VZCZCXRO9749
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0320 1421400
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211400Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7866
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000320 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA AND G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018 
TAGS: KWMN KCRM PGOV BA
SUBJECT: ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROGRAM HAVING AN IMPACT 
 
REF: MANAMA 165 
 
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

¶1. (C) Summary. A USG-funded program of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has raised awareness of human trafficking and has stimulated GOB interest in other efforts to compliment the anti-trafficking law passed in January. An Arabic-language media component set in motion a series of events that led the GOB to open two trafficking investigations and provide assistance to the suspected victims. The GOB has funded some of IOM's efforts, and approached IOM with a proposal for an additional training session, offering to provide a substantial portion of the funding. End Summary.

2.(C) IOM launched its "Capacity Building and Awareness Raising on Counter-Trafficking in Bahrain" program with a roundtable on March 12 that brought together representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Public Prosecution, the security forces' Anti-Trafficking Unit, NGOs, and sending country embassies. In an aside with poloff after the roundtable, IOM's Middle East regional representative Muhammad Shahidulhaque praised GOB efforts (reftel). IOM's current grant expires in September 2008.

3.(U) In coordination with the IOM program, the Ministry of Interior funded an IOM training session geared toward law enforcement personnel March 16-19. Of the 38 attendees, only two had previously received training on human trafficking.

4.(U) IOM conducted a three-day media training session April 28-30 for representatives of the eight Arabic-language dailies and the Ministry of Information. The session had an immediate impact with the appearance of two separate reports on trafficking in local Arabic-language newspapers. Prodded into action by the press reporting, the GOB's anti-trafficking unit opened investigations, identified the victims, and placed them in the government-operated shelter.

5.(U) Meanwhile, Information Technology directors from the Ministry of Interior, the anti- trafficking unit, and Public Prosecution have begun installing a new database that will enable them to share information on victims of trafficking. IOM and the LMRA have collaborated to produce a new information brochure to distribute to incoming workers.

6.(U) IOM country director Sura Louri told Poloff on May 11 that the Ministry of Interior proposed an additional training session for its senior managers, and offered to pay most of the cost. IOM plans to bring over an instructor from Johns Hopkins University to conduct the training in Arabic on July 16th and 17th. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX********************************************* ******** HENZEL