Vietnam approves anti-trafficking programs  

12/03/2005 -- 22:10(GMT+7

Ha Noi  (VNA) - Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has approved four sub-projects of the National Action Plan for preventing trafficking in women and children for the period 2005-2010.

These include a project to raise public awareness on the battle against human trafficking; a project to prevent the crime of human trafficking; a project to receive and assist victims of trafficking when they are rescued and returned; and a project to build and complete the legal framework for preventing the crime of human trafficking.

 The Prime Minister has asked appropriate ministries, agencies and provincial and municipal People’s Committees to co-ordinate in implementing these projects.

Eliminating of a corruption website

The Cultural police of the Security Ministry in the South has just cracked down a depraved website established by Tran Minh Quang (born in 1984, Vietnamese overseas) and NMT (born in 1984, residence in Ben Tre province). This website named www.thienbong.com including sexual stories, pictures, films in English and Vietnamese. They had sold more than VIP cards to get more than VND30 millions.

Source Law Newspaper

March 16th, 2005  

Together with Interpol to fight against crime of trafficking in women and children

On 23 March 2005, in Ho Chi Minh City the General Administration of Police (Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam) launched its anti-trafficking components of the National Plan of Action on Combating crime of trafficking in women and children 2004-2010.

In countering trafficking the Ministry of Public Security is working closely with UNODC and UNICEF to strengthen legal framework and law enforcement. Ms. Narumi Yamada, Representative of UNODC Country Office in Vietnam said "Partnership between UNODC and Vietnam has been established for longtime, particularly in anti-trafficking project since 2003, UNODC has supported MPS with various training courses focusing on law enforcement skills and techniques".  

(Source Vietnam News Agency)

The Sub- Mekong Delta Countries

Collaboration for Anti-Trafficking Crime

On the March 29th morning, a high rank official meeting of six countries in Sub-Mekong Delta region (Cambodia, China, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam) opened in Ha Noi. The meeting will take place from March 29 - 31 to approve the Action Plan coordinating among 6 countries in 3 years in order to fight against human trafficking.

To Vietnam news agency, senior lieutenant -general Nguyen Van Tinh, the Deputy Minister of Public Security Ministry, representative of Vietnamese government, had opening speech and emphasized: This meeting held for governments of six countries in Sub Mekong Delta region to establish the collaboration mechanism in sub regional level on anti- human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime to mankind, has a tendency to increase, of which the sub Mekong Delta region is a hot spot. The six country governments have had efforts to strengthen the legislation, the executive capacity, build up the reintegration system and support victims better. This meeting aims at changing commitments between countries into specific action programme.

Source Workers’ newspaper

March 30th, 2005

Regional officials meet to co-ordinate efforts against human trafficking

 Senior officials from Mekong River countries gathered in Hanoi for a meeting under the Co-ordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT), which opened on March 29.

Addressing the meeting, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Tinh said Vietnam has confirmed its commitment to combat human trafficking, especially that of women and children, by issuing a wide range of policies in this regard.

The country has set up a national steering committee for preventing and combating human trafficking, which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

Vietnam has signed the International Convention on the Rights of Children and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

In his speech, Jordan Ryan, UNDP Resident Representative to Vietnam, said the meeting would be remembered as a watershed event as six governments will agree on a concrete and detailed plan to work together to solve the serious problem of human trafficking in the Mekong Sub-region.

He said the UN recognises that human trafficking is a complex problem that often crosses international borders, and therefore, requires international co-operation. He said he believed that the UN could play an important role in supporting the efforts of Mekong River countries.

The meeting brought together representatives from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The previous meeting took place in Yangon, Myanmar last October, where participants signed a COMMIT Memorandum of Understanding. (VNA)

 March 30, 2005

Measures against human trafficking discussed 
at regional meeting in Hanoi

Senior officials from Mekong sub-regional countries gathered for a meeting under the Co-ordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT), which opened in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Addressing the meeting, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Tinh said Vietnam has confirmed its commitment to combat human trafficking, especially in women and children, by issuing a wide range of policies in this regard.

Vietnam has set up a national steering committee for preventing and combating human trafficking. The country has signed the International Convention on the Rights of Children and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

In his speech, UNDP Resident Representative to Vietnam Jordan Ryan said that the meeting is considered a watershed event, as six governments will agree on a concrete and detailed plan to work together to solve the serious problem of human trafficking in the Mekong Sub-region.

Mr Ryan said the UN recognises that human trafficking is a complex problem that often crosses international borders, and therefore, requires international cooperation. He believed that the UN will play an important role in supporting the efforts of Mekong sub-regional countries.

The meeting brought together representatives from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The previous meeting took place in Yangon, Myanmar last October, where participants signed a COMMIT Memorandum of Understanding. (Source: VNA)

Vietnam, Laos, China agree on border crossing point

Vietnam, Laos and China finally agreed on their border crossing-point at a five-day meeting which concluded in Hanoi on April 8 after two rounds of negotiations.

The trio plan to identify their border crossing-point at the specific site later this month, complete a relevant map based on a tri-lateral agreement and sign the agreement on the issue later this year.

The three parties agreed to hold the third round of negotiations in Beijing, China, in the second half of this year to further discuss the issue. (VNA)

Eliminating 2 brothels in a week

The Police of ward 12 of district 10 caught in act of prostitution 4 couples in Hoang Nhung hotel, (20/c76 Street 3/2) owned by Nguyen Thi Nhung. The owner of this hotel has offered prostitutes to clients of restaurants, dancing in district 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, etc. In addition, this hotel also received prostitutes and clients from another prostitution “ring” organized by Tran Thi Lanh, a coffee shop owner in Ngo Quyen Street.

(Source: The HCMC Police Newspaper) 

Viet Nam, Cambodia work to strengthen border security 

 (VNA) - Vietnamese and Cambodian police chiefs have agreed on measures to ensure security and social order along the two countries' common border.

During their talks in Phnom Penh on Apr. 9, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General Le Hong Anh and Cambodian Minister of the Interior Samdech Norodom Sirivudh were of the same view that the focus of those measures is to prevent illegal immigration, the trafficking of women and children, the smuggling of goods, and counter drug-related and trans-national crime and international terrorists.

The Vietnamese and Cambodian officials exchanged information on the operations of hostile forces, who want to undermine the two nations' traditional friendship and solidarity and damage the security, social order, stability and development of the two countries.

They agreed to increase the exchange of professional experience and information to enhance the efficiency of the two ministries' cooperation, which was reflected by a plan to carry out a bilateral cooperation agreement for 2005, which was signed at the end of the talks.

Also on Apr. 9, the second day of his four-day official visit to Cambodia, Minister Anh was received by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who held that the visit is made at a time when cooperation between the two countries has been experiencing positive developments.

He said that the visit, conducted right after Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh's official visit, provides the two ministries with an opportunity to initiate orientations for the cooperation framework discussed by the two countries' leaders.

PM Hun Sen praised the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of the Interior in the recent past.

The two ministries' cooperation has brought about important results, including the organisation of regular talks and exchanges of officials' visits, especially to localities sharing the border, conducted to discuss specific issues of mutual concern. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security has created every conceivable condition to help the Cambodian partner in personnel training in their country and in Viet Nam.

The Cambodian leader said he believed the visit will open up a new form of cooperation as well as mark an important stride in the two ministries' cooperation.

He briefed his host on the positive results of his working session with Minister Sirivudh, saying the session covered a wide range of issues over which unanimity prevailed.

The Vietnamese official said the results of the working session marks a milestone in the two ministries' cooperative ties and contributes greatly to further consolidating relations between Viet Nam and Cambodia.-Enditem

Singer Lam Nhat Anh was prosecuted as a pimp

The Peoples Procuracy of district 3 – HCMC- has just finished the indictment to prosecute Lam Nhat Anh, former singer of “Black& White” group, as a pimp. Under the masque of a singer, Anh has worked as a pimp cum high-level prostitute from November 2003. It costs between 100 and 200 US dollars per time for her ring’s prostitutes. Anh was paid 20 $US if prostitutes get 100 $US and 50 dollars if sex trade costs 200 $US. On November 17th, 2004 Anh and Huong Giang, a model born in 1987, and Tuyet Trinh were caught in act of prostitution at hotel Dai Hoang Ha in district 3.

(Source: Labourer Newspaper dated on 13 April 2005)

Launching workshop of the ILO-IPEC project on Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Women at a community level in Vietnam

The International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) to hold the Launching workshop of the ILO-IPEC project on Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Women at a community level in Vietnam funded by the Government of Japan through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security in Hanoi, 26 April, 2005. The Project will be implemented until July 2006 with a budget of USD340,000 (app.). Details will be posted in the Press Realese next week after launching.

(Source: UNIAP) 

Eliminating a brothel in Go Vap district

The Investigation Police Team of the HCM City coordinated with the Police of ward 12 in Go Vap district suddenly checked a house in Tan Son Street and caught three couples in act of prostitution. Nguyen Thi My Le, originating in Tien Giang province, hired this house to organize prostitution.

(Source: The HCMC Police Newspaper dated on April 14th, 2005)

A young girl was lured and sold to Cambodia

On 21st April 2005, Mr. Tran Cong Tinh, born in 1965, permanent residence in Dak Lak province, came to the Women Union newspaper’s Office to ask for help. He said that his daughter, Tran thi Le, born in 1992 (13 years old) has been lured and sold to Cambodia by pimp.

Tinh said that previously his family lived in Daklak. In 1992, his wife died after giving birth her daughter. At beginning of 2004, he took her daughter to Dong Thap province to work with his friend to earn their livings. On April 10th, 2005, Le (her daughter) went to Sadec town to sell lottery while he went working and she did not go home.

Some people saw Le to follow a woman to go to An Giang about 14 o’clock in the same day. Tinh remembered Le had told him, one month ago, about a woman who gave her foods and induced her to go to Cambodia to buy things for sell to get profits.

He was instructed to write complain to the local police where they reside. He has no any photo of her daughter because their house was burnt in the year 2000.

Le has 1.35m height, brown skin, short hair and high nose, while leaving she wore black trousers and blue shirt. If someone see her, please give notice to police or contact with the Office of HCMC Women Union’s newspaper, at 188 Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3, telephone number: 9316160.

(Source: HCMC Women Union Newspaper dated on 22nd April 2005)

The ILO-IPEC Project on Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Women at a Community Level in Vietnam

Project Launching and National Stakeholder Ownership Exercise Workshop 

On 4th April 2005, the Prime Minister approved the RAS/02/P09/HSF Project on Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Women at a Community Level in Vietnam, allowing the Vietnam Women’s Union to receive the Project.

On 8th April 2005, the Vietnam Women’s Union and the ILO Office in Hanoi signed the Letter of Agreement to cooperate in the implementation of the Project.

On 19th April 2005, the Chairwomen of the Vietnam Women’s Union signed the Decision to approve the Project and assign the IEC Department to be the Project implementing agency.

Today, the Vietnam Women’s Union and the International Labour Organization (ILO), through its Mekong Project to Combat Trafficking in Children and Women, announced the launch of the Project’s activities. The objective of the Project is to contribute to the elimination of labour exploitation of children and women, in particular the trafficking of children and women in Vietnam.  The Project’s activities aim at preventing human trafficking both within and across borders in the three southern provinces of Tay Ninh, Hau Giang and Can Tho city.

Many Vietnamese children and women are being lured to major urban areas in the country or abroad with false promises of work or marriage and later exploited.

The Project’s activities, supported by the Government of Japan through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, will focus on improving awareness of children and young women from vulnerable communities about the dangers of ill-prepared migration and the coercion and deceit often used by traffickers to trick victims into positions of sexual and labour exploitation.

A series of capacity building activities will be held for the involved stakeholders, and awareness raising and direct assistance activities for the women, children and their families in ten communities of the three provinces. A National Stakeholders’ Ownership Exercise workshop was held today to establish the selection criteria for the target communities.

The Government of Viet Nam has expressed increasing concern over the situation of human trafficking and has been stepping up its activities to counter the threat. Last year, the Government adopted a new National Plan of Action Combating Crimes of Trafficking in Children and Women during 2004-2010. It offers prevention, protection and support to trafficked victims and those vulnerable to exploitation. The move followed a Government directive in 1997 to fight the trafficking of children and women abroad.

The Government of Viet Nam, together with four other countries in the sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Yunnan Province of China) has been working with the ILO through its Mekong Project to Combat Trafficking in Children and Women since 2000. That same year it ratified ILO Convention 182 on eliminating the Worst Forms of Child Labour (trafficking of children results in a worst form of child labour).

(Source: UNIAP Vietnam)

Prevention, anti trafficking in women and children:

What should parents do?

According to the report of the Ministry of Public Security, 1.434 women and children trafficking criminals have been prosecuted from 1998 until now. The Vietnamese Committee for Population, Family and Children (CPFC) estimates some 500 children and women have been lured and sold across borders annually. In Cambodia only, 5.000 women and children are being sexually exploited.

Facing this problem, it is necessary to equip women and children with prevention and anti trafficking skills.

Most of victims have been lured

Mai (changed name) lived with her diseased mother. In order to earn money, Mai followed an acquaintance to go working in Malaysia. There, she realized being sold in a brothel. Mai was forced to work as prostitute to repay fees for air ticket, clothes… up to US$4,500 but after the debt was settled, the brothel’s owner still kept her until Mai and other prostitutes had violent reactions.

The police seized the victims when they coming back to Thailand because the traffickers informed to authority. Mai was sentenced to 14 months in jail. Being released from prison, Mai came back her country with the assistance of AFESIP organisation in Thailand and Vietnam. Meeting again her mother, she knew that the inter-mediator had taken all of money she sent to her mother.  Mai said that many trafficked women are half-death in Malaysia because they cannot speak a word of local language.

 It is courage that Mai agreed to become a living witness to tell her story in a workshop on prevention and anti trafficking in women and children held by the HCM City CPFC in the end of April 2005. Most of trafficked victims were lured and sold by their acquaintances: neighbours, friends, and relatives who often promise to offer victims a good job and high salary.

Currently, traffickers also offer “a tourist trip” to entice the young girls of the rich. Mrs. Phan Thanh Minh, chief of the Counselling office in HCM city, told about the case of sisters Nga and Tu, resided in Binh Thanh district of HCM City, followed their neighbour to go to Quang Ninh province in the North and were sold into China; or a thirteen year- old student who wanted “to go to Dalat” was driven to Tay Ninh province.  Fortunately, her parents had found her before she was taken across the border.

Counselling for the children

The Counselling Office of HCMC (locates at 57 Pham Ngu Lao Street, district 1, Tel: 8215878-8218057) supported by AFESIP is an address to provide counselling for prevention and anti -trafficking in women and children. With experiences in contacting many victims, Mrs. Thanh Minh said that traffickers aim at children not only of the poor but also the rich families which parents have not pay much attention to their children. Parents have to explain to their children about sexual abuse risk, human trafficking for sex exploitation; pay much attention to their children when they have abnormal behaviours, guide them how to avoid falling into the trap of traffickers. 

(Source: Women’s Union Newspaper, dated on May 5th, 2005)