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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 SINGAPORE 000740 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PASS AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE'S SUBMISSION FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL TIP 
REPORT PART I 
 
REF: A. SINGAPORE 657 
     ¶B. 04 STATE 273089 
 
¶1.  (U) This is first of four messages relaying Embassy 
Singapore's 2005 TIP submission.  The Embassy point of 
contact for this report is Colin Willett:  phone (65) 
6476-9492, fax (65) 6476-9389, email willettc@state.gov.  Due 
to the length of our submission, we have split it into four 
cables.  Per the request in para 17 of Ref B, to date the 
Embassy has spent the following time on the TIP report: 
 
COM: 3 hours; FE-MC: 5 hours; FS-1: 50 hours; FS-5: 150 hours. 
 
The Extent of Singapore's Trafficking Problem 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Based on a variety of sources, Embassy believes the 
number of credible trafficking cases in Singapore has risen 
slightly in 2004, due in part to the resurgence of air travel 
following the region's recovery from SARs and the country's 
strong economic growth.  Despite this increase, the number of 
cases remains generally small, and Embassy does not believe 
that the nature and scope of the trafficking problem in 
Singapore has changed substantially since last year's report. 
 In the last year, however, the government appears to have 
become more sensitive and open to the issue, and has taken 
steps to improve its response to it. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On labor issues, particularly those relating to 
Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs), the Foreign Manpower 
Management Division created by the Ministry of Manpower made 
a number of important changes to the way the GOS handles FDWs 
in 2004.  An accreditation scheme for maid agencies, 
mandatory training classes for employers and employees, 
establishment and public promotion of a hotline for maids, 
more stringent regulations, and public outreach campaigns on 
the rights and responsibilities of both maids and employers 
are having a positive impact on the welfare of FDWs here, 
according to a wide range of NGOs and other contacts. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On sex trafficking issues, the GOS could and should 
be doing more to control the vice trade and ensure that women 
and children are not victimized.  Although it has made less 
progress in this area, Embassy believes that the GOS 
recognizes that it has a problem.  Embassy NGO contacts 
report that while the government requires firm evidence 
(which NGOs acknowledge is difficult to obtain) in order to 
prosecute cases, they are satisfied that the authorities 
actively pursue investigations of allegations of trafficking 
or coercion, and prosecutions whenever possible.  The GOS is 
currently reviewing many of its laws, including some, such as 
the Penal Code, which deal with trafficking and vice-related 
offenses.  A small group of interested NGOs is currently 
lobbying the government to change its definition of 
trafficking to reflect the U.N. Protocol to Prevent, 
Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons.  NGO contacts 
confirm that the GOS is particularly concerned about sex 
tourism by Singaporeans abroad, and that it is currently 
taking some steps to combat the trade, although its efforts 
so far have been more focused on "social" remedies rather 
than legal solutions.  In addition, the GOS has sanctioned 
and will participate in a regional conference on sex tourism 
in April and it has undertaken (via a local NGO) a public 
outreach campaign on the consequences of sex tourism. 
Another NGO has consulted with nearly all Members of 
Parliament as it drafts a Sex Tourism Law that it hopes to 
introduce in Parliament. 
 
Overview 
-------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A. Is the country a country of origin, transit or 
destination for international trafficked men, women, or 
children? Specify numbers for each group.  Does the 
trafficking occur within the country's borders?  Does it 
occur in territory outside of the government's control (e.g. 
in a civil war situation)?  Are any estimates or reliable 
numbers available as to the extent or magnitude of the 
problem?  Please include any numbers of victims.  What is 
(are) the source(s) of available information on trafficking 
in persons?  How reliable are the numbers and these sources? 
Are certain groups of persons more at risk of being 
trafficked (e.g. women and children, boys versus girls, 
certain ethnic groups, refugees, etc.)? 
 
Singapore is not a country of origin for trafficked persons, 
either for sex or labor.  There is no internal trafficking in 
persons.  Post is not aware of any cases of trafficking 
victims transiting through Singapore, though the transit 
lounge at Changi airport does not consistently screen the 
millions of transit passengers they service each year.  U.S. 
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at post 
do not believe Singapore is a major hub for people smuggling, 
a circumstance that further reduces the likelihood of 
undetected trafficking victims in transit. 
There are no numerical estimates of the magnitude of 
trafficking in Singapore.  The number of cases that Embassy 
has identified through discussions with the government, NGOs 
and foreign Embassy consular contacts is under 100; however, 
given the size of Singapore's vice trade it is possible that 
the total number of victims exceeds 100.  From January to 
November 2004, around 4,600 suspected foreign sex workers 
were detained by authorities, approximately 1 percent of who 
were under the age of 18; all of these were 16 or 17 years of 
age (updated 2004 numbers will be reported when they become 
available).  While there are no reliable statistics on how 
many of those over 18 may have been coerced into 
prostitution, most NGOs, government contacts, and source 
country consular officials agree that the number is quite 
small.  Reports of forced prostitution and threats of 
physical violence or retribution are rare, and many NGOs say 
they have encountered few cases where a pimp or other abettor 
held a woman's passport.  In June 2004, a Singaporean woman 
and two Indonesians were arrested for illegally bringing a 
baby to Singapore for adoption; the women told police they 
had trafficked a total of four babies to Singapore.  Embassy 
knows of one case of maid abuse in 2004 that probably rises 
to the level of trafficking. 
 
 
Based on our discussions with a wide variety of sources -- 
government and police officials, local NGOs (focusing on 
foreign workers, sex workers, and public health), civil 
advocacy groups, consular/labor officials from several labor 
source countries, journalists, researchers, and staff from 
shelters -- the Embassy is convinced that it is unlikely that 
there is a substantial number of undiscovered trafficking 
cases.  Singapore is a densely populated and tightly policed 
island nation the size of Washington D.C. within the Beltway; 
we believe evidence of a more substantial trafficking problem 
would quickly surface, in part because of the government's 
focus on stamping out all corruption and organized crime. 
 
¶B. Where are the persons trafficked from? Where are the 
persons trafficked to? 
 
The nationalities of the known 2004 trafficking victims are 
currently not available (2004 statistics will be reported 
when they become available), but nearly all are sex workers. 
Sex workers in Singapore come primarily from the People's 
Republic of China (approximately 45 percent in 2004), 
Thailand (approximately 20 percent), Indonesia (approximately 
20 percent), with smaller numbers coming from the 
Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Eastern Europe and 
Russia. The one domestic worker who Embassy considers a 
trafficking victim is Indonesian, as were the four babies 
allegedly trafficked to Singapore. 
 
¶C.  Have there been any changes in the direction or extent of 
trafficking? 
 
In 2004, the number of "trafficking" cases identified by the 
Embassy rose, largely due to the substantial increase in the 
total number of women coming to Singapore to work as 
prostitutes ) the number of foreign women detained for 
suspected prostitution roughly doubled from 2003 to 2004. 
The number of underage girls involved, though small, rose 
proportionally.  Embassy believes the increase is largely 
attributable to the strong rebound in tourism after the 
resolution of the SARS crisis of 2003, Singapore's strong 
economic growth in 2004, and the easier access to "social 
passes" for Chinese nationals. 
 
¶D.  Are any efforts or surveys planned or underway to 
document the extent and nature of trafficking in the country? 
 Is any additional information available from such reports or 
surveys that was not available last year? 
There are no surveys of trafficking per se; given Singapore's 
limited visible problem of trafficking, this is not 
surprising.  The Department of Health, working through NGOs 
and independent researchers, has conducted surveys of 
free-lance prostitutes (as opposed to those based in 
brothels, which are tightly monitored by the government) and 
men who frequent sex workers in the Indonesian Riau islands. 
Our own sources of information have continued to increase in 
number and quality, lending additional confidence to our 
assessment that Singapore's trafficking problem is small. 
 
¶E.  If the country is a destination point for trafficked 
victims:  What kind of conditions are the victims trafficked 
into?  Are they forced to work in sweatshops, agriculture, 
restaurants, construction sites, prostitution, nude dancing, 
domestic servitude, begging, or other forms of labor, 
exploitation, or services?  What methods are used to ensure 
their compliance?  Are the victims subject to violence, 
threats, withholding of their documents, debt bondage, etc.? 
 
Nearly all of the known or suspected cases in 2004 involved 
sex trafficking. None appear to have been confined by the 
traffickers, or subjected to physical violence.   There is 
one known case, currently under investigation, of an 
Indonesian maid who was confined by her employers and not 
paid for two years. Police, working with a local NGO, rescued 
her from her situation in March 2005 and are currently 
investigating in cooperation with the Ministry of Manpower. 
Consular officials from Embassies of worker source countries 
report that each year sees a number of cases of women who 
come to Singapore voluntarily to work in the sex trade or 
elsewhere who then face some sort of coercion, usually 
psychological, not physical, by agents or pimps.  A typical 
story is of a woman who was told she could find a job here, 
but arrived to find that legitimate work was not available. 
Now alone in Singapore, many women do not want to or cannot 
go home empty handed, and enter the sex trade either of their 
own volition or at the urging of a recruiter.  Source country 
consular officers and NGOs report that few women are 
physically threatened or abused. 
 
 
¶F.  If the country is a country of origin:  Which populations 
are targeted by the traffickers?  Who are the traffickers? 
What methods are used to approach victims? (Are they offered 
lucrative jobs, sold by their families, approached by friends 
of friends, etc.?)  What methods are used to move the victims 
(e.g., are false documents being used?) 
 
Not applicable.  Singapore is not a country of origin for 
trafficking victims. 
 
¶G.  Is there political will at the highest levels of 
government to combat trafficking in persons?  Is the 
government making a good faith effort to seriously address 
trafficking?  Is there a willingness to take action against 
government officials linked to TIP?  In broad terms, what 
resources is the host government devoting to combating 
trafficking in persons (in terms of prevention, protection, 
prosecution)? 
 
There is very strong political will in Singapore to combat 
trafficking in persons.  Singapore leaders place great stress 
on achieving a very low crime rate and maintaining extremely 
tight immigration controls.  They are concerned about 
allegations of trafficking, either for sex or for labor. 
 
Singapore places great emphasis on tight control of 
immigration, effected through very tough laws, and has 
strengthened controls further since the terrorist attacks on 
the United States and neighboring countries.  While these 
controls have been adopted for security reasons and to 
prevent a large influx of undocumented workers, they also 
effectively serve to prevent large-scale trafficking in 
persons into Singapore.  Singapore also has allowed employers 
to legally bring in large numbers of domestics and unskilled 
workers, and at low wages (Singapore lacks a minimum wage); 
with ready access to inexpensive foreign labor through legal 
channels, few employers wish to risk draconian penalties by 
hiring illegal employees, including trafficking victims. 
 
Most sex-workers enter Singapore willingly on a social or 
student visa, though some have been coerced or tricked into 
engaging in prostitution once they arrive in Singapore.  NGO 
contacts and most consular officials here say the authorities 
fully investigate such allegations and are anxious to 
prosecute traffickers when evidence is available, although 
they prefer to keep such cases quiet.  One High Commission of 
a country in the Indian sub-continent perceives, however, 
that the authorities are unwilling to fully investigate 
allegations of coercion by its women engaged in prostitution. 
 This was out of step with what we heard from all other 
source-country embassies, which lauded Singapore police and 
government efforts to investigate possible trafficking cases. 
 The general consensus among Embassy contacts in the 
government, civil society and diplomatic circles is that 
Singapore is willing to devote whatever resources are 
necessary to combating these problems. One foreign consul 
from a source country, after asking why Singapore was ranked 
in Tier II, asked "what more can (the United States) expect 
them to do?" 
 
Officials from the above High Commission also report a 
significantly higher incidence of alleged coercion than other 
consular sections, which they attribute to a much stronger 
social stigma against prostitution in their culture.  Such a 
stigma may make women both less likely to prostitute 
themselves willingly, and less likely to admit willingness if 
they do.  It has been clear to us for more than a year that 
this particular High Commission is an "outlier" in its poor 
relations with the Singapore police, perhaps in part because 
of the unusually high number of its nationals detained for a 
broad range of crimes.  We have also noted this High 
Commission's acceptance, with little investigation, of claims 
by its nationals to be victims of coercion. 
 
In 1998, the government recognized that live-in foreign 
domestics are especially vulnerable to physical or sexual 
abuse, and Parliament passed legislation that significantly 
enhanced penalties for abusers.  In two cases at the end of 
2001, the Chief Justice greatly increased sentences for two 
abusive employers, and publicly called upon judges to impose 
severe penalties in such cases.  Highly publicized 
prosecutions and lengthy sentences have cut substantiated 
abuse cases by nearly 75 percent as compared to 1997, 
according to statistics provided by the MFA. 
 
In April 2004, the Ministry of Manpower introduced mandatory 
training for both new employers and foreign domestic workers. 
 Employers are required to take a class that spells out their 
responsibilities to their maids, including the fact that they 
must pay on time and may not hold travel documents.  It also 
counsels employers on cultural sensitivity and attempts to 
instill reasonable expectations for domestic workers, 
performance.  Current employers who come to the Ministry's 
attention as potential problems also may be required to take 
the class.  New FDWs are now trained in basic safety 
measures, informed of their rights, told about resources 
available to them for assistance, and provided handbooks in 
their native language. In the first six months of operation, 
over 9,000 employers and over 21,000 domestic workers 
attended these classes, including U.S. Embassy personnel. 
 
In October 2004, the Ministry of Manpower took further steps 
to improve protection of foreign domestic workers (FDWs), 
including raising the minimum age for FDWs from 18 to 23 and 
requiring at least 8 years of formal education (enforced 
through a literacy test) in order to attract women who are 
better able to understand both their rights and 
responsibilities, and better able to adapt to life in 
Singapore.  The Ministry has also set out new regulations for 
employers, including lower thresholds for blacklisting 
employers, and it has made the pilot system for accrediting 
maid agencies mandatory as of June 2004.  The Ministry 
reports that it has already sanctioned several of Singapore's 
largest agencies for not adhering to the Ministry's strict 
standards. 
 
¶H.  Do governmental authorities or individual members of 
government forces facilitate or condone trafficking, or are 
they otherwise complicit in such activities?  If so, at what 
levels?  Do government authorities (such as customs, border 
guards, immigration officials, labor inspectors, local 
police, or others) receive bribes from traffickers or 
otherwise assist in their operations?  What punitive 
measures, if any, have been taken against those individuals 
complicit or involved in trafficking?  Please provide 
numbers, as applicable, of government officials involved, 
accused, investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced. 
 
Neither government authorities nor individual government 
officials condone or assist trafficking.  Singapore has a 
well-earned reputation for having an extremely low rate of 
corruption, assisted by an aggressive government 
anti-corruption agency with strong powers that pursues and 
prosecutes any lapse. It is consistently ranked as one of the 
least corrupt countries in the world. Trafficking-related 
corruption (and therefore trafficking itself) is effectively 
deterred by these measures. 
 
¶I.  What are the limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice?  For example, is funding 
for police or other institutions inadequate?  Is overall 
corruption a problem?  Does the government lack the resources 
to aid victims? 
 
Singapore maintains a well-financed and well-trained cadre of 
police, immigration and public health officials to prevent 
the occurrence of trafficking.  Post is confident that 
Singapore would make additional resources available if 
convinced they were necessary to combat trafficking in 
persons. 
 
¶J.  To what extent does the government systematically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- prosecution, 
prevention and victim protection) and periodically make 
available, publicly or privately and directly or through 
regional/international organizations, its assessments of 
these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The Singapore Government maintains records of its efforts 
related to trafficking, including prosecutions, repatriations 
of foreign sex workers, complaints of maid abuse, other 
complaints by foreign workers, and the number of immigrants 
refused entry for suspected intent to prostitute themselves. 
In general, the Singapore government has a parsimonious 
attitude toward release of information to the public on 
sensitive subjects.  However, in the past it has been 
forthcoming in dealings with the Embassy on trafficking, 
including providing written responses to a lengthy series of 
questions, and arranging a high-level interagency meeting to 
brief and answer questions in person. It also has been 
available to meet with U.S. government officials to discuss 
trafficking issues, for example when U.S. Department of 
Justice officials visited to discuss Singapore's 
anti-trafficking efforts, and consult on possibilities for 
cooperation with Indonesia. 
 
¶K.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
If prostitution is legal and regulated, what is the legal 
minimum age for this activity? 
 
Prostitution per se is not illegal.  However, public 
solicitation is illegal, and it is illegal for third parties 
to live off the earnings of prostitutes.  While police make 
some arrests for solicitation offenses, prosecutions are 
rare; the Embassy is not aware of any such prosecutions in 
¶2004.  Almost all sex workers in Singapore come from other 
countries.  Entry into Singapore for the purpose of 
prostitution or pimping is not permitted, giving police legal 
grounds to detain and repatriate suspected foreign sex 
workers.  From January to November 2004, authorities detained 
approximately 4,600 foreign women as suspected sex workers. 
A few -- approximately five percent -- of these women were 
prosecuted for having overstayed their visas in Singapore, 
but most were simply expelled after screening for possible 
coercion and efforts to elicit cooperation as witnesses 
against vice operators.  In addition, authorities can exclude 
from entry persons they believe may be entering to engage in 
prostitution; 540 foreign women were denied entry on these 
grounds between 2001-2003. 
 
The law allows authorities to detain for rehabilitation women 
and girls under the age of 21 who are suspected of 
involvement in prostitution.  Since 1999, official 
information is that only seven persons have been held under 
this clause.  The cases were: four Cambodian girls determined 
to be 16-17 years old after medical examination (1999); one 
18-year old Singaporean (2000); one 12-year old Malaysian 
(2002); and one 16-year old PRC girl (2002).  All were placed 
in the Toa Payoh Girl's Home and given counseling; except for 
the Singaporean, all were prosecution witnesses against the 
vice operators. 
The government does not regard 16 and 17-year old sex workers 
as "trafficking" victims if they have knowingly and willingly 
engaged in the trade.  Nevertheless, the government 
prosecutes third parties involved in their prostitution, when 
girls are willing to be prosecution witnesses. 
 
From a customer's standpoint, only consensual sex acts with 
girls under the age of 16 are illegal.  All homosexual acts 
of any kind are illegal, though prosecutions in recent years 
have been rare. 
 
Operating a brothel and living off the earnings of a 
prostitute (pimping) are illegal.  From January to November 
2004, authorities prosecuted 4 pimps and 63 "vice abettors" 
(e.g., brothel operators).  In addition, third parties 
involved in the prostitution of girls under the age of 16 
face enhanced penalties. 
 
These legal structures are modified by the government's 
policy of "discretionary enforcement" in designated red light 
areas.  After over 20 years of unsuccessful concerted efforts 
to stamp out prostitution in the 1960s and 70s, the 
Government decided to take a pragmatic approach to the issue, 
allowing some brothels to operate in designated areas. 
Cracking down on prostitution had forced the industry 
underground, leading to heavy involvement of organized 
criminal elements and high rates of sexually transmitted 
diseases.  In exchange for the Government's tolerance of 
their activities, "authorized" brothels must adhere to strict 
guidelines.  Before commencing work, police interview each 
woman to ensure she is a voluntary participant in the sex 
trade.  All the women must be at least 21 years old, go 
through explicit "safe sex" training, submit themselves to 
biweekly medical checkups, and carry a yellow "health" card. 
These sex workers may work only in the tolerated brothels, 
and may not solicit on the street or in other establishments. 
 
¶L.  Does the practice of buying or selling child brides 
(brides under the age of 18 years) occur in the country?  If 
so, describe.  Do men of the country travel abroad to 
purchase child brides?  If so, describe. 
 
Embassy is unaware of any cases involving the purchase or 
sale of child brides either in Singapore or by Singaporeans 
abroad. For a fuller explanation of Singapore's regulations 
regarding child brides, see Ref B. 
 
Prevention 
---------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in that country?  If no, why not? 
 
The Government of Singapore acknowledges that a small number 
of sex-workers in Singapore are trafficking victims, and that 
there are some problems of ill-treatment of foreign domestic 
workers (although they would classify these as labor issues, 
not trafficking).  The GOS's assessment -- shared by this 
Embassy -- is, however, that trafficking in persons is rare. 
Authorities remain vigilant, and continue to take actions 
that directly or indirectly reduce the likelihood of 
trafficking. 
 
The government does not describe as "trafficking" some cases 
that we would so classify; these cases include 16- and 
17-year olds wittingly and willingly engaged in prostitution, 
and "work disputes" involving women who entered Singapore for 
the purpose of prostitution.  Despite these definitional 
differences, the government prosecutes the vice operators 
involved in these cases, when it has prosecution witnesses. 
Victims in these categories are rare, as described in 
Overview Answer A. 
¶B.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
-- Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority controls 
the borders and looks for illegal immigrants, including 
trafficking victims, and for persons who employ or harbor 
illegal immigrants. 
-- The police monitor the sex industry, including through the 
use of informants and street patrols (uniformed and 
undercover).  They interview women detained for public 
solicitation and pimps, and look for coercion.  Police also 
investigate complaints from foreign domestics alleging 
physical or sexual abuse by employers.  Until shortly before 
trial, police are responsible for law enforcement-related 
interaction with witnesses in criminal cases, including 
trafficking-related ones. 
 
-- The Attorney General's Chambers prosecutes both 
trafficking and domestic abuse cases. 
 
-- The Ministry of Manpower investigates complaints by 
foreign workers about pay or working conditions, attempts to 
resolve problems through mediation or enforcement action, and 
carries out education efforts among both employers and 
employees. 
 
-- The Ministry of Community Development, Youth, and Sports 
(MCYS) assists victims with counseling and obtaining 
temporary shelter, if required. 
 
¶C.  Are there or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns?  If so, 
briefly describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness.  Do these campaigns target potential 
trafficking victims and/or the demand for trafficking (e.g. 
"clients" of prostitutes or beneficiaries of forced labor)? 
 
There are no specific "anti-trafficking" campaigns.  However, 
the Ministry of Manpower seeks to inform employers and 
employees about the rights of foreign workers, who comprise 
nearly 30 percent of Singapore's labor force.  These 
publicity efforts include Singapore's tough laws against 
abuse of domestics or harboring illegal immigrants.  One such 
campaign in 2004 highlighted examples of both good and bad 
working conditions for foreign domestic workers, and sought 
to adjust employers, expectations about what they can 
reasonably expect from a domestic helper.  In March 2005, the 
government-linked Straits Times ran a nine-page special 
segment on the sacrifices foreign domestic workers make in 
coming here, and their importance to their family and 
community in their home country.  It also listed contact 
information for various organizations devoted to the welfare 
of foreign workers and encouraged people to volunteer.  NGO 
contacts say that press coverage given to abuse cases and 
other foreign worker issues, combined with Singapore's new 
regulations and improved efforts to publicize those 
regulations, has had a significant positive impact on the 
welfare of the foreign workers here. 
 
The Government has also sought to improve people's awareness 
of the regulations protecting foreign workers -- whether from 
abuse, non-payment of wages, or confiscation of travel 
documents ) and the consequences of violating those laws. 
Tough prosecutions and sentences in domestic abuse cases, and 
Singapore's rare sex trafficking cases, are highly publicized 
through government efforts.  This publicity is designed to 
deter abuse and trafficking, and to encourage victims to step 
forward with confidence that their allegations will be dealt 
with seriously. 
 
In 2004 there were also publicity campaigns run by various 
NGOs, particularly against sex tourism, which have been 
featured in the government-linked Straits Times newspaper as 
well as other government-linked media outlets.  The aim has 
been to limit the demand by increasing awareness and 
discomfort among men who frequent the nearby Indonesian Riau 
islands, their spouses, and society as a whole.  One campaign 
focused particularly on under-aged victims of sex tourism, 
while another -- sponsored in part by the Singapore 
government -- highlighted the public health risks of sex 
tourism in general.  Some NGOs also report that they are 
receiving increased attention from the government-linked 
media; one NGO noted that the day after one story appeared in 
the paper, it received approximately 60 calls from women 
looking for assistance in leaving the sex trade. 
 
¶D.  Does the government support other programs to prevent 
trafficking? (e.g., to promote women's participation in 
economic decision-making or efforts to keep children in 
school.)  Please explain. 
 
This question seems addressed to countries that are origin 
countries for trafficking victims; Singapore is not a victim 
origin country.  Singapore has a first world economy that 
provides good protections and opportunities for women. 
 
¶E.  Is the government able to support prevention programs? 
 
Yes. 
 
¶F.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
The government has a good relationship with NGOs that deal 
with foreign workers or sex workers (see 9.H.), and NGO 
contacts report that government openness to suggestions and 
criticisms from civil society groups is good.  The Ministry 
of Manpower's Foreign Manpower Management Division has formed 
partnerships with NGOs dedicated to migrant workers, welfare 
as well as with source country embassies, and has gotten 
involved with specific projects to promote the welfare of 
foreign workers, e.g., the Bayanihan Centre, which provides 
skills training and recreational activities for Filipina 
FDWs.  Our NGO contacts report that they have access to 
high-level officials at relevant agencies, and that they 
believe the government listens to and acts upon their 
suggestions and criticisms. 
 
In 2004, the government became somewhat more open to social 
activism.  It registered its first NGO dedicated exclusively 
to assisting women who wish to escape from prostitution.  It 
has also allowed Bridget Lew, formerly of the Commission for 
Migrants and Itinerant People, to form a new group dedicated 
to vulnerable workers, known as the Humanitarian Organization 
for Migration Economics, or HOME, which is now one of the 
Ministry of Manpower's civil society partners.  The 
government has also registered the Working Committee Two, 
which worked on behalf of domestic workers, as a society 
(after several years of hedging).  It is now known as 
"Transient Workers Count Too," and ultimately aims to address 
the needs not just of domestics, but of other migrant workers 
as well (the role of other foreign workers in Singapore is 
considered a more politically sensitive issue than domestic 
workers).  Our NGO contacts all say they are pleased with 
their relationships with the government, and report that it 
has become easier for them to operate in Singapore and to 
comment on sensitive issues such as prostitution, 
trafficking, and labor issues than it was even a year ago. 
 
The government also has excellent relations with the 
embassies of the various source countries.  All but one 
report that the authorities strongly pursue investigations of 
allegations they bring to the government's attention, whether 
of sex-trafficking, maid abuse or work permit violations. 
Most say that the new regulations regarding foreign workers 
have been helpful in securing their welfare, although there 
is some concern that education requirements may disadvantage 
their nationals, many of whom cannot meet the new literacy 
requirements. 
 
¶G.  Does the government adequately monitor its borders? Does 
it monitor immigration and emigration patterns for evidence 
of trafficking?  Do law enforcement agencies respond 
appropriately to such evidence? 
 
Singapore has one of the world's toughest immigration 
regimes, and the Government moved to further step up controls 
after September 11, 2001.  These measures act as substantial 
barriers to illegal immigration, and to trafficking in 
persons as a subset of this problem.  Embassy assumes that 
Singapore monitors immigration and emigration patterns, but 
the government will not reveal how it analyzes and uses 
information collected at immigration checkpoints.  NGOs and 
consular officials say the Singapore government is attentive 
to all indications of trafficking and thoroughly investigates 
when there is evidence of such crimes. 
 
The Ministry of Manpower can and does bar persons from 
employing foreign domestics based on past abuse.  From 
January to September 2004, the Ministry blacklisted 54 
employers for abusing their maids, and between 2001 and June 
2003 jailed 22 employers for abuse.  The Ministry also bars 
some employers of other foreign workers from obtaining work 
permits based on patterns of misconduct (e.g., nonpayment of 
wages); in industries heavily dependent on foreign workers, 
such as construction, the prospect of being so barred acts as 
a strong incentive for employers not to mistreat their 
workers. 
 
¶H.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, such as a multi-agency working 
group or task force?  Does the government have a trafficking 
in persons task force?  Does the government have a public 
corruption task force? 
 
There is an independent anti-corruption agency with broad 
powers, which aggressively pursues cases of possible 
corruption. 
 
There is not a formal anti-trafficking task force; however, 
Singapore is an efficiently run municipality of 4 million, 
and interagency coordination within its small government is 
generally excellent.  In addition, government agencies 
cooperate well with foreign diplomatic representatives and 
NGOs in dealing with the rare cases of trafficking, and in 
implementing measures that prevent trafficking from occurring. 
 
¶I.  Does the government coordinate with or participate in 
multinational or international working groups or efforts to 
prevent, monitor, or control trafficking? 
 
Singapore is a participant in activities under ASEAN and APEC 
which combat transnational crime, including trafficking. In 
December 2004, Singapore signed a Mutual Legal Assistance 
Treaty (MLAT) with eight other ASEAN countries designed to 
combat transnational crimes, including TIP, more effectively. 
 In November 2004, ASEAN heads of government, including 
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, signed a 
Declaration Against Trafficking in Persons Particularly Women 
and Children, which recognized the urgent need for a 
comprehensive regional approach to prevent and combat 
trafficking, and agreed to enhance cooperation between 
regional immigration and law enforcement officials. In April 
2005, Singapore government officials will participate in an 
NGO-sponsored conference on sex tourism.  Singaporean 
officials have participated in two USG-funded conferences: 
the first was hosted by Embassy Singapore in January 2004. 
It brought together representatives from 21 countries and ICE 
attaches from across the region.  The presentations and 
discussions focused on sex tourism, child pornography, and 
forced child labor.  The second was held in Batam, Indonesia 
in February with funding from DOJ/ICITAP.  It brought 
together police representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia and 
Singapore to discuss information sharing and strategies to 
combat TIP and people smuggling. 
 
Singapore also participated in the first two iterations of 
the Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, 
Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali 
Conference), with Foreign Minister Jayakumar leading the 
inaugural delegation, and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs 
Lee Yock Suan heading the delegation in 2003.  Singapore was 
also a participant in the Pacific Rim Intelligence Conference 
in New Zealand in 2002 that addressed anti-trafficking 
problems world-wide.  Singaporean officials have participated 
in anti-trafficking conferences hosted by DHS immigration 
officials in Bangkok and regularly attend International Law 
Enforcement Academy (ILEA) courses that include 
anti-trafficking issues. 
 
¶J.  Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were 
involved in developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the 
process?  What steps has the government taken to disseminate 
the action plan? 
 
Based on the ability of existing law enforcement and 
immigration mechanisms to prevent trafficking, Singapore does 
not have a national plan of action against trafficking in 
persons.  The government does periodically review its laws 
and regulations to ensure that they are adequate.  For 
example, in 2003 the GOS reviewed measures to protect foreign 
domestic workers, and ultimately decided to raise age and 
education requirements, institute training classes for both 
employers and employees, lower the threshold for blacklisting 
problem employers, and make the accreditation system for maid 
agencies mandatory.  It is now reviewing some of its 
regulations related to vice and social issues, and local NGOs 
are lobbying the government to change its definition of 
trafficking to reflect the U.N. definition.  The government 
has discussed possible measures with both NGOs and officials 
from labor source country embassies; the Ministry of Manpower 
is engaged in active partnerships with several NGOs dedicated 
to foreign worker welfare, and a local NGO is consulting with 
Members of Parliament as they draft a child sex tourism law. 
 
¶K.  Is there some entity or person responsible for developing 
anti-trafficking programs within the government? 
 
No; activities related to anti-trafficking are developed and 
implemented by the agencies described in answer to question B 
above, and coordinated with other agencies as required. 
 
LAVIN