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DE RUEHC #0520 1622232
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O 112209Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY LUANDA IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 060520 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP ELAB KCRM KPAO KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG AO
SUBJECT: ANGOLA -- 2009 TIP REPORT: PRESS GUIDANCE AND 
      DEMARCHE 
 
REF: (A) STATE 59732 (B) STATE 005577 
 
¶1. This is an action cable; see paras 5 through 7 and 10. 
 
¶2. On June 16, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, the Secretary will 
release the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report at a 
press conference in the Department's press briefing room. 
This release will receive substantial coverage in domestic 
and foreign news outlets.  Until the time of the Secretary's 
June 16 press conference, any public release of the Report or 
country narratives contained therein is prohibited. 
 
¶3. The Department is hereby providing Post with advance press 
guidance to be used on June 16 or thereafter.  Also provided 
is demarche language to be used in informing the Government 
of Angola of its tier ranking and the TIP Report's imminent 
release.  The text of the TIP Report country narrative is 
provided, both for use in informing the Government of Angola 
and in any local media release by Post's public affairs 
section on June 16 or thereafter.  Drawing on information 
provided below in paras 8 and 9, Post may provide the host 
government with the text of the TIP Report narrative no 
earlier than 1200 noon local time Monday June 15 for WHA, AF, 
EUR, and NEA countries and OOB local time Tuesday June 16 for 
SCA and EAP posts.  Please note, however, that any public 
release of the Report's information should not/not precede 
the Secretary's release at 10:00 am EDT on June 16. 
 
¶4. The entire TIP Report will be available on-line at 
www.state.gov/g/tip shortly after the Secretary's June 16 
release.  Hard copies of the Report will be pouched to posts 
in all countries appearing on the Report.  The Secretary's 
statement at the June 16 press event, and the statement of 
and fielding of media questions by G/TIP,s Director and 
Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Ambassador-at-Large Luis 
CdeBaca, will be available on the Department's website 
shortly after the June 16 event.  Ambassador de Baca will 
also hold a general briefing for officials of foreign 
embassies in Washington DC on June 17 at 3:30 pm EDT. 
 
¶5. Action Request: No earlier than 12 noon local time on 
Monday June 15 for WHA, AF, EUR, and NEA posts and OOB local 
time on Tuesday June 16 for SCA and EAP posts, please inform 
the appropriate official in the Government of Angola of the 
June 16 release of the 2009 TIP Report, drawing on the points 
in para 9 (at Post's discretion) and including the text of 
the country narrative provided in para 8.  For countries 
where the State Department has lowered the tier ranking, it 
is particularly important to advise governments prior to the 
Report being released in Washington on June 16. 
 
¶6. Action Request continued:  Please note that, for those 
countries which will not receive an "action plan" with 
specific recommendations for improvement, posts should draw 
host governments' attention to the areas for improvement 
identified in the 2009 Report, especially highlighted in the 
"Recommendations" section of the second paragraph of the 
narrative text.  This engagement is important to establishing 
the framework in which the government's performance will be 
judged for the 2010 Report.  If posts have questions about 
which governments will receive an action plan, or how they 
may follow up on the recommendations in the 2009 Report, 
please contact G/TIP and the appropriate regional bureau. 
 
¶7. Action Request continued: On June 16, please be prepared 
to answer media inquiries on the Report's release using the 
press guidance provided in para 11.  If Post wishes, a local 
press statement may be released on or after 10:30 am EDT June 
16, drawing on the press guidance and the text of the TIP 
Report's country narrative provided in para 8. 
 
¶8. Begin Final Text of Angola,s country narrative in the 
2009 TIP Report: 
 
-------------------------------- 
Angola (TIER 2 Watch List) 
-------------------------------- 
 
Angola is a country of origin for women and children 
trafficked internally for the purpose of domestic servitude 
and young men trafficked for the purpose of forced 
agricultural labor.  Women and children, primarily, are 
trafficked to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo, Namibia, and Portugal.  Young boys are trafficked to 
Namibia to herd cattle.  Children are also forced to act as 
couriers in cross-border trade between Namibia and Angola as 
part of a scheme to skirt import fees.  Traffickers 
successfully targeted children and adults, usually women, 
from poorer families, who enter into work agreements with 
relatives or contacts in other cities or provinces that 
subsequently prove to be coerced and exploitive. 
Unaccompanied migrant children are highly vulnerable to 
trafficking; trafficking victims have been found among them. 
 
The Government of Angola does not fully comply with the 
minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; 
however, it is making significant efforts to do so.  Despite 
these overall significant efforts, the Government of Angola 
has not investigated, prosecuted, or convicted any 
trafficking offenders; therefore, Angola is placed on Tier 2 
Watch List.  Interagency cooperation on trafficking issues 
increased, however, as have the government,s efforts to 
raise the public,s awareness of the dangers of trafficking. 
 
 
Recommendations for Angola:  Enact laws to prohibit and 
punish all forms of trafficking in persons; increase the 
capacity of law enforcement officials to identify and protect 
victims; systematically collect data on offenses, victims, 
and prosecutions; and report on these activities. 
 
Prosecution 
----------- 
The Government of Angola made inadequate efforts to address 
human trafficking through law enforcement means over the last 
year.  Official data on criminal prosecutions and convictions 
during the last year was not made available, although 
information from other sources indicates that law enforcement 
agents arrested six people for suspected trafficking-related 
activity near the border.  Angola does not have a 
comprehensive law that specifically prohibits trafficking in 
persons, which constrained its anti-trafficking efforts. 
Draft revisions to the Penal Code, which would criminalize 
trafficking of children for commercial sex or forced labor, 
were not finalized.  No draft amendments would specifically 
prohibit trafficking adults.  Provisions in the constitution 
and other laws prohibiting forced and bonded labor, rape, 
prostitution, pornography, kidnapping, and illegal entry 
could be used to prosecute trafficking cases.  Penalties of 
up to eight years, imprisonment for such crimes are 
sufficiently stringent and commensurate with those prescribed 
for other serious crimes.  In December 2008, the Ministry of 
Interior, in partnership with IOM, conducted several training 
seminars for counter-trafficking investigators and agents 
from the Directorate of National Criminal Investigations, the 
Frontier Guard, and the Migration and Immigrant Service.  In 
consultation with NGOs, the government continued to work on 
an anti-trafficking National Action Plan. 
 
Protection 
---------- 
The Angolan government continued to rely heavily upon 
religious, civil society, and international organizations to 
protect and assist victims of trafficking over the past year. 
 The government,s National Children,s Council worked with 
UNICEF to develop Child Protection Networks (CPNs), which 
serve as SOS Centers for trafficking victims between the ages 
of 9 and 16.  The CPNs offered rescue services, health, legal 
and social assistance, and family reunification.  No 
information was available about the number of victims 
assisted at the CPNs.  Government personnel refer victims 
over the age of 16 to shelters and services provided by the 
Angolan Association for Women, an NGO that receives 
government support.  There is no formal system to identify 
victims of trafficking among high-risk populations.  Past 
campaigns to raise awareness and periodic training by the IOM 
improved officials, capacity to identify victims but was not 
effectively put into practice.  Under Angolan law, victims of 
sex trafficking may bring criminal charges against their 
traffickers, but may not seek compensation.  The law did, 
however, provide for compensation to victims of forced or 
bonded labor.  Current laws did not provide legal 
alternatives to the removal of foreign victims to countries 
where they may face hardship or retribution.  Current laws 
also penalized victims for offenses committed as a direct 
result of being trafficked. 
 
Prevention 
---------- 
The Angolan government made modest efforts to prevent 
trafficking during the past year.  The government did not 
record data on trafficking, nor did it systemically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts.  The government strengthened 
immigration controls at border posts, although restricted 
resources did not allow full implementation of planned border 
security improvements.  To prevent child trafficking, the 
Immigration Service operated selected border and internal 
checkpoints to screen children for proper documentation.  Six 
mobile provincial teams from the National Children,s Council 
continued to conduct spot checks of suspected child 
trafficking routes by stopping vehicles transporting children 
to check identity cards, determine the adults, relationship 
to the children, and ascertain whether parents had given 
permission for the children to travel.  Trafficking awareness 
was highlighted as part of a broad campaign to protect 
children.  As part of this program, government statements 
against child prostitution and abuse of children,s rights 
appeared frequently in national media.  In partnership with 
the IOM, the Ministry of the Interior organized a series of 
counter-trafficking training seminars that gained significant 
attention throughout the country.  The government made no 
visible effort to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. 
Angola has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
 
¶9. Post may wish to deliver the following points, which offer 
technical and legal background on the TIP Report process, to 
the host government as a non-paper with the above TIP Report 
country narrative: 
 
(begin non-paper) 
 
-- The U.S. Congress, through its passage of the 2000 
Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as amended (TVPA), 
requires the Secretary of State to submit an annual Report to 
Congress.  The goal of this Report is to stimulate action and 
create partnerships around the world in the fight against 
modern-day slavery.  The USG approach to combating human 
trafficking follows the TVPA and the standards set forth in 
the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in 
Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the 
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized 
Crime (commonly known as the "Palermo Protocol").  The TVPA 
and the Palermo Protocol recognize that this is a crime in 
which the victims, labor or services (including in the "sex 
industry") are obtained or maintained through force, fraud, 
or coercion, whether overt or through psychological 
manipulation.  While much attention has focused on 
international flows, both the TVPA and the Palermo Protocol 
focus on the exploitation of the victim, and do not require a 
showing that the victim was moved. 
 
-- Recent amendments to the TVPA removed the requirement that 
only countries with a "significant number" of trafficking 
victims be included in the Report. Beginning with the 2009 
TIP Report, countries determined to be a country of origin, 
transit, or destination for victims of severe forms of 
trafficking are included in the Report and assigned to one of 
three tiers.  Countries assessed as meeting the "minimum 
standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking" 
set forth in the TVPA are classified as Tier 1.  Countries 
assessed as not fully complying with the minimum standards, 
but making significant efforts to meet those minimum 
standards are classified as Tier 2.  Countries assessed as 
neither complying with the minimum standards nor making 
significant efforts to do so are classified as Tier 3. 
 
-- The TVPA also requires the Secretary of State to provide a 
"Special Watch List" to Congress later in the year. 
Anti-trafficking efforts of the countries on this list are to 
be evaluated again in an Interim Assessment that the 
Secretary of State must provide to Congress by February 1 of 
each year.  Countries are included on the "Special Watch 
List" if they move up in "tier" rankings in the annual TIP 
Report -- from 3 to 2 or from 2 to 1 ) or if they have been 
placed on the Tier 2 Watch List. 
 
-- Tier 2 Watch List consists of Tier 2 countries determined: 
(1) not to have made "increasing efforts" to combat human 
trafficking over the past year; (2) to be making significant 
efforts based on commitments of anti-trafficking reforms over 
the next year, or (3) to have a very significant number of 
trafficking victims or a significantly increasing victim 
population.  As indicated in reftel B, the TVPRA of 2008 
contains a provision requiring that a country that has been 
included on Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years after 
the date of enactment of the TVPRA of 2008 be ranked as Tier 
¶3.  Thus, any automatic downgrade to Tier 3 pursuant to this 
provision would take place, at the earliest, in the 2011 TIP 
Report (i.e., a country would have to be ranked Tier 2 Watch 
List in the 2009 and 2010 Reports before being subject to 
Tier 3 in the 2011 Report).  The new law allows for a waiver 
of this provision for up to two additional years upon a 
determination by the President that the country has developed 
and devoted sufficient resources to a written plan to make 
significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the 
minimum standards. 
 
-- Countries classified as Tier 3 may be subject to statutory 
restrictions for the subsequent fiscal year on 
non-humanitarian and non-trade-related foreign assistance 
and, in some circumstances, withholding of funding for 
participation by government officials or employees in 
educational and cultural exchange programs.   In addition, 
the President could instruct the U.S. executive directors to 
international financial institutions to oppose loans or other 
utilization of funds (other than for humanitarian, 
trade-related or certain types of development assistance) 
with respect to countries on Tier 3.  Countries classified as 
Tier 3 that take strong action within 90 days of the Report's 
release to show significant efforts against trafficking in 
persons, and thereby warrant a reassessment of their Tier 
classification, would avoid such sanctions.  Guidelines for 
such actions are in the DOS-crafted action plans to be shared 
by Posts with host governments. 
 
-- The 2009 TIP Report, issuing as it does in the midst of 
the global financial crisis, highlights high levels of 
trafficking for forced labor in many parts of the world and 
systemic contributing factors to this phenomenon:  fraudulent 
recruitment practices and excessive recruiting fees in 
workers, home countries; the lack of adequate labor 
protections in both sending and receiving countries; and the 
flawed design of some destination countries, "sponsorship 
systems" that do not give foreign workers adequate legal 
recourse when faced with conditions of forced labor.  As the 
May 2009 ILO Global Report on Forced Labor concluded, forced 
labor victims suffer approximately $20 billion in losses, and 
traffickers, profits are estimated at $31 billion.  The 
current global financial crisis threatens to increase the 
number of victims of forced labor and increase the associated 
"cost of coercion." 
 
-- The text of the TVPA and amendments can be found on 
website www.state.gov/g/tip. 
 
-- On June 16, 2009, the Secretary of State will release the 
ninth annual TIP Report in a public event at the State 
Department.  We are providing you an advance copy of your 
country's narrative in that report.  Please keep this 
information embargoed until 10:00 am Washington DC time June 
¶16.  The State Department will also hold a general briefing 
for officials of foreign embassies in Washington DC on June 
17 at 3:30 pm EDT. 
 
(end non-paper) 
 
¶10. Posts should make sure that the relevant country 
narrative is readily available on or though the Mission's web 
page in English and appropriate local language(s) as soon as 
possible after the TIP Report is released.  Funding for 
translation costs will be handled as it was for the Human 
Rights Report.  Posts needing financial assistance for 
translation costs should contact their regional bureau,s EX 
office. 
 
¶11. The following is press guidance provided for Post to use 
with local media. 
 
Q1:  Why was Angola downgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 2 Watch 
list this year? 
 
¶A.  The Government of Angola does not fully comply with the 
minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; 
however, it is making significant efforts to do so.  Despite 
these overall significant efforts, the government of Angola 
has not investigated, prosecuted or convicted any trafficking 
offenders; therefore, Angola is placed on Tier 2 Watch List. 
Interagency cooperation on trafficking issues increased, 
however, as have the government,s efforts to raise the 
public,s awareness of the dangers of trafficking. 
 
Q2:  What is the nature of the trafficking problem in Angola? 
 
¶A.  Angola is a country of origin for women and children 
trafficked internally for the purpose of domestic servitude 
and young men trafficked for the purpose of forced 
agricultural labor.  Women and children, primarily, are 
trafficked to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo, Namibia, and Portugal.  Young boys are trafficked to 
Namibia to herd cattle.  Children are also forced to act as 
couriers in cross-border trade between Namibia and Angola as 
part of a scheme to skirt import fees.  Traffickers 
successfully target children and adults, usually women, from 
poorer families, who enter into work agreements with 
relatives or contacts in other cities or provinces that 
subsequently proved to coerced and exploitive.  Unaccompanied 
migrant children are highly vulnerable to trafficking; 
trafficking victims have been found among them. 
 
Q3:  How could Angola improve its anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
¶A.  The government could enact laws to prohibit and punish 
all forms of trafficking in persons; increase the capacity of 
law enforcement officials to identify and protect victims; 
systematically collect data on offenses, victims, and 
prosecutions, and report on these activities. 
 
¶12. The Department appreciates posts, assistance with the 
preceding action requests. 
CLINTON