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Women’s Union leader acts as woman seeking a foreign husband
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VietNamNet Bridge - Ms. Le Thi Thuy Hang, Chair of the Women's Union of Co Do District, Can Tho City, played as a woman who desires to get married to a foreign man.

According to the Women's Union of Can Tho City, marrying to foreign men has become a “movement” in the city from 2008.

The peak time for this situation falls in 2008, 2009 and mid-2010. Since the HCM City police forces toughly attacked illegally marriage brokerage rings, matchmakers have shifted to new tricks.

When large-sized marriage brokerage networks in HCM City were stamped, brokerage rings have moved to the Mekong Delta.

In 2012, many meetings between foreign men and Vietnamese girls were held in the Mekong Delta. In Can Tho city alone, such meetings are regularly organized in the districts of Phong Dien, Co Do and Vinh Thanh.

Ms. Phan Thi Hong Nhung, Chair of the Can Tho City Women's Union, told VietNamNet that once matchmakers held a meeting for foreign men and Vietnamese girls in Co Do district. Ms. Le Thi Thuy Hang, Chair of Co Do District Women's Union, joined the meeting as a woman who was seeking a foreign husband.

Unexpectedly, a groom chose her and insisted to organize the wedding immediately to take her to China.

Hang reported the case to Co Do district authorities to prevent such illegal weddings.

Getting married without information

Head of the Legal Policy Division of the Can Tho Women’s Union, Ms. Ha Thi Kim Bau said that the union received petitions of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung (mother of bride Nguyen Thi Diem Phuc, 23) and Mr. T, the father of bride Thuy Hang, who both married to Chinese men.

The Union had sent a dispatch to the Can Tho City Police Agency, asking for their assistance.

Then, the Union received a reply from the Police that in two cases are voluntary marriage and there is no sign of human trafficking.

According to Ms. Bau, in these cases, families did not provide the specific addresses abroad. Because of this, the Can Tho City Women's Union could not ask for the Vietnam Women’s Union’s intervention to rescue the brides.

The Can Tho City Women's Union has set up a center to support disadvantaged children and women who are rescued after being sold abroad.

Ms. Phan Thi Hong Nhung, Chair of Can Tho City Women's Union, told VietNamNet that getting married to foreign men is the right of every citizen and be legally recognized. However, many girls in the Mekong Delta do not marry for the purpose of building a happy family.

Nhung said that in some cases, parents force their children to marry foreigners to have money. Getting married to foreign men for fulfilling their filial duty is not true for all girls. This is the situation in Can Tho and the Mekong Delta provinces.

Can Tho: four women who marry Korean men died

The first case happened on April 30, 2007 for bride Le Thi Kim Dong, 21, from Thoi Hung commune, Co Do district.

In February 2008, the second case occurred for bride Tran Thanh La, 22, from Cai Rang district.

In July 201, bride Thach Thi Hong Ngoc, 20, from Thoi Hoa B hamlet, Co Do district was killed by her husband.

The most recent case happened in March 2012, bride Pham Thi Loan, 38, from Thot Not district, was brutally murdered by her husband.

Quoc Huy