Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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01HANOI2136 | 2001-08-30 08:19:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Hanoi |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 2001HANOI02136 - CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5334 PAGE 01 HANOI 02136 01 OF 02 300933Z ACTION H-01 INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EAP-00 TEDE-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /003W ------------------18B4ED 300934Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3817 INFO AMEMBASSY BEIJING AMCONSUL HONG KONG AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSY TOKYO ASEAN COLLECTIVE NSC WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI DIA WASHDC |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002136 |
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02136 01 OF 02 300933Z REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: IN A MEETING WITH STAFFDEL AT A SHELTER FOR GIRLS IN HCMC, A CATHOLIC NUN DESCRIBED A GRADUAL TENDENCY ON THE PART OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW GREATER LATITUDE TO THE NUNS TO OPERATE THE SHELTER, ALBEIT WITH SOME CONTINUED RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR ACTIVITIES. THE SHELTER IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF CATHOLIC CHARITABLE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE OPENED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THE NUNS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SEEM TO HAVE BUILT UP A GREAT DEAL OF TRUST IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, BUT SOME UNEASINESS REMAINS ON BOTH SIDES. END SUMMARY. RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT -------------------------- 3. (C) ON AUGUST 14, JOSEPH REES (COUNSEL TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS) AND BRIAN GUNDERSON (CHIEF OF STAFF TO HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER) VISITED THE THANH XUAN HOUSE FOR GIRLS IN HCMC, A SHELTER FOR GIRLS IN DANGER OF SEXUAL OR LABOR EXPLOITATION MANAGED BY TWO CATHOLIC NUNS. 4. (C) ACCORDING TO SISTER LIEN (WHO BELONGS TO THE CATHOLIC ORDER AMOUR DE LA CROIX), SISTER GIAO OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER FIRST ESTABLISHED THANH XUAN HOUSE IN 1995. SISTER GIAO HAD RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR A SHELTER FOR YOUNG GIRLS WHO HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED OR WHO WERE BEING FORCED INTO EXPLOITATIVE LABOR SITUATIONS. HER GOAL WAS ALSO TO BEGIN HEALING THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HANOI 02136 01 OF 02 300933Z WOUNDS OF ABUSE. GIRLS WERE REFERRED BY A PARENT OR BY CONCERNED NEIGHBORS IN HCMC'S BINH THANH DISTRICT, WHERE THE HOUSE WAS LOCATED. WITHIN A WEEK OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT, DISTRICT AUTHORITIES CLOSED THE HOUSE FOR TWO MONTHS UNTIL SISTER GIAO RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL PERMIT. (NOTE: SISTER GIAO WAS OUT OF TOWN DURING THE STAFFDEL'S VISIT AND SO WAS UNABLE TO MEET WITH THEM.) 5. (C) SISTER LIEN RECOUNTED THAT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE OFFICIAL PERMIT WAS THAT THE LOCAL DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, INVALIDS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (DOLISA) WOULD OFFICIALLY MANAGE THE HOUSE. DOLISA ASSIGNED THREE SOCIAL WORKERS TO OPERATE THE HOUSE, ALLOWING SISTER GIAO ONLY TO ASSIST. AFTER THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, ALL THREE DOLISA WORKERS QUIT THE JOB, SO DOLISA RECRUITED THREE MORE SOCIAL WORKERS; ALL OF THEM ALSO DEPARTED WITHIN SIX MONTHS. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT DOLISA WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES FINDING SOCIAL WORKERS TO FILL THE JOBS, IT ALLOWED SISTER GIAO TO TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE HOUSE AND TO BRING ON SISTER LIEN AS AN ASSISTANT, SHE SAID. 6. (C) THE GOVERNMENT GIVES THANH XUAN HOUSE NO FINANCIAL SUPPORT, STATED SISTER LIEN. ALL DONATIONS ARE MADE PRIVATELY; MOST COME FROM INDIVIDUALS. SISTER LIEN SAID THE BULK OF THE CHARITY'S CURRENT FUNDING COMES FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF SISTER GIAO WHO LIVE IN THE U.S. SISTER LIEN ADDED THAT THE DOLISA MANAGEMENT BOARD HAD INSPECTED THE HOUSE ONCE OR TWICE EVERY WEEK IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, BUT NOW ONLY ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. SHE SAID LOCAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HANOI 02136 01 OF 02 300933Z POLICE ALSO COME BY OCCASIONALLY. 7. (C) SISTER LIEN EMPHASIZED SHE AND SISTER GIAO GENERALLY HAVE A FREE HAND IN RUNNING THANH XUAN HOUSE. THERE ARE ONLY TWO NOTABLE RESTRICTIONS: FIRST, SHE AND SISTER GIAO ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR RELIGIOUS CLOTHES THAT WOULD IDENTIFY THEM AS CATHOLIC NUNS. SECOND, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TEACH RELIGION IN THE HOUSE. THE GIRLS ARE ALLOWED, HOWEVER, TO ATTEND RELIGIOUS SERVICES OF THEIR OWN FAITH. SISTER LIEN SAID THAT AMONG THE 26 GIRLS CURRENTLY RESIDENT AT THE HOUSE, THERE ARE ABOUT AN EQUAL NUMBER OF CATHOLICS AND BUDDHISTS, ALONG WITH ONE CAO DAI BELIEVER AND ONE MUSLIM. (DURING A TOUR OF THE LIVING QUARTERS, STAFFDEL SAW A LARGE POSTER OF JESUS CHRIST OVER ONE OF THE BEDS, AND A SMALL BUDDHA STATUE NEXT TO ANOTHER BED.) SHE SAID THAT SOME OF THE CATHOLIC GIRLS GO TO DAILY MASS. SHE NOTED THAT THE POLICE COME AROUND NEAR CHRISTMAS AND EASTER TO ASK IF THE NUNS HAVE ANY SPECIAL PLANS FOR THE CHILDREN. "WE DO ORGANIZE A CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02136 02 OF 02 300934Z CHRISTMAS PARTY," SISTER LIEN SAID, "AND WE INVITE THE POLICE TO ATTEND. THEY DON'T COME, BUT THEY DON'T BOTHER US ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HOLIDAY." 8. (C) SISTER LIEN STATED THAT THANH XUAN HOUSE IS LICENSED TO HOLD UP TO 20 GIRLS, BUT CURRENTLY HAS 26 RESIDENTS. SISTER GIAO HAS APPLIED TO DOLISA TO UPGRADE AND EXPAND, BUT SO FAR PERMISSION HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING. SHE NOTED WITH SOME APPARENT BITTERNESS THAT A NEWER SHELTER IN THE SAME LOCAL DISTRICT, MANAGED BY THE DISTRICT WOMEN'S UNION, RECENTLY UPGRADED ITS FACILITIES WITH THE HELP OF FUNDS FROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF AUSTRALIA AND CANADA. THE GVN DIRECTS INTERNATIONAL AID TOWARD GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, SHE CLAIMED. SHE ADDED THAT THE POLICE HAD VISITED THE DAY BEFORE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STAFFDEL VISIT. SHE SAID SHE UNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE A WARNING TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT SHE SAID TO THE STAFFDEL. HEALING THE WOUNDS OF ABUSE -------------------------- 9. (SBU) ACCORDING TO SISTER LIEN, THANH XUAN HOUSE IS ALLOWED TO PROVIDE SHELTER TO GIRLS UP TO THE AGE OF 18. ALTHOUGH CURRENTLY ALL 26 GIRLS SHELTERED AT THE HOUSE AT ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6 TO 14, SEVERAL GIRLS UP TO THE AGE OF 18 HAVE STAYED AT THE HOUSE PREVIOUSLY. MOST OF THE GIRLS ATTEND REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ACCORDING TO SISTER LIEN, THE NUNS TRAIN ALL THE GIRLS TO MAKE HANDICRAFTS AFTER REGULAR SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HANOI 02136 02 OF 02 300934Z HOURS. IN ADDITION, WHEN GIRLS 15- TO 18-YEARS OLD ARE RESIDENT AT THE HOUSE, THE NUNS ARRANGE FOR THEM TO RECEIVE VOCATIONAL TRAINNG IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND SEWING. 10. (SBU) SISTER IEN POINTED OUT SEVERAL OF THE GIRLS AND GAVE A KETCH OF EACH ONE'S PERSONAL HISTORY. A NEIGHBO RAPED ONE 6-YEAR-OLD. THE MOTHER BROUGHT HER TO THANH XUAN HOUSE FOR PROTECTION. THE MOTHER OF A 9- YEAR-OLD HAS TUBERCULOSIS, SO THE CHILD WAS BROUGHT TO THE HOUSE UNTIL MEDICATIONS RENDERED THE MOTHER NON- INFECTIOUS. A 7-YEAR-OLD HAD BEEN SOLD BY HER PARENTS TO A BROKER IN DONG NAI PROVINCE WHO IN TURN SOLD HER TO A CHILDLESS COUPLE. THE NEW FATHER BEAT HER SO SEVERELY, HOWEVER, THAT THE NEIGHBORS REPORTED IT TO THE POLICE. SISTER LIEN SAID MOST OF THE GIRLS AT THE HOUSE HAD BEEN BROUGHT BY THE POLICE, BY THE LOCAL YOUTH UNION, OR BY THE LOCAL WOMEN'S UNION. 11. (SBU) SISTER LIEN SAID SHE FINDS EMPLOYMENT FOR GIRLS WHO ARE TURNING 18 AND CAN NO LONGER STAY AT THE HOUSE. SHE AND SISTER GIAO ALSO TRY TO RECONCILE THE GIRLS WITH THEIR PARENTS WHEN POSSIBLE. SHE SAID 40 GIRLS HAVE ALREADY"GRADUATED," AND SHE MAINTAINS CONTACT WITH ALL F THEM. MOST HAVE GONE ON TO HAPPIER LIVES, BUT OT ALL OF THEM. AT PRESENT, SHE IS MONITORING TE SITUATION OF A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO RETURNED HME, BUT WHOSE STEPFATHER MAY BE TREATING HER UNKNDLY. COMMENT -------------------------- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HANOI 02136 02 OF 02 300934Z 12. (C) THANH XUAN HUSE FOR GIRLS IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL CATHOLIC CHAITABLE INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE OPENED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN HCMC AND IN OTHER TOWNS IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS STILL APPEAR TO BE WARY OF NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND SEEK TO CONTROL THEM BY AFFILIATING THEM WITH A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND BY CLOSE MONITORING. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT AS LOCAL OFFICIALS RECOGNIZE THAT THANH XUAN HOUSE AND OTHER PRIVATE CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS ARE HELPING TO MEET SOME OF HCMC'S MOST SERIOUS SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS, THEIR INSISTENCE ON OVERT CONTROL AND MONITORING IS GRADUALLY GIVING WAY TO AN ATTITUDE OF MORE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE. 13. (U) THE STAFFDEL DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR THIS CABLE BEFORE DEPARTURE. PORTER CONFIDENTIAL |