US State Dept. watered down Human Trafficking Report

[webfact]

US State Dept. Watered Down Human Trafficking Report
By Khaosod English

WASHINGTON — In the weeks leading up to a critical annual U.S. report on human trafficking that publicly shames the world’s worst offenders, human rights experts at the State Department concluded that trafficking conditions hadn’t improved in Malaysia and Cuba. And in China, they found, things had grown worse.

The State Department’s senior political staff saw it differently — and they prevailed.

A Reuters examination, based on interviews with more than a dozen sources in Washington and foreign capitals, shows that the government office set up to independently grade global efforts to fight human trafficking was repeatedly overruled by senior American diplomats and pressured into inflating assessments of 14 strategically important countries in this year’s Trafficking in Persons report.

In all, analysts in the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - or J/TIP, as it’s known within the U.S. government — disagreed with U.S. diplomatic bureaus on ratings for 17 countries, the sources said.

The analysts, who are specialists in assessing efforts to combat modern slavery - such as the illegal trade in humans for forced labor or prostitution - won only three of those disputes, the worst ratio in the 15-year history of the unit, according to the sources.

As a result, not only Malaysia, Cuba and China, but countries such as India, Uzbekistan and Mexico, wound up with better grades than the State Department’s human-rights experts wanted to give them, the sources said. (Graphic looking at some of the key decisions here: http://reut.rs/1gF2Wz5)

Of the three disputes J/TIP won, the most prominent was Thailand, which has faced scrutiny over forced labor at sea and the trafficking of Rohingya Muslims through its southern jungles. Diplomats had sought to upgrade it to so-called “Tier 2 Watch List” status. It remains on “Tier 3” - the rating for countries with the worst human-trafficking records.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1438659794


-- Khaosod English 2015-08-04

[ukrules]

So there's zero impartiality, just diplomatic horsetrading by the sounds of it with those who 'play ball' getting a higher rating.

As such these reports should be taken 'with a grain of salt'.

Flavour of the month countries getting a higher rating = loss of credibility.

Considering it's widely believed that the Chinese hacked the Governments OPM databases it's a little bit surprising that China is being favoured, or is it ?

[Krataiboy]

Why does none of this come as a surprise?

[kamahele]

So there's zero impartiality, just diplomatic horsetrading by the sounds of it with those who 'play ball' getting a higher rating.

As such these reports should be taken 'with a grain of salt'.

Flavour of the month countries getting a higher rating = loss of credibility.

Considering it's widely believed that the Chinese hacked the Governments OPM databases it's a little bit surprising that China is being favoured, or is it ?

I don't think we should take these reports with a grain of salt, but you are right that there is politics at play here. You'll note that the countries listed as those who were allegedly given better scores than they should, all have something we (the US) wants or has an agreement pending of some sort which we (the US) favor. As far as China goes, the relationship is complicated. Huge economy. As much as we hate each other ,we need each other.

[FangFerang]

Politicians in the US are now experts at subverting science to meet their our agendas. Worse, this information had to obtained somehow, and I strongly believe someone is going to lose their job.

America has the best government money can buy.

[Baerboxer]

So there's zero impartiality, just diplomatic horsetrading by the sounds of it with those who 'play ball' getting a higher rating.

As such these reports should be taken 'with a grain of salt'.

Flavour of the month countries getting a higher rating = loss of credibility.

Considering it's widely believed that the Chinese hacked the Governments OPM databases it's a little bit surprising that China is being favoured, or is it ?

I don't think we should take these reports with a grain of salt, but you are right that there is politics at play here. You'll note that the countries listed as those who were allegedly given better scores than they should, all have something we (the US) wants or has an agreement pending of some sort which we (the US) favor. As far as China goes, the relationship is complicated. Huge economy. As much as we hate each other ,we need each other.

And if the US wants to "groom" another country as part of combating growing Chinese influence; or wants to pursue trade and business; or wants political support then it gives them an higher rating.

Stuff reality and what is actually happening regarding trafficking and human rights in those countries.

And that's somehow all right? The credibility of the rankings and whose on what tier is now destroyed. It's a political tool which manipulates the report to suit political agenda. No more, no less.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Baerboxer

[sgtsabai]

It was because of TPP, the pending disastrous secret corporate rip-off. Malaysia could not be included in TPP if they remain Tier 3. TPP, by the plutocrats, for the plutocrats, corporations, big pharma, internet censorship and corporate control of elected (debatable these days, money buys them) governments.

[sprq]

How does Cuba get on a human trafficking list?! There are some human rights issues that Cuba can well be criticised for, but human trafficking is just plain absurd. It is an island to which entry is strictly controlled by an authoritarian regime, and consequently is the most secure country in the Americas. In fact, on any register of human trafficking in the Americas, the USA itself is a major culprit, as many media reports have shown, revealing illegal immigrants working in slave-like conditions, for example.

[ukrules]

How does Cuba get on a human trafficking list?! There are some human rights issues that Cuba can well be criticised for, but human trafficking is just plain absurd. It is an island to which entry is strictly controlled by an authoritarian regime, and consequently is the most secure country in the Americas. In fact, on any register of human trafficking in the Americas, the USA itself is a major culprit, as many media reports have shown, revealing illegal immigrants working in slave-like conditions, for example.

You do realise that Cuba is and has been a major vacation destination for Europeans for decades don't you ?

The US embargo on Cuba doesn't mean sh!t outside of the US.

[bendejo]

Politicians in the US are now experts at subverting science to meet their our agendas. Worse, this information had to obtained somehow, and I strongly believe someone is going to lose their job.

[...].

Yep. Secretary of State to his chief of staff: "fix this, and fire somebody."

Meanwhile, the president of Malaysia flies to Hawaii for a round of golf with the US president. Obama trying to keep that turd polished to so he can get the trade bill passed.

Edited August 4, 2015 by bendejo

[Credo]

So how does this report compare to the one issued by the EU?