US embassy cable - 01HANOI2136

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002136 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
SECDEF FOR ISA/LSTERN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/11 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, VM, RELFREE, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL REES VISIT TO CATHOLIC CHARITY IN HCMC 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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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 
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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 
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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 
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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 
 
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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 
 
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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