VZCZCXRO8873
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0252/01 0461352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151352Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9637
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0028
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0060
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1250
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/AAA BUHLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KWMN SNAR IOM TI
SUBJECT: VISIT TO DUSHANBE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS SHELTER 
 
 
DUSHANBE 00000252  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On February 14, 2007, International Narcotics 
and Law Enforcement Officer visited the INL-funded and 
International Organization for Migration (IOM)-administered 
Trafficking in Persons Shelter located in Dushanbe.  This was an 
unannounced visit following up a previous visit on 18 January by 
foreign service national staff.  The shelter Director and 
employees provided free access to the facility. The shelter was 
well-equipped with ample food, medicine and supplies, and the 
staff appeared competent and professional.  END SUMMARY 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Officer met 
with the new Trafficking in Persons shelter director Muhabbat 
Pirnazarova who apparently also serves as the International 
Organization for Migration program manager for the Trafficking 
in Persons program.  EmbOff advised Pirnazarova that the Embassy 
expects the shelter to develop into a fully independent, 
self-sustaining organization, and that International 
Organization for Migration personnel should not run the shelter 
directly.  EmbOff followed up with International Organization 
for Migration country director regarding this management issue, 
and he agreed that Pirnazarova must be assigned as a full time 
employee of the shelter. The previous director, Ibodad Mirzoeva, 
was fired by International Organization for Migration in 
November 2006 following a series of cross-accusations between 
her and International Organization for Migration staff.  During 
this visit two shelter staff explained that Mirzoeva was using 
the office and equipment for her personal business interests and 
had cut a deal with a cotton manufacturer to supply women from 
the shelter as laborers.  (NOTE: Neither International 
Organization for Migration nor the Embassy have evidence that 
this was actually the case. END NOTE) 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) At the time of the visit, there were three women in the 
shelter, all between the ages of 24 and 30.  One of the women 
was in a sewing class with a local teacher hired by the 
facility. The Director stated she was looking for a reputable 
massage therapist to provide instruction to one of the girls who 
is interested in getting a license in massage therapy.  She also 
reported that a chemistry and biology teacher is currently 
conducting a tutorial fro two women who are hoping to take the 
entrance exam for Dushanbe Medical College for Nursing.  During 
a brief discussion with these women, they reported that they 
were comfortable and relieved to be back in Tajikistan after 
being repatriated from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. One of them 
mentioned that she missed her family who live in Kulob, but was 
afraid to contact them.  The Director stated that she is 
encouraging the woman to call her family and has offered to act 
as go-between if needed. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) Other staff at the Shelter at the time of the visit 
included a female physician and female psychiatrist.  Both 
reported that the victims were in relatively good health (slight 
malnutrition). The psychiatrist noted that most of the victims 
who have passed through the shelter over the last few months had 
clearly experienced serious trauma, but that their short stays 
at the shelter did not provide enough time to address their 
emotional issues.  The director stated that a night nurse is 
present at the shelter Monday through Friday and that another 
had been hired to work nights on Saturday and Sunday. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) Upon inspection, the facility appeared clean and orderly. 
The library had several shelves of used books including 
instruction manuals, Persian literature, math and science books 
and romance novels.   The medical unit was well stocked with 
medicine and first aid supplies. The kitchen, where victims cook 
their own meals, was stocked with staples and sundries including 
bread, milk, vegetables and chicken in the refrigerator.  The 
Director noted that a former guest of the shelter had taken 
advantage of the industrial-sized oven to learn to bake as a 
possible way to make money. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) Considering that this was an unannounced visit, Embassy 
is impressed that the shelter was clean, organized, fully 
staffed and equipped, and was supporting multiple victims who 
noted that they feel safe at the shelter.  The Department's 
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement funded 
this project almost a year ago and the shelter officially opened 
in April 2006.  Since then, it has supported over 50 trafficked 
persons who were repatriated as a result of the Government of 
 
DUSHANBE 00000252  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Tajikistan and International Organization for Migration efforts 
with destination countries such as the United Arab Emirates. 
INL has funding to support the shelter for another year using 
FY-2007 funds.  The U.S. Agency for International Development is 
supporting a similar shelter for minors in Khujand.  That 
funding for the Khujand shelter will run out in March 2008. 
HUSHEK