VZCZCXRO9095
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0263/01 1541349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021349Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2611
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000263 
 
DOL FOR DIANTHA GARMS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA: FORCED LABOR AND CHILD LABOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF 
GOODS 
 
REF State 43120 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Reftel requests that post report on forced labor and 
exploitative child labor in the production of goods for a mandatory 
Congressional reporting request - the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act of 2005 (TVPRA). Embassy met with government, 
labor organizations, and NGOs to gather the requested information on 
forced labor and exploitative child labor in Guinea. 
 
¶2. (U) Information from various sources suggests that there are 
incidents of exploitative child labor in diamond and gold mines in 
Guinea. While there was some indication that exploitative child 
labor existed in the production of cocoa and cashews, specific 
details as to the magnitude and frequency were unavailable. As there 
are few organizations working on forced labor and exploitative child 
labor in Guinea, further research and study is essential to obtain 
reliable statistics on all of these products. END SUMMARY 
 
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GOLD MINING 
----------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Embassy sources reported that there was exploitative child 
labor occurring in gold mines in Guinea. Embassy used four sources 
to corroborate this information: 1) a 2003 report by the Ministry of 
Social Affairs Office and UNICEF called "National Survey into Child 
Trafficking in Guinea"; 2) a draft report by UNICEF, the Ministry of 
Social Affairs and the Ministry of Labor on Child Labor in Guinea; 
3) a 2006 study by the Research-Action and Literacy Association 
(AGRAAD) on "Mining Zones in Bonodou and Dandano"; and 4) an 
interview with the Save the Children representative in Guinea. 
 
¶4. (U) Sources indicated that gold mines throughout Guinea exploited 
children under 18 years old, who were used in the mines for 
extracting, transporting and cleaning the mineral. According to two 
sources, children working in the gold mines lived in extreme 
conditions-eating and sleeping together without water and 
electricity. One source reported that the children lived in 
miserable health conditions, causing various illnesses including 
meningitis. Another report explains that the children are not 
allowed contact with their parents, quoting a child from a mine in 
Fossy (near Forecariah), "my parents know I'm in Guinea, but there 
has not been any contact between us since I arrived."  Two reports 
claim children work extremely long hours. One states that two 
children, one from a mine in Foulayah near Kindia and another from 
the mine in Fossy, claim working 10-15 hours every day of the week. 
One source reported working with children that were victims of child 
trafficking. According to that source, the children were trafficked 
from other villages in Guinea to work in the gold mines. 
 
¶5. (U) According to Embassy sources, gold mines in Dandano (Sous 
Prefecture of Kouankan) utilize children to extract, transport, and 
clean the mineral. The source said there were 100-150 people working 
at the gold mine, 45% were children ages ranging from 7-16. The 
study stated that 30% of the children were accompanied by their 
parents, who were also extracting gold in the mine. The other 70% of 
the children were independent workers who received very low salaries 
for the work. According to the report, the independent workers were 
compensated based on the quantity of gold they extracted in the day. 
 The report said that 79% of the children who are responsible for 
cleaning the mineral are girls, who are often forced to prostitute 
themselves to make enough money to survive. 
 
¶6. (U) Embassy sources claimed that 300 children were being 
exploited for child labor in the gold mine in Doko. The report said 
the children were aged 5 to 16 years old, 96% were Guinean children 
and 4% were foreigners. Of the Guinean children, 71% were Malinke, 
7% were Peul, 3% were Soussou, and 3% were Kognaguis. The study also 
said that 83% of the children were from villages near the mine and 
the other 17% were from other areas of Guinea. While the children 
were mostly girls (69%), there was still a significant percentage of 
boys (31%) working in the gold mines. 
 
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DIAMOND MINING 
-------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Source information suggests that there are incidents of 
exploitative child labor occurring in diamond mines throughout 
Guinea. Embassy used two sources to corroborate this information: 1) 
a 2003 report by the Ministry of Social Affairs Office and UNICEF 
called "National Survey into Child Trafficking in Guinea"; and 2) a 
2006 study by the Research-Action and Literacy Association (AGRAAD) 
on "Mining Zones in Bonodou and Dandano." 
 
¶8. (U) Sources indicated that diamond mines throughout Guinea 
exploited children, using them to extract, transport and clean the 
mineral. According to two sources, children working in the diamond 
mines work in extreme and dangerous conditions. The sources claim 
 
CONAKRY 00000263  002 OF 002 
 
 
the children are forced to work long hours without rest until they 
find diamonds. One source said that the diamond mines are highly 
susceptible to landslides and many of the victims are children. 
According to an Embassy source, Bonodou (Sous Prefecture of 
Kouankan) is a new exploitation zone for diamonds and the mine's 
workers are 75% women and children, many of which are reportedly 
also exploited for prostitution. 
 
¶9. (U) Embassy sources did not have information regarding the number 
of children employed in the diamond mines, the gender and ethnic 
backgrounds of the children, or length of time children had been in 
the situation. While there is the potential for certain extreme 
situations, Embassy did not receive any explicit information about 
debts arrangements with employers. 
 
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OTHER GOODS 
----------- 
 
¶10. (U) Reftel also requested that Embassy provide information on 
other goods that have some indication of forced or child labor in 
their production but do not have enough to report on in this 
tasking. There was some general indication from the reports that 
child exploitative labor may be used in the production of cocoa and 
cashews. However, Embassy is not aware of any specific data or cases 
regarding child exploitative labor in producing these two goods. 
Embassy sources confirmed that there is no indication of forced 
labor or exploitative child labor in bauxite mines. Guinea is the 
primary producer of bauxite worldwide. 
 
¶11. (U) Embassy is not aware of any organizations addressing forced 
adult labor in Guinea, and the government could not provide any 
information on the incidence of forced adult labor. There are few 
organizations working on exploitative child labor in Guinea, and 
very little data. Further research and focused studies are necessary 
in order to develop reliable statistics on the production of all of 
the goods mentioned in this cable - diamonds, gold, cashews, and 
cocoa. 
 
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COMBATING FORCED LABOR & EXPLOITATIVE CHILD LABOR 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶12. (U) Embassy is not aware of any government programs aimed to 
combat either forced labor or exploitative child labor. Save the 
Children is conducting programs focused on anti-trafficking and 
child labor throughout Guinea. USAID program officers visited 
Dialakoro and Bambeta (near the Guinean-Malian border) in February 
2008 and reported that Save the Children has been effective in 
improving working condition and working hours for the children 
employed at the gold mines. Save the Children collaborates with 
authorities in Dialakoro to enforce maximum eight-hour shifts for 
children working in the gold mines.  In Bambeta village, Save the 
Children organized members of the community to apply a "curfew" for 
children from their village working in the mines. The community 
members do not allow children to leave for work until 8:00 and all 
children must return to the village by 13:00. 
 
CARTER