INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Tip Grant Signing Ceremony with Local Ngo a Success

Published: Wed 16 Jul 2008 08:28 AM
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RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #0651/01 1980828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160828Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9109
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0197
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000651
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KFRD ELAB PHUM KWMN SMIG MZ
SUBJECT: TIP GRANT SIGNING CEREMONY WITH LOCAL NGO A SUCCESS
REF: MAPUTO 322
1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 3, the Embassy hosted a well-attended
signing ceremony to award a two-year, $300,000 G/TIP grant to
Mozambican NGO Rede CAME (Network Against Child Abuse). All
major media outlets, representatives from 15 Mozambican NGOs
involved in the fight against trafficking in women and
children, and a high-level official from the Ministry of
Women and Social Action attended the event. The project will
focus on disseminating the recently-passed anti-trafficking
law (reftel), training of police, border guards, and judicial
officials, and creating synergy among the GRM, NGOs, and
multilateral organizations. The event capitalized on
timing*the National Assembly passed the law in April, the
President signed the law in June, and the press continues to
report broadly on several recent high-profile cases of
trafficking. END SUMMARY.
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WIDESPREAD, POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE
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2. (SBU) The media covered the ceremony widely and portrayed
the story in a very positive light. All three major
television stations showed the event on the evening news. In
addition, the event was broadcast on Mozambique's only
national radio station (from which BBC Africa picked up the
story), and covered by most major daily and weekly
newspapers. The coverage was factual and underscored the
U.S. commitment to fighting trafficking: awarding of the
grant, previous USG TIP assistance to Mozambique, and updates
on the law. Stories also alluded to several recent
high-profile TIP cases in Mozambique, including the Diana
case. Post made available several information pamphlets on
TIP, including the recently arrived Portuguese translation of
"Be Smart, Be Safe."
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USG LEADING THE FIGHT
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3. (SBU) The Charge commended the GRM for its recent passing
of the first comprehensive anti-trafficking law in SADC, but
cautioned that having a law is only the first step. He
thanked the NGOs present at the event for their work to
expose the trafficking problem in Mozambique and urged them,
and separately the media, to help disseminate and publicize
the law as widely as possible. The Charge also noted the
numerous USG programs in recent years to combat TIP,
including a technical assistance project to draft the
anti-trafficking law, funds to support several large
anti-trafficking billboards on the border with South Africa
and in the main bus station, financial assistance to the help
open the country's first shelter for trafficking victims, and
financial assistance to operate a screening center for
trafficking victims on the border with South Africa.
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DISSEMINATION AND SYNERGY BUILDING
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4. (U) Rede CAME representatives noted that USG assistance
has been crucial to the country's anti-TIP initiatives, and
that the timing of the project was ideal, particularly since
the subject has become a mainstay in the press in the past
year due to several high-profile cases. They also
highlighted the main objectives of the project as
country-wide dissemination of the law, training and
capacity-building of the police, border guards, and judicial
officials on the front lines of the GRM's anti-trafficking
efforts, and the building of synergy between civil society
and the GRM, particularly in the areas of communication and
resources.
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COMMENT: AN EVENT WORTH REPLICATING
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5. (SBU) The signing ceremony was a major success that
warrants replication in other areas where the Embassy is
providing critical assistance in underreported areas. While
bringing government, civil society, and diplomatic corps
representatives together in the same room as equals can be
challenging, the ceremony was an opportune occasion to
discuss trafficking in an open environment and to find
strategies to jointly address the problem. The event also
capitalized on the increased media reporting of trafficking
issues over the past year and helped to keep the topic in the
public realm. As the media have taken a leading role in
exposing both the nature and the complexity of the
trafficking issue in Mozambique, we will be looking for more
MAPUTO 00000651 002 OF 002
opportunities to work with them in the future.
Chapman
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