Adoption Fraud and the Ethiopian Government’s Response

This new article written by an Ethiopian-American explains some of the fraud behind Ethiopia adoptions. This entire article is recommended reading for all Ethiopia prospective adoptive parents and adoptive parents.  REFORM Talk concurs with his final statement “However, no one can credibly argue that reported and documented exploitation of children and their vulnerable biological parents by deceitful agencies and agent should not be without severe consequence.”

It is important to start to look at the fraud in Ethiopia from the orphanage side and not just from the agency side. Some excerpts are pasted below.

Orphanages

“Notwithstanding the suspension of private placements, the Court continued to process international adoptions involving cases of abandoned children from Addis Ababa government orphanages. These include the following orphanages:

• Kebebe Tsehay Orphanage
• Ketchene Orphanage
• Kolfe Youth Center “

Insufficient Response

“However, in light of the seriousness of recent contentions, the Government’s response, although measured, is not sufficient. Persistent accounts of fraud and child trafficking have infuriated the Ethiopian Diaspora community, in the United States, and are therefore deserving of extra attention by Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs. ”

Ethiopian Faith and Intellectual Community Opinion

“It should also be noted that the Ethiopian faith and intellectual communities continue to raise misgivings and question the moral, ethical and cultural implications surrounding the uninhibited adoption of Ethiopian children by families in the United States. Further, the Ethiopian community, both in the US and in Ethiopia, perceives complicity by the US and Western governments in ignoring the escalating allegations of fraudulent adoptions and unlawful trafficking of Ethiopian children, particularly to the US”

REFORM Talk will be bringing you further information soon.

Adoption Fraud and the Ethiopian Government’s Response
[EthioMedia 3/18/11 by Yosef Yacob]

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