China: Woman Forcibly Aborted at Nine Months, Baby Born Alive, Left to Die

What follows is the English translation of a Chinese news report about a Jiangxi woman who was forcibly aborted at nine months. The baby was born alive and died in her arms. She has since attempted suicide three times. Silent for years, she has now come forward to seek justice.

On January 11, 2011, nine months into my pregnancy and two days before my baby boy was due, seven family planning officials held down my body and forcibly aborted my baby by needle injection because I did not have a “birth permit.” This happened before I could notify my family. My child died so pitifully. I cried bitterly when they injected the abortion needle into my body, but I heard the family planning officers – headed by their director – laughing treacherously. After the needle injection, they all disappeared, as if I were a pig waiting to be slaughtered. That night, I gave birth to a boy; he was still alive, breathing. I asked for help, but no one answered me. I passed out because I was exhausted from the pain in my abdomen. The next day, when I woke up, my baby died. I painfully held the baby for a very long time until the body of the baby stiffened.

On the third day, a person gave me a “certificate” indicating that the baby was aborted at seven months into my pregnancy, but in fact I have appointment records from my obstetrician proving that I was really nine months pregnant. I really wanted to kill the family planning officials before I killed myself, but I want to understand why (this happened) before I die.

After I was discharged from the hospital on the fourth day, I braved the cold wind and went to the family planning office seeking justice, but I was ignored. From then on I could not control my tears, I could not eat for days, I was dazed, and I lost weight rapidly. Recently, I have been searching for evidence. A few days ago, I called the female Family Planning Official, and she eventually told me the truth. Before I continue, I would like to make one clarification: When my child was forcibly aborted, I had been divorced from the child’s father for a year. Some people said that he was still my husband, but we were officially divorced. The following information is from the Family Planning Official, and it is the truth:

Hello. You have recently chastised me over the phone and by text messages, but what have I done to offend you? I will now tell you the events leading up to your induced labor. At the time, your husband’s ex-wife had been coming in to our office every morning for a whole week. She said that her husband had a woman named Lili Zeng who was pregnant. She asked us to help her (the ex-wife). At first, the Family Planning Officials tried to persuade her (the ex-wife) to talk to her husband and resolve the issue within the family. But, one week later, we received a phone call from the County Family Planning Office (one level above us). They said that a mother and her son had visited their office, and claimed that the Jia-Ding family planning office neglected their request and ignored the unplanned pregnancy. They said that the Family Planning Office was unwilling to do the unplanned pregnancy abortion, and they asked me to come to the County Family Planning Office to deal with the issue. When I arrived, I asked the mother and her son, “Where is Lili Zeng living?” They said that she lived in Ganzhou city, which is outside of our administration area. The son said that he would convince his father to bring Lili Zeng back to Xin Feng Borough. According to the policy at the time, induced labor had to be agreed upon and signed for by the father.


You were having breakfast in Shui Bei grocery market when your husband called Jia Ding Borough office and asked us, the Family Planning Office, to send people to persuade you to agree on an induced labor. After we arrived back at the Family Planning Office with you and your husband, he signed the “induced labor acknowledgement form” with everyone in our office as witnesses. Lili Zeng, I have nothing against you; I am just an executer of the policy. If I were not the Family Planning Director, there would be somebody else who would have handled the situation the same way and your fate would have been the same. If you want to blame someone, please blame the [One-Child] Policy, or your husband. If he had not agreed to sign the form, no doctor would have dared to inject the induced labor needle into your body. Lili Zeng, because we are both from Youshan Borough, I forgive you for scolding me. But if you continue to send text messages or call to berate me, I will definitely find someone to deal with you.

Over the years I have suffered so much unbearable pain that I am not sure how I will continue to live without receiving justice. I attempted suicide three times. I really hope that there are some media that could help me. I am from Youshan Borough, Xinfeng County, [Jiangxi Province].

–translated by Linghou Ba

The original post in Chinese (posted by Xiao Meng) can be found here:
http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-no110-13457901-1.shtml

This entry was posted in abortion, China, China's One Child Policy, coerced abortion, female suicide, Forced Abortion, human dignity, Human Rights, One Child Policy, pro-choice, pro-life, Reggie Littlejohn, reproductive rights, Uncategorized, war on women, women's rights, Women's Rights Without Frontiers. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to China: Woman Forcibly Aborted at Nine Months, Baby Born Alive, Left to Die

  1. Pingback: Guangdong Woman Breaks Silence on Forced Abortion at Nine Months | Womens Rights Without Frontiers