EMBASSY DISCUSSES INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS WITH GOL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 001368

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OCS/CI, CA/VO AND AF/W

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOCI CASC CVIS LI
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DISCUSSES INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS WITH GOL
OFFICIALS


1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador, DCM and Conoffs discussed problem
areas in international adoptions and made recommendations to
strengthen adoption procedures in Liberia during a luncheon hosted
by the Ambassador for senior GOL officials and the UNICEF
Officer-In-Charge. After an animated and friendly discussion,
Liberian officials agreed on several measures that should improve
adoption procedures in Liberia, including implementing Hague
convention measures, requiring a residency period for prospective
adopting parents, and using increased fees to cover government
services related to adoption. As the number of adoptions is rising
rapidly in Liberia, there is definite concern that safeguards be
reinforced to prevent possible trafficking of children. End
Summary.


2. (U) Guests at the November 16 luncheon and discussion hosted by
the Ambassador included: Dr. Walter Gwenigale, Minister of Health
and Social Welfare; Joseph Geebro, Deputy Minister of Health and
Social Welfare; Honorable Varbah Gayflor, Minister of Gender and
Development (Protection of women's rights); Judge Vinton Holder,
Supreme Court of Liberia; Ms. Fatuma Hamidali Ibrahim,
Officer-in-Charge UNICEF and Ms. Elizabeth Williams, John Snow
International Fellow, seconded to the Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare. Also in attendance were DCM, Consul and Vice Consul.


3. (SBU) Consul provided an overview of adoption issues.
International adoptions in Liberia have grown exponentially in the
past five years. The Embassy's consular section issued a mere 23
immigrant visas in the orphan category in 2002, but over 350 in FY

2007. This number does not reflect the number of adoptions by
naturalized Liberians under Section 201(b) IR-2, child of an
American citizen. Thus the total number of adoption visas issued in
the last fiscal year exceeded 400 immigrant visas. Post not only
sees adopted children bound for the U.S. as children of American
citizens but also adopted children of V92's Follow-to-join,
Diversity Visa derivatives, K-3's and IR-2 step-child of an American
citizen. The entire country is abuzz with the phenomenon of
children seen boarding planes every week for America. The question
often heard is whether the Government of Liberia and the U.S.
Embassy have safeguards in place to prevent trafficking of children
by way of the adoption process.


4. (SBU) The GOL officials said they were aware that more
safeguards need to be implemented. Consul pointed out that in
recent months four cases had been identified which the person who
relinquished parental custody of a child or children for adoptions
was not the biological parent. In all cases the children had living
parents who were not aware their children had been adopted. One
adopting parent wrote an e-mail to the Embassy requesting that her
seven year-old adopted daughter be returned to Liberia as she felt
her child is unable to "live in a normal household". An American
mother stated that her adopted children told her that the person who
relinquished parental custody for adoption was not their biological
parent and the "brother" who accompanied her daughter is neither the
daughter's biological sibling nor had they ever lived together. The
child was subsequently placed in foster care in Washington State.
The parent said ten other families in her state who adopted from one
particular orphanage in Liberian were "shuffling their children from
place to place with other family members" due to similar problems.


5. (SBU) Consul noted that consular officers, as often as possible,
closely interview the birth parent to be as certain as possible that
he/she understands what it means to relinquish all parental
authority and allow his/her child to be adopted. When there is
doubt about the relationship, consular officers have conducted DNA
testing to confirm the parent/child relationship.


6. (SBU) The Minister of Health and Social Welfare said his office
is understaffed and overworked. Social workers are unable to
conduct on sight investigations of the parents who provide
relinquishment of parental authority which is a prerequisite for the
child to be placed for adoption due to lack of staff and resources.
He indicated his officers lacked cars and fuel for transportation to
the interior of the country where the majority of children come
from. Additionally, he said many children languish in sub-standard,
unregulated orphanages that the Ministry is in the process of
closing. A fellow from John Snow International has been seconded to
the Ministry to assist with development and implementation of a
national social welfare plan, but it will be some time before the
plan is finalized, much less properly resourced. A Circuit Court
judge who is the sole signatory of adoption decrees in Liberia
echoed sentiments of the Minister.


7. (SBU) The panel agreed to the following recommendations in order
to strengthen the adoption process in Liberia:


1. Although Liberia is not a member of the Hague Convention on
Intercountry Adoption, The Ministry of Justice will take steps to
gain accession to the Convention. Currently, there is no regulatory
oversight of adoption agencies operating in Liberia.

MONROVIA 00001368 002 OF 002




2. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will impose a residency
requirement, possibly one month, for prospective adopting parents.


3. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and will increase
adoption fees in order to be able to employ more social workers to
conduct proper adoption investigations.



8. (SBU) Subsequent to the luncheon, the Chief Justice confirmed to
the Ambassador his intention issue decrees to require that
international adoptions be approved only after the receiving country
has approved the adoption, and impose a residency requirement. In
addition, the Supreme Court will increase adoption fees in order to
cover costs of increasing demand for services


9. (SBU) Comment. Even as the GOL begins to take measures to
improve its international adoption policies, the Embassy continues
to deal with the consequences of poorly managed adoptions. In our
most recent case, three children adopted by an American couple have
since abandoned their children in Liberia to the orphanage that
facilitated the adoption. The adopting mother is currently jailed
in California and will soon stand trial for the murder of a child
she adopted in the U.S. The adopting father brought the three
children adopted from Liberia along with four African-American
children previously adopted in the United States. We are also aware
of two additional cases of adoption disruption. One child involved
in a disrupted adoption has been re-adopted in the U.S. The
Embassy does not have information on the whereabouts of the second
child. The Embassy remains concerned that unless the GOL takes
decisive steps to control adoptions, more children will find
themselves in unacceptable circumstances verging on trafficking.
End Comment

Booth