For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 10, 2004
Statement by the Press Secretary
Today, the President announced that four countries have avoided
possible sanctions under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
because of significant steps their governments have taken to fight
trafficking in persons. These governments -- Bangladesh, Ecuador,
Guyana, and Sierra Leone -- deserve recognition for their quick action
to address problems noted in the Department of State's June 2004
Trafficking in Persons Report. The President is committed to leading
the fight to eradicate trafficking in persons, including trafficking
for sexual exploitation and other forms of modern day slavery. Steps
taken by these four governments demonstrate that the Administration's
intervention on this issue is spurring the international community to
action and, most importantly, is yielding results.
These four countries made notable progress in many key areas
including prosecution of trafficking related cases; creating police
anti-trafficking units; increasing efforts to identify and rescue
trafficking victims; drafting new anti-trafficking legislation and
procedures; and conducting high-profile public awareness campaigns.
These tremendous accomplishments will punish perpetrators and help
innocent victims of this heinous crime around the world.
The steps taken by these countries stand in contrast to the
continuing failure of Burma, Cuba, and North Korea to make significant
efforts to comply with the Act's minimum standards. As a result, the
President decided to impose sanctions on these countries in accordance
with the Act. While Sudan, Venezuela and Equatorial Guinea also failed
to make significant efforts, and are thus subject to sanctions, the
President has determined that certain assistance for these three
countries would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the
national interest of the United States.
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