VZCZCXRO4678
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #0261 0860741
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260741Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8711
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 6038
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0138

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR MSHIELDS 
G/TIP FOR RYOUSEY 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM SMIG ELAB KFRD MZ
SUBJECT: ARREST OF HUMAN TRAFFICKER RENEWS CALLS TO PASS 
ANTI-TRAFFICKING LAW 
 
REF: 1) 08 Maputo 190 2) 07 Maputo 1293 3) 07 Maputo 1060 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On March 20, Mozambique Television (TVM) ran an 
extensive story on two teenaged Mozambican girls trafficked to South 
Africa and forced into prostitution.  The case is particularly 
significant because it represents the first time that authorities 
have apprehended a suspected trafficker of Mozambican citizens. 
This is the third widely reported case involving trafficking in 
persons since November (see reftels 1, 2), and its timing coincides 
with the National Assembly's anticipated debate on the country's 
first anti-trafficking in persons law during the current legislative 
session (March-May).  In recent months the embassy, in conjunction 
with civil society groups, has effectively lobbied the government on 
the need to pass a law, and the latest slew of cases has only 
strengthened the cause. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) TVM's report revealed that the two girls were recruited in 
January at a beach in Maputo City by a female known only as "Diana," 
and who authorities believe to be a Mozambican citizen. The girls 
were lured by promises to study and work in South Africa, and Diana 
facilitated their travel despite the fact that neither girl 
possessed a passport.  Diana transported the girls to a brothel in a 
luxury condominium on the outskirts of Pretoria.  The girls were 
abused physically and forced to have sex with older men, as many as 
ten times a day. 
 
¶3. (U) After two months' living in such conditions, a Mozambican 
lawyer living in Pretoria rescued the girls.  The lawyer overheard a 
conversation about teenaged Mozambican prostitutes and conducted a 
private investigation, whereby he uncovered part of a powerful, 
well-organized syndicate involving recruiters in Mozambique sending 
a steady flow of young girls to South Africa and forcing them to 
become prostitutes.  According to the TVM report, Diana offered the 
lawyer R2 million (USD 250 thousand) to keep quiet about the case, 
but the lawyer took the case to the South African police, who 
subsequently arrested Diana.  The two Mozambican girls are being 
held in a safe-house in South Africa. 
 
¶4. (U) Within days of the TVM report, the Mozambican government sent 
investigators from the Attorney General's office and the Criminal 
Investigation Police to South Africa to assist South African police 
in the investigation and discuss a possible extradition.  Diana 
likely will be tried in South Africa considering many of the crimes 
occurred there, but Mozambican authorities are interested in trying 
her for kidnapping and falsification of documents, among other 
crimes. 
 
¶5. (SBU) On March 24, several heads of committees in the Mozambican 
National Assembly, including the influential Justice and Human 
Rights Committee, invited two prominent Mozambican NGOs working on 
trafficking issues to discuss the proposed anti-trafficking law. 
One NGO representative told poloff that the recent trafficking cases 
have demonstrated to the legislators without a doubt that 
trafficking in persons is a serious problem in Mozambique.  The 
representative also noted that the head of the Justice and Human 
Rights Committee stated his belief that the law would be approved 
during this legislative session (see reftel 3). 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  This is likely Mozambique's most high-profile 
trafficking in persons case, and TVM's thorough investigative report 
is a first for a country where trafficking in persons was scarcely 
discussed a few years ago.  It is also noteworthy that the National 
Assembly personally invited NGO representatives to discuss the law 
and concluded there is an urgent need to pass the law.  These 
developments demonstrate that USG efforts are beginning to pay 
dividends.  We have been an active player in raising awareness by 
leading a bimonthly forum for civil society, government, and the 
diplomatic corps to discuss trafficking issues.  In addition, we 
helped move the law forward by providing technical assistance in 
drafting the law, lobbying the Minister of Justice to present the 
draft to the Council of Ministers, and, in conjunction with civil 
society, lobbying the head of the Justice and Human Rights Committee 
and the head of the National Assembly to schedule the law on the 
current legislative calendar.  While there are no guarantees, these 
actions along with the widespread reporting of trafficking-related 
cases make it increasingly likely that the National Assembly will 
debate and pass the anti-trafficking law during the current 
legislative session, making Mozambique the first country in SADC to 
have a comprehensive anti-trafficking law. END COMMENT 
 
AMANI