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PP RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHHK #0279/01 0480757
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170757Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9634
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 HONG KONG 000279 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, G- LAURA PENA, DRL, INL, PRM, EAP/RSP, 
EAP/CM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
KMCA, HK 
SUBJECT: SUBMISSION FOR 2010 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT: 
MACAU 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 2094 
     ¶B. 09 HONG KONG 1729 
     ¶C. 09 HONG KONG 556 
     ¶D. 10 BEIJING 37 
 
¶1. (U) Per reftel A, the following are post's contributions 
to the tenth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 
the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's 
Republic of China.  Subheadings and answers correspond to 
questions posed in paragraphs 25-30 of reftel A. 
 
 
Para 25: THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION 
---------------- -------------------- 
 
-- A. What is (are) the source(s) of available information on 
human trafficking?  What plans are in place (if any) to 
undertake further documentation of human trafficking?  How 
reliable are these sources? 
 
(SBU) Beginning in 2007, the Macau Special Administrative 
Region government (MSARG) began compiling data on trafficking 
cases to respond to USG queries in advance of the annual TIP 
report.  The Macau government's inter-departmental Human 
Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee 
("Committee") has a subgroup responsible for gathering 
relevant data from the different departments involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts.  The Committee plans to contract a 
local university in early 2010 to conduct an independent and 
comprehensive assessment of TIP in Macau and the government's 
efforts to date.  Several Hong Kong-based non-government 
organizations (NGOs) also assist sex workers and migrants in 
Macau, and provide post with their observations and findings. 
 Local English and Chinese-language media are increasingly 
reporting on Macau's TIP developments. Information from these 
sources have generally been reliable. 
 
-- B. Is the country a country of origin, transit, and/or 
destination for men, women, or children subjected to 
conditions of commercial sexual exploitation, forced or 
bonded labor, or other slave-like conditions?  Are citizens 
or residents of the country subjected to such trafficking 
conditions within the country?  If so, does this internal 
trafficking occur in territory outside of the government's 
control (e.g. in a civil war situation)?  From where are 
people recruited or from where do they migrate prior to being 
subjected to these exploitative conditions?  To what other 
countries are people trafficked and for what purposes? 
Provide, where possible, numbers or estimates for each group 
of trafficking victims.  Have there been any changes in the 
TIP situation since the last TIP Report (e.g. changes in 
destinations)? 
 
(SBU) The MSAR is not a source of trafficked persons, but is 
a destination and transit point for illegal migration, labor 
and prostitution.  Many women, primarily from mainland China 
and to a lesser extent, from Mongolia and Southeast Asia, 
continue to travel to Macau of their own volition to engage 
in legal prostitution.  However, some are lured to Macau by 
acquaintances and/or criminal syndicates by false promises of 
jobs in casinos or other types of legitimate employment. 
Once in Macau, they are forced into prostitution. 
 
-- C. To what kind of conditions are the trafficking victims 
subjected? 
 
(SBU) Previously documented cases have shown that living and 
working conditions for victims trafficked to Macau for 
prostitution are poor.  Some victims were subjected to 
monitoring during off hours, crowded boarding arrangements, 
confiscated identity documents, and threats of violence. 
 
-- D. Vulnerability to TIP: Are certain groups of persons 
more at risk of human trafficking (e.g. women and children, 
boys versus girls, certain ethnic groups, refugees, IDPs, 
etc.)?  If so, please specify the type of exploitation for 
which these groups are most at risk (e.g., girls are more at 
risk of domestic servitude than boys). 
 
(SBU) Previously identified trafficking victims have 
primarily been women from the Chinese mainland, and to a 
lesser extent, from Vietnam, Mongolia, and several other 
Southeast Asia countries.  MSARG officials told us most of 
the mainland Chinese victims were from inland provinces who 
had made their way to the border province of Guangdong in 
search of better employment. It was usually in Guangdong 
where they fell prey to false advertisements for dancers or 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  002 OF 012 
 
 
"PR hostesses" in Macau. 
 
-- E. Traffickers and Their Methods: Who are the 
traffickers/exploiters?  Are they independent business 
people?  Small or family-based crime groups?  Large 
international organized crime syndicates?  What methods are 
used to gain direct access to victims?  For example, are the 
traffickers recruiting victims through lucrative job offers? 
Are victims sold by their families, or approached by friends 
of friends?  Are victims "self-presenting" (approaching the 
exploiter without the involvement of a recruiter or 
transporter)? If recruitment or transportation is involved, 
what methods are used to recruit or transport victims (e.g., 
are false documents being used)?  Are employment, travel, and 
tourism agencies or marriage brokers involved with or 
fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic 
individuals? 
 
(SBU) MSARG officials contend their investigations of 
trafficking cases thus far have uncovered only a "limited 
amount" of organized crime involvement in TIP cases.  The 
introduction of the Individual Visitor Scheme (IVS) in 2003, 
which allowed tourists from certain mainland cities and 
provinces to enter Macau on an individual basis, has made it 
possible for many prostitutes to enter Macau on their own. 
However, some are believed to still seek the help of pimps, 
either because they are unaware that they can obtain visas on 
their own or because they need logistical and financial help 
with travel and housing. 
 
(SBU) Most victims of deceptive recruitment were typically 
told they were coming to Macau to work as dancers or 
hostesses.  While it is hard to quantify, previously 
identified TIP cases suggest many of the exploiters are 
independent operators or part of small groups.  It is often 
nearly impossible to determine whether street-level 
individual operators are part of larger organized syndicates 
without extensive evidence and corroborating witnesses.  The 
MSARG in May 2009, however, uncovered what is believed to be 
an organized crime syndicate that had been trafficking 
Southeast Asian women to Macau for more than 10 years, 
arresting six of their members. 
 
 
Para 26: SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP 
EFFORTS 
-------------------------------- 
-------------------------------- 
 
-- A. Does the government acknowledge that human trafficking 
is a problem in the country?  If not, why not? 
 
(SBU) The MSARG acknowledges trafficking is a problem 
requiring dedicated attention and resources of the 
government.  Although somewhat reluctant to discuss the issue 
in the past, Macau authorities now are fully committed and 
aggressively combating human trafficking.  The MSARG 
continuously evaluates its anti-TIP efforts and seeks ways to 
improve its overall TIP program and focus resources.  To that 
effect, the government's anti-trafficking committee is 
mapping out a five-year TIP Action Plan that should be 
completed in 2010. 
 
-- B. Which government agencies are involved in efforts to 
combat sex and labor trafficking - including forced labor - 
and, which agency, if any, has the lead in these efforts? 
 
(SBU) In September 2007, the MSARG established an 
inter-departmental "concern committee" charged with overall 
strategic planning, coordination and implementation of the 
government's anti-trafficking efforts.  The committee, titled 
the "Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee," 
consists of 12 representatives from the Security, 
Administration and Justice, Social Welfare and Culture 
bureaus.  Cheong Kwoc Va, the Secretary for Security, leads 
the committee and his Head of Office is the managing 
coordinator.  The Chief Executive directed all government 
departments to cooperate with the committee's activities. 
According to the Government Gazette (similar to the U.S. 
Federal Register), the committee is responsible for: (1) 
studying and assessing TIP-related social problems; and (2) 
suggesting and supervising each department's efforts to 
combat human trafficking.  The committee aims to coordinate 
and assist the development of measures to prevent trafficking 
and protect victims, as well as to assist victims to 
reintegrate into society.  The directive also tasked the 
committee to promote international and regional cooperation 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  003 OF 012 
 
 
in the fight against trafficking.  The entire group meets 
monthly to assess the progress of initiatives currently in 
place and discuss future programs and measures.  The Health 
Department, Immigration Department, and the Public 
Prosecutions Office also are responsible for various aspects 
of the trafficking issue. 
 
-- D. To what extent does the government systematically 
monitor its anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- 
prosecution, victim protection, and prevention) and 
periodically make available, publicly or privately and 
directly or through regional/international organizations, its 
assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
(SBU) The Committee submits semi-annual reports to the Chief 
Executive on its anti-TIP programs.  These self-assessments 
are not shared with the public or Post. However, throughout 
the reporting period, committee members regularly provided 
Post with updates on the MSARG's anti-trafficking efforts. 
The Committee in January 2010 launched a website 
(www.anti-tip.gov.mo) to serve as a platform for both general 
public education about TIP and specific government policies 
and initiatives.  The Committee also plans to contract a 
local university in early 2010 to conduct an independent and 
comprehensive evaluation of the TIP situation in Macau and 
the MSARG's performance to date. 
 
-- E. What measures has the government taken to establish the 
identity of local populations, including birth registration, 
citizenship, and nationality? 
 
(SBU) Since 2002, The MSARG Identification Bureau has been 
issuing electronic identity cards to both permanent and 
non-permanent residents.  All births must be registered and 
at least include the child's complete name, gender, date and 
place of birth, and address of the parents.  Individuals 
applying for residence permits must provide their intended 
occupation, means of stay, valid travel documents, criminal 
record, and former residency certificate. The Migration 
Services department is responsible for verifying the 
information provided. 
 
--F. To what extent is the government capable of gathering 
the data required for an in-depth assessment of law 
enforcement efforts?  Where are the gaps?  Are there any ways 
to work around these gaps? 
 
(SBU) The Committee has a subgroup responsible for gathering 
relevant data from the different departments involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts.  Since the Secretary for Security 
leads the Committee and administratively oversees all of the 
various law enforcement entities involved in anti-TIP work, 
we assess the data collected to be complete and 
comprehensive. 
 
 
Para 27: INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
------------------------- --------------------------- 
 
For questions A-D, posts should highlight in particular 
whether or not the country has enacted any new legislation 
since the last TIP report. 
 
-- A. Existing Laws against TIP: Does the country have a law 
or laws specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- 
both sexual exploitation and labor?  If so, please 
specifically cite the name of the law(s) and its date of 
enactment and provide the exact language (actual copies 
preferable) of the TIP provisions.  Please provide a full 
inventory of trafficking laws, including non-criminal 
statutes that allow for civil penalties against alleged 
trafficking crimes (e.g., civil forfeiture laws and laws 
against illegal debt). Does the law(s) cover both internal 
and transnational forms of trafficking?  If not, under what 
other laws can traffickers be prosecuted?  For example, are 
there laws against slavery or the exploitation of 
prostitution by means of force, fraud, or coercion?  Are 
these other laws being used in trafficking cases? 
 
(SBU) The MSARG passed a comprehensive anti-trafficking law 
in June 2008 that criminalizes the types of offenses 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 (aka Palermo Protocol) and in 
the Council Framework Decision on Combating Trafficking in 
Human Beings.  The law, which became Article 153-A of the 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  004 OF 012 
 
 
Macau Criminal Code, introduced new trafficking charges and 
expanded the scope of trafficking crimes beyond just those 
involving sexual exploitation to include activities with the 
purpose of exploitative labor or services, in particular 
forced or compulsory labor, slavery, etc.  Acts of human 
trafficking with the purpose of removing human organs or 
tissues are also established as criminal acts, and heavier 
punishment is imposed for activities that violate the 
provisions of Macau Law 2/96/M (Rules to be Observed in Acts 
Involving Donation, Removal and Transplant of Human Organs 
and Tissues).  The new law does not distinguish between 
trafficking into, through, or from Macau, thus inclusively 
criminalizing all aspects of trafficking that may occur 
across or within Macau's borders.  Regarding international 
adoption, a perpetrator's act to obtain or give consent to 
adoption of a minor by means of receiving or paying money or 
other rewards is deemed a criminal act. 
 
(SBU) The new law also provides for minimum and maximum 
sentences to be increased by one-third if the trafficking 
victim is under the age of 14.  The new law amends Articles 
77 and 78 of the Macau Criminal Procedure Code to stipulate 
that court proceedings related to trafficking crimes 
involving a victim under the age of 16 normally shall not 
take place in public. 
 
-- B. Punishment of Sex Trafficking Offenses: What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for the trafficking of 
persons for commercial sexual exploitation, including for the 
forced prostitution of adults and the prostitution of 
children? 
 
(SBU) Under Macau's trafficking law, "a sentence of three to 
12 years shall be given to those who turn other people into 
slave laborers or a status comparable to impose sexual 
exploitation, labor and service exploitation, especially 
forced or compulsory labor or service." As mentioned above, 
the minimum and maximum sentences are increased by one-third 
if the trafficking victim is under the age of 14. 
 
-- C. Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for labor trafficking 
offenses, including all forms of forced labor?  If your 
country is a source country for labor migrants, do the 
government's laws provide for criminal punishment -- i.e. 
jail time -- for labor recruiters who engage in recruitment 
of workers using knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers 
with the purpose of subjecting workers to compelled service 
in the destination country?  If your country is a destination 
for labor migrants (legal/regular or illegal/irregular), are 
there laws punishing employers or labor agents who confiscate 
workers' passports or travel documents for the purpose of 
labor trafficking, switch contracts without the worker's 
consent as a means to keep the worker in a state of compelled 
service, or withhold payment of salaries as means of keeping 
the worker in a state of compelled service? 
 
(SBU) Under Macau's trafficking law, "a sentence of three to 
12 years shall be given to those who turn other people into 
slave laborers or a status comparable to impose sexual 
exploitation, labor and service exploitation, especially 
forced or compulsory labor or service." As mentioned above, 
the minimum and maximum sentences are increased by one-third 
if the trafficking victim is under the age of 14. 
 
(SBU) Additionally, a sentence of one to five years may be 
given to those who retain, hide, spoil or destroy 
identification documents or tourist documents of trafficking 
victims if no harsher punishment is applicable. 
 
-- D. What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault? (NOTE:  This is necessary to evaluate a 
foreign government's compliance with TVPA Minimum Standard 2, 
which reads: "For the knowing commission of any act of sex 
trafficking... the government of the country should prescribe 
punishment commensurate with that for grave crimes, such as 
forcible sexual assault (rape)."  END NOTE) 
 
(SBU) The penalty for rape is three to twelve years 
imprisonment which is commensurate with prescribed penalties 
for sex trafficking.  Furthermore, kidnapping with the intent 
to commit a crime against sexual liberty or 
self-determination is punishable by three to ten years 
imprisonment under Article 154(1)(b) of the Criminal Code. 
Cases where the kidnapper rapes a victim are treated as two 
different crimes, though the sentences can in some cases be 
served concurrently. 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
-- E. Law Enforcement Statistics: Did the government take 
legal action against human trafficking offenders during the 
reporting period?  If so, provide numbers of investigations, 
prosecutions, convictions, and sentences imposed, including 
details on plea bargains and fines, if relevant and 
available.  Please note the number of convicted trafficking 
offenders who received suspended sentences and the number who 
received only a fine as punishment.  Please indicate which 
laws were used to investigate, prosecute, convict, and 
sentence traffickers.  Also, if possible, please disaggregate 
numbers of cases by type of TIP (labor vs. commercial sexual 
exploitation) and victims (children under 18 years of age vs. 
adults).   What were the actual punishments imposed on 
convicted trafficking offenders? Are they serving the time 
sentenced?  If not, why not? 
 
(SBU) The MSARG in November 2009 won its first conviction 
under the anti-TIP law.  A local male was sentenced to seven 
years, six months' imprisonment for his role in trafficking 
two female Macau residents to Japan in October 2008. The 
offender has appealed, and the case is awaiting another court 
date. 
 
(SBU) Out of the remaining 15 TIP cases identified in 2008, 
four cases have won indictments and are awaiting trial, seven 
have been closed for lack of evidence, and four remain under 
investigation. 
 
(SBU) During the reporting period, the MSARG investigated 
eight sex trafficking cases involving eight victims. One case 
involved an eight-month investigation that culminated in the 
arrest of four men and two women (four men and one woman are 
Macau residents, and one woman is from Vietnam) who are 
believed to have been running the operation for more than ten 
years.  The syndicate is believed to have lured the women by 
promising them jobs in massage parlors, but then forced them 
into prostitution after they arrived in Macau.  One of the 
victims told police she had been forced to provide sex 
services 60-70 times, and all her earnings were confiscated 
by the traffickers.  Although 19 Thai and Vietnamese women 
were rescued from six residential flats, only one victim 
agreed to testify. The case remains under investigation with 
the Public Prosecutions Office.  Four other cases remain 
under investigation while three have been temporarily closed 
due to lack of evidence. 
 
-- F. Does the government provide any specialized training 
for law enforcement and immigration officials on identifying 
and treating victims of trafficking?  Or training on 
investigating and prosecuting human trafficking crimes? 
Specify whether NGOs, international organizations, and/or the 
USG provide specialized training for host government 
officials. 
 
(SBU) The MSARG organized several seminars and hands-on 
workshops on investigating and prosecuting TIP crimes, victim 
identification and victim assistance.  As reported ref C, the 
government in March invited prosecutors from several European 
countries to share their best practices with nearly 130 Macau 
law enforcement officers and prosecutors.  In November, the 
MSARG funded TIP experts from International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) Geneva, Bangkok, Manila and Canberra to train 
over 70 police, immigration and social welfare officers. The 
three-day workshop focused on victim identification and 
protection. 
 
(SBU) Macau officials also attended several USG-sponsored 
training courses.  One Judiciary Police (JP) officer attended 
a week-long Department of Homeland Security-organized seminar 
on Forced Child Labor/Human Trafficking/Child Sex Tourism 
held in Manila in June.  Two JP officers attended the 
November ILEA Trafficking In Persons course in Bangkok. Post 
in October organized a two-day seminar for an ICE 
investigator and DOJ prosecutor to share their expertise with 
over 120 frontline police officers and prosecutors. 
 
(SBU) The MSARG continued to educate its law enforcement 
personnel on the details and applicability of the 2008 
trafficking law through specialized courses throughout the 
year. In 2009, nearly 500 officers received dedicated 
training on Macau's TIP law. 
 
--G. Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, provide the number of cooperative international 
investigations on trafficking during the reporting period. 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  006 OF 012 
 
 
 
(SBU)  While there were no cases of joint investigations 
between the MSARG and other governments this reporting 
period, MSARG officials tell us they continue to seek 
opportunities to expand their cooperation with other 
governments on anti-trafficking matters.  The Committee will 
be traveling to Japan in spring 2010 to meet with their 
counterparts in the Japanese government and NGOs to exchange 
ideas on fighting TIP.  Although the MSARG and Mongolian 
governments are still in the final stages of negotiating a 
formal Memorandum of Understanding on law enforcement 
cooperation, Mongolian authorities regard cooperation with 
working-level Macau officials as "very good" (ref D). 
 
-- H. Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, please provide 
the number of traffickers extradited during the reporting 
period, and the number of trafficking extraditions pending. 
In particular, please report on any pending or concluded 
extraditions of trafficking offenders to the United States. 
 
(SBU) Although Macau did not extradite any traffickers during 
the reporting period, it does have agreements with Portugal 
and East Timor that provide for the extradition of criminals, 
including those involved in trafficking, apprehended in Macau. 
 
-- I. Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
If so, please explain in detail. 
 
(SBU) There was no evidence or allegations of government 
involvement in or tolerance of trafficking during the 
reporting period. 
 
-- J. If government officials are involved in human 
trafficking, what steps has the government taken to end such 
complicity?  Please indicate the number of government 
officials investigated and prosecuted for involvement in 
trafficking or trafficking-related criminal activities during 
the reporting period.  Have any been convicted?  What 
sentence(s) was imposed? Please specify if officials received 
suspended sentences, or were given a fine, fired, or 
reassigned to another position within the government as 
punishment. Please indicate the number of convicted officials 
that received suspended sentences or received only a fine as 
punishment. 
 
(SBU) There was no evidence or allegations of government 
involvement in or tolerance of trafficking during the 
reporting period. 
 
-- K. For countries that contribute troops to international 
peacekeeping efforts, please indicate whether the government 
vigorously investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced 
nationals of the country deployed abroad as part of a 
peacekeeping or other similar mission who engaged in or 
facilitated severe forms of trafficking or who exploited 
victims of such trafficking. 
 
(SBU) Not applicable to Macau. 
 
-- L. If the country has an identified problem of child sex 
tourists coming to the country, what are the countries of 
origin for sex tourists?  How many foreign pedophiles did the 
government prosecute or deport/extradite to their country of 
origin?  If your host country's nationals are perpetrators of 
child sex tourism, do the country's child sexual abuse laws 
have extraterritorial coverage (similar to the U.S. PROTECT 
Act) to allow the prosecution of suspected sex tourists for 
crimes committed abroad?  If so, how many of the country's 
nationals were prosecuted and/or convicted during the 
reporting period under the extraterritorial provision(s) for 
traveling to other countries to engage in child sex tourism? 
 
(SBU) Macau did not have an identified child sex tourism 
problem and did not have any cases involving child sex 
tourism during the reporting period. 
 
 
Para 28: PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
----------------- --------------------------- 
 
-- A.  What kind of protection is the government able under 
existing law to provide for victims and witnesses? Does it 
provide these protections in practice? 
 
(SBU) Under Macau's TIP law, law enforcement must "protect 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  007 OF 012 
 
 
the victim secretly and free of charge to ensure that he or 
she can have a proper temporary shelter where he or she can 
be assured of personal security and obtain necessary and 
proper psychological, medical and social, economical and 
legal assistance." Victims and/or witnesses determined to be 
at high-risk of being harmed by their traffickers if found 
are to be placed under 24-hour police protection at an 
undisclosed shelter.  While the police have not needed to 
provide 24-hour police protection to any victims to date, the 
Social Welfare Bureau (SWB) and Hospital Authority have 
provided nearly all identified TIP victims with shelter, and 
with psychological, medical, social, economic and legal 
assistance. 
 
(SBU) Macau law also provides that before and after a trial, 
the disclosure of a victim's identity in the media is 
prohibited. 
 
-- B.  Does the country have victim care facilities (shelters 
or drop-in centers) which are accessible to trafficking 
victims?  Do foreign victims have the same access to care as 
domestic trafficking victims?  Where are child victims placed 
(e.g., in shelters, foster care, or juvenile justice 
detention centers)?  Does the country have specialized care 
for adults in addition to children?  Does the country have 
specialized care for male victims as well as female?   Does 
the country have specialized facilities dedicated to helping 
victims of trafficking?  Are these facilities operated by the 
government or by NGOs?  What is the funding source of these 
facilities?  Please estimate the amount the government spent 
(in U.S. dollar equivalent) on these specialized facilities 
dedicated to helping trafficking victims during the reporting 
period. 
 
(SBU) The MSARG has designated 21 beds for trafficking 
victims of any nationality in an existing women's shelter 
managed by SWB.  Child victims are placed in an NGO-run home 
for minors. The child is not identified as a trafficking 
victim but instead is assimilated into the larger home with 
peers of the same age. 
 
(SBU) To ensure foreign victims can communicate easily with 
Macau officials, the MSARG has enlisted local NGO Good 
Shepherd Shelter (GSS) to help identify willing interpreters 
for several foreign languages.  Macau police and SWB now have 
a list of 13 people who can be called on to serve as 
translators for at least one of the following languages: 
Vietnamese, Thai, Mongolian, Tagalog, Hindi, Indonesian, 
Korean, and Burmese. 
 
-- C.  Does the government provide trafficking victims with 
access to legal, medical and psychological services?  If so, 
please specify the kind of assistance provided.  Does the 
government provide funding or other forms of support to 
foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations 
for providing these services to trafficking victims?  Please 
explain and provide any funding amounts in U.S. dollar 
equivalent.  If assistance provided was in-kind, please 
specify exact assistance.  Please specify if funding for 
assistance comes from a federal budget or from regional or 
local governments. 
 
(SBU) SWB and Health Bureau, with the help of several local 
NGOs, provide trafficking victims with an array of legal, 
medical and psychological counseling services.  SWB offers 
counseling, shelter, financial assistance and referrals to 
legal counseling and judicial assistance.  SWB encourages all 
victims to undergo a complete medical exam that includes 
testing for sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs).  If doctors 
discover STDs, they would issue free medication.  Clinical 
psychologists are on-site at the SWB-run TIP shelter to 
conduct initial assessments and follow-up counseling if 
needed.  While at the shelter, victims receive a monthly 
stipend of MOP2,640 (equivalent to USD 343 and the same 
amount as the minimum living index for a Macau household of 
one) disbursed in weekly installments. 
 
-- D. Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, 
for example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, or other relief from deportation?  If so, please 
explain. 
 
(SBU) All trafficking victims, regardless of nationality, 
receive temporary shelter and appropriate legal, medical, 
economic, and social assistance while they remain in the 
MSAR.  Macau law does not provide for issuing permanent 
residency status to foreign trafficking victims.  As a 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  008 OF 012 
 
 
result, the MSARG will assist the victims (including paying 
for transportation) to return to their home countries. 
 
-- E. Does the government provide longer-term shelter or 
housing benefits to victims or other resources to aid the 
victims in rebuilding their lives? 
 
(SBU) There is no time limit on how long victims can stay at 
the SWB-run TIP shelter, although previous victims have 
generally stayed only a few weeks.  SWB officials told us 
most victims were eager to return to their home country. 
While at the shelter, SWB has arranged for victims to enroll 
in computer and seamstress classes offered by local NGO GSS 
to learn marketable skills for future employment.  SWB also 
has worked with GSS in Macau to identify GSS personnel in 
several Southeast Asian countries who would continue to aid 
in the rehabilitation and integration of victims in their 
home countries. 
 
-- F. Does the government have a referral process to transfer 
victims detained, arrested or placed in protective custody by 
law enforcement authorities to institutions that provide 
short- or long-term care (either government or NGO-run)? 
 
(SBU) After victims have provided their initial statements to 
law enforcement authorities, they are transferred directly to 
SWB that would process the types of assistance desired by the 
victim.  SWB has dedicated after-hours phone numbers for law 
enforcement use.  In the rare case where SWB cannot be 
reached, the police can also directly refer a victim to a 
designated NGO who can offer emergency shelter.  SWB and the 
Judiciary Police in November signed an agreement to further 
strengthen cooperation between the two entities, formalizing 
the referral mechanism and procedures they have been using 
since 2008. 
 
-- G. What is the total number of trafficking victims 
identified during the reporting period?  (If available, 
please specify the type of exploitation of these victims - 
e.g. "The government identified X number of trafficking 
victims during the reporting period, Y of which were victims 
of trafficking for sexual exploitation and Z of which were 
victims of nonconsensual labor exploitation.)  Of these, how 
many victims were referred to care facilities for assistance 
by law enforcement authorities during the reporting period? 
By social services officials?  What is the number of victims 
assisted by government-funded assistance programs and those 
not funded by the government during the reporting period? 
 
(SBU) Macau law enforcement identified eight trafficking 
victims during the reporting period, all of whom were victims 
of trafficking for sexual exploitation.  (Waiting for info 
from MSARG on types of assistance received from SWB). 
 
-- H. Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and 
social services personnel have a formal system of proactively 
identifying victims of trafficking among high-risk persons 
with whom they come in contact (e.g., foreign persons 
arrested for prostitution or immigration violations)?  For 
countries with legalized prostitution, does the government 
have a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims among 
persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? 
 
(SBU) Macau's law enforcement, immigration, and social 
services personnel have a standard set of guidelines for 
proactively identifying potential trafficking victims through 
interviews and assessment.  Police officers look for certain 
indicators of exploitation/abuse among persons they encounter 
during raids of vice establishments. 
 
-- I. Are the rights of victims respected?  Are trafficking 
victims detained or jailed?   If so, for how long?  Are 
victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of 
other laws, such as those governing immigration or 
prostitution? 
 
(SBU) Rights of victims are respected.  Identified 
trafficking victims are not detained, jailed or prosecuted 
for violations of other laws. 
 
-- J. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?  How many 
victims assisted in the investigation and prosecution of 
traffickers during the reporting period? May victims file 
civil suits or seek legal action against traffickers?  Does 
anyone impede victim access to such legal redress?  If a 
victim is a material witness in a court case against a former 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  009 OF 012 
 
 
employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other employment 
or to leave the country pending trial proceedings?  Are there 
means by which a victim may obtain restitution? 
 
(SBU) MSARG policy is to always encourage victims to assist 
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking crimes. 
However, in practice, victims are reluctant to do so.  One 
contributing factor might be the fact that foreign victims 
are not allowed to work while waiting to testify in court. 
While at the SWB  shelter, their source of "income" is the 
monthly stipend of MOP2,640 (equivalent to USD 343 and the 
same amount as the minimum living index for a Macau household 
of one) the MSARG provides them.  MSARG social welfare 
providers and police tell us most victims are eager to return 
to their country of origin, and once they have provided 
officials their formal statements, they are free to leave 
Macau.  While under Macau law, a witness's statement can be 
used in court, Macau prosecutors are concerned that not 
having victims provide live testimony during an actual trial 
could weaken the government's case against alleged 
traffickers.  They fear initial statements taken by police 
sometimes might fail to capture the entire situation, 
potentially creating holes in the case.  Prosecutors 
generally try to arrange for victims to provide pre-trial 
testimonies in front of a judge as an alternative but are not 
always successful. 
 
-- K. Does the government provide any specialized training 
for government officials in identifying trafficking victims 
and in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, 
including the special needs of trafficked children?  Does the 
government provide training on protections and assistance to 
its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are 
destination or transit countries?   What is the number of 
trafficking victims assisted by the host country's embassies 
or consulates abroad during the reporting period?  Please 
explain the type of assistance provided (travel documents, 
referrals to assistance, payment for transportation home). 
 
(SBU) As mentioned above, Macau's front-line law enforcement 
and immigration officers and social workers in 2009 received 
training through several USG-sponsored courses and 
locally-organized seminars featuring foreign experts in 
victim identification and assistance. 
 
(SBU) Macau does not have diplomatic missions abroad. 
 
-- L. Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are 
repatriated as victims of trafficking? 
 
(SBU) Although Macau is not a country of origin for 
internationally trafficked men, women or children, all the 
assistance mentioned above are available to Macau residents 
who are repatriated as victims of trafficking. 
 
-- M. Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work 
with trafficking victims?  What type of services do they 
provide?  What sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities? 
 
(SBU) The Women's General Association of Macau receives 
government funding to run a TIP victim assistance hotline and 
provide basic assistance to trafficking victims to supplement 
the services provided by SWB. The Good Shepherd Sisters 
continues to provide shelter and assistance to all women in 
need, including trafficking victims. International Social 
Service (ISS) Hong Kong currently provides legal and 
counseling services to victims who manage to travel from 
Macau to Hong Kong.  GSS' director told us she felt the MSARG 
had increased its engagement with and support of NGOs' work 
in the past year. 
 
 
Para 29 PREVENTION 
------------------ 
 
-- A. Did the government conduct anti-trafficking information 
or education campaigns during the reporting period?  If so, 
briefly describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness.  Please provide the number of people 
reached by such awareness efforts, if available.  Do these 
campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or the 
demand for trafficking (e.g. "clients" of prostitutes or 
beneficiaries of forced labor)?  (Note: This can be an 
especially noteworthy effort where prostitution is legal. 
End Note.) 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  010 OF 012 
 
 
 
(SBU) The MSARG continued to develop innovative and varied 
anti-trafficking public education campaigns.  As reported ref 
B, the Committee provided approximately MOP 20,000 
(equivalent to USD 2598) to local NGO GSS to print booklets 
featuring the 55 anti-TIP poster entries by secondary schools 
students for a contest GSS ran in March.  The initial print 
of 2000 booklets were distributed along with an MTV-produced 
video that warns of the different types of traps potential 
TIP victims may encounter. The Public Security Police also 
featured one of the posters on the front of a pocket 2010 
calendar that was distributed throughout the territory. The 
calendar also listed the two dedicated TIP hotline numbers. 
 
(SBU) The Committee in January 2010 launched a website to 
educate the public about TIP and inform them of the 
government's anti-TIP activities.  In this initial rollout, 
the website currently contains information on the number of 
TIP cases identified, government activities, victim 
assistance measures, and public education materials. 
Information on relevant international TIP covenants and 
Macau's own TIP law, definitions of TIP, and indicators of 
TIP crimes can also be found on the website. 
 
(SBU) Although all TIP victims identified so far have been 
trafficked for sexual exploitation, the MSARG wanted to 
ensure the foreign labor force was knowledgeable about their 
rights under Macau law.  At health centers where foreign 
workers go for required medical tests, the Health Bureau 
installed television terminals to broadcast an MTV-produced 
TIP video and several local television TIP public service 
announcements.  The Immigration Department also broadcast the 
same materials on televisions stationed in the waiting area 
of its office dealing with foreigners. 
 
(SBU) The MSARG continued to display brochures and posters in 
English, Portuguese and Chinese at border checkpoints, 
hospitals, pharmacies, government offices, and popular public 
gathering areas.  The government ran radio and television 
public service announcements on Macau's most popular 
television and radio channels. 
 
-- B. Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking? 
 
(SBU) The MSARG has identified certain high risk groups for 
trafficking and has increased monitoring of them at border 
control points.  MSARG immigration and customs officials 
continue to exchange intelligence about suspected illegal 
migration with mainland and Hong Kong counterparts. 
 
-- C. Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, internal, international, and 
multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force? 
 
(SBU) The inter-governmental Human Trafficking Deterrent 
Measures Concern Committee serves as the vehicle for 
coordination and communication between the various MSARG 
departments as well as with foreign organizations involved in 
combating human trafficking. With representatives from the 
Security, Administration and Justice, Social Welfare and 
Culture bureaus, the Committee is able to discuss and 
coordinate internally on a range of TIP-related issues and 
speak with a united voice to external partners.  The 
Committee meets monthly to assess the government's existing 
anti-TIP initiatives and strategize on future direction of 
their overall anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
-- D. Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If the plan was developed 
during the reporting period, which agencies were involved in 
developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the process?  What 
steps has the government taken to implement the action plan? 
 
(SBU) The government began drafting a five-year Action Plan 
in the latter half of the reporting period.  The 
International Law Office under the Administration and Justice 
Bureau is lead drafter with input from all members of the 
anti-trafficking committee.  The Action Plan is expected to 
be completed in 2010. 
 
-- E: Required of all Posts: What measures has the government 
taken during the reporting period to reduce the demand for 
commercial sex acts? (please see ref B, para. 9(3) for 
examples) 
(SBU) Waiting for MSARG response. 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  011 OF 012 
 
 
 
-- F. Required of all Posts: What measures has the government 
taken during the reporting period to reduce the participation 
in international child sex tourism by nationals of the 
country? 
 
(SBU) Macau did not have an identified problem of its 
nationals participating in international child sex tourism. 
 
-- G. Required of posts in countries that have contributed 
over 100 troops to international peacekeeping efforts 
(Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, 
Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, 
China, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, 
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, 
Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, 
Korea (ROK), Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco,  Nepal, 
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, 
Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, 
Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, 
Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, and 
Zimbabwe): What measures has the government adopted to ensure 
that its nationals who are deployed abroad as part of a 
peacekeeping or other similar mission do not engage in or 
facilitate severe forms of trafficking or exploit victims of 
such trafficking?  If posts do not provide an answer to this 
question, the Department may consider including a statement 
in the country assessment to the effect that "An assessment 
regarding Country X's efforts to ensure that its troops 
deployed abroad for international peacekeeping missions do 
not engage in or facilitate trafficking or exploit 
trafficking victims was unavailable for this reporting 
period." 
 
(SBU) Not applicable to Macau. 
 
 
Para 30: PARTNERSHIPS 
--------------------- 
 
-- A.  Does the government engage with other governments, 
civil society, and/or multilateral organizations to focus 
attention and devote resources to addressing human 
trafficking?  If so, please provide details. 
 
(SBU) The Macau government continues to seek opportunities to 
enhance its partnerships with civil society, other 
governments, and international organizations. After working 
with Interpol and the Japanese government in 2008 to rescue 
two Macau females trafficked to Japan, the Committee has 
again reached out to its Japanese counterparts to further 
enhance their partnership. The Committee in spring 2010 will 
be leading a delegation to Japan for an exchange on fighting 
TIP. As reported ref D, working-level Macau officials 
continue to have very good partnerships with their Mongolian 
counterparts despite not having a formal MOU on law 
enforcement cooperation. The MSARG continues to participate 
in the Bali Process on People Smuggling. 
 
(SBU) As reported in ref B, the Committee was proactive in 
reaching out to GSS Director Sr. Juliana Devoy to seek her 
input on the government's TIP victim assistance guidelines 
and content to be featured on its website.  The Committee 
also collaborated with GSS to produce and distribute 2000 
booklets featuring anti-TIP posters submitted by secondary 
school students for a contest GSS held in March.  The 
Committee reached out to International Organization for 
Migration to learn from IOM's extensive experience in 
assisting TIP victims.  The MSARG funded and organized a 
three-day workshop for IOM experts from several countries to 
train more than 70 police, immigration and social welfare 
officers. 
 
-- B.  What sort of international assistance does the 
government provide to other countries to address TIP? 
 
(SBU) Post is not aware of any assistance the Macau 
government provided to other countries to address TIP. 
 
¶4. (U) Post point of contact is Poloff Lisa Tam, tel: (852) 
2841-2139, fax: (852) 2526-7382, email: TamLY@state.gov. 
 
¶5. (U) Hours spent on drafting this report cable: 
 
FS4-95 
FS2-2 
FS1-2 
 
HONG KONG 00000279  012 OF 012 
 
 
MARUT