Staff member holds a Haitian child in temporary care of SOS Children's Villages
Late in the evening on January 29, the Haitian police arrested 10 U.S. citizens attempting to take 33 children from Haiti to the Dominican Republic in a suspected illicit adoption scheme. The suspects did not have official papers confirming the identities of the children, nor did they have official permission to bring the children out of the country. On January 30, the Haitian Social Ministry entrusted those 33 children (aged three months to 12 years) to the care of SOS Children's Villages.
SOS has two Children's Villages in Haiti, one located in Santo, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Both Villages withstood the earthquake and are being used as emergency relief facilities. The 33 children were taken to the Santo Village where they were warmly received. The children – presumably victims of child trafficking – were visibly in need of special attention and care.
According to SOS staff in Santo, the children were distressed, hungry and thirsty. Upon arrival, each child was registered with SOS and provided with a nutritious meal. The Red Cross, based at the SOS Children's Village in Santo, promptly examined the youngest children and provided medical care to those who needed it.
The SOS teams are now closely monitoring the children and trying their best to comfort them. Meanwhile, other SOS staff members are attempting to search for relatives.
"But I am not an orphan," said an eight-year-old girl. She thought that her mother had arranged a vacation trip for her. Some of these children obviously still have parents who may have been persuaded to hand over their children under false pretences. The allegations will be thoroughly investigated but the Haitian police consider this incident organized child trafficking.
For security reasons, all staff of SOS Children's Villages are wearing identification stickers, and all children from the SOS Children's Village in Santo wear wristbands. The entry to the SOS Children's Village in Santo is strictly controlled.
This incident again highlights the absolute necessity to provide appropriate care and protection to children in emergency situations. SOS Children's Villages is a proponent of The UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, the first international document on the care of children without parental care in non-emergency and emergency situations.
Through your donation, you can help SOS Children's Villages provide temporary care and reconnect children with their families.
More information:
http://www.sos-
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
