9.  (SBU)  The timing could not have been better.  The June 
14 release of the 2003 TIP report gave the Embassy the 
opportunity to acknowledge the anti-TIP efforts of the 
current administration while stressing that considerable work 
remains to be done - especially in enforcement of the 2003 
anti-TIP law.  The press play on the release of the TIP 
report and on the Vasquez visa revocation put the issue in 
the minds of the policymakers and soon-to-be officials of the 
administration that will take office August 16.  We used the 
transition conference to lay out to them the principles of 
the USG approach to TIP and to explain the need -- moral, 
humanitarian and bilateral -- to put anti-TIP efforts at the 
top of the agenda.  They appeared receptive to our call to 
enforce the anti-TIP law and to arrest and to prosecute those 
involved with TIP and alien smuggling. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Drafted by Angela Kerwin. 
 
¶11.  (U)  This report and others are available on our SIPRNET 
site at http:/www/state/sgov/p/wha/santodomingo/ along with 
extensive other material. 
HERTELL