With tears in their eyes – Parents of adopted children laud FDID

Parents of alleged 29 adopted children by the Maine Adoption Placement Service facilitated by Help the Needy Child International (HANCI) at the heat of the civil war in 1996 have lauded the Foundation for Democratic Imitative and Development (FDID) for adding their voice to their cry which many human right organizations in the past attempted but failed because along the line these organizations compromised their principles, lamented a spokesman of the parents, Mohamed Suma. (Photo: Orphanage in Makeni)

According to the Minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs Soccoh Kabia, a decision has been reached by cabinet to set up a commission of enquiry to look into the illegal adoption proper.

When contacted, the Director, Foundation for Democratic Imitative and Development, Hindowa Emmanuel Saidu said on the 29^th October 2009 his Organization visited the biological parents of these alleged illegally adopted children in Makeni to ascertain the situation. During a meeting with the parents at No. 10 Sylvanus Street in Makeni, the spokesman for the parents, Mohamed Suma revealed that their children were given to be incorporated into a welfare home within the country and not for adoption.

The Executive Director of HANCI, Dr. Roland F Kargbo disclosed to the FDID Director that parents agreed for their children to be adopted and a thumb printed document was shown as evidence by HANCI Director.

At the heat of the civil war in 1996, HANCI operated two orphanages in Makeni all for orphans of the war. “One was for orphanage of children whose parents wanted us to take care of them until their true parents were located when the war shall have ended and reunited,” Dr. Kargno disclosed. “This was the big orphanage called the Children’s Home back of Birch Memorial Secondary School with over 60 children,” he went on, adding “not one of them was ever taken out of the country even though we had to care for them for nearly two years behind rebel lines.

Continuing his statement, Dr. Kargbo said the smaller orphanage was called the Child Survival Centre for severely malnourished children at No. 3 Mission Road, Makeni. “It was for parent who wanted their children to be given out for inter-country adoption incase willing adoptive parents were identified in the USA, Dr. Roland told his audience.

He said due to the persistent pressure on the authorities concerned files were reopened at the Criminal Investigation Department and statements obtained from those concerned.

At the CID headquarter in Freetown, parents of this adopted children insisted that they wanted to know the whereabouts of their children. This urged HANCI to present a boy who, according to HANIC, was among the children they facilitated adoption for in 1997.

Ironically, the said boy was unable to express himself in English at the CID. This prompted the CID officers to ascertain the correctness of the said boy. Documents at the American Embassy and findings revealed that the said boy had never traveled let alone talked of returning.

FDID Director, Hindowa Saidu expressed great disappointment over the conduct of the CID in the matter by allowing HANCI to fool the only National Investigative Department in the country.

He finally called on the government and international non governmental organization to come to the rescues of these children so that they can have there right to Education. The Director described the ECOWAS peace Ambassador from Nigeria Joy Obasi’s donation as a step in the right direction and call on all and sundry to join hand to make these children responsible citizens of his country. 

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