Maung* is one of many in Myanmar caught in a downward spiral fueled by poverty, civil conflict, and limited economic opportunities. In July 2023, he traveled to India to sell his kidney for 10 million Burmese kyat ($3,709), a price that is nearly double the annual average income in urban Myanmar. Unfortunately, Maung’s story is not unique. After a year-long investigation, CNN uncovered a growing number of desperate people in Myanmar selling their organs on Facebook to wealthy individuals, often through a third-party agent facilitating the illegal sale.
Poverty, conflict, and grim decisions
Maung explains that he felt like his only option to survive and provide for his family was to offer his kidney for sale on Facebook.
“In that moment, I felt life was so harsh, there is no other way I could survive other than to rob or kill people for money.”
Maung was in an impossible situation, with his wife and daughter having not eaten in three days and debt piling up after he was detained and tortured by Myanmar’s military junta on suspicion of transporting goods for opposition forces.
Haunted by his decision, before his surgery Maung said,
“I am suffering deep down when I look at my family. They have nothing. Meanwhile, I am also stressed about what lies ahead. If I die, I hope this money could help my wife and daughter for their food and survival, even if it would not last their whole lifetime”
“My blood type is O. DM me.”
April*, a 26-year-old woman, felt she had no choice but to advertise her kidney for sale on Facebook. April had left her home to work in a garment factory in Yangon, but her $100 monthly salary was insufficient to cover rising living costs and her aunt’s cancer treatment. When she discovered a group on Facebook where people sold her kidneys, she posted:
“I want to donate my kidney. My blood type is O. I need money for my aunt who has cancer and needs an operation. I’m 26 years old, and I don’t drink. DM me.”
Shortly after advertising her kidney on Facebook in February, April said,
“To sell a part of your body is a difficult decision for everyone. Nobody wants to do it. The only reason I am doing this is because I have no choice.”
The thriving symptoms of systemic problems
The illegal organ trade is a symptom of systemic problems. Since Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, the country has plunged into chaos, and now nearly half its population is living below the poverty line. As violence escalates and the economy collapses, desperation grows, and the illegal organ trade flourishes.
Maung and April’s stories are part of a broader, more dangerous picture. Their situations align with a growing global network of organ trafficking where illegal agents prey on those in dire straits. Buyers and sellers frequently rely on agents who arrange surgeries and forge documents to skirt legal barriers. In Myanmar and India, donations are permitted only among relatives, with few exceptions. As a result, agents forge family records, and Myanmar’s embassy in New Delhi often turns a blind eye. But the underlying issue is the failure of governments and international systems to protect the vulnerable from exploitation.
By raising awareness and mobilizing support, we can confront the root causes of organ trafficking and advocate for the protection of vulnerable people in countries of crisis so that people aren’t forced to make impossible choices. Stand with us in our resolve to safeguard human dignity and combat the scourge of illegal organ harvesting. Join our campaign efforts by signing our petition today.
Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.
It is a person’s right to sell their own organs.
Even a baby in the womb should be legal,we’d have less baby killing.