VZCZCXRO8759
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #0076/01 0391047
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 081047Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9812
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP, IO, DRL AND G/TIP 
PACOM FOR FPA 
US MISSION GENEVA FOR LABOR ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2020 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PREL PHUM KTIP CH TH BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: IMPROVED TIP COOPERATION WITH NEIGHBORS 
 
REF: A. 2008 RANGOON 575 
     ¶B. 2008 RANGOON 957 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Brian Andrews for Reasons 1.4 
 (b) & (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C)  The Government of Burma (GOB) is taking steps to 
improve anti-trafficking cooperation with its neighbors.  In 
April 2009, Burma and Thailand signed a long-delayed 
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Memorandum of Understanding 
(MOU).  Burma has expressed concern about the treatment of 
Burmese trafficking victims in Thailand and what it perceives 
as reticence by the Thais to open trafficking cooperation 
offices on the border, notwithstanding the good anti-TIP 
cooperation that already exists.  Burma also recently signed 
an anti-TIP agreement with China.  Although negotiations were 
reportedly difficult, the agreement has paved the way for 
enhanced cooperation, including plans to open a third 
trafficking bilateral liaison office (BLO) at the Chin Shwe 
Haw (Burma) - Ming Ting (China) border crossing in 2010.  End 
summary. 
 
Burma Signed TIP MOU with Thailand... 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C)  On April 24, 2009, after several months of delays, 
Burma and Thailand signed a bilateral MOU to combat 
trafficking (REFTEL).  Burmese Police Colonel Sit Aye, Head 
of the Ministry of Home Affairs Department against 
Transnational Crime, attributed the delays to Thailand's 
internal political issues, possibly referring to the December 
2008 change of administration in Thailand.  The MOU includes 
a Plan of Action that covers all aspects of anti-trafficking 
measures, such as prevention, protection, prosecution, 
repatriation, and reintegration.  In 2009, the GOB reports 
132 Burmese trafficking victims were repatriated from 
Thailand to Burma, versus 133 repatriated in 2007 and 35 
repatriated in 2006.  A political officer in the Thai Embassy 
here referred to anti-trafficking as "one of the strongest 
aspects of Thai-Burma cooperation." 
 
...But Friction on TIP Issues Remain 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C)  Despite the positive public face of Burma-Thai TIP 
cooperation, Col. Sit Aye told us January 21 that significant 
issues remain.  Burmese officials believe Thailand benefits 
from the exploitation of Burmese laborers residing in that 
country, and the GOB is reportedly unhappy with the Thai 
Government's treatment of Burmese trafficking victims in 
Thailand.  Col. Sit Aye claimed victims are regularly housed 
in shelters for periods ranging from several months to two 
years and provided inadequate translation and counseling 
services. (Embassy Bangkok notes that Thai government 
officials and NGOs attribute lengthy shelter stays in part to 
the difficulties in working with the GOB authorities and 
bureaucracy to properly identify those claiming Burmese 
nationality, and the inherent difficulty in arranging for the 
safe repatriation of TIP victims to Burma.  Delays in 
repatriation are also sometimes attributed to Burmese TIP 
victims supporting Thai prosecution efforts against 
traffickers.) 
 
¶4. (C)  According to the GOB, Thailand argued the MOU was a 
prerequisite to open BLOs to promote TIP cooperation between 
local law enforcement on both sides of the border (REFTEL). 
To date no BLOs have been opened, although Col. Sit Aye 
claims Burma and Thailand have agreed in principle to open 
three "Border Cooperation on Anti-Trafficking Forces offices" 
in 2010.  The offices would be located in the same cities as 
 
RANGOON 00000076  002 OF 003 
 
 
the nationality verification centers that grant temporary 
passports to Burmese seeking work in Thailand (Tachilek in 
Shan State, Myawaddy in Karen State, and Kauthaung in 
Taninthayari Division, which are the three main crossing 
points for Burmese into Thailand) and would serve the same 
function as BLOs, facilitating local TIP information sharing 
and cooperation, albeit with a different label.  Both Burma 
and Thailand report good cooperation at the local level 
across the border and have cooperated for years on the 
repatriation of trafficking victims. 
 
MOU with China Even More Difficult to Negotiate 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5. (C)  Meanwhile, on November 11, 2009, Burma's Deputy 
Minister for Home Affairs and China's Vice Minister for the 
Ministry of Public Security signed an anti-TIP MOU in 
Beijing.  Colonel Sit Aye told us negotiations were 
difficult, particularly due to what he termed Chinese 
resistance to "accepting international norms."  For example, 
he said, China, unlike Burma, is not a signatory to the 
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized 
Crime or its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children -- the 
main multilateral mechanisms to address TIP.  (Embassy 
Beijing clarifies that China signed the Protocol to Prevent, 
Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women 
and Children, in December 2009). 
 
¶6. (C)  Rangoon-based International Labor Organization (ILO) 
representative Steve Marshall told us GOB contacts informed 
him China's sensitivity to potential negative publicity about 
its own trafficking problems complicated the MOU 
negotiations.  Marshall reported China was concerned signing 
an MOU and sharing information with Burma could shine 
additional light on human trafficking issues in China.  This 
PRC concern may explain Article Three of the bilateral MOU, 
an expansive confidentiality clause not normally included in 
TIP MOUs. 
 
¶7. (C)  Col. Sit Aye said it is significant the MOU with 
China was signed by the PRC Ministry of Public Security and 
applies to the entire country.  Normally China prefers to 
reach agreements on trafficking at the provincial level, he 
observed.  Col. Sit Aye termed GOB-PRC police cooperation on 
trafficking as "good," noting that Chinese authorities 
typically take action within days of notification of 
potential trafficking victims, find the victims, and place 
the traffickers in custody.  The GOB reported 293 Burmese 
trafficking victims were repatriated from China in 2009, 
versus 98 trafficking victims repatriated in 2007 and 57 
repatriated in 2006. 
 
Third BLO to Open in 2010 on Burma-China Border 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶8. (SBU)  The Burma-China MOU has paved the way for the 
expected 2010 establishment of a third BLO.  The new office 
will promote cooperation at the Chin Shwe Haw (Burma) - Ming 
Ting (China) border crossing.  The Chinese and Burmese 
Government established the first BLO in Muse (Burma) - Ruili 
(China) in July 2007, and a second in Lwe Je (Burma) in 
December 2008; the locations are key border crossing points. 
Burmese police in the BLOs receive Chinese language training 
and receive specialized TIP training from NGOs, including 
Australia's Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons (ARTIP) 
Project and UNICEF.  The Burmese police are equipped with 
Chinese cell phones, computers with internet access, and 
motorbikes. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
 
RANGOON 00000076  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶9. (C)  The GOB perceives its increasing cooperation with 
neighbors Thailand and China is deserving of recognition, 
even praise.  GOB officials complain that the U.S. applies a 
double standard on TIP, praising Thailand's anti-TIP efforts 
but withholding recognition of what the Burmese believe is an 
improving GOB record.  Burma's cross-border efforts are 
certainly an important step in the right direction.  However, 
we consistently remind the authorities here that Burma's 
internal trafficking problems, particularly forced labor and 
the use of child soldiers, as well as the abysmal economic 
and political conditions that make Burma a source country for 
trafficking, are at the heart of U.S. and international 
concerns. 
 
¶10. (SBU)  This cable has been coordinated with Embassies 
Bangkok and Beijing. 
DINGER