FORDER CHILDREN REPATRIATION CASE:

UNCLAS MONROVIA 001411 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OCS, CA/OCS/CI, AF/W E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC KOCI LI SUBJECT: FORDER CHILDREN REPATRIATION CASE: FATHER TO REMAIN IN LIBERIA REF: MONROVIA 01367 ¶1. (SBU) Robert Forder, the adoptive father of the seven children repatriated from LIBERIA 7 December, has told conoff that he intends to remain in LIBERIA for, at least, several more months. ¶2. (SBU) Forder, who had been up country for several weeks, finally came to the embassy 11 December at request of conoff. Conoff explained to Forder that, since he clearly had been unable to care for his children, Maria Luyken, the director of the children's home where he left the seven children and to whom he had given a full power of attorney, had agreed to escort the children back to Washington State. ¶3. (SBU) Forder acknowledged that he was now without funds in Liberia and was not in a position to care for the seven children. Nevertheless, he expressed disappointment that they have been sent back to the U.S. as he had been offered free housing for the children by a Liberian friend. Conoff noted that he had not completed the formalities to naturalize the Liberian triplets whom he had adopted in Monrovia in 2005; nor had he shown the intent to raise them in the United States as was implicit in his obtaining US immigrant visas for them. Forder also admitted that the children had not been going to school although he claimed that he had brought books for the 7 and 11 year old when he took his family with him in 2006 to Liberia. Efforts to hire a teacher, he said, had failed. Although Forder could not offer a substantial reason for moving to Liberia in 2006 other than that he liked what he saw during his 2005 visit, he said that he had considered his move to LIBERIA permanent when it took place. This included raising all seven children in Monrovia. ¶4. (SBU) US citizen John McFadden, a semi-retired medical doctor who drove Forder to the embassy, said that he had helped to finance Forder's efforts to mine gold in the Liberian interior. Forder said that to date these efforts had failed as he could not find good workers, but he had learned a lot about mining in recent months and was determined to pursue mining activities on his own. He said that he gave himself ninety days to make a success as a gold miner. He would then consider his alternatives. In reply to conoff's question he said this could include returning to the United States. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: In a separate conversation with Dr. McFadden before seeing Forder, the doctor indicated to conoff that he considered Forder's health at risk if he resumed his consumption of alcoholic drink. He also said Forder blamed everyone but himself for the children's return to the U.S. To conoff at the end of meeting, Forder said that he understood that the USG would act on behalf of the children and that he could blame no one in LIBERIA for their return to the U.S. He also implied that he would expect no information from Washington State authorities about the seven children who, he expected, would be placed in foster care. End Comment. ¶6. (SBU) Conoff also had Forder complete a registration form. He has no fixed address in Liberia, but only offered Dr. McFadden as his contact. He has a cell telephone which works when he is in Monrovia. Robert Forder was born February 13, 1949 in Minnesota; he is the bearer of US passport 077486037, issued 8 Feb 2005. BOOTH