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Migrant workers allege pressure INTIMIDATION: Two Vietnamese women who say they were sexually abused accused the Vietnam government office of telling them to accept money and drop their charges By Mo Yan-chih
Taipei
Times Two female Vietnamese workers who have taken legal action against an employment agency over claims of sexual abuse said yesterday that they were pressured by an official at the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei to drop their lawsuit. The official denied the accusation. Foreign labor rights advocates yesterday condemned the office's pressure and called on other victims to step forward and fight against injustice. At a press conference held by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)Legislator Joanna Lei and the Legal Aid Foundation, which was established last year to provide free help to the underprivileged, the Vietnamese workers accused the official from the economic and cultural office of trying to intimidate them. "The director of the office's labor department came to tell me that without money or evidence, we will definitely lose the case, and even go to prison," said one of the migrant workers, who requested anonymity, in a telephone interview. "He said that we should drop the lawsuit and accept the offenders' money and apology instead." Reverend Peter Nguyen Van Hung of Vietnamese Migrant Workers Office, who has been an advocate for the female workers, said that the director of the economic and cultural office's labor department, Chen Tung-hui, visited the workers a few days after the foundation exposed the case of alleged sexual abuse. Chen yesterday denied making such a visit. The case began on May 18, when four Vietnamese women accused Hong Ming-you, manager of the Chung You Manpower Agency in Tainan County, and his father Hong Ching-chang of sexually abusing or raping them before sending them to their employers. Hong and his father have denied any wrongdoing. The Prosecutor's Office of Tainan District Court has launched an investigation into the matter. The Legal Aid Foundation said that after the case was made public, seven more victims contacted them for help. But afraid of being repatriated to Vietnam and having no money to find lawyers, many other victims have not dared to come forward, and some have already gone back to Vietnam after finishing their work, the foundation said. According to Joseph Lin, chairman of the foundation's Taipei branch, the foundation has also received phone calls from legislators and government officials whom he did not identify, asking the foundation not to assist with the lawsuit. The foundation was also surprised that the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office tried to get the women to drop their legal action, instead of protecting fellow citizens' rights. "The sexual abuse case is a violation of human rights and highlights the government's failure to protect foreigners. It is frustrating to learn that the Vietnam office tried to dissuade the victims from fighting for justice," Lin said. "The foundation and many social groups are here to offer free assistance. The Tainan Prosecutor's Office is also working hard in its investigation. We urge all the victims to contact us, and there will be plenty of support," Lin said. Lei urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Council of Labor Affairs to support the lawsuit and put more effort into protecting foreign workers' rights. "What Taiwan does for protecting human rights will be examined by the world. The government should not tolerate such cases of abuse," she said.
Vietnam Human Rights Network |