Vietnamese Journalists Investigate Baby Buying In Da Nang

On October 8th, Bao Nguyen and Duy Nghia of Thanh Ninh News published the results of their one month investigation into allegations by sex-workers that they were solicited and paid to relinquish their babies. Their findings are similar to those revealed in the recently released State Department documents, though those did not specifically name Da Nang as a problem province.

A sex worker in the area said many of her friends had sold babies for VND20 to 26 million. Some sold numerous children. One such mother was HIV-positive and another was a drug addict but they still managed to sell off their infants, she said.

Sex workers in the area referred to a female buyer named Xe who keeps a lookout for sex workers with growing bellies and offers them money for their babies as soon as they show signs of pregnancy.

“That lady buys quickly, pays quickly, said one sex worker who asked not to be named. “She’ll buy any baby and never bothers to check if the mother is infected or HIV-positive.

Xe only approaches strangers who do not want their babies during the final month of their pregnancy. She does so to ensure that the baby’s family won’t contact her or try to look for the child later.

When Thanh Nien tracked Xe down, she said she worked for an adoption center but refused to name it.

“I don’t want people to come asking for their children back, she said.

The broker says that “there’s no way these babies won’t end up in a good family. Xe said she follows the laws which only allow rich, childless couples to adopt.

Xe persuades the mothers to give birth at Da Nang Hospital, and she provides clothes and essential items for the baby, as an added incentive.

“Remember, you must not enter the hospital right away but sit at the front and wait for me, Xe said. “And don’t say anything inside the hospital, just pretend that I’m your aunt or sister-in-law, she told a mother.

Another sex worker who recently sold her child advised women in her situation to look for a nurse named My, around 40, at Teresa Hospital, the former name of Hai Chau District Medical Center in the central Da Nang City.

“I don’t buy babies, I just help you give birth and I introduce the baby to someone and you will get whatever they give, My told a girl seeking her help.

She asked the girl not to provide her real name to doctors. “Just make up some name and I’ll take care of the rest.

Soon after their initial meeting, My introduced the girl to a woman named Phuc, who insisted on having conversations in dark and vacant corners of the hospital. During these exchanges, she only allowed one person to stay with the pregnant girl.

“This matter shouldn’t be known by many people, she said.

Like Xe, Phuc wants the mother to promise to cease contact after the deal is done. Phuc claimed she has worked for an adoption program for many years and guaranteed that the baby would end up in a “very good family.

Phuc promised a girl seeking her help a “support fee that “won’t be small. The broker said her organization will pay for the mother’s medical fees, baby clothes and housing until delivery.

A trace of her landline number revealed that she works for the Center for Abandoned Children in Hai Chau District.

The center is almost always locked inside and nearby residents said they’ve never seen the center care for a single baby. …
There’s suspicion that the center bought babies and lied about them being left at their doorstep. Then, the center ran newspaper ads asking for the mothers to return and claim their babies, which certainly never happened.

After 30 days, the center could legally give the baby away.

Nguyen Van An, deputy director of the Da Nang Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said the agency can only check up on how the centers treat their children; it’s the job of the Justice Department to find out how the babies are admitted and who they are sent to.

Read the full article here.

Between 2006 -2008 the following American agencies were licensed by Vietnam to work in Da Nang:

Carolina Adoption Services
Commonwealth Adoption International
Holt International
International Assistance and Adoption Project
Rainbow House International
Vietnamese Orphans Relief Fund

It is unknown if any of the babies referred to in the article were adopted by Americans.