VZCZCXRO8294
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0246/01 1031052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131052Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0608
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 PHNOM PENH 000246 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, G/TIP, AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KTIP KWMN EAID TH VN CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA BORDER CROSSING VISITS HIGHLIGHT TIP 
CHALLENGES, STRATEGIES 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Cambodian National Police officials from 
the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department 
(AHTJP) recently joined Emboffs at the Poipet border crossing 
area of Banteay Meanchey province to highlight the 
Cambodia-Thailand cross-border trafficking in persons (TIP) 
situation.  During the visit, police discussed TIP trends, 
challenges, and strategies to combat TIP.  AHTJP officials 
confirmed the recent removal of two border police officials 
for corruption.  During a separate cross-border TIP-focused 
trip to the Cambodia-Vietnam border province of Svay Rieng, 
Emboffs learned that while TIP from Cambodia into Vietnam 
does not occur at the main Bavet border checkpoint, there 
appear to be significant numbers of adults and children who 
cross into Vietnam to beg through smaller border gates and 
through areas where there are no official border crossing 
points; some of those crossing the border are trafficked 
and/or are led by recruiters.  Svay Rieng is recognized for 
having a model anti-TIP provincial working group under the 
National Task Force structure; however, the province has not 
seen a reported TIP arrest since 2003.  A province-level 
MOSAVY office and police coordinated with Vietnamese 
authorities to repatriate 753 Cambodians from Vietnam in 
2008, 182 of whom were identified by the MOSAVY office as TIP 
victims.  End Summary. 
 
Embassy and Police Joint Visit to Poipet Border Crossing 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The national-level Anti-Human Trafficking and 
Juvenile Protection Department (AHTJP) accompanied Emboffs on 
March 16 and 17 to the Cambodia border town of Poipet, the 
busiest border-crossing point from Cambodia into Thailand, to 
engage in dialogue on cross-border trafficking issues with 
local police and immigration officials.  The AHTJP assembled 
approximately 10 officials from the Banteay Meanchey province 
police department, Banteay Meanchey province anti-TIP unit, 
and the O'Chrov district (where Poipet is located) police 
department to discuss strategies to combat TIP; the AHTJP 
also took the initiative to include NGO International Justice 
Mission (IJM) in the Poipet meetings, as a respected partner 
in Cambodia anti-TIP law enforcement activities. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During the meeting, a Banteay Meanchey province 
deputy police commissioner reported that in January 2009, 
32,249 illegal migrants were returned by Thai authorities to 
Cambodia, 1,673 of whom were children, 21,702 male, and 
10,547 female.  He did not identify how many of these illegal 
migrants were TIP victims, but stated that trafficking 
victims who cross the border into Thailand come from a wide 
variety of Cambodian provinces in search of income-generating 
opportunities (distant provinces such as Prey Veng and 
Kampong Cham, and closer areas such as Battambang, Kampong 
Thom, and Siem Reap).  He said one person from Prey Veng 
province had sold the family cows to pay for the journey to 
cross the border.  He stated that information dissemination 
activities in communities near the border have had little 
effect because migrants come to the area from other parts of 
the country and stay for a short time before entering 
Thailand.  He stated that many are targeted by recruiters who 
persuade victims they can find work for a decent wage in 
Thailand, but end up being sold to exploitative employers. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Banteay Meanchey province deputy police 
commissioner told the group that most TIP cases come to the 
Banteay Meanchey police through complaints of family members 
of those who have been trafficked.  However, the police lack 
the expertise and resources to investigate alleged 
recruiters.  AHTJP Deputy Director Pak Youleang recommended 
that the Banteay Meanchey and O'Chrov police work more 
closely with TIP victims to identify recruiters and to elicit 
testimony that can be used as evidence during investigations 
and prosecutions.  Pak Youleang also requested that local 
police report TIP cases to the Banteay Meanchey anti-TIP unit 
for investigation support, and to work together with NGOs 
which could have further expertise to provide services to the 
victim, and to encourage victims to provide testimony to 
identify traffickers. 
 
Banteay Meanchey Police Working Group 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Banteay Meanchey provincial police, provincial 
anti-TIP unit police, and district police agreed to Pak 
Youleang's idea to form a temporary police investigation 
working group to include two officers from each unit that 
would collaborate with immigration police to interview 
laborers leaving Cambodia as well as individuals who are 
returned to Cambodia from Thailand to obtain information 
about recruiters.  He stated the group's first goal will be 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000246  002 OF 005 
 
 
to arrest three or four recruiters to start putting the 
message out that TIP will not be tolerated.  He stated that 
the collaboration between the members of the police working 
group may also have the effect of building up the 
capabilities of non-anti-TIP unit agents who might not be as 
familiar with anti-TIP law enforcement techniques. 
 
Need for More Collaboration with Immigration and 
Border Officials 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During a separate meeting with AHTJP, Banteay 
Meanchey anti-TIP, and Banteay Meanchey immigration police 
officials, a Banteay Meanchey immigration police deputy chief 
agreed to cooperate with a provincial-level police working 
group to identify and investigate cross-border TIP cases, and 
to ensure victims are referred to appropriate victim service 
providers such as NGOs and the Ministry of Social Affairs, 
Veterans, and Youth (MOSAVY)-operated Poipet Transit Center 
(PTC).  Banteay Meanchey anti-TIP unit director Oum Sath told 
Emboffs that a lack of willingness to cooperate on the part 
of military border protection units has been a hurdle to 
targeting cross-border TIP cases.  Oum Sath stated that 
border protection officials at the international border 
crossing in Poipet are cooperative, but not officials at the 
other, smaller border crossings in the province, where 
anti-TIP police have the impression that they cannot go into 
some of the border zones because it is perceived that they 
are interfering in the work of the border protection units. 
He added that in cases where local border units or police do 
provide information on trafficking cases, the information is 
usually at least several days old, proving too late to 
conduct a raid or disrupt an operation. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Oum Sath identified border protection units 911, 
891, and 895 as units whose cooperation would be critical in 
the effort to eliminate TIP, and requested USG, AHTJP, and 
NGO assistance in suggesting that the Banteay Meanchey 
anti-TIP unit set up satellite offices at two of the main 
border crossing points outside of Poipet called Beung Tkuon 
and Malai where the police could work together with local 
units and NGOs to disseminate anti-TIP information, and 
research, identify, investigate and arrest recruiters. 
(Note:  If 1207 funds are approved for Cambodia, post will 
assess the feasibility of funding for the Cambodia-Thailand 
border protection unit in order to further cooperation with 
anti-TIP police.  End Note.) 
 
Removal of Two Poipet Immigration Officials 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) During the Poipet visit, Banteay Meanchey anti-TIP 
unit director Oum Sath confirmed earlier news from AHTJP 
Director Bith Kimhong that in December 2008 and January 2009 
the chief of the O'Chrov district police unit and one 
immigration official who worked at the Poipet border crossing 
were removed from their positions for "not paying attention 
to" possible TIP cases, and for taking bribes from persons 
crossing the border.  Bith Kimhong reported in early March 
that one of the officers had received complaints from persons 
who were reportedly returned to Cambodia after having been 
trafficked to Thailand, but the officer did not submit the 
complaints to the court in accordance with standard police 
procedure to prosecute cases. 
 
Banteay Meanchey Anti-TIP Unit Willingness High, 
Capability Low 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) IJM Investigator Ron Dunne reported to Poloff that 
IJM has been working with Banteay Meanchey Anti-TIP Unit 
Director Oum Sath for a number of years, and considered him 
one of the better-trained, and more committed and motivated 
police officers conducting anti-TIP work.  Dunne stated that 
while the AHTJP police invited IJM to Poipet to participate 
in meetings together with emboffs and police, he was using 
this as an opportunity to investigate tip-offs IJM received 
from Oum Sath regarding no fewer than 50 brothels that Oum 
Sath suspected might be providing underage victims to 
clients.  IJM Country Director stated that when he asked Oum 
Sath why he had not yet conducted operations against the 
brothels, Oum Sath said that the Banteay Meanchey Anti-TIP 
Unit was waiting for the expertise of IJM to assist in 
investigating the tip-offs. 
 
Poipet Transit Center 
--------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) While in Poipet, Emboffs visited the O'Chrov 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000246  003 OF 005 
 
 
district office of the MOSAVY Poipet Transition Center (PTC), 
a temporary shelter for unaccompanied children who are 
returned to Cambodia from Thailand.  The shelter was 
established in 2000 with the assistance of the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM), and IOM played an advisory 
role in the PTC until 2008 when IOM handed complete 
operations over to MOSAVY.  The PTC works to locate the 
families of TIP victims, reintegrate victims into their 
families and communities, refer some victims to NGOs for 
extended care, and monitor and follow-up with reintegration 
cases.  The facility was clean, had separate rooms for male 
and female children, and the director seemed knowledgeable 
about victim care.  Victims are referred to the PTC by 
immigration police who screen Cambodian returnees from 
Thailand to determine age and whether returnees are TIP 
victims.  In 2008, the PTC provided shelter to 101 victims, 
and the PTC director stated that the center can house about 
10 children at a time.  The PTC director stated that 22 
children were reintegrated into their families in 2008, and 
the remainder were referred to NGO partners for long-term 
services and care.  ThePTC refers victims to:  Krousar 
Thmey, Don Bosco, Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC), 
Damneuk Teuk, Komah Rikreay, Mitapiep Komar, Komar Nay Prohm 
Daen, AFESIP, Nearey Thmey, HAGAR, and Mith Samlanh. 
 
Svay Rieng Province as a Source of Child Beggars in Vietnam 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) During a separate March 13 visit to the 
Cambodia-Vietnam border province of Svay Rieng, one NGO, the 
Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights 
(CCPCR), estimated that 10 children cross into Vietnam 
illegally every day to beg, sell lottery tickets, or sell 
flowers.  Police and NGO representatives stated that they 
believe most illegal migration into Vietnam for begging takes 
place through the smaller border checkpoints along the 
Cambodia-Vietnam border, and through areas where there are no 
official border crossing gates.  Many people who cross at 
border points illegally wait until dark or until border 
officials are on lunch breaks to cross when officials are 
less likely to see them or to pay attention.  It is believed 
that little illegal migration for begging takes place across 
the main border gate at Bavet, where immigration police 
estimated that 900 to 1,800 persons crossed to and from 
Vietnam every day. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The Cambodian NGO Watnakpheap conducts prevention 
activities such as income-generation activities, and outreach 
to local communities where persons are at risk of being 
trafficked into Vietnam.  The NGO's director told Poloff that 
many children cross the border together with a relative, such 
as older siblings or parents, some children cross the border 
on their own, and others cross with the help of recruiters. 
He stated that in most cases when children are led by 
recruiters to beg in Vietnam, parents are complicit in the 
process. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) The Watnakpheap director confirmed statements of 
local MOSAVY and NGO contacts that parents who fall on hard 
financial times or who fall into serious debt due to, for 
example, a family member falling ill and requiring medical 
care, or other family emergency, will frequently solicit a 
recruiter in their community to loan them money in exchange 
for their child going to Vietnam to beg with the recruiter's 
begging ring connections.  Recruiters are generally well 
known to other community members, and are financially better 
off than their neighbors.  During a drive through parts of 
Chantrea district of Svay Rieng, one interlocutor was able to 
point out five or six houses of recruiters in one community. 
Their houses were generally made of painted wood planks 
raised off of the ground by stilts (to protect from 
flooding), in contrast to most other villagers' houses made 
of unpainted mud or tree branches and built at ground level. 
 
Svay Rieng Police Acknowledge Lack of Ability 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) The Svay Rieng province anti-TIP police unit 
appeared to be less active and less capable than its 
counterparts in Banteay Meanchey province along the 
Cambodia-Thailand border.  The Svay Rieng unit was housed in 
a small, unpainted, nearly empty outbuilding at the edge of 
the police station property behind a row of hedges and other 
buildings.  One police official requested USG assistance for 
further training on investigating recruiters.  He stated that 
UNICEF had provided funding to build a separate room in the 
unit's office where police can privately interview child 
victims and videotape their testimony.  The police reported 
that they last arrested a husband and wife pair of recruiters 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000246  004 OF 005 
 
 
in 2003; however, the wife was actually allowed to "escape" 
arrest because the couple had children and there would be no 
one to take care of their children if both parents were 
arrested.  The husband was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to 
20 years in prison. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Svay Rieng province anti-TIP police reported that 
if they take serious action against child begging 
perpetrators in source communities, there will be many 
children left behind whose parents have been arrested and who 
have no one to take care of them.  They also stated that they 
have recently been investigating 14 TIP cases but that the 
victims in these cases have not cooperated with police; the 
Svay Rieng anti-TIP police director stated that he believes 
that many of the victims are unwilling to report who 
trafficked them because it is a parent or someone else close 
to the victims and who the victims do not want to 
incriminate.  (Note:  While the Svay Rieng anti-TIP unit did 
seem to be inadequately trained and equipped to carry out TIP 
investigations, Emboffs welcomed their openness regarding the 
unit's shortcomings and about TIP crimes in Svay Rieng 
communities.  End Note.) 
 
Recent IOM Statistics and Outstanding IOM Work 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶16.  (SBU) IOM recently made available to Emboffs statistics 
from their work in Svay Rieng province on the return and 
reintegration of trafficked and other vulnerable women and 
children from Vietnam.  The goal of IOM's programming in the 
province is to increase return and reintegration 
interventions to reduce, and eventually eliminate, 
trafficking and irregular migration activities that put 
people at risk of trafficking from Cambodia to Vietnam.  Of 
the more than 1,000 Cambodians whom IOM assisted in returning 
from Vietnam, nearly all were originally from Kampong Ro and 
Chantrea districts of Svay Rieng; 67 percent were children 
and 33 percent were adults; 94 percent reported that they 
went to Vietnam voluntarily, four percent said they were 
"rented" to recruiters, and two percent said they were forced 
to go.  Among trafficking victims interviewed, facilitators 
of migration to Vietnam for begging were reported to be: 
relatives (more than 60 cases), self (more than 50 cases), 
siblings (more than 50 cases), neighbors (more than 30 
cases), and parents (nearly 20 cases). 
 
¶17.  (SBU) IOM Cambodia appears to have done outstanding work 
in coordinating and educating Svay Rieng province government 
officials and NGOs regarding how best to return and 
reintegrate Cambodian migrants from Vietnam, and prevent 
Cambodians from departing to Vietnam in the first place. 
IOM's work has been funded by PRM since October 2006; project 
funding from PRM came to an end in December 2008.  IOM works 
with local MOSAVY and Ministry of Women's Affairs 
representatives, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of 
Education, UNICEF, CCPCR, Watnakpheap, and other donors to 
increase service providers' capacity, and build links between 
Cambodian and Vietnamese government officials in order to 
facilitate a smooth migrant and trafficking victim 
repatriation process. 
 
¶18.  (SBU) CCPCR and Watnakpheap are the only two local NGOs 
working on the ground in Svay Rieng communities, and both 
NGOs' representatives reported their high regard for IOM 
staff who have sought to understand the situation on the 
ground, and to bring together the appropriate resources and 
government agencies to respond to community needs.  (COMMENT: 
 Clearly there is a great need in Svay Rieng province for 
additional NGO services that could assist with micro-credit 
and other income-generation projects, scholarship programs 
for children to remain in school, and community outreach 
programs to discourage family members from sending their 
children to Vietnam to beg.  END COMMENT.)  In Poipet during 
Emboffs' visit to the Cambodia-Thailand border, local NGOs 
and MOSAVY officials also paid tribute to the past effective 
work of IOM, and expressed regret that IOM had to pull most 
of their services from the area due to project funding coming 
to an end. 
 
Porous Border Points Permit More Than Trafficking in Persons 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶19.  (SBU) Emboffs visited small border gates in the Chantrea 
district of Svay Rieng province along the Vietnam border, and 
in the Malai and O'Chrov districts of Banteay Meanchey 
province along the Cambodia-Thailand border.  One contact in 
a Cambodia-Vietnam border community stated that despite 
police and border officials' presence at small border 
crossings, more than just migrating persons seemed to be 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000246  005.2 OF 005 
 
 
crossing the border illegally.  The contact stated that he 
had seen large semi trucks carrying timber offload cargo onto 
smaller trucks before reaching smaller dirt roads to cross 
the border at small crossing gates, and then those trucks 
cross into Vietnam without inspection.  The contact stated he 
had seen shipments of medicines, CDs and DVDs cross the 
smaller border points uninspected, too.  When Emboffs visited 
a one-lane, dirt path border crossing in the O'Chrov district 
along the Cambodia-Thailand border, six border protection 
unit officials who were playing volleyball within eye-shot of 
the gate told Emboffs to do whatever they wanted at the 
border gates, just not to bother the border unit officials 
when they were "busy."  A motorbike taxi driver sleeping by 
the border gate permitted the embassy vehicle access to the 
area by lifting the large pole that served as a gate allowing 
the vehicle entry.  While security at the border gate 
appeared to be lax, Emboffs observed only the movement of 
people, and not goods, at this border point. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶20.  (SBU) Embassy visits to the opposite ends of Cambodia 
highlighted the fact that trafficking in persons challenges 
stretch across the country.  Most interlocutors communicated 
that poverty and the pursuit of income drive Cambodian 
citizens to migrate across borders, their financial straits 
making them vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation, and 
other mistreatment.  Police have not yet been able to 
effectively stop the traffickers who prey on Cambodia's 
impoverished people, but police and other government 
officials are committed to eliminating the scourge and are 
seeking better methods to investigate and arrest 
perpetrators, and to assist and learn from victims, including 
through increased cooperation with NGOs and civil society 
partners. 
RODLEY