134 people have already reported questions about their adoption. Some adoptions date back sixty years or more. About twenty reports concern adoptions after 2000. This was reported by De Standaard on Thursday. Flemish Minister of Welfare Hilde Crevits (CD&V) wants each of these 134 adoptions to be rescreened.

In November last year it was confirmed that some adoptions of Ethiopian children through the Ray of Hope adoption agency had been abusive. Researchers who travelled to the country on behalf of Crevits and examined twelve adoption files, found that in at least one case parents had not consciously given up their child for adoption.

Following these initial results, the minister launched a broad appeal: anyone with questions about their own adoption or that of their child could report them. 134 people have already done so. This concerns reports about adoptions dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, as well as adoptions after 2000. There are 21 countries of origin among them.

Another 25 additional reports were received about Ethiopia, in addition to 21 reports about adoptions within Belgium and ten reports about adoptions from France. Other large clusters are 28 reports about adoptions from India and 19 about South Korea.

Vijayawada:After receiving a complaint, police have started an inquiry into the alleged illegal adoption of a baby girl by a childless couple in Narasaraopet, Palnadu district. The women and child development authorities said that an illegal adoption of a months-old baby girl by a woman came to their notice. The childless mother wanted a child and adopted the baby girl, reportedly unaware of the adoption rules.

Meanwhile, the police have started the inquiry on the issue amid allegations that money was involved in the illegal adoption and also the issue was not limited to just one baby as there were reports of a few more babies given in adoption for money. Palnadu district women and child development project director Uma Rani said, “It has come to our notice about the unauthorised adoption of a baby girl by a woman with no children, probably unaware of the norms to do so. We have alerted the police on the issue to take up inquiry.”  

The sisters- Rani and Sushma used to live in the Children National Institute Orphanage in Uttar Pradesh when they were taken to Denmark by a Danish woman in 1962. They were thrilled to visit their childhood abode and had a fun time with the children at the institute.

Prayagraj: Back in 1962, two sisters from the Children National Institute orphanage were adopted by a Danish woman. Almost 62 years later, the duo- Rani and Sushma returned home in India and reminisced their sweet childhood here.

Their childhood memories were refreshed when they reached the Children National Institute Orphanage on April 2, after 62 years. Recalling where they lived, both of them visited every corner of the campus in their two-day trip to their childhood abode. They were also accompanied to the market for shopping, and showered with enormous gifts.

The duo also went around on a tour of the philosophical places of the city. 'They were eagerly waiting to come to Prayagraj for years. Despite growing up there, this orphanage in Prayagraj holds a special place for them. They often spoke of the memories they created here but regretted the fact that they could not be back here in all these years.

However, in March, they planned to visit India. They travelled to Delhi from Denmark and then went straight to the Swaraj Bhawan complex and visited the Children's National Institute, where they had spent a great chunk of their childhood.

Local

"Mi s-au dat bani ca sa-mi schimb declaratiile"

De Redacția

luni, 13 ianuarie 2003, 00:00

Valentin Mocanu (18 ani) este unul dintre tinerii de care ar fi abuzat sexual francezul Michel Sounalet. Conform cercetarilor intreprinse de politisti si procurori, in perioada 2000 – 2001, acesta a intretinut mai multe raporturi sexuale orale cu Valentin Mocanu. Tinarul a povestit in fata anchetatorilor de mai multe ori cum se derulau aceste acte, iar declaratia sa a fost filmata de catre politisti. El si-a mentinut aceste declaratii pina cind a fost audiat de instanta, pe 25 noiembrie 2002. Atunci, absolut surprinzator, Valentin Mocanu si-a intors la 180 de grade declaratiile. In fata completului de judecata, tinarul a spus ca nu a intretinut relatii sexuale cu francezul, iar afirmatiile sale anterioare ar fi fost facute la sugestia unor "dusmani" ai lui Michel Sounalet. Alaturi de el si la fel de surprinzator, alti martori ai acuzarii – Ionut Lungu, Mihai Gabriel, Botoc Florin si Alexandru Serban – si-au schimbat declaratiile, tot in favoarea francezului.
"Ne-a dat pizza, suc si niste bani,"
Valentin Mocanu este internat acum intr-un centru de plasament din Pascani. El sta in aceeasi camera cu ceilalti patru tineri care sint cercetati de catre Parchet. Valentin Mocanu ne-a povestit ce l-a determinat sa-si schimbe in instanta declaratia data initial. "Eram la caminul din Tirgu-Frumos, si intr-o zi a venit o ziarista din Iasi si doi francezi. Ne-a luat, pe mine si pe Ionut, la restaurant si ne-a pus la masa", povesteste Valentin Mocanu. El nu-si mai aminteste data exacta cind s-a intimplat acest lucru, doar ca a fost intr-o simbata dinainte de a fi audiat de catre judecatori. "Ziarista a inceput sa ma intrebe de ce am zis despre Michel ce am zis, ca el ne-a ajutat atit de mult, si ca nu trebuia sa-i facem asa ceva. Mie mi s-a facut rusine, si i-am spus ca nu este adevarat ce am zis politistilor, ca nu am facut nimic cu Michel. Ne-a dat pizza, suc si niste bani, cred ca 50.000 de lei, pentru tigari", a mai spus Valentin Mocanu. Tinarul afirma ca nici ziarista, nici francezii nu i-au cerut explicit sa-si schimbe declaratia in instanta, ci doar i-au sugerat acest lucru. Practic, el isi da seama acum ca acestia i-au indus ideea ca Michel Sounalet este nevinovat si ca este victima unui complot. "S-a purtat frumos cu mine, si ziarista, si francezii. Mi-au promis ca ma ajuta sa ma mut la alt centru de plasament, numai sa spun ce le-am spus si lor cind voi fi intrebat de judecatori ce am facut cu Michel".
Va fi cercetata si ziarista?
Dupa ce tinerii si-au schimbat declaratiile, simtind ca pierd teren, procurorii au contraatacat. Prima miscare a Parchetului de pe linga Judecatoria Iasi a fost declansarea cercetarilor in ceea ce-i priveste pe cei cinci tineri. Ei sint cercetati pentru marturie mincinoasa, prin care ori au favorizat infractorul, ori au facut un denunt calomnios.
"Nu a fost inceputa urmarirea penala decit impotriva celor cinci tineri care si-a schimbat declaratiile. In masura in care cercetarile vor determina contributia cu caracter penal la modificarea declaratiilor acestora in instanta, vom promova actiunea penala si impotriva altor persoane", ne-a declarat prim procurorul Parchetului de pe linga Judecatoria Iasi, Daniel Ticau. Magistratul a mai spus ca, fiind o ancheta in curs de desfasurare, nu poate da relatii despre mersul cercetarilor. Valentin Mocanu va depune din nou marturie in instanta poimiine, iar de aceasta data afirma ca va spune adevarul.
Cine este ziarista de care vorbeste Valentin?
L-am intrebat pe Valentin Mocanu daca o cunoaste pe ziarista din Iasi cu care a discutat. "Nu stiu cum o cheama, dar am vazut-o de mai multe ori la Politie, la Parchet si la Tribunal. Tot timpul cind il aduce pe Michel la Tribunal este pe acolo", ne-a spus tinarul. El a descris-o ca fiind tinara, inalta si draguta, cu parul tuns scurt. "Daca as vedea-o, sigur as recunoaste-o", a spus Valentin Mocanu. In lipsa altor date clare, nu putem decit sa presupunem cine ar putea fi ziarista care s-a implicat in acest mod intr-o ancheta a procurorilor si pentru ce ar fi
facut-o. Putem totusi sa remarcam ca, pe tot parcursul anchetei si procesului lui Sounalet, un cotidian local a avut mereu o atitudine fatisa in favoarea francezului acuzat de pedofilie. (Radu BURLACU)

Campaigners 'implore' MSPs to help deliver measures to help those affected by historic forced adoption policies.

Women forced to give up their babies for adoption in Scotland say the words in an apology made last year ‘lose their worth every day’.

The group Movement for an Adoption Apology has written a letter to over 60 MSPs urging action over the “ongoing injustice” and to help people in the community searching for answers about their relatives.

It comes a year after former first minister Nicola Sturgeon delivered an official apology in the Scottish Parliament to those who have been affected by historic forced adoption policies.

It is estimated around 250,000 families in Scotland have been affected by the practice throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

• Steve Knibbs & Maisie Lillywhite
• Role,BBC West, Gloucestershire

22 March 2024

Abuse poisoned generations of a family after children's allegations and sexualised behaviour were not acted upon, a report has revealed.

The abuse began with Couple A in Gloucestershire, who specifically asked to adopt an "emotionally disturbed" child - so they could assault them.

The couple, eventually jailed in 2018, went on to adopt four siblings, beginning a cycle of sexual abuse that lasted for years.

ABUJA – The 36 State governors under the aegis of Nigerian Governors’ Forum NGF on Wednesday condemned the heinous act, where 17 Soldiers were killed in Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Council Area of Delta State and observed a minute of silence for their souls.

The members of the NGF also raised concerns over the growing illegal and fraudulent inter-country adoption of Nigerian children by the United States.

AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Executive Governor of Kwara State, gave the highlight in a issued after the governors’ meeting, and made available to newsmen on Thursday.

“We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today. Wednesday 20” March 2024, deliberated on various issues of national importance and resolved as follows:

“The Forum commiserated with the Governor of Delta State. H E Sherif Oborevwwori. over the communal clash between Okuama in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okolaba in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, and which led to the death of many including sixteen (16) military personnel. While condemning the heinous act, members observed a minute of silence for the souls of the departed.

After he was snatched, Antonio Salazar-Hobson didn’t see his family for 24 years. His desire to return to his mother, and his discovery of a higher purpose, helped him navigate a path through hell

Although it happened more than 60 years ago, Antonio Salazar-Hobson remembers every detail of his kidnapping. He says that if he closes his eyes, he is instantly taken back to that hot Sunday afternoon in 1960 when he was a four-year-old boy standing with his brothers and sisters in the red dust of his back yard on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona.

Nearby, at the bottom of a short passageway connecting the back yard to the road out of town, a car is idling.

A white man is leaning out of the window, calling Salazar-Hobson’s name. He is very afraid of this man and the woman sitting next to him in the passenger seat. His older brother and sister are also afraid. They have been told by their parents, who are out working in the fields, that they must not let Salazar-Hobson go anywhere with the couple in the car. He can hear the fear in their voices as they call out: “Thank you very much, but Antonio can’t come for ice-cream.”

Lisbeth Johansen could not turn away from the children in the slums of the Indian city of Kolkata. "You can almost call it a vocation," says the woman behind the aid organization LittleBigHelp

Most Danes can do without founding their own aid organization. They can also refrain from establishing an orphanage and a school for street children in a dirty, smelly slum in South Asia.

But Lisbeth Johansen could not do that when she traveled to Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, which is the capital of the eastern state of West Bengal in India, in 2010. Here she saw how children and adults struggled to survive in the slums. She saw children living alone on the streets sniffing glue, child prostitutes and a poverty so deep and hopeless that she felt compelled to stay and do something herself.

"Sometimes we encounter situations in life that we cannot turn away from. For me, this was one of those situations: I couldn't turn away," she says.

Lisbeth Johansen had ended up in Kolkata by chance, because it was the cheapest place in India to fly to from Thailand, where she stayed before. The plan was for her to stay in Kolkata for a few days and then travel on.