HANOI, Vietnam – The Vietnamese government has decided to end its adoption agreement with the US after recent allegations of widespread corruption and baby-selling.
The Vietnamese government stated it will stop taking applications received after July 1st, but it will continue to processing applications for families matched prior to that date. The end of the adoption agreement between the countries will close 42 adoption agencies operating in Vietnam.
Days earlier the US released a report accusing Vietnam of adoption fraud, baby-selling, and bribery. The US Embassy report described brokers coercing poor mothers in small villages, hospitals selling babies whose parents cannot pay their medical bills, a grandmother giving her grandchild up for adoption without the parents knowing, and cash-donations diverted for personal uses.
During the announcement, Head of Ministry’s Department for International Child Adoption, Vu Doc Long, noted that Vietnam law is quite “strict” and “transparent” in the adoption field. In an interview to the Vietnam News Agency a day earlier, Vu Doc Long also commented that the US report contained “slanderous” and “distorted” information.
For more information, please see:
Impunity Watch – United States Accuses Vietnam of Widespread Adoption Fraud – 25 April 2008
The Washington Post – US Allegations Prompts Vietnam to Halt Adoption Program – 29 April 2008
VietNam Net – Vietnam Not to Renew Adoption Agreement with US – 30 April 2008
