VZCZCXRO5232
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHPF #0657/01 0970349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070349Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6414
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1377

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR G/TIP, EAP/MLS and EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL KWMN CB
SUBJECT:  CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT HIGHLIGHTS TIP AT 
NATIONAL CONFERENCES 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  On March 15, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) 
organized the fifth annual national seminar on law 
enforcement against sexual abuse, exploitation and 
trafficking of women and children.  The issue of human 
trafficking was the lead seminar topic at the Ministry of 
Justice's April 5 conference on 2005 achievements and 2006 
goals.  Both government-sponsored events highlight the 
strong, high-level commitment and recognition of the need to 
combat trafficking in persons.  End Summary. 
 
Fifth Annual Anti-TIP Conference 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Governors, provincial police commissioners, anti- 
trafficking police from provinces throughout the country, 
representatives of all Ministries concerned, and a number of 
local and international NGOs participated in the MOI's half- 
day seminar, which is the fifth annual seminar since the 
creation of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile 
Protection (AHTJP) Department under the LEASEC project. 
Donors, including the U.S., were also in attendance. 
 
¶3.  In his opening speech, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng 
pledged to continue the effort to improve the safety of 
Cambodian women and children and combat trafficking.  He 
encouraged all the Ministries and NGOs involved in the 
protection of women and children to continue working 
together, and thanked the donors and NGO community for their 
support in the field of prevention and law enforcement of 
crimes against children.  He listed the passage of the 1996 
trafficking law, the creation of the five-year national plan 
of action in 2000, and the MOI's action plan in July 2005 as 
illustrations of the RGC's effort and commitment to fighting 
trafficking crimes. He also recommitted himself to following 
up on the passage of the draft anti-trafficking bill. 
 
¶4.  MOI Secretary of State Prum Sokha provided a 
presentation about the LEASEC project and its achievements 
over the past five years.  The LEASEC project, started in 
2000 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 
World Vision and UNICEF, created the AHTJP Department in 
2002 and hotlines for reporting of cases against women and 
children.  He outlined the MOI plan to expand from seven 
anti-TIP units to 17.  He urged the government to focus on 
three priorities:  no minors in prostitution, protection of 
women against being forced or lured into sexual service 
against will, and stricter law enforcement. 
 
¶5.  The speech delivered on behalf of General Hok Lundy of 
the National Police showcased the influence of the LEASEC 
project on police work.  Statistics between 2001 and 2005 
indicate a sharp increase in the number of cases reported 
and investigated, the number of perpetrators arrested, and 
the number of victims rescued.  Human trafficking cases have 
increased from 28 in 2001 to 123 in 2005.  The police 
maintain that the increase reflects enhanced understanding 
of the trafficking problem through training and awareness 
raising programs, better reporting mechanisms, and good 
cooperation between the public and law enforcement agencies. 
 
¶6.  Un Sokunthea, Director of the AHTJP Department, 
explained that her Department receives information from 
three sources -- local police, NGOs and the hotlines -- and 
the Department in turn provides that information to 
concerned provinces and municipalities for action.  She also 
spoke about anti-TIP training programs for police officers, 
and the Department's education program to teach school 
students about the dangers of trafficking and how to avoid 
becoming a victim. 
 
NGO-Police Cooperation 
---------------------- 
 
¶7.  Keo Thea, Deputy Chief of the Phnom Penh Anti- 
Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Unit, and a 
representative from Action Pour Les Enfant (APLE) reported 
on their cooperation and experience in working to arrest 
foreign pedophiles.  Keo Thea noticed a decrease of crimes 
against children, as evidenced in his unit's arrest of three 
foreign pedophiles in 2005, compared to 11 in 2004.  APLE 
commented on their good cooperation with police, but 
expressed concerns over delays in arresting perpetrators and 
rescuing of victims. 
 
¶8.  A police officer from Banteay Meanchey province 
explained that NGOs and the police should work more closely, 
rather than at odds with one another.  As an example, he 
cited the case of a 15 year-old girl who had been raped by 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000657  002 OF 002 
 
 
an unidentified Thai soldier.  Police engaged the Thai 
authorities and urged civil compensation for the victim, 
hoping that the financial pressure would compel the Thai 
authorities to identify the rapist and take legal action. 
An unidentified NGO disagreed, maintaining that rape was a 
criminal offense that could not be resolved through civil 
compensation.  They protested and took the case directly to 
the Thai authorities.  Given the competing requests, the 
Thai authorities did nothing.  In the end, the victim did 
not get compensation, and the rapist was never identified 
nor arrested. 
 
¶9.  The question and answer session offered an open dialogue 
for the NGOs and involved agencies to voice their opinions 
and problems concerned.  Mam Somaly, President of Agir Pour 
Les Femmes En Situation Prcaire (AFESIP,) praised 
cooperation with police but complained about difficulties of 
working with the courts.  In response, a representative from 
the Appeals Court commented that they need strong evidence 
from the police to charge the perpetrators.  He also 
acknowledged that there are legal loopholes that may allow 
the perpetrators to escape justice. 
 
Ministry of Justice Features TIP 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  The issue of human trafficking was featured strongly at 
the Ministry of Justice's April 5 conference on 2005 
achievements and 2006 goals.  MOJ Secretaries of State 
Kassie Neou and Ith Rady stressed the need to make available 
statistics related to trafficking cases.  Kassie Neou 
encouraged all court presidents and prosecutors to provide 
regular and accurate reports on trafficking court cases.  In 
addition, he told the conference that the MOJ, in 
cooperation with ARCPPT (Asia Regional Cooperation to 
Prevent People Trafficking), plans to distribute computers 
to each province and municipality for recording cases.  The 
MOJ is also in the process of developing a court case 
database, with the help of ARCPPT. 
 
¶11.  The idea of appointing a special judge and prosecutor 
for trafficking cases is now moving forward in the MOJ. 
Kassie Neou requested all court presidents to appoint two 
judges and two prosecutors from each court to attend a 
training course to be provided by ARCPPT.  This course will 
include sensitizing judges and prosecutors on trafficking 
issues and evidence collection.  These judges and 
prosecutors will then be responsible for all trafficking 
cases entering the courts. 
 
¶12.  Judicial officials criticized police for registering 
sex workers, saying prostitution is prohibited by the 
constitution.  Registering them is not acceptable because it 
runs counter to the constitution and would imply that 
prostitution is legal.  They also raised the problem of 
identifying trafficking cases, saying that NGOs often 
confuse trafficking and human smuggling with voluntary 
migration for begging or labor purposes. 
 
¶13.  The newly drafted trafficking bill is still under 
review at the MOJ, and MOJ officials anticipate the National 
Assembly will pass it before the end of 2006.  Reconciling 
the draft bill with the UN Protocol is still the problem, 
but He Saphea, MOJ Secretary of State, said he would review 
the law to make sure that it covers every aspect of the 
crimes included in the UN protocol. 
 
¶14.  Comment.  Cambodia's Ministries of Interior and Justice 
have tough work ahead of them in combating trafficking in 
persons, but officials in both ministries are working the 
issue and giving it a high priority in a country with many 
competing agenda items in the security and justice sectors. 
We also note that the MOI included NGOs as partners in the 
March 15 event.  While cooperation is not perfect, at least 
both sides are talking and trying to smooth out their 
differences.  End Comment. 
 
 
MUSSOMELI