Come buy little babes

• They rock babies not plastic dolls
• Why do they do it?
• Long wait
• Do it the legal way

By Faraza Farook

Thirty-five-year-old Nandani was blessed with twins – two boys born out of wedlock. Hours after her delivery, she is pursued by hospital employees to give away one child to a couple who wanted to adopt one. The unmarried mother was promised that some money would be deposited in her bank account. (See her full story below)

This is the fate of many mothers in the country who conceive unwanted babies, but often such incidents go unnoticed. Health officials say the rising rate of infertility has also increased the demand for adoption. Childlessness among married couples is estimated at about 15 % while more than a thousand couples a month seek treatment for sub-fertility.

Incidents of rape, incest and bad family planning also force many mothers to give away their children for adoption.

The illegal process of adoption has become a thriving business in some hospitals with staff members-mainly attendants and sometimes nurses making a buck out of selling babies. But hospital authorities claim they are unable to take any action or track down the hawkers as it is such a well-planned secretive operation.

In an investigation conducted by The Sunday Times in one of the leading state maternity hospitals, it was revealed that large sums of money exchanged hands before the final transfer of the baby took place .

Pretending to be a prospective customer, I approached an attendant and told him my requirements. He took me to his senior, also an attendant who told me I could adopt a baby provided I was willing to be on a waiting list. "It could take anything from about two to three months to even years," he said. He asked me to leave my name and number, so that he could call when a baby was available.

We also spoke about the rates which included the registration of the baby under the adopting parents name."I'll tell you the rates when you come for the adoption. However after some persuasion he reluctantly revealed the cost.

The registration of the baby in one's own name alone can cost from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 10,000. In addition, the mother too had to be paid a fairly reasonable sum. This however depends on the economical status of the adopting couple and could range from a few thousands to over Rs. 100,000. The attendant who mediates between the two parties gets his commission from every transaction in addition to the brokerage fees.

There are also agents who work outside the hospital to persuade couples to adopt these unwanted hospital babies. A couple from Maligawatte, said a woman believed to be from Negombo had approached them to adopt a baby.

"The woman said that a mother, from a remote village wanted to give away her baby because of financial constraints and asked us to take the baby and give some money," the couple said. about 2000 rupees exchanged hands and the couple received the baby.

They don't know any details about the woman who tracked them down or the mother of the unwanted baby. Meanwhile the Commissioner of the Department of Probation and Child Care services S. Rannuge said although they have received complaints about illegal adoption they were minimal. He also said insufficient evidence made it difficult to track down the culprits. "Sometimes we get information that an attendant or somebody outside the hospital was involved in an illegal adoption racket but the information is vague and we are unable to take any action," he said.

During my investigation at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital I was told by one of the Medical Officers that the moment a staffer gets to know there was an unmarried mother, she was pursued until the time of delivery to give away the child for adoption. The news spreads like wild fire and offers pour in.

The Castle Street Hospital for Women is also not spared of the problem. Director K.W. Karandagoda said some mothers, before coming to the clinic, find a prospective customer to give away the child. When registering themselves for antenatal care, they do so under the name of the woman who would be adopting the child. Thus, these cases are rarely detected.

In a recent incident, he said birth chits that were given at the labour room had been stolen from the hospital and used to get births of babies born outside the hospital registered. The racket was detected subsequently.

"I told the Registrar to issue birth certificates only if the marriage certificate, birth certificate and National Identity Card or the passport of the mother was submitted Dr. Karandagoda said. This helped to control the problem of illegal adoption to some extent but the rule is relaxed most of the time, he said.

Meanwhile UNICEF Programme Officer Hiranthi Wijemanne said although they were aware of the problem there was nothing much that could be done because of a lack of hard evidence "The information we have is all based on what we have heard from various sources," she said.

They rock babies not plastic dolls

Sarvodaya Suwasetha is a haven for many teenage mothers. Originally a home for malnourished children, the organisation has now undertaken to care for teenage mothers and discourages them from abandoning or giving the babies for illegal adoption.

Unlike other girls their age, these teenagers have hardly had a childhood. These thirteen year-olds and fourteen-year-olds rock live babies in their arms instead of plastic dolls.

Their parents want them to give up their babies and get back home, while the teenage mothers are reluctant to do so.

Nandani who initially wanted to give away her identical twin boys for adoption on persuasion by hospital employees, was advised to breast feed the babies for at least three months before making a decision Neeta Ariyaratne who is in charge of Sarvodaya said. She said that an attendant at the Kethumathi hospital in Panadura had pestered the unmarried mother when she went for delivery.

"She has now changed her mind about parting with the twins," Mrs. Ariyaratne said.

Nandani, a West Asian returnee, was allegedly raped by her employer and sent home three months after conception. Keeping the whole episode a secret from her family, she nurses her babies at Sarvodaya. When asked if she would give them for adoption, her answer was a definite 'No'.

Like Nandani other unmarried mothers who come to the home are discouraged from giving away their children for adoption unless it is done legally.

Fifteen year-old Nilmini was breast feeding her nearly one year-old baby boy Lahiru when I met her. Allegedly raped by her step father in a Galle bound train after she had been knocked out unconscious she still cannot remember what happened that fateful night.

Small for her age, Nilmini doesn't want to give up her toddler for adoption. "I love my baby and I can study here while looking after him. I wouldn't want to give him away," she says confidently.

Sureni (14) was a Grade eight student when she became a victim to her step father."She is determined to go to school but doesn't want to part with the baby. There are times when she feels frustrated and takes it out on the little baby," Mrs. Ariyaratne said.

Babies found abandoned are also brought to the home by the Department of Probation and Child Care Services and cared for until they reach a satisfactory nutritional rate. They are then send to the Panadura Government Receiving Home. Foreigners and locals come to Sarvodaya to make inquiries about adoption- the process of which has to go through the Department of Probation and Child Care she said.

Sjoerd and Nellie Grenstra, a couple from Holland, was back in Sri Lanka looking for a baby to adopt. During their previous visit 16 years back, the couple had adopted twins, a girl and a boy with whom they were now visitng Sri Lanka. The twins, Joris and Annebel were two months old when they were adopted from their thirty three-year-old unmarried mother, Mr. Sjoerd said. Having to go through legal channels Mr. Sjoerd said he spent almost four years. "Nearly US$ 4000 was spent for the adoption which included the lawyers fees, our stay here and the payment for the mother," he added.

PARLIAMENT

Outstripping each other with tricks and trips

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti Our Lobby Correspondent

The controversial draft constitution may have been pushed to cold storage but the embers still remain. Despite being elated about torpedoing the draft, it was apparent that the UNP was seething with fury over the recent alleged vote purchasing project'' launched by the government.

The UNPers couldn't help but take swipes at the government during Tuesday's debate on an amendment to the environment act.

The verbal duel was launched by John Amaratunga, who escorted the 'wavering UNP flock' to Singapore to play political matron. Lashing out at environment minister Mahinda Wijesekera Mr. Amaratunga charged him of polluting the parliamentary environment with horse deals to purchase UNP votes and further alleged that one was even promised a deputy ministership!

When Mr. Wijesekera came pat with the reply that only the President could make such appointments it was angrily brushed aside by Mr. Amaratunga who charged the minister of alleged shameless conduct.

The lawyer turned politician gleefully listed the offers allegedly ranging from portfolios, money and trips abroad among others. Rubbing salt, he alleged that massive amounts had been allocated for the 'project' which backfired. " Some of the money has been pocketed out and some government members have made a lot of money thanks to us, and there is evidence," he alleged.

But UNP dissident Harendra Corea who had a tussle with Mr. Amaratunga just the previous week after his dramatic crossover- wished to know what had happened to Fransiscu, a Southern provincial councillor who was reportedly abducted by the UNP.

"What happened to him? I am sure you would have done the same to me or even tried to bribe me," he charged.

UNP's U.L.M. Farook, yet another UNPer whose loyalty was questioned during the 'constitutional warfare' and had been packed off to Singapore was next, trying to clear the air.

" Polythene and smoke emissions contribute to pollution, but nothing pollutes like this government which smells of sin, treachery, bribery and scandal" he charged.

Heatedly, censuring Mr. Corea, he sniped: " Unlike you who lost and entered Parliament thanks to a resignation, I was given a clear mandate from the people and don't believe in bartering my soul."

Giving vent to his feelings Mr. Farook said there was cause for celebration. "Corrupt and untrustworthy elements have gone and Chula Bandara has come back. The government's undoing was the advice of 'ugath modayas' who have no scruples," he said.

In a surprise move on Wednesday, the government took up for debate a much delayed motion calling for the reformation of media laws- perhaps in a mood to dangle carrots before the people.

Opening the debate was opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who charged that the government, instead of liberalizing the media was involved in a duel with the UNP.

Listing the PA's achievements, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the highlights included a stinging censorship which was used for political mileage. "I get the maximum state media coverage, be it Batalanda, inter party rivalries or my alleged LTTE links," he said.

"Criminal defamation is an archaic concept which was used by colonial governments to exert control. We don't call for the replacement of the entire section but to include 'specific intention' to injure as a ground'.

He believed there was no need for cabinet secrets and cited Sir John Kothalawela's famous words about his wish to hold Cabinet meetings in the open at the Galle Face green with loudspeakers so that the secrets would be known to all.

It was a strange twist of fate as it was Mr. Wickremesinghe who as Leader of the House used the sub judice rule freely to disallow a debate on Richard de Zoysa who was now calling for its repeal and proposing the enactment of a Freedom of Information Act.

With his penchant for parlance and digression, it was UNP chief whip W.J.M. Lokubandara who shredded minister Samaraweera's role as media minister inferring he was a poor replacement for amiable Dharmasiri Senanayake.

"This government has a unique style that when it wished to prolong something, a select committee was appointed. The Select Committee on Media has dragged its feet and is suffering from a state of paralysis," he charged.

Suddenly spotting Minister Sarath Amungama whom the minister allegedly compared to a deflated balloon after his 'constitutional crisis', Mr. Lokubandara wanted to know why Rajya Sevaya Pinisai was given priority over the screening of Purahanda Kaluwra" which apparently was critical of the government's military effort.

"I thought despite all the negative traits you possess you had a refined taste when it came to the arts. But this shows that politics has even crept into that sphere. Mr. Amunugama who was listening carefully asked,"Did you see the movie?"

"Yes I did" shot back the Sinhala scholar adding::"I don't have to hold your hand to go and see it."

Next advocating a code of ethics for the media was SLMC"s M.H.M. Zuhair who opined that the repealing of the entire section on defamation could lead to a legal vacuum.

"A civil remedy is inadequate as it only awarded a paltry sum as compensation. While other proposals were acceptable in principle, the call for the abolition of criminal defamation is unacceptable," he said proposing that provision should be made for journalists to protect their sources of information.

In an obvious attempt to recover loss of face Dr. Amunugama, the man who once wielded the chopping knife over the media began to ridicule the UNP.

"The motion confines itself only to four areas. While refusing to support a far reaching constitution, you have also rejected an opportunity to have a constitutionally guaranteed media freedom. How can you reject that and propose this," he asked and received a barrage of accusations ranging from being soulless to playing Judas to the media.

The minister's preoccupation with the political proposals was evident as he said that R.K.W. Goonesekera's recommendations did not call for the abolition of criminal defamation. The badly drafted motion, he alleged smelt of Sunday newspaper editors and could not be the work of the opposition leader.

Next targeting editors he charged he was not surprised that while calling for archaic and predicate moves, they failed to call for the enactment of privacy laws when UNP's A.H.M. Azwer innocently posed whether there were any paparazzi and earned the remark paparazzi apart foolish interrupters were present.

Showering praise on the draft constitution Mr. Amunugama claimed that not even Mandela's Bill of Rights assures so many individual liberties.

Coming out with some home truths next was Vasudeva Nanayakkara who, in his inimitable style reminded that when constitution making became an exercise for political opportunism, members had no option but to throw the entire thing away.

Lambasting the government he thundered that no government should think that they could restrict freedom and civil liberties. Criminal defamation was the tool of authoritarian rulers, and hardly provided relief to ordinary citizens.

With innate wisdom he said," It is not a problem with these people but one of power and a problem with the present system. Minister Samaraweera a few years ago was a vociferous campaigner for free media but today controls the same with an iron hand,"- a comment to which Mr. Samaraweera replied by inviting Mr. Nanayakkara to make his final parliamentary speech.

"Do you mean I won't return to Parliament?" queried the maverick MP. Mr. Samaraweera nodded and said: " Unless you contest from the UNP". In response Mr. Nanayakkara said that having opposed the UNP with passion he crossed the isle when the PA became an extension of the UNP.

Minister Samaraweera piled scorn on the divided UNP dubbing them as being unprincipled, lacking in policy, vision and leadership claiming that the government was a pioneer in liberalizing the media.

He recalled the days when artistes who signed a letter protesting against the deprivation of Mrs. Bandaranaike's civic rights were banned from the SLBC and the many journalists who were sacked by the UNP.

Perhaps the most pertinent thoughts were expressed on the last day of the tenth Parliament when several finance bills were taken up for debate by UNP's Mahinda Samarasinghe who called for consensus politics.

Managing to strike a chord, he called for the resignation of an unpopular government which has completed its term and flouted its mandate.

"The government has tried to convince the general public that the UNP reeked with corruption and that some even had links with the LTTE. But the UNP continued to participate in talks regarding the draft bill despite extreme provocation," he alleged.

"Your stances are being condemned, and the Wayamba election coupled with other governance issues have destroyed this government's reputation," he said calling for the immediate setting up of the four independent commissions to ensure some level of commitment to democracy.

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