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that President Lukashenko is doing an investigation of the entire adoption process and the government departments involved with it. This investigation will also include the reports submitted by foreign agencies, regarding the welfare of the children they placed. There is no timeline for the process. Whenever it concludes, the President will consider whether to reopen adoptions.
Some people feel that the President has been influenced by rumors that foreigners adopt babies to use their organs for transplant. While I cannot confirm that this is the case, these rumors have gone around in various countries from time to time. As an example, Moldova launched an investigation a few years ago, to determine whether children adopted by Americans were alive or dead. After finding that the children were alive and thriving in their new homes, a formal apology was made to the U.S. government and the adoption community.
If there is any corruption in the adoption process of Belarus, I hope that President Lukashenko roots it out quickly, so that adoptions can resume. And if the President has been swayed by false rumors about the status of children adopted by Americans, I hope that American agencies and families will act quickly to assure him that the children are doing well. One way that agencies and families can do this is by ensuring that all required post-placement reports to Belarus are completed in a timely manner.
An organization that has advocated effectively with foreign governments on adoption issues is the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS). While there is nothing on that organization's website about the situation in Belarus at this time, it is likely to post information as it is received and determined to be credible. It is also likely to post reports of letters sent to various leaders in Belarus and of meetings with members of the government in that country.
Sharon
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if you have already received referrals of children, but are unable to bring them home after November 1, ask your agency to contact JCICS with the particulars.
JCICS has advocated effectively for "pipeline" cases when adoptions were suspended in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Romania.
In addition, consider providing this information to the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute. This organization has also been active in advocating for children and their families affected by country shutdowns.
Sharon
On FRUA, [url]http://www.frua.org/chat_main.html[/url]
a message was posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 by a PAP who received the following note from the US Embassy:
We still haven't been told anything official. This week there were four American families who arrived in Belarus with official invitations from the government of Belarus. When they went to the court, the judge refused to hear their cases. I don't think we will know anything until November 1st, possibly not even then. There are rumors that there might be a new Minister
of Education, but I haven't heard anything definite.
Chris Reynolds
Vice Consul
U.S. Embassy Minsk, Belarus
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