According to Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, many parents who have sent their children to a simulated military camp organized by Ho Chi Minh City’s Youth Culture House at the 171 Naval Brigade in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province are reporting physical abuse by trainers.
The parents who paid between VND5.2 million (US$252.33) and VND6.3 million ($305.71) for their children to join the camp from June 26 to July 3 to supposedly learn a wide range of life skills from swimming to first aid to team work said their kids told them they had been stuffed cigarettes into the mouths and slapped among other things as punishments for minor violations.
One trainee who had been caught smoking for instance told his mother a trainer named K. stuffed cigarettes into his ears, nostrils, and mouth, forcing him to smoke them all at once right in front of other trainees.
Another trainee said boys who were caught playing cards in their rooms also had their mouths stuffed with cards as a punishment.
And H., another camper, reported being slapped violently by his trainer T. when he was singing some made-up lyrics.
In response to the charges, Nguyen Quang Cuong, Youth Culture House’s Vice Director, said the culture house had questioned the trainers and found that work overload and stress might have made them lose their temper. Cuong said he hoped for sympathy from the trainees and their parents.
Parents find camp physically abuses trainees
According to Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, many parents who have sent their children to a simulated military camp are reporting physical abuse by trainers.
Source: Tuoi Tre
