VZCZCXRO2188
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK
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DE RUEHTA #1206/01 2020721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210721Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5824
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 1767
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1134
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1836
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0795
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1319
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1231
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY 1706

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001206 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/AAE, G/TIP, SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ELAB SMIG SOCI KCRM KTIP KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  TIP PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN COMPLETED 
 
REF (A) ASTANA 0222 
      (B) ASTANA 0187 
 
ASTANA 00001206  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  INL funded an information campaign conducted by a local 
NGO to increase public awareness of the risks of human trafficking, 
targeting in particular those at risk when seeking jobs in-country 
or abroad.  The campaign was conducted concurrently with the 
Ministry of Interior's anti-trafficking operation.  It ended with a 
conference at the headquarters of President Nazarbayev's ruling Nur 
Otan party, which demonstrated high-level support for cooperation 
among Kazakhstani law enforcement, NGOs, and the U.S. Government. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
QUARTERLY ANTI-TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS 
 
¶2.  The Ministry of Interior (MVD) has conducted quarterly 
anti-trafficking operations since 2004. During these operations, 
police officers check saunas, night clubs, and tourist, employment, 
and modeling agencies looking for evidence of trafficking rings or 
victims.  Since 2004, over 200 criminal cases have been filed based 
on evidence uncovered during these operations.  Law enforcement and 
NGOs cooperated during the most recent operation to reach every 
oblast (province) of Kazakhstan.  NGOs have been given the 
opportunity to speak with both traffickers and victims during the 
police operations and police have reached out to the public on 
trafficking issues. 
 
INFORMATION CAMPAIGN 
 
¶3.  During the most recent MVD anti-trafficking operation, INL 
provided a $24,000 grant to the Union of Crisis Centers, one of the 
strongest NGO networks in Kazakhstan which has worked on human 
trafficking and domestic violence issues for over nine years.  In 
addition, the MVD allocated approximately $6,000 to pay for the 
travel of project implementers.  The campaign included a 
press-conference and media coverage, development and dissemination 
of materials (flyers, banners and booklets), public polls, the 
collection of signatures in support of victims of trafficking, and 
the organization of round-tables, meetings, seminars, and 
conferences. 
 
¶4.  On March 10, the project was launched with a press conference at 
the MVD Press Center and at oblast-level departments of interior. 
Following the press conference, teams made up of two NGO 
representatives, a psychologist, a lawyer, and a police officer, 
boarded two trains to talk to passengers about the dangers of 
trafficking.  Prior to the departures, police officers, NGO members, 
and members of Zhas-Otan (the youth branch of the Nur Otan party) 
organized demonstrations on railway platforms and discussed human 
trafficking issues with travelers. The event was widely covered by 
the local media.  On March 11, the Ambassador gave an interview to a 
local television station to mark the beginning of the information 
campaign. 
 
¶5.  In preparation for the events, the Union of Crisis Centers 
developed and printed 80,000 informational flyers that described 
trafficking risks, recruitment methods used by traffickers, how to 
avoid becoming a victim, and what to do in case one is a victim. 
The flyer also contained contact information for anti-trafficking 
organizations in every city of Kazakhstan.  Conductors distributed 
flyers to passengers during check-in and to other people at the 
railway stations.  NGO representatives travelling on the trains also 
distributed the flyers.  Regional NGOs met the trains in each of the 
10 cities along the routes, distributing materials and talking to 
passengers. 
 
¶6.  Simultaneously, NGO representatives working in 13 cities with 
their partners from volunteer organizations distributed materials at 
conferences, workshops, seminars, and meetings.  They also talked to 
people on the street and in public locations. Polls were conducted 
to determine the general public's awareness of trafficking issues 
and the NGOs collected signatures from the public in support of 
victims of trafficking.  The project reached an estimated 50,000 
people in 13 cities and 2,000 railway passengers. 
 
NUR OTAN PARTY HOSTS TIP CONFERENCE 
 
¶7.  On April 7, a one-day conference was conducted at the 
 
ASTANA 00001206  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
headquarters of the Nur Otan political party. The conference was 
co-chaired by the Head of the Nur Otan Committee for Party 
Supervision, a Vice Minister of Interior, and a Member of 
Parliament.  Representatives of legislative and executive bodies, 
law enforcement, NGOs, international organizations, and the mass 
media participated.  The conference summarized the results of the 
information campaign and police operation, strengthened dialogue 
between government agencies and non-governmental organizations, and 
developed recommendations for further cooperation. 
 
¶8.  During his opening remarks, the Ambassador highlighted 
Kazakhstan's contributions to the fight against human trafficking 
and the U.S. partnership with Kazakhstani government agencies and 
NGOs in increasing awareness of human trafficking.  The co-chair 
from Nur Otan pointed out the necessity of consolidating 
governmental and NGO efforts, as well as the efforts of the 
international community, to create an atmosphere of intolerance 
towards human trafficking.  Participants also discussed the OSCE's 
policy on human trafficking in light of Kazakhstan's upcoming 2010 
OSCE chairmanship. 
 
¶9.  The Deputy Chairman of the Criminal Police Committee reported on 
the results of the police operation.  Police uncovered 56 
trafficking-related crimes and initiated 28 criminal cases.  Of 
those, there were two cases of trafficking in persons (violations of 
Article 128 of the Criminal Code), one case of trafficking in minors 
(Article 133), one case of illegal deprivation of freedom for the 
purpose of exploitation (Article 126.3b), two cases of involvement 
in prostitution (Article 270), and 22 cases of pimping (Article 
271).  Police closed 22 brothels, arrested 67 pimps, and registered 
468 prostitutes -- 151 of them from elsewhere in the CIS. 
 
¶10. After the passage of the new Social Services Law (Ref A), the 
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) was directed to develop standards for the 
provision of assistance to victims of violence, including victims of 
trafficking.  The MOJ sought suggestions from government agencies 
and NGOs.  Seven such standards were presented by the Ust 
Kamenogorsk-based NGO Fenix.  Following the presentation, 
participants discussed the standards and made recommendations. 
 
¶11.  In light of recent discussions of the issue after a public 
appeal from a disability group (Ref B), the Women's Support Center 
NGO from Petropavlovsk raised the thorny issue of legalization of 
prostitution and reported that NGOs fully share the opinion of the 
Coalition against Trafficking in Women International (CATW) that 
legalization of prostitution can only strengthen the sex industry. 
 
¶12.  At the end of the conference, recommendations were made to 
conduct a large-scale research project to determine the most 
critical gender problems in society that hamper anti-trafficking 
activities; harmonize the legislation of countries of origin, 
destination and transit to guarantee protection for victims and 
appropriate punishment for traffickers; improve methodology to 
develop standards for social, medical, educational, and other 
services for victims and establish a mechanism for funding such 
services; develop a social partnership between civil society and the 
government, including successful implementation of the law to 
support NGOs; and provide for flows of information between state 
bodies, NGOs, and international organizations. 
 
RESULTS OF POLL 
 
¶13.  NGOs polled 1935 people (1002 women and 933 men) to determine 
public awareness of human trafficking.  When asked what they would 
do if they discovered human trafficking, 41% said they would inform 
the police, 24% would call a hotline, and 16% would take no action. 
Of those surveyed, 70% were not aware of human trafficking.  The 
majority of those who did have knowledge of the problem said they 
had heard of it from relatives, friends, and the mass media.  Almost 
half of those surveyed said that punishment must be strengthened to 
eliminate the problem, while 32% recommend expanding education and 
information campaigns, and 22% thought the solution was improvement 
of the law. 
 
PETITION 
 
¶14.  The Union of Crisis Centers collected 2,044 signatures, which 
will be presented to Parliament, calling for protection and 
 
ASTANA 00001206  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
assistance to victims of trafficking. 
 
RESULTS 
 
¶15.  In total, the information campaign included 43 separate events 
conducted in 13 oblasts.  In 14 oblasts and two cities, 80,000 
information booklets were passed out.  A total of 14,798 people 
participated in the events and, during the 10 day period, 
approximately 50 media outlets printed or broadcast 223 news stories 
about it. 
 
¶16.  COMMENT:  Not only did this project significantly contribute to 
raising awareness, but it was also a significant step forward in 
cooperation between police and NGOs.  Both the police and NGOs 
achieved valuable results:  the police improved their public image 
and the NGOs were able to reach a wide audience.  END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND