VZCZCXRO2236
OO RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR
DE RUEHAD #0626/01 1691412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181412Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2624
INFO RHMFIUU/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1317
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 000626 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; 
RRU-NEA 
IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR SREEBNY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL AE OIIP KMDR
 
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT ON 
UAE 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 622 
 
¶1. Summary: Media coverage by UAE Arabic and English daily 
newspapers of the State Department's Trafficking in Persons report 
generally did not extend beyond reprinting the official Emirates 
News Agency (WAM) release.  The release quoted Dr. Anwar Gargash, 
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for 
Federal National Council Affairs, rejecting the Department's report 
and describing it as disappointing, distorted, and failing to 
accurately assess the status of anti-trafficking efforts by the 
UAEG.  An Editorial in Dubai-based English daily Gulf News published 
on June 18 agreed with Dr. Anwar Gargash's viewpoint and questioned 
whether the report was produced as "a political tool to be used to 
serve U.S. agenda."  Both Abu Dhabi TV and Dubai TV carried Dr. 
Gargash's statement in their local news bulletins.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Headlines: 
 
-- Main front-page headline in Abu Dhabi-based Arabic semi-official 
daily "Al-Ittihad" (circulation 65,000), 06/17: "UAE national 
Committee for Combating Trafficking in Humans: U.S. human 
trafficking report is disappointing and lacks objectivity and 
accuracy" 
 
-- Dubai-based English daily Gulf News (circulation 95,000), 
front-page headline on 06/17: "U.S. report on anti-trafficking 
efforts 'distorted', says UAE" 
 
-- Front-page headline in Sharjah-based Arabic daily "Al-Khaleej" 
(circulation 90,000) on 06/17: "UAE: U.S. human trafficking report 
lacks accuracy" 
 
-- Dubai-based Arabic daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 85,000) and 
Dubai-based tabloid-like Arabic daily "Emarat Al Youm" (circulation 
20,000), headline: "Anwar Gergash: U.S. human trafficking report 
lacks objectivity and accuracy" 
 
-- Front-page headline in Abu Dhabi-based English daily The National 
(circulation 65,000 on 06/17: "Government calls U.S. criticism over 
trafficking 'disappointing'; UAE is reinstated to official watch 
list of rights violators" 
 
-- Front-page headline Dubai-based English daily Khaleej Times 
(circulation 80,000)on 06/17: " Human Trafficking Report by U.S. 
Distorted and Disappointing: UAE" 
 
¶3.  Under the headline "U.S. report on trafficking appears biased", 
Dubai-based English daily Gulf News editorialized: 
 
"Any report that assesses a certain situation in a given country 
should be looked at within its appropriate context if an objective 
conclusion is to be reached.  The recently released U.S. State 
Department report on human trafficking, to a great extent, lacks the 
crucial element of neutrality.  The report criticizes the UAE for 
allegedly consistently infringing on human rights.  Dr. Anwar 
Gargash, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State 
for Federal National Council Affairs, was right to express 
disappointment at the report's subjective content.  'The UAE made 
significant progress in its efforts to fight this crime [human 
trafficking] in 2008. In its last report, the U.S. State Department 
identified the UAE as a "model in the region",' said Dr. Gargash. 
Hence, it is only reasonable to question the report's objectivity 
and validity.  Could it have been produced as a political tool to be 
used whenever it suits the U.S. agenda?  The UAE's human rights 
record should be looked at in its entirety since the country has 
never been shy about discussing the problems it faces in combating 
human trafficking.  And instead of criticizing the UAE, the U.S. 
should target other nations whose records of atrocious abuse have 
gone unmentioned.  As a matter of fact, the U.S. has no mandate to 
interfere in the affairs of other nations under the guise of 
monitoring human rights.  It is undeniable that the UAE has been 
taking progressive steps to improve its human rights record.  At 
least it has tried to be transparent and direct in highlighting the 
issue and addressing its problems.  It is high time that the U.S. 
adopted a similar approach when discussing the issue." 
 
 
ABU DHABI 00000626  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶4.  Television 
 
On June 16, 2009, both satellite channel Abu Dhabi TV (viewership 50 
million) and satellite channel Dubai TV (viewership 50 million) 
broadcast Dr. Gargash's statement during their local news bulletins. 
 
 
¶5. Under the headline "U.S. Human Trafficking Report Disappointing 
and Distorted: UAE", official Emirates News Agency (ENA/WAM) 
released the following statement on 06/16 (same text included in 
reftel): 
 
"The UAE on Tuesday termed as 'disappointing and distorted' a U.S. 
State Department report that failed to accurately assess the status 
of anti-trafficking efforts during the last year.  'The UAE 
government is deeply disappointed by the subjective and inaccurate 
assessment in this report,' Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 
Dr. Anwar Gargash said.  In contrast to the U.S. report, the Annual 
Report 2008, released earlier this month by the UAE National 
Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT), indicated that over 
20 cases of human trafficking were registered last year, compared to 
10 cases in 2007, doubling the number of cases prosecuted under 
Federal Law 51 in a period of 12 months.  Similarly, the NCCHT 
report added that the number of prosecutions and the severity of 
punishments issued by UAE courts also increased significantly this 
year, with convictions in six cases and two people receiving life 
sentences. Citing these figures, Dr. Gargash said, 'The UAE made 
significant progress in its endeavor to fight this crime in 2008. In 
its last report, the State department identified UAE as "a model in 
the region." It is indeed disturbing to note that this year's report 
has failed to view our transparent efforts and results objectively.' 
 
 
The minister, who is also the chairman of the NCCHT, criticized the 
parameters applied to measure human trafficking cases.  'It appears 
that the U.S. definition of human trafficking varies every year 
depending on the nature of debate on this issue in its domestic 
environment.  It is incongruous to equate alleged labor rights 
violations, which are a critical but separate issue, to the coercive 
and unacceptable sexual exploitation of women for profit. This 
report lumps all these issues together in a manner that is 
generalized and unconstructive.  Changing goal posts has 
unfortunately become a feature of these trafficking reports and they 
have thereby lost credibility as a constructive measuring tool of 
anti-trafficking efforts around the world.' 
 
Citing one of the many inaccuracies, the minister questioned the 
veracity of the State Department report which alleges that a member 
of the ruling family was arrested in a Belgian court on criminal 
charges, a claim the UAE refutes and describes as an unwarranted and 
appalling display of stereotyping Arabs and the Middle East.  'This 
accusation alone indicates that the U.S. prefers to rely more on 
sensationalized media reports in compiling its report rather than 
verify its facts,' Dr. Gargash said. 
 
'The UAE monitors all international reports and assesses them 
objectively.  It welcomes constructive criticism and help, but 
reserves the right to determine the agenda to tackle its problems in 
a manner that it deems appropriate.  The fact that the report does 
not take into account the facts on the ground devalues and 
undermines how seriously it is taken,' he added. 
 
'The government realizes that like in many other countries, the 
challenges pertaining to human trafficking are numerous. We are 
committed to fighting this crime and will continue to do so 
diligently,' the minister said. 
 
The UAE continues to implement its four-pillar action plan that 
includes legislation, enforcement, victim support, as well as 
bilateral agreements and international cooperation. 
 
During the last year the government ratified the United Nations 
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, 
especially Women and Children; and in order to increase the 
government's effectiveness, the Council of Ministers expanded the 
size and scope of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking 
 
ABU DHABI 00000626  003 OF 003 
 
 
by including public prosecutors and law enforcement officers as its 
members. 
 
Additionally, workshops and training sessions were conducted 
frequently throughout the year, in collaboration with the 
International Organization for Migration, to improve the skills of 
UAE law enforcement officials.  A new website was launched to serve 
both as an official information source, as well as a forum for 
interaction between the public and government. 
 
In terms of victim support efforts, the Dubai Foundation for Women 
and Children continues to mature and provide excellent psychological 
and physical care for victims of trafficking and other forms of 
abuse - in 2008 43 cases were admitted.  The newly established Abu 
Dhabi shelter handled 15 trafficking victims, who also aided police 
in the investigations of the criminals who exploited them. 
 
'The UAE is pursuing traffickers aggressively and they will be 
severely punished under the UAE's anti-trafficking law. The UAE's 
commitment to this issue is part of its national agenda as well as a 
shared responsibility as a member of the community of nations.'" 
 
OLSON