VZCZCXRO9458
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0435 1050852
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140852Z APR 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7624
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4591
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0040

UNCLAS HANOI 000435 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/AWH, PRM/PIM, AND G/TIP 
BANGKOK FOR REFCOORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TIP ELAB KWMN KCRM SMIG PREL VM
 
SUBJECT: ENGAGING VIETNAM ON TIP 
 
REFS:  A) HANOI 0309; B) HANOI 356; C) HANOI 400 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A recent high-profile labor dispute involving 
Vietnamese workers in Jordan threatens to distract attention from 
the steady and increasing progress Vietnam continues to make on its 
anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts.  Despite the significant 
efforts the GVN has made particularly within the last year, much 
remains to be done and the GVN is receptive to our ongoing 
cooperation on anti-TIP efforts.  Downgrading Vietnam's TIP status, 
however, would endanger that cooperation and jeopardize the USG's 
ability to make further progress on this issue.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Much attention has been focused on a recent case involving 
Vietnamese workers in Jordan (reftels).  Mission Vietnam shares the 
assessment of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
that this case was a labor dispute rather than an incident involving 
forced labor.  We note that the source of most, if not all, the 
assertions critical of the GVN in this case was one organization 
which reportedly paid one of the protest organizers in Jordan two 
thousand dollars to lead the strike.  Reftels have addressed most of 
those assertions, while some details remain in dispute.  What is not 
disputed is that the GVN, which does not have an embassy in Jordan, 
responded to the crisis by sending an interministerial team that 
helped repatriate all the workers who wanted to leave Jordan.  The 
GVN has repeatedly asserted that the workers who have returned have 
faced no punishment or penalties from the government and we have 
seen no credible information to the contrary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Jordan case has drawn attention away from Vietnam's 
ongoing efforts in prosecution, protection, and assistance to 
victims, including protection of labor trafficking victims.  Within 
the last year, the GVN issued Directive 16 to draft new legislation 
on a comprehensive new anti-TIP law and broadened the definition of 
trafficking to include men, not just women and children.  It issued 
Decision 17 on repatriating, reintegrating, and providing assistance 
to sex trafficking victims returning from abroad.  A national Center 
for Women's Development was opened in Hanoi that provides shelter, 
counseling, financial and vocational support to sex trafficking 
victims.  New victim assistance and assessment centers were 
established. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, international 
NGOs are working together with at-risk women and children, educators 
and provincial officials to promote safe migration and raise 
awareness of trafficking schemes.  IOM continues to work with the 
GVN on PRM-funded anti-TIP projects. 
 
¶5. (SBU) On the law enforcement side, Vietnamese courts convicted 
more than 300 individuals in TIP cases in 2007, an increase over the 
previous year.  The Ministry of Public Security established a 
special unit to combat child sex abusers.  And Vietnam just signed 
an anti-TIP MOU with Thailand that establishes specific assistance 
measures by the two countries for repatriating TIP victims and 
helping them reintegrate into the community (septel). 
 
¶6. (SBU) These measures constitute concrete steps by Vietnam to 
increase its anti-TIP efforts within the last year.  Indeed, as a 
developing country with limited resources, Vietnam is clearly making 
a significant effort.  This does not indicate, however, that further 
action is not needed.  For example, Vietnam has not yet ratified the 
2000 UN TIP Protocol. And with its growing focus on sending 
increasing numbers of laborers overseas, the GVN must not neglect 
the need to protect workers from forced labor and TIP. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Anti-TIP cooperation is an area where Mission Vietnam has 
had great success with limited resources. For example, USAID has 
funded TIP prevention activities such as scholarships for at-risk 
girls and awareness raising activities in coordination with schools 
and the Vietnamese Women's Union as well as limited reintegration 
assistance (counseling and vocational training) for returning TIP 
victims.  Our assistance is welcomed by our GVN interlocutors and we 
have the potential to do more.  Failure to recognize the concrete 
improvements the GVN has made, however, would jeopardize the USG's 
ability to continue engaging the GVN effectively and to maintain 
momentum on anti-TIP efforts in Vietnam. 
¶8. (U) This cable was coordinated with ConGen Ho Chi Minh City. 
MICHALAK