VZCZCXRO0398
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0650/01 2240832
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120832Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4799
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0099

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000650 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B. WALCH 
DRL FOR N. WILETT 
G/TIP FOR R. YOUSEY AND J. SIGMON 
STATE PASS TO DOL FOR S. HALEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KTIP ECON ELAB ASEC PGOV PREL ZI AO CH
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWEAN WORKERS RECOUNT TRAFFICKING TO ANGOLA 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) At least seven Zimbabwean men were recently trafficked to 
Angola to work on a construction project after they answered a job 
advertisement posted by a Chinese-managed company in Harare.  On 
arrival in Angola, the men discovered that the recipient 
Chinese-managed company was not prepared to provide the men with 
contracts, freedom of movement, or adequate food, clean water, or 
shelter.  With the help of a Zimbabwean diplomat and a Zimbabwean 
businessman in Angola, six of the men have returned to Zimbabwe 
after some spent three months in unsanitary, forced labor 
conditions.  One remains in Luanda, hoping that the company's 
promises of remuneration will come through.  Because Zimbabwe does 
not have an anti-trafficking law, four of the men are pursuing a 
case against the Chinese recruiting company through the Zimbabwean 
government's Ministry of Labor.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Chinese Company Recruits Skilled Laborers 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 4, 2009, we interviewed three of seven Zimbabwean 
men who were recently trafficked to Angola after they answered an 
advertisement recruiting construction workers for a project in 
Angola.  We spoke with a project manager, welder, and driver.  Other 
victims included a mechanic, an electrician, a builder, and a 
driver.  The project manager, Shingai Siraha, has become the de 
facto leader of this group of trafficking victims. 
 
¶3. (SBU) All of the men responded to advertisements posted in Harare 
around October or November 2008 directing them to Costam 
Investments, located in downtown Harare.  The workers were 
interviewed by a Chinese man, Mr. Li (hereafter referred to as the 
recruiter), and two Zimbabwean men known as Banda and Baurain.  When 
Costam Investments advised the workers they would be hired for 
construction jobs in Angola, they took the workers' passports to 
process visas and work permits.  Initially, the recruiter promised 
the men that they would leave within a month, but the promises 
dragged on until the men finally left in two groups in late March 
and mid-April, 2009. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Angolan embassy in Harare processed tourist visas for 
the men, at least two of which were signed by the same consular 
officer.  The men never completed visa application forms but 
submitted photos to Costam Investments staff who completed the 
paperwork on their behalf.  The recruiter promised the men that they 
would receive work permits and contracts on arrival in Luanda.  The 
recruiter advised the men to tell Angolan immigration officials they 
were traveling on vacation to visit friends.  Four visas were 
processed in the name of the sending company, Costam Investments, 
and three were processed in the name of the receiving company in 
Angola, Gindungo Comercio Geral. 
 
------------------------------ 
"We didn't even have a toilet" 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) The three men we met arrived in Angola on April 17 and were 
taken to the local company, Gindungo Comercio Geral, run by the 
recruiter's uncle, also known as Mr. Li (hereafter referred to as 
the receiver).  When they reached the company, they met four 
Zimbabweans who had arrived two weeks earlier.  The receiver 
informed all seven men that he had heard that Zimbabweans were 
suffering and willing to work in any conditions.  Five of the 
Qsuffering and willing to work in any conditions.  Five of the 
Zimbabwean workers asked to leave immediately; two others agreed to 
stay, hoping the receiver would fulfill his promises of improved 
conditions.  The receiver told the workers that he needed to hold 
their passports to make travel arrangements to facilitate their 
return. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The men were forced to stay at the company's construction 
site and not allowed to leave.  They were not supposed to have cell 
phones, but a couple of the men managed to conceal their phones. 
They built their own shelter from scrap corrugated aluminum at the 
site.  Because the facility lacked a toilet, the men were forced to 
sneak out the fence and find bushes nearby.  The receiver brought 
them food every few days, although it was often rotten and 
inadequate.  Three Chinese men also living at the site had a shelter 
with electricity and a separate, clean water tank.  The seven 
Zimbabwean men (most in their 30s and 40s) also reported that there 
were five Angolans who were also held in similar forced labor 
conditions at the site.  They believed these young men were between 
the ages of 16 and 20 and had been trafficked from rural Angola. 
 
HARARE 00000650  002 OF 003 
 
 
The twelve forced laborers did not have enough blankets or mosquito 
nets. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Fortunately, the trafficking victims met a Zimbabwean 
businessman, Mr. Mlambo, during their flight to Luanda.  Using one 
of their contraband cell phones, the men managed to secretly call 
Mlambo to seek his help in contacting the Zimbabwean embassy for 
assistance.  On April 21, Siraha and four others went to the 
Zimbabwean embassy and met with the financial counselor, Misheck 
Makuyana, who proved helpful throughout their ordeal.  Makuyana 
provided the men with a letter from the Zimbabwean Ambassador asking 
Gindungo to provide them with return flights to Zimbabwe. 
 
¶8. (SBU) On April 23, the company purchased tickets to allow three 
of the men to return to Harare, none of whom were paid for the work 
they performed in Luanda.  The receiver claimed the flight was full, 
and the rest of the men could travel the following week.  After 
several subsequent weeks of delays and excuses, Siraha again 
contacted Makuyana on June 10 to request additional help in leaving, 
as the company claimed to not have funds to repatriate the workers. 
Makuyana again contacted the company, and on June 12 the rest of the 
men returned to Zimbabwe with air tickets purchased by Gindungo. 
Makuyana also advised the men how to pursue their case against the 
recruiting company, Costam Investments, on arrival in Harare through 
the labor courts.  This group of victims did not see other 
Zimbabwean trafficking victims in Angola.  However, one victim 
overheard the receiver comment that soon they would have a "village" 
of 150-200 Zimbabweans in Angola. 
 
¶9. (SBU) One Zimbabwean, a builder, remains in Luanda.  Siraha told 
us the builder was desperate for cash to support his family and did 
not want to return home empty-handed.  He chose to stay in Luanda, 
hoping things would improve.  Siraha and the other victims are 
unsure if the Zimbabwean embassy is aware that he has stayed in 
Luanda.  They also explained that the builder's tourist visa has now 
expired.  The victims believe Angola fines visitors who overstay 
their visas $300 per day, and they believe this threat will further 
entrap their colleague who stayed behind. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Victims Seek Recourse Through Zim Labor Court 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Because Zimbabwe does not have comprehensive 
anti-trafficking legislation, the men have sought recourse through 
the Ministry of Labor, where they are seeking compensation from 
Costam Investments.  The men are asking to be paid for lost wages 
between November and June and additional damages.  In an initial 
hearing on June 22, the Labor Officer responsible for the case 
appeared to side with the victims and asked them to submit 
additional detailed documents to claim damages against Costam. 
After June 22, however, representatives of Costam failed to attend 
hearings on three occasions, and the Labor Officer became 
increasingly unresponsive. 
 
¶11. (SBU) When the victims realized the Labor Officer was not 
documenting their case, they sought help from the local office of 
Transparency International (TI), which helped them secure an 
appointment with the Permanent Secretary, the top bureaucrat in the 
Labor Ministry, on July 24.  In that meeting, the Permanent 
Secretary berated the Labor Officer for improperly handling the case 
and not documenting events.  Since that meeting, the case appears to 
Qand not documenting events.  Since that meeting, the case appears to 
be moving in the right direction.  The men now have a hearing 
scheduled for August 7, and summons have been issued to all parties, 
including Costam.  Their initial visit to TI led to referrals to the 
International Organization for Migration, Interpol, the U.S. 
Embassy, and local pro bono legal and medical assistance. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) This case highlights the vulnerability of Zimbabweans to 
trafficking schemes and the difficulties victims face in seeking 
justice against traffickers.  In particular, Zimbabwe's large pool 
of skilled, unemployed laborers makes for easy prey for those 
seeking to exploit workers' desperation.  These men are 
extraordinarily fortunate that they met a Zimbabwean businessman 
living in Angola who led them to the helpful diplomat at the 
Zimbabwean embassy in Luanda.  Without their quick-acting 
compatriots, the men would probably still be forced laborers.  In 
all likelihood, other Zimbabweans have been trafficked by the same 
group of Chinese to other sites in Angola or elsewhere. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Given Zimbabwe's recent Tier 3 ranking in the Trafficking 
 
HARARE 00000650  003 OF 003 
 
 
in Persons report, we have been actively liaising with government 
officials on the urgent need for anti-trafficking legislation and 
better support systems to help victims.  Government officials in 
both major political parties agree there is a need for such 
legislation, and we are using this ongoing case as an example of the 
kinds of victims improved government action could help.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶14. (U) U.S. Embassy Luanda has cleared this cable. 
 
DHANANI