politics: Fighting child trafficking: The twins Oleg and Zhenya cost $23,000
In the winter of 1989/1990, the pictures from Romanian orphanages went around the world: they showed children who were completely neglected, could no longer walk or speak and threw their excrement at the photographer. Small children severely handicapped by their mothers' illegal attempts at abortion crouched in unheated shacks.
In the winter of 1989/1990, the pictures from Romanian orphanages went around the world: they showed children who were completely neglected, could no longer walk or speak and threw their excrement at the photographer. Small children severely handicapped by their mothers' illegal attempts at abortion crouched in unheated shacks. For years they were vegetated by the "euthanasia of circumstances" under Ceausescu. With the international helpers, the demand for adopted children grew as a form of individual crisis management. Between 1989 and 1991 alone, Romania placed 10,000 children in the care of international foster parents. But shady businessmen quickly benefited from those spontaneous relief efforts and bought children from Romanian parents, who in turn delivered them to couples in Western Europe. Even births were paid for if the children were "marketable". The Romanian government tightened the adoption conditions in 1995: since then, only children from orphanages that are registered by the Romanian Adoption Committee are to be passed on. Despite the declining birth rate, around 150,000 children live in Romanian homes today - more than ever before.
According to UNICEF, Guatemala is a "paradise for child traffickers". In 1998 alone, more than 1,300 babies were placed for adoption abroad. Almost 200 lawyers and notaries live from the child trafficking business and collect up to 30,000 marks from the adoptive parents. According to UNICEF, pregnant women are required to sign the adoption papers. Other parents sell their children. Children's homes and doctors also benefit from the flourishing business with the babies.
Child trafficking is particularly thriving on the Internet: Like in a mail order catalogue, future adoptive parents can choose a child on the websites of private brokers. 3-year-old Oleg from Kazakhstan and his twin brother Zhenya were put up for adoption online for $23,000, payable in three installments - including travel expenses and immigration papers. The agency advertises that the two are "loving and active" and get along well with children and adults. They also had a sense of humor. The mother, the agency claims, abandoned the boys. In the meantime, the twins can no longer be found on the website - they were probably "bought" by adoptive parents.
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