VZCZCXYZ2788
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLU #0176/01 0631406
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031406Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4628
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS LUANDA 000176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S, G/TIP, G, INL, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM ASEC SMIG ELAB KCRM KWMN KFRD
AO 
SUBJECT: ANGOLA: 2008 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 02731 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Although no detailed, concrete information and 
statistics on trafficking in Angola exists, government officials 
openly acknowledge that trafficking does occur.  The extent of the 
problem is believed to be limited, and there is no evidence of 
organized trafficking activity.  Despite limited capacity, the GRA 
continues efforts to prevent trafficking and protect victims of 
trafficking.  The GRA recognizes the importance of the issue and the 
need to strengthen their legal and support frameworks; for this 
reason the Ministry of the Interior was designated as the lead 
agency for the development and implementation of an anti-trafficking 
strategy, the first time a single ministry has been so tasked.  The 
GRA also increased its engagement with IOM and SADC countries on 
anti-trafficking issues during the reporting period.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) This paragraph contains responses to questions listed 
reftel.  The point of contact on trafficking in persons at Embassy 
Luanda is PolOff Doreen Bailey, phone +244-222-642-083, fax 
+244-222-641-230.  Embassy Luanda estimates that U.S. direct-hires 
spent 30 hours and locally employed staff spent 20 hours in the 
preparation of this report. 
 
Overview 
-------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) A. Angola is a country of origin for trafficking, namely of 
women and children for use as domestic servants or young men for 
unskilled or agricultural labor.  The number of persons trafficked 
outside the country's borders are unknown, but believed to be small. 
 The government and NGOs believe that South Africa, the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (DRC), Namibia, and Europe, primarily 
Portugal, are the primary destination points for most individuals 
trafficked from Angola.  International organizations report hearing 
conflicting anecdotal reports that children were also trafficked 
into the country to work in diamond mines, but were not able to 
confirm or deny the reports.  Internal trafficking also occurs, 
primarily for agricultural labor or prostitution.  Children were 
used as couriers in cross-border trade between Namibia and Angola in 
an attempt to skirt import fees, and Angolan government officials 
informed the Embassy that this problem was on the rise as more 
border posts open with neighboring countries.  There are also 
reports that economically vulnerable children and adults, primarily 
women, were at risk for entering into work agreements with relatives 
or contacts in other cities or provinces that later proved to be 
abusive and restrictive.  Reliable information on trafficking in 
persons was extremely limited and recognized as a weakness by all 
stakeholders, including Angolan government (GRA) agencies.  The 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United 
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are the primary sources of 
information outside the GRA. 
 
--B. The GRA confirmed that trafficking, to include child 
prostitution, did occur, driven largely by economic need. 
Government and non-governmental organization (NGO) officials assert 
that these activities were not organized and reflect the high level 
of poverty.  The government's capacity to track and report on these 
cases is, however, extremely limited, and reports of internal and 
external trafficking and child prostitution were not quantifiable. 
Populations targeted by traffickers were believed to most often be 
economically vulnerable women and children. 
 
--C. Over the reporting period the Ministry of the Interior was 
tasked with leadership of the government's overall anti-trafficking 
efforts.  In July the government also created the National 
Children's Council, an inter-ministerial commission designed to 
define priorities and coordinate the government's policies to combat 
all forms of violence against children, including unlawful child 
labor, trafficking, and sexual exploitation.  A number of government 
ministries, including the Ministry of Social Assistance and 
Reintegration (MINARS), through INAC, its lead agency on children's 
issues, and the Ministries of Justice; Health; Education; Youth and 
Sports; Family and the Promotion of Women; Interior; Labor, Public 
Administration, and Social Security, and Tourism are part of the 
government's anti-trafficking efforts.  The Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs is the lead agency for regional and international 
coordination and treaties.  Agencies under the Ministry of the 
Interior, namely the National Police, Border Police, and Immigration 
Services (SME) also play a significant role in anti-trafficking 
efforts.  Political will to address trafficking in persons remains 
at the level of "concerned vigilance," and efforts to improve 
coordination of government and NGO activities in order to better 
understand the scope of the problem and promote effective use of 
limited resources increased over the reporting period.  Angolan 
authorities and the international community addressed trafficking by 
working to eliminate economic insecurities, strengthen monitoring of 
borders and entry points, and provide assistance to at-risk 
populations. 
 
--D. Women and children's issues received constant, high-level 
attention during the reporting period, but effective response was 
inhibited by limited government capacity and the lack of data about 
the problem.  There has been no comprehensive national study of the 
problem or a tracking system for cases of suspected trafficking, and 
the government has little to no capacity to collect and analyze such 
data.  The International Monetary Fund states that "Angola's 
statistical system is very weak."  GRA continued to commit staff and 
financial resources to study and prevent trafficking, but this is 
one of many critical government priorities.  The National Institute 
for the Child (INAC) established provincial teams to conduct spot 
checks on suspected trafficking routes, but INAC officials informed 
the Embassy that some teams have only one vehicle per province.  The 
National Police continue professional development training, but 
often are still unable to properly document and investigate crimes. 
The opening of new border posts between Namibia and the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo has increased cross-border commercial activity 
and stretched Angolan immigration officials to the limit.  Angolan 
Immigration Services (SME) officials reported that at times their 
officers do not have enough fuel to patrol the vast and sparsely 
populated border regions. 
 
--E. The government has increased its partnership with IOM and 
UNICEF on anti-trafficking issues in its efforts to better 
understand the issue of trafficking in persons and create a focused 
national strategy.  There is no systematic monitoring of the GRA 
anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) A. Angola does not have a law that specifically prohibits 
trafficking in persons.  Constitutional and statutory laws 
criminalizing forced or bonded labor, prostitution, pornography, 
rape, kidnapping, and illegal entry are used to prosecute 
trafficking cases. Articles 390-395 of the Angolan Penal Code cover 
such related cases. 
 
--B. N/A, since no specific law exists.  Penalties are limited to 
those applicable under Penal Code Articles 390-395, which are all 
two to eight years sentences. 
 
--C. Forced or bonded labor offences are codified under the labor 
law of Angola and sentences range from two to eight years, with 
fines and compensations for the victims. 
 
--D. The penalties for crimes related to trafficking vary, depending 
under which of the above mentioned charges the accused is prosecuted 
under.  The minimum sentence for rape is seven years; some related 
offenses call for life sentences. 
 
--E.  Prostitution and all activities related to prostitution are 
illegal.  These laws are intermittently enforced, as culturally such 
activities are seen as a social ill, rather than a criminal 
offence. 
 
--F. There was one widely-reported arrest of a suspected trafficker, 
a man stopped at a border post between Angola and the DRC while 
transporting two children across the border without parental 
authorization.  The man was charged with illegal transport of 
children across national boundaries; the case was still pending at 
the end of the reporting period.  In general, the criminal code does 
not separate cases of trafficking from other criminal investigations 
of forced or bonded labor, prostitution, pornography, rape, 
kidnapping, and illegal entry into the country.  Statistics on 
criminal convictions are not publicly available. 
 
--G. The government strengthened its partnership with IOM and 
continued its work with UNICEF 
 
--H. The government increased its involvement in SADC-level 
anti-trafficking conferences over the reporting period, and in July 
hosted the Third African Association of State Attorney Generals to 
discuss the fight against domestic violence, human and child 
trafficking.  There are now known cases in which the GRA has been 
asked to cooperate with other governments in the investigation and 
prosecution of trafficking cases, and technical capabilities for 
such investigations remain poor.  Angolan law does not prohibit the 
police from engaging in covert operations with proper legal 
authority. 
 
--I. The GRA can extradite foreign nationals who are charged with 
trafficking in other countries, but there were no reports of this 
occurring.  The government does not extradite its own nationals 
charged with such offenses; the Angolan Constitution forbids the 
extradition of nationals under any circumstance.  Under a clause in 
the African Union charter, the GRA extradited a Nigerian national 
accused of a non-trafficking related offence during the reporting 
period. 
 
 
--J. There is no evidence of overt government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking.  Anecdotal reports on trafficking in 
Angola point to freelance operators.  Long-haul truck drivers along 
the southern border have been identified as offenders.  Local NGOs 
point to them as using children to carry goods across the 
Angola-Namibian border in order to escape import duties.  An 
Angola-Namibian treaty allows for the purchase and transportation of 
goods across borders without the payment of excise duties as long as 
the goods are carried across.  Government officials are not believed 
to be knowingly involved. 
 
--K. No government officials were investigated or prosecuted for 
involvement in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption during 
the reporting period. 
 
--L. N/A, as Angolan troops were not involved in international 
peacekeeping operations during the reporting period. 
 
--M. There are no reports of child sex tourism in Angola; however, 
the Ministry of Tourism has joined the National Commission to Combat 
Child Labor and Trafficking in Minors as a preventive measure. 
Having sex with a minor of fifteen years or below is considered 
statuary rape and prosecuted as such. 
 
Protection and Assistance to Victims 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. A. There are no known cases of foreign trafficking victims, and 
the government's capacity to cope with foreign victims of 
trafficking is extremely limited. 
 
--B. The GRA provides basic assistance for trafficking victims on an 
as needed basis, but rely heavily on partnerships with religious 
organizations and civil society for the delivery of social 
assistance.  INAC and UNICEF continued to develop Child Protection 
Networks (CPN) comprised of government agencies, civil society, and 
religious groups in all 18 provinces.  The CPNs serve as an "SOS 
Center" for trafficking victims, through which victims between the 
ages of 9 and 16 can access rescue services, health/social 
assistance, legal assistance, and family reunification.  INAC 
informed the Embassy that the CPN in Huila province was able to 
detect and prevent several instances of trafficking and exploitive 
child labor over the reporting period, but INAC has not kept 
information or statistics about these cases.  Victims over the age 
of 16 are referred to shelters and services provided by the Angolan 
Association for Women (OMA), an NGO sponsored by the Ministry of 
Family and the Promotion of Women.  No statistics are available from 
the CPNs or OMA.  The Catholic Church also provides training and 
shelter to victims in various provinces. 
 
--C. Numerous non-governmental organizations help populations 
vulnerable to trafficking.  These organizations receive funding and 
in-kind services from and coordinate with governmental 
organizations.  Most also have funding from outside the government. 
 
--D. The government's law enforcement, immigration and social 
services personnel do not a formal system of proactively identifying 
victims of trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they come 
in contact, nor did they have the capacity to do so over the 
reporting period.  However, due in part to the GRA's awareness 
campaigns and training provided by IOM, awareness of trafficking is 
growing among law enforcement and social services personnel.  Once 
identified, victims are generally referred to OMA or to the CPNs for 
assistance; The Ministry of Women and Family Affairs and MINARS also 
operate a limited number of shelters that can be used in these 
situations.  . 
 
--E. N/A 
 
--F. Victims' rights are generally respected. 
 
--G. Victims can take such judicial action under applicable laws. 
There are no reports of victims being denied legal redress.  There 
is no formal victim restitution program. 
 
--H. Protection provided in cases of trafficking are the same as 
other legal cases of abuse.  The government does not currently 
operate or fund shelters specifically for trafficking victims; 
shelters exist for victims of domestic violence in general. 
 
--I. The Ministry of the Interior coordinated with IOM to provide 
anti-trafficking training to police, immigration agents, criminal 
investigative agents, and representatives from INAC and the 
Ministries of Social Assistance and Reintegration, Justice, and 
Foreign Affairs during the reporting period. 
 
--J. This type of assistance would fall under existing MINARS 
programs to provide temporary assistance through the family 
 
reunification process. 
 
--K. There are no international organizations or NGOs that work 
directly with trafficking victims. 
 
Prevention 
---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) A. The GRA recognizes that trafficking occurs and is 
willing to discuss trafficking issues openly and transparently.  It 
participated in multiple national and international conferences and 
news interviews on the subject throughout the year. 
 
--B. The GRA conducted a public awareness campaign in June for 
Children's Month, designed to raise awareness that all forms of 
violence against children, to include trafficking, are criminal 
acts.  The campaign included pamphlets on children's rights, 
banners, newspaper articles, and radio and television spots. 
Government statements against child prostitution and abuse of 
children's rights appear frequently in national media; TIP awareness 
was a part of this wider campaign.  Domestic violence in general, 
and violence against women in particular, was widely discussed 
during the reporting period. 
 
--C. The government worked closely with civil society and religious 
groups in its anti-trafficking efforts.  INAC's CPNs brought 
together government and civil society at the municipal and 
provincial level to coordinate social policy, assistance, and 
protection for the rights of children.  In some provinces, the 
networks also served as an advisory body to the Provincial Governor 
on children's issues, which is notable in a country with a history 
of limited partnership between government and civil society. 
 
International Organizations (IO) also continued to play an important 
role in the development of anti-trafficking efforts and discussion, 
and they maintained close ties with the government on this issue. 
UNICEF worked closely with INAC on both the CPN the development of a 
victims assistance strategy.  UNICEF also partners with SME to 
provide training for border control agents.  The Ministry of the 
Interior increased its use of IOM anti-trafficking training for 
police officers and immigration officials over the reporting period. 
 
 
--D.  The GRA works to monitor its borders, but has publicly 
announced that it lacks resources to do so effectively.  Efforts by 
UNICEF and the SME to strengthen immigration controls at border 
posts continued, and the law requires documentation for the 
international travel of children.  Border control posts have a 
computerized tracking system to monitor the movement of children in 
and out of the country, which allows the SME to monitor immigration 
trends and scan for irregularities. 
 
--E. See para 3, section C. 
 
--F. The GRA continues to work on an anti-trafficking National 
Action Plan, as well as re-drafting its penal code to include 
criminalization of trafficking. 
 
--G. As part of it HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, the GRA has stressed 
the importance of monogamous relationships. 
 
FERNANDEZ