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Woman injured in
Samoa gets help
in Hawaii

---

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

A 21-year-old Vietnamese woman who lost an eye in a workplace disturbance in American Samoa is receiving medical care in Hawaii.

This came to light after a New York Times story appeared in the Star-Bulletin yesterday on reported abuses of Vietnamese workers at a factory in American Samoa that made apparel for J.C. Penney Co. and other retailers.

According to the New York Times story, a Labor Department investigation found workers were often beaten and provided inadequate food.

Stanley Togikawa of Hawaii Baptist Convention brought the injured woman back with him last month after he spent 10 days at a Baptist installation in American Samoa.

"I'm trying to be real careful not to say too much to cause problems for the workers there," Togikawa said. "We have no problem with the Samoan government nor the Vietnamese government.

"We're only interested in helping the workers. We've been providing food for them," also meeting some medical expenses, Togikawa said. "I've got some doctors to give free medical services."

Togikawa emphasized he wanted to minimize publicity

"She's already subject to harassment if she ever goes back," he said.

She lost her eye in a disturbance at the plant, Togikawa said. Another female employee was involved, something like a guard, he added.

"The girl came back with me because nobody was willing to take her," Togikawa said.

The Baptist organization arranged for her visa and paid her air fare, she said.

She now has a glass eye, he said.

Togikawa disputed a report some workers were "walking skeletons" from inadequate nourishment.

"They're not that badly malnourished," he said. "I know that they didn't have a lot of food. There are other groups that are helping them right now."