VZCZCXRO4788
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0907/01 3480233
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140233Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1444
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000907 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, G/TIP 
STATE PASS TO USAID ASIA BUREAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KTIP CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA LAUNCHES NEW NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO COMBAT 
HUMAN TRAFFICKING 
 
REF: A. PHNOM PENH 744 
     ¶B. PHNOM PENH 709 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1.  (SBU) On December 9, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and 
Minister of Interior Sar Kheng presided over the official 
launch of Cambodia's new National Committee to Suppress Human 
Trafficking, Smuggling, and Labor and Sexual Exploitation. 
Created on September 25 with a Sub-Decree signed by Prime 
Minister Hun Sen, the National Committee merges the former 
National Task Force (headquartered at the Ministry of Women's 
Affairs) with the High-Level Working Group (headed by the DPM 
at the Ministry of Interior) into a single anti-TIP policy 
structure.  The 18-member Committee is chaired by the DPM and 
has as its four vice-chairs the Ministers of Justice, Labor, 
Social Affairs, and Women's Affairs. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Ambassador Rodley spoke at the launch, emphasizing 
the transnational nature of human trafficking and the fact 
that governments across the world, including the United 
States, had to work hard to combat the trafficking scourge. 
The Ambassador applauded positive steps taken by the RGC this 
year. such as the formation of the National Committee and the 
launch of the new National Minimum Standards on Victim 
Protection (Ref A), and reiterated USG commitment to helping 
Cambodia combat trafficking through programs and policy 
engagement.  The Ambassador also called for stricter 
implementation of Cambodia's 2008 counter-trafficking law, 
highlighting the new National Committee's stated goal of 
eradicating impunity by TIP ringleaders and offenders.  The 
Ambassador praised the show of political will by the RGC thus 
far, and encouraged the crowd of government officials present 
to keep tackling the problem head on. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) DPM Sar Kheng took on board the Ambassador's 
remarks and, in extemporaneous remarks added to the formal 
tasks he outlined for the National Commmitee in his speech, 
he reiterated the RGC's commitment to strengthen all aspects 
of anti-TIP acitivities.  This joint government activity 
conducted in such a cohesive manner would show to any 
would-be perpetrators that "the net is very big and very 
strong, from top to bottom," he said.  On Cambodia's tier 
ranking, Sar Kheng said that the previous Tier 3 ranking 
showed the RGC was not committed.  With the current "two and 
one half" ranking, the government was committed but it was 
"not very strong," he remarked.  The formation of the 
National Committee was a key step in showing a strong 
government commitment to combating trafficking, he concluded. 
 Sar Kheng also remarked on the formation of a new study 
group comprised of officials from the Ministries of Interior 
and Justice, which would examine why many TIP arrest cases 
did not proceed to prosecutions and convictions (Ref B).  He 
made clear the government's position that more convictions 
against TIP crimes were needed. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Sub-Decree states that the National Committee 
Secretariat, which leads day-to-day anti-TIP policy efforts, 
is financially supported by the national budget, with a 
separate budgetary package within the annual budget of the 
Ministry of Interior.  It also establishes six working groups 
under the Secretariat to coordinate government response to 
the different aspects of human trafficking, including law 
enforcement, judicial affairs, protection and rehabilitation, 
prevention, international cooperation, and children's 
affairs.  The terms of reference for the working groups lays 
out their structure (septel).  The remaining 13 members of 
the NC are the Ministers of Tourism, Health, and Education; 
the Commissioner General of the National Police; the 
Commander of the Military Police; and secretaries of state 
from the ministries of Interior, Defense, Foreign Affairs, 
Information, Economy and Finance, Culture, and Post and 
Telecommunications. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The DPM's presence and comments at the 
launch ceremony reinforced the commitment of the RGC to 
combating human trafficking.  The Sub-Decree and terms of 
reference for the working groups names the officials that sit 
on each group, and officially tasks them with participation 
in the policy structure, creating accountability within the 
RGC for a coordinated response.  The National Committee has 
lost no time in consolidating and continuing anti-TIP work; 
work began immediately upon the Prime Minister's signature on 
September 25, and many of the working groups have met two or 
three times already to craft strategic plans and task lists. 
The National Committee Secretariat has assembled an Advisory 
Group to inform and guide the Secretariat, composed of donor 
officials and NGO representatives.  Embassy officials have 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000907  002 OF 002 
 
 
accepted seats on the Advisory Group and will participate in 
quarterly Advisory Group meetings in addition to regular 
engagement with RGC officials.  A number of the NGO 
participants in the Advisory Group are also State Department 
or USAID grantees, reflecting the strong partnership between 
the RGC and USG in combating trafficking.  END COMMENT. 
RODLEY