AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HIV/AIDS, TIP, LABOR EXPORT LAW AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001916

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM HUMANR TIP HIV AIDS ETRD EINV ECON VM

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HIV/AIDS, TIP, LABOR EXPORT LAW AND
ADOPTIONS WITH THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

REF: A) HANOI 1802; B) HANOI 1803; C) HANOI 835

HANOI 00001916 001.2 OF 002


Summary
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1. (SBU) On July 20, the Ambassador met with the Chairwoman of the
National Assembly (NA) Social Affairs Committee to encourage
legislation supporting HIV/AIDS programs, assisting
counter-trafficking in persons efforts, establishing labor export
oversight and establishing better foreign adoption controls. The
GVN is planning to increase its budget to combat HIV/AIDS and is
looking into methadone treatment programs, though it has some
reservations. The NA also wants to encourage local officials in
problematic provinces to educate young people about the dangers of
trafficking in persons, and is also addressing gender discrimination
alongside plans to outlaw sex-selection abortion. The GVN would
also like to develop a program for labor export to the United
States. NA debate on social issues is playing an increasingly
important role in defining Vietnam's approach to these problems. We
will continue to work with NA delegates to address these issues as
they develop their capability to do so. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On July 20, the Ambassador met with NA Social Affairs
Committee Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu to discuss the recent
passage of a new law on HIV/AIDS during the NA's most recent session
(Ref A and B),as well as to suggest areas where the NA should
develop better oversight legislation concerning trafficking in
persons, foreign adoptions and the export of Vietnamese labor.
Committee Vice Chair Le Van Dzieu and PolOff were also present.

HIV/AIDS Law
--------------


3. (SBU) The Ambassador thanked Thu for her leadership in passing
the new Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control on June 21, 2006.
Although the law provides basic legal protection for people living
with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA),much more needs to be done to ensure that
communities and workplaces respect the rights of PLWHA, and that
provincial and local authorities enforce these rights, he stressed.
Stigma and discrimination remain heavy burdens for PLWHAs and their
families. "Sympathy Clubs" and similar (U.S.-funded) Vietnam
Women's Union-organized PLWHA support networks are a positive
development. He encouraged the NA to develop a workplan to reduce
social stigma against PLWHA and to establish an umbrella group for
associations of PLWHA to give them a national voice, perhaps under
the planned new Law on Associations (Ref C).


4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that with 100 new HIV-positive people
per day, Vietnam is failing to "turn the tide against HIV/AIDS."
The United States remains strongly committed, with USD 34 million in
funding this year and likely at least USD 50 million for next year
under the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to
support the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its effort to control the
epidemic. Especially significant are efforts to halt spread of the
disease by effectively helping the many HIV-positive residents
leaving treatment at "06" drug-rehabilitation centers. These
efforts should include methadone and other medicen-assisted
therapies. The Ambassador also noted his concern that the GVN
develop better programs to educate young people about the threat of
HIV/AIDS and offered to meet with the committee to discuss
approaches to education in greater depth.


5. (SBU) Chairwoman Thu stated that the NA is trying to increase the
GVN's State budget allocation to fight the epidemic because the
number of PLWHA is rising and the cost of anti-retroviral drugs is
high, and she asked that PEPFAR fund disbursements be timelier.
Regarding PLWHA support associations, Thu stated that the NA
discussed the issue during debate on the HIV/AIDS law and, though
the new Law on Associations has not yet been passed, the NA is
actively encouraging the development of more "partnership clubs" to
support these people. Thu also requested U.S. advice concerning
methodone treatment for drug addicts, as the GVN remains concerned
about the safety and price of such therapy, as well as effective
implementation, and noted that many methodone treatment patients in
other developing nations relapse soon after their release since they
cannot get the drug. The Ambassador offered to have his staff put
together a brief paper addressing all of these concerns.

Trafficking in Persons
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6. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the United States and Vietnam
share concern over trafficking of women and children within and
outside of Vietnam. The United States funds a number of programs to
help victims and to educate women and children about the dangers of
trafficking. This is a complex issue that requires work in
education, economic assistance and efforts to address issues like

HANOI 00001916 002.2 OF 002


the perceived worth of girl children and the imbalance of sex ratios
in rural areas. We will continue to work with the NA to develop
counter-trafficking programs, the Ambassador added. Thu agreed with
the Ambassador's assessment of the root causes of trafficking. The
NA wants to do more to encourage local officials, particularly in
border provinces, to educate young people about the dangers of
trafficking. Thu also noted that the NA is working on a law
outlawing abortions for the purpose of sex selection, but
acknowledged that sex discrimination remains a major problem. In
the latest NA session, the Vietnam Women's Union presented a draft
law on gender equality, but "the problem is deeply rooted" and no
action was taken on the draft, Thu added.

Adoptions
--------------


7. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the United States resumed
facilitating Vietnamese adoptions in January 2006. We were hopeful
that the new system would be more transparent than the previous
system (which was suspended in 2002),but there are already some
indications of old problems resurfacing. Brokers who seek only to
make money on adoptions are reappearing. For example, one orphanage
in Danang recently claimed that five separate children were left on
their doorstep in a one-week period. We will bring these concerns
to the attention of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ),but there is also
a clear need for the NA to develop legislation that will help ensure
that Vietnamese children are not treated as commodities, the
Ambassador said. Thu noted that the GVN has adoption agreements
with 54 different nations, so the social committee is well aware of
the importance of legal oversight of such programs. She promised to
raise our concerns with the MOJ.

Labor Export Law
--------------


8. (SBU) Without prompting, Chairwoman Thu herself raised the issue
of Vietnam's labor exports, noting that she traveled to the United
States last year to meet with the U.S.-based Vietnam Association of
the Handicapped. While there, she "saw how much need there is for
foreign labor" in our economy and asked if it is possible to develop
a program for Vietnamese workers to find employment in the United
States. The Ambassador noted that this is a very controversial
issue in the United States, and that while opportunities for work
visas do exist, these visas are of short duration and it does not
make economic sense for most workers to seek one given the high
charges of labor brokers. We recognize that labor exports are a
lucrative source of income for Vietnam and many other countries;
however, the lack of oversight and accountability of the firms that
hire laborers to work outside of Vietnam is a serious problem that
the NA should consider while drafting new labor export laws. This
issue is also related to trafficking in persons, the Ambassador
added. Thu confirmed that the NA is paying attention to the role of
labor export companies as they draft the new labor law.

COMMENT
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9. (SBU) NA debate on social issues like HIV/AIDS and trafficking in
persons is playing an increasingly important role in defining
Vietnam's approach to these problems. We will continue to work with
NA delegates to address these issues as they develop their
capability to do so.

MARINE