Things To Do In Aruba

Law Enforcement Efforts. The TTDF Coast Guard, OCNU, CDCTF, and specialized policy/army task forces continued to carry out drug interdiction and eradication operations throughout the year, sometimes in cooperation with DEA and U.S. Customs. Numerous GOTT eradication operations resulted in the eradication of 2.1 million cannabis plants and seedlings. In 2003, the GOTT seized 149 kilograms of cocaine, 31 kilograms of heroin, and 560 kilograms of cannabis. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), with DEA assistance, was able to interdict several shipments of cocaine being transported via commercial flights, either in transit from Guyana or originating in Trinidad and Tobago. In mid-summer, Canadian and GOTT law enforcement interdicted two cocaine shipments, reportedly facilitated by airport workers, destined for Canada. One shipment of 42 kilograms was secreted in a container that arrived at the Toronto airport from Port of Spain; another shipme ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries H through P

India is a source, transit, and destination country for women, men, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. Indian men and women are trafficked into situations of involuntary servitude in countries in the Middle East and children may be forced to work as beggars or camel jockeys. Bangladeshi women and children are trafficked to India or trafficked through India en route to Pakistan and the Middle East for purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor. Nepalese women and girls are trafficked to India for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor. India is also a growing destination for sex tourists from Europe, the United States, and other Western countries. Internal trafficking of women, men, and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, bonded labor, and indentured servitude is widespread. Numerous stud ... [Read More]

G) The Caribbean

Policy Initiatives. The political impasse that followed the December 2001 election, and the resultant inability to convene Parliament until new elections were held in October 2002, limited further progress in strengthening GOTT counternarcotics capabilities. Nevertheless, the GOTT supported counternarcotics efforts through public statements by senior GOTT officials and the provision of resources for ongoing programs. During the year, GOTT officials participated actively in regional counternarcotics fora and in the negotiations for a Caribbean regional maritime counternarcotics agreement. The GOTT continued to fund a three-person U.S. Customs advisory team, which worked closely with the GOTT’s Customs and Excise Division to improve the effectiveness of its passenger and cargo processing and enforcement capabilities. The GOTT also continued to fund an Internal Revenue Service advisory team that worked with the Bureau of Inland Re ... [Read More]

Tips for Travelers to the Caribbean

May 1997 Foreword Since colonial times, the Caribbean has been a favorite place for American visitors. In the past 50 years, tourism to the area has increased greatly, and today millions of U.S. citizens visit the islands every year. The majority of these visitors have a safe trip. To help you have a similar experience, the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs has prepared these tips for you. Consular Affairs provides services to Americans ... [Read More]

The Caribbean

The BahamasI. Summary Because of its geographic location, The Bahamas continues to be utilized as a major transit country for cocaine and marijuana bound for the U.S. from South America and the Caribbean. The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas (GCOB) cooperates closely with the United States Government (USG) to stop the flow of illegal drugs through its territory, to target Bahamian drug trafficking organizations, and to reduce the domestic demand for drugs within the Bahamian population. An important bilateral milestone was achieved in June 2004 with the signing of a Comprehensive Maritime Agreement to provide law enforcement officers a ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Transcript: Admiral Blair Says Indonesia Must Reform Military

As I said in my remarks, the world's response to terrorism has to have many different components -- economic, military assistance, legal, financial. I think if you look at the U.S. response you see all of those components. Certainly we participate with the international financial institutions, IMF, World Bank, those institutions which are responding in many ways including assistance to Indonesia right now. ...

Question: In the context of the anti-terrorist campaign, I am referring to pages 11 and 12 of your remarks in Indonesian language. You say that peacekeeping force operation of United States, military operation, will have a mission (unintelligible) in combating the anti-terrorists. My question is how you make justification regarding the national integrity among the Asian region including the Indonesian territory and jurisdiction. First question. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Transcript: State Department Briefing, June 8

QUESTION:  Are you disturbed at all by the comments by Iraqi President Talabani and by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq leader, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, saying that militias of the Badr Brigades and the Peshmirga continue to have a role in Iraq should go on fighting against insurgents?  I believe this is a change in -- from what the Baghdad Government had said before of trying to gradually disband these militias that build up their own forces.  And I wonder if you think that there is a role for independent militias in Iraq where you are trying to support the Iraqis in building their own security forces. ... [Read More]

Daily Press Briefing for June 8 -- Transcript
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Department of State Washington File: Transcript: State Department Briefing, June 13

MR. MCCORMACK:  That will be part of her discussions.  She is going to talk about Gaza withdrawal, both with the Israelis as well as the Palestinian Authority.  August 8th, which is the planned beginning of the Gaza withdrawal, is coming up on us and we think it's important that all -- as we've said before -- that all sides make a maximum effort to have this withdrawal be a success so that can accelerate progress towards the ultimate goals of the roadmap.  And part of that is, on the Palestinian side, is to work with them in building the institutions so that when the withdrawal does occur, that there are capable institutions in place to handle issues related to security, as well as providing for the needs of the Palestinian people.  ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report
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