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### Viewing cable 09SANJOSE128, PART 2 OF 2: COSTA RICA'S 9TH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09SANJOSE128 | 2009-02-27 23:11 | 2011-03-21 16:04 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy San Jose

`

    VZCZCXYZ0007
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSJ #0128/01 0582305
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 272305Z FEB 09
    FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0528

` `

    UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000128

    SIPDIS
    SENSITIVE

    DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC SMILLER, G/TIP, G ACBlank, G/TIP
    BFLECK, INL, DRL, PRM

    E.O. 12958:  N/A
    TAGS: ELAB KCRM KFRD KWMN PHUM PREF SMIG KTIP ASEC CS
    SUBJECT:  PART 2 OF 2: COSTA RICA'S 9TH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN
    PERSONS (TIP) REPORT

    REF: A) 08 SAN JOSE 911  B) 08 STATE 132759  C) 08 SAN JOSE 194  D)
    08 SAN JOSE 833  E) 08 STATE 93829  F) SAN JOSE 0040

    ¶1. (U) This cable is Part 2 of 2 and continues section numbering
    from Part 1 (septel), in according with TIP reporting instructions.

    --------------------------------------------- -
    III. INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION - CONTINUED
    --------------------------------------------- -

    ¶E. LAW ENFORCEMENT STATISTICS:

    (1) (SBU) JUDICIAL BRANCH:  The Judicial Branch (Prosecutor's
    Office) has not yet provided Post with statistical information nor
    answers for the TIP Report, though personnel stated they were
    working on it.  If/when Post receives information from the Judicial
    Branch, we will forward septel.

    (2) (U) By the end of the reporting period, the Judicial Branch had
    not released its official statistics for 2008 (the report is usually
    published during the second semester each year). Official statistics
    for 2007 from its website were as follows:

    Number of 2007 cases received by the Prosecutor's Office:
    --Trafficking in persons ("Trata de personas") 9
    --Pandering ("Proxenetismo") 92
    --Aggravated pandering ("Proxenetismo Agravado") 24
    --Remunerated sexual relations with minors ("Relaciones sexuales
    remuneradas con menores") 99
    --Attempted Remunerated sexual relations with minors ("Relaciones
    sexuales remuneradas con menores-tentativa de") 20

    Number of sentences imposed during 2007:
    --Trafficking in persons ("Trata de personas") 2
    --Pandering ("Proxenetismo") 2
    --Aggravated pandering ("Proxenetismo agravado") 1
    --Remunerated sexual relations with minors ("Relaciones sexuales rem
    con menores de edad") 3
    --Sexual relations with minors ("Relaciones sexuales con menores de
    edad") 15

    UNICEF reported that of the above nine trafficking cases in 2007,
    the two above were sentenced and the other seven were absolved.

    (3) (SBU) Please note that the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report as
    published, in the Costa Rica "Prevention" section, stated that the
    government prosecuted 77 cases relating to commercial sexual
    exploitation of minors (Ref C).  This was a mistake.  Post's
    information stated that 77 cases were "opened," not prosecuted.

    (4) (U) According to the UNODC/ILANUD "Diagnostic of National and
    Regional Capacities for the Criminal Prosecution of the Crime of
    Trafficking in Persons" report, which was undertaken in conjunction
    with regional Prosecutors' Offices, in 2008 there were three cases
    of trafficking reported and under investigation in the country, and
    there was one sentence imposed.

    (5) (U) Trafficking activities have sometimes been classified and
    tried as lesser crimes, such as pimping or sexual exploitation, due
    largely to the lack of updated TIP statutes in the country (Ref A).
    The early 2009 legislative changes should enhance the GOCR's ability
    to investigate and prosecute traffickers, which  in turn should
    facilitate compilation of TIP law enforcement data.  Currently, the
    National Institute for Children (PANI, Spanish acronym) gathers some
    data from the 911 emergency line.

    (6) (U) As mentioned in Section I, the National Coalition, working
    with Save the Children and the non-profit Paniamor Foundation,
    undertook in 2008 the Fourth Geographical and Social Mapping of
    Trafficking of Children and Adolescents for Costa Rica.  The purpose
    of defining trafficking routes is to better identify:  TIP cases,
    where they occur, major internal and international TIP routes, and
    the factors that give rise to or facilitate TIP activities along
    those routes.  Using special software that permits locating compiled
    information on a map, the Mapping project will help systemize data
    that is not found through formal channels but can shape and focus
    prevention programs.

    ¶F. SPECIALIZED TIP TRAINING:

    (1) (U) During the reporting period, the Ministry of Public Security
    and/or the Migration Directorate, led by the National Coalition,
    trained or sensitized 973 police officers, immigration officials,
    immigration police officers, OIJ officers, national health system
    workers and others.  Eighty percent of those were police officers
    from around the country.  The government distinguishes between
    sensitivity training of eight hours or less (provided to 667
    persons) and "training" of 16 hours or more (provided to 306
    officials).

    (2) (U) Additionally, UNICEF joined with the above government
    institutions, using educational materials developed in conjunction
    with the "No te Dejes Enganar" media campaign (see Section V), to
    train 50 community police officers and police instructors following
    a "train the trainer" approach (Ref A).  The TIP theme was thus
    included in the National Police Academy curriculum in 2008, and TIP
    training will became a formal part of the Academy curriculum
    starting in 2009.

    (3) (U) In August, the Ministry of Public Security held two joint
    training activities for Costa Rican and Nicaraguan police officers
    to improve bilateral institutional coordination.  In 2008, IOM
    conducted two cross-border workshops in the northern zone (Los
    Chiles and Penas Blancas) in which immigration authorities, police
    and civil society from Costa Rica and Nicaragua participated.

    (4) (U) The Coalition also conducted, together with eleven
    institutions, training on the Protocol for the Repatriation of
    Children Victims of Trafficking to Consular Officers and other
    officials involved in the issue.  A total of five officers in the
    Costa Rican Consulates in Managua, Rivas and Chinandega (all in
    Nicaragua) received training.

    ¶G. INTERGOVERNMENTAL TIP COOPERATION:

    (1) (U) In keeping with G/TIP's Recommended Long-Term Action Plan
    (Ref E) calling for more regional cooperative efforts, the GOCR
    hosted a regional conference of national anti-TIP Coalitions from
    November 10-12, 2008.  Representatives attended from Mexico,
    Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and the
    Dominican Republic.  IOM and the ILO made presentations regarding
    international agencies and resources fighting TIP, and country
    delegations gave "best practices" presentations regarding their
    respective efforts and repatriation protocols (see also Section VI
    nomination for Best Practices).

    (2) (U) Costa Rica participates in regional fora and conferences
    that deal with TIP issues, including the Regional Conference on
    Migration, the Central American Trafficking Network, and the Central
    American Integration System (SICA, Spanish acronym).  In February
    2009, Vice Minister Duran participated in a regional human smuggling
    conference in Mexico supported by G/TIP.

    (3) (U) The National Coalition held two information-exchange
    seminars with officials from Nicaragua and Panama as part of its
    efforts to compile data for the above-mentioned 2008 Fourth
    Geographical and Social Mapping of Trafficking of Children and
    Adolescents for Costa Rica, conducted with Paniamor and Save the
    Children.

    (4) (U) During the first 2009 work session of the Central American
    Council of Public Ministries, February 10-11, 2009, General
    Prosecutors from Central American countries gathered and discussed
    trafficking in persons and its relation to organized crime.
    Additionally, they were on hand for the release of UNODC/ILANUD's
    "Diagnostic of National and Regional Capacities for the Criminal
    Prosecution of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons," which was
    completed with the participation of regional Public Ministries and
    General Prosecutor's Offices.  The General Prosecutors discussed
    ways to implement the report's suggestions.

    ¶H. (U) EXTRADITIONS:  The law provides for the extradition of
    foreign individuals residing in Costa Rica who are wanted in other
    countries for many crimes, including TIP.  There were no requests
    for extraditions this year for that crime.  According to Costa Rican
    laws, the extradition of its own nationals is prohibited (Article 3
    of the Extradition Law).  The government was not planning to modify
    its laws to permit extradition of its own nationals.

    ¶J. (SBU) INVOLVEMENT OR TOLERANCE OF TIP BY GOCR OFFICIALS:  The
    National Coalition reported that there were no cases of an official
    who was complicit in TIP crimes during the reporting period.  No new
    information was available regarding a judicial investigation of one
    case reported in Ref C.  Please see Ref D for a discussion of the
    2008 Dominican case.  According to Paniamor, the Paniamor/Save the
    Children Mapping meta-analysis (covering 2005-2007) detected
    official complicity, but no further information was available due to
    the confidential nature of the Mapping background data.  Paniamor
    distributed the complete Mapping report to relevant government
    agencies.  NGOs reported that police complicity is evident at the
    street level, where traffickers seemed pre-informed of police
    operations.  Post has no further information to prove or to disprove
    the forgoing information.

    ¶K. PROSTITUTION & PIMPING:

    (1) (U) Prostitution is legal in Costa Rica. The legal minimum age
    to engage in prostitution is 18 years; Article 160 of the criminal

    code prohibits remunerated sex with minors.  The Ministry of Health
    is responsible for regulating hygiene/health matters related to
    those who are involved in prostitution.  One observer told us,
    however, that there is a lack of regulation because many foreign
    prostitutes do not comply with check-ups.

    (2) (U) Pandering ("proxenetismo") - promoting prostitution of
    persons, inducing them or recruiting them for this end - is
    criminalized by Article 169 of the criminal code with two to five
    years imprisonment.  Article 170 of the criminal code defines
    aggravated pandering ("proxenetismo agravado") and establishes a
    punishment of four to 10 years imprisonment if the victim has not
    yet reached the age of 18.  In Article 171, pimping ("rufianera")
    is punished with a penalty of imprisonment from two to eight years,
    with prison from four to 10 years if the victim is under the age of
    13, and with prison from three to nine years if the victim is over
    13, but has not reached the age of 18.  Law No. 8590 dated July 18,
    2007, increased the age of victims from 12 to 13 years.

    ¶L. (U) INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS:  Costa Rica does not have
    a military and does not contribute troops to international
    peacekeeping efforts.  TIP crimes have extraterritorial coverage
    (Articles 5-7 of the criminal code) if committed by members of the
    Costa Rican foreign service abroad.

    ¶M. CHILD SEX TOURISM:

    (1) (U) Authorities identified child sex tourism as a problem, with
    Costa Rica as a destination country.  TIP crimes have
    extraterritorial coverage under Article 7 of the criminal code.  The
    government and several advocacy groups continued awareness campaigns
    publicizing the dangers of sex tourism and its association with
    child sexual exploitation.  As of the end of 2008, approximately 240
    tour companies had signed a conduct code as part of a global
    initiative against the commercial sexual exploitation of children,
    promoted by the World Tourism Organization and End Child
    Prostitution in Asian Tourism.

    (2) (SBU) Previously, immigration officials identified the U.S.,
    Canada, and Germany as the primary countries of origin for sex
    tourism (Ref C).  The Paniamor/Save the Children Mapping project
    showed the main clients for child sexual exploitation and
    trafficking coming from the U.S., Sweden, Germany and Italy.
    According to Post's RSO, one U.S. Citizen was actively sought in
    Costa Rica for having had sex with a 12-year old female; he was
    located and arrested in Cuba and then returned to the U.S.  No U.S.
    citizens were extradited from Costa Rica for crimes relating to
    child sexual exploitation during the reporting period.

    ----------------------------------------
    IV. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
    ----------------------------------------

    ¶A. PROTECTION AFFORDED TO VICTIMS & WITNESSES:

    (1) (U) The Victim and Witness Protection Act, passed in February
    2009, provides new protections, including the creation of a Witness
    Protection Program.  It remains to be seen, in practice, how
    effective the new law will be.  A summary of key points of the
    legislation follow:

    a. Legal protection to victims of crime and witnesses during the
    judicial process:

    --establishes legal procedures to provide for victims and witness
    protection;

    --establishes witness identity protection during the preliminary and
    intermediate stages of the judicial process;

    --makes improvements to the Victim's Attention Office ("Oficina de
    Atencion a la victima") within the Prosecutor's Office, including
    funding for this office to provide assistance to victims of crime;

    --creates a Witness Protection Program and Protection Teams
    ("Equipos de Proteccion"); and

    --widens the options available to victims (psychological, legal and
    medical assistance; finding a job; migratory status and leaving the
    country; identity protection).

    b. Right to information on developments of the case and right to
    confidentiality for victims and witnesses:

    --ensures that victims have the information they need; and

    --places greater restraints on information exempt from public
    disclosure and provides prison penalties from two to eight years and
    from six to twelve years for those who disclose such information.

    c. Reforms to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedures Code:

    --conciliation process is not available to the accused if he/she has
    utilized the conciliation process previously; and

    --makes amendments regarding TIP to Article 172 of the criminal code
    (above).

    END LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY.

    (2) (U) Recognizing the need for an inter-institutional, integrated
    response to protect and assist victims, the National Coalition's
    Subcommittee on Protection developed a protocol for immediate victim
    assistance ("Modelo de Atencion Inmediata"), which seeks to identify
    whether a person is a TIP victim and to mobilize support for him/her
    immediately upon the first encounter with the victim (by Immigration
    police, for example), or upon receiving a "denuncia" (tip) about a
    potential victim (Ref A).  The protocol, to be implemented by
    Executive Order, defines steps that governmental institutions will
    take to detect, identify, protect and provide integrated assistance
    (medical treatment, physical security, psychological assistance,
    etc.) to a victim, with an aim of avoiding "re-victimization."  It
    takes into account human rights principles, individual attention,
    internal and international trafficking, and it promotes an
    integrated response.  (NOTE: G/TIP's Barbara Fleck has a copy of the
    complete protocol.)

    (3) (U) Interestingly, the Immediate Attention protocol calls for a
    designated person from each of five Executive Branch agencies and
    two Judicial Branch agencies to be assigned to be on call for the
    Immediate Attention Team and to be given necessary resources to
    fulfill their duties on a 24/7 basis -- including computer access or
    a laptop, pager or cell phone, overtime pay, security, and access to
    transportation if necessary.  The protocol also invites the
    participation of the International Organization for Migration, the
    UN Human Rights Commission, and the International Labor Organization
    throughout the process.  In addition, PANI developed its own
    protocol to provide assistance to victims that may be identified as
    a result of the UNICEF/National Coalition's "No te Dejes Enganar"
    media campaign and is working on merging its internal protocol with
    the Coalition's.

    (4) (U) UNICEF reported that the Ministry of Public Security is
    working with UNICEF to establish "Safe Places" for children in
    communities.

    B & C. VICTIM CARE FACILITIES/SHELTERS:

    (1) (SBU) The National Coalition's Immediate Attention protocol
    highlights access to adequate shelters as an important need.
    Currently, there are no specialized shelters dedicated solely to TIP
    victims (NOTE: see Ref C for a description of existing alternatives
    - the INAMU shelter, the PANI shelter, and the Migration holding
    facility).  Shelters do not discriminate between nationals and
    non-nationals, and the INAMU and PANI shelters provide integrated
    services to victims.  As these shelters were operated by government
    institutions, their funding came from the GOCR budget, but exact
    figures for budgetary resources dedicated to TIP victims at these
    shelters were not available.

    (2) (SBU) The government provided shelter and integrated services to
    at least two trafficking victims in 2008 at the National Institute
    for Women (INAMU) shelter (one case was the Guatemalan in Section I)
    for as long as was necessary.  The Coalition recognizes that the
    security situation at both the INAMU and PANI shelters is not
    well-suited to protecting victims of organized crime.  Currently,
    the only shelter alternative for adult males is the Migration
    deportation holding facility, which the Coalition knows is not
    ideal.  The Coalition's Protection Subcommittee is studying ways to
    solve the shelter problem.  In the meantime, the above shelter
    alternatives will have to be utilized for TIP victims on a
    case-by-case basis.

    ¶D. (U) MIGRATORY RELIEF:  Working with IOM and UNHCR, the GOCR
    granted refugee status to a TIP victim for the first time in 2008.
    Immigration Law 8487 grants some victims official resident status
    through the category of "special denouncers or witnesses in judicial
    or administrative processes."  Costa Rica also has a "Protocol for
    Repatriation of Children and Adolescent Victims of Trafficking"
    signed by several government agencies in 2006 (Ref C).  The
    government may issue special visas to victims of trafficking who are
    willing to assist in the prosecution of traffickers. If victims
    cooperate as witnesses, they can be granted a special legal status
    determined by the court (Ref C).  Victims are also allowed to file
    civil suits against traffickers.

    E & F. (U) LONG-TERM SHELTER/HOUSING BENEFITS:  The GOCR does not
    provide long-term shelter or housing benefits specifically to TIP

    victims.  The National Coalition may refer cases to NGOs such as the
    Rahab Foundation for assistance with restoration and rebuilding
    their lives.

    ¶G. (SBU) TOTAL NUMBER OF TRAFFICKING VICTIMS/ SHELTERING/
    GOCR-FUNDED ASSISTANCE:  As noted above, IOM reported four known
    victims during the reporting period.  The Coalition was working with
    approximately 30 possible trafficking victims (including IOM's four)
    during the reporting period.  The judicial branch, through the
    Coalition, reported five cases.  OIJ reported two TIP cases under
    investigation (including the Dominican case), involving multiple
    potential victims (Ref D).  Two victims were sheltered by INAMU
    during the reporting period, using GOCR budgetary resources.

    ¶H. (U) IDENTIFYING TIP VICTIMS:  The Immediate Assistance Protocol
    is a formal mechanism on which police (including Migration Police)
    can rely; they can activate the Immediate Assistance Team in the
    case of suspected or potential victims in a round-up, for example.
    The authorities have inspected known establishments but they
    normally concentrate on (and deport) immigration law violators.
    However, the National Coalition has focused training on Immigration
    Police (facilitated by the fact that the Immigration Police also
    fall within the purview of the Ministry of Public Security, which
    heads the National Coalition).  Officers are being trained to be
    more sensitive to identifying potential victims among those
    detained.  In addition, as part of training in conjunction with
    UNICEF (see Section III), 50 community police officers were trained
    during the reporting period to serve a preventive role in terms of
    TIP in their communities.

    ¶I. (U) RIGHTS OF VICTIMS RESPECTED:  The rights of trafficking
    victims are respected in general, in that they are not treated as
    criminals.  The objective is to provide legal and psychological
    assistance, especially during depositions, to prevent
    re-victimization.  However, in 2008, some victims were treated as
    illegal immigrants, or, in the case of the Dominicans, as parties to
    sham marriages.  Current immigration law does not include a
    temporary parole for trafficking victims.

    ¶J. (SBU) VICTIM ASSISTANCE IN INVESTIGATIONS & TRIALS:  The Judicial
    Branch has not provided statistics regarding the number of victims
    who have assisted in prosecutions during the reporting period to
    Post.  Post will update septel if/when received.  Legal redress is
    not impeded, per se.  However, as a practical matter, victims are
    often hesitant to file "denuncias" (official complaints) to start an
    investigation.  However, OIJ may begin an investigation without a
    denuncia, and NGOs may assist victims by filing denuncias on behalf
    of victims.

    ¶K. (U) DOES GOCR PROVIDE TRAINING IN IDENTIFYING VICTIMS?  Yes.
    Please see preceding paragraphs.

    ¶L. (SBU) There are no programs in place to provide assistance to
    nationals repatriated as victims of trafficking.  The Costa Rican
    victim that returned from Mexico (see Section I) was assisted
    primarily by IOM and returned to her family home.

    ¶M. (SBU) IOs & NGOs WORKING WITH VICTIMS:  The primary international
    organization working with trafficking victims is IOM.  UNHCR, ILO,
    and UNICEF are also heavily involved in anti-TIP efforts.  NGOs
    include Save the Children (Sweden), Alianza por tus Derechos, and
    the Rahab Foundation.  Local NGO Paniamor is mapping trafficking
    routes and also supporting the GOCR with a case-management and data
    collection system called SISCESCO (Ref A).  The National Coalition
    reported that, in addition to the above agencies, it works with NGOs
    CIDEHUM (on migrant human rights) and DNI (on children's issues).
    In general, the government coordinates with the public and private
    sectors on anti-trafficking initiatives.

    -------------
    ¶V. PREVENTION
    -------------

    ¶A. MEDIA CAMPAIGN:

    (1) (U) In October 2008 the Ministry of Public Security, the
    National Coalition, UNICEF and PANI launched the media awareness
    campaign called "No te Dejes Enganar" (Don't let them lie to you) in
    Costa Rica.  UNICEF developed the regional campaign with DOS/INL
    FY2006 funds.  The campaign seeks to educate adolescents, families
    and communities about the risks and consequences of trafficking,
    with the above-mentioned complimentary community police training.
    It also encourages the public to report TIP suspicions to the 911
    emergency line.  The campaign includes TV ads, radio spots and
    "muppies" (posters); training materials for police, parents and
    teachers; and informative age-appropriate educational materials
    geared toward adolescents.

    (2) (SBU) The Coalition dedicated part of its FY2008 government

    funding to the media campaign.  PANI spent an additional $25,000 of
    its FY2008 funds for ad placement.  UNICEF hopes the campaign will
    reach half the Costa Rican population - about 2,000,000 people -
    over a six-month period.  UNICEF also hopes to reach 15,000 adults
    and teenagers with materials distributed by community police
    officers that UNICEF trained in conjunction with the campaign (see
    Section III).

    ¶B. (SBU) BORDER SCREENING FOR TIP VICTIMS, PREVENTION:  As mentioned
    above, the National Coalition has trained Costa Rica's personnel
    assigned to both the northern and southern borders; has jointly
    trained border personnel with Nicaraguan and Panamanian officials;
    and has held joint workshops with officials from the two countries
    to compile data for the Mapping project.  However, as noted in the
    above-mentioned Mapping, the borders remain porous, with more than
    100 "blind spots" reported.  The PANI exit permit required for
    minors to leave the country is a tool utilized by the government to
    monitor possible trafficking in minors.

    ¶C. (U) IS THERE A MECHANISM FOR COORDINATION BETWEEN AGENCIES,
    INTERNALLY, INTERNATIONALLY, AND MULTILATERALLY?  As noted, the
    organization in charge of coordinating national anti-trafficking
    efforts is the National Coalition, headed by one of the
    vice-ministers of Public Security.  The Coalition includes
    representatives from various government ministries and agencies as
    well as observers from international organizations, NGOs, the
    judicial branch, the Ombudsman's Office and the Legislative
    Assembly.  The Coalition participates with regional organizations,
    in multilateral fora, and in conferences.

    ¶D. (U) NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION THAT ADDRESSES TIP:  The Coalition's
    National Plan against Trafficking in Persons 2008-2010 is included
    in the government's National Development Plan 2006-2010.  The
    National Plan of Action against TIP addresses   prevention;
    protection; victim assistance; sanctions; legislation; and public
    policies.

    ¶E. (U) OTHER MEASURES:  During the year, the government also took
    the follow steps to reduce the demand for commercialized sex in
    Costa Rica:

    --PANI conducted 40 workshops with the tourism sector on the
    prevention of child sexual exploitation;

    --the public University of Costa Rica (UCR) School of Psychology
    continued a study of the effects of child sexual exploitation on
    victims and called for stronger preventative and prosecutorial
    measures; and

    --the National Commission to Combat the Commercial Sexual
    Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (CONACOES) and the ILO
    developed a training module on sexual exploitation.

    Additionally, the NGO Alianza por tus Derechos, along with the
    British Embassy, published a booklet for children called "Learning
    to Say No is your Right."

    ¶F. (U) MEASURES TAKEN TO REDUCE SEX TOURISM BY COSTA RICANS:  Post
    is unaware of any GOCR measures to reduce sex tourism by Costa Rican
    nationals.

    ¶G. (U) REQUIRED OF COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN PEACEKEEPING:  Not
    applicable.

    -----------------------------
    VI. BEST PRACTICES NOMINATION
    -----------------------------

    ¶2. (U) REGIONAL TIP CONFERENCE:  In keeping with G/TIP's Recommended
    Long-Term Action Plan (Ref E) calling for more regional cooperative
    efforts, the GOCR hosted a regional conference of national anti-TIP
    Coalitions from November 10-12, 2008.  Representatives attended from
    Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and the
    Dominican Republic.  The International Organization for Migration
    and the International Labor Organization made presentations
    regarding international agencies and resources fighting TIP, and
    country delegations gave "best practices" presentations regarding
    their respective efforts, including repatriation protocols.
    Complete minutes of the conference, including conference
    results/conclusions, were emailed to G/TIP's Fleck on February 13,
    ¶2009.

    ------------------------
    VII. TIP HERO NOMINATION
    ------------------------

    ¶3. (U) Post nominated Mariliana Morales, founder and director of the
    Rahab Foundation, in Ref F.

    -------------------------
    EMBASSY POINTS OF CONTACT
    -------------------------

    ¶4. (U) Until April 3, Cheryl Neely, Political Section,
    506-2519-2256, neelycl@state.gov.  After April 3, the contact is
    Tyler Sparks, 506-2519-2256, sparkstk@state.gov.

    CIANCHETTE

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