The EPRDF lead Government seems promoting the adaption of children in western countries by allowing 22 US adapting agencies to operate in Ethiopia along many local adaption agencies. The Ethiopian Embassy in Washington prides itself listing two dozen US adapting agencies on its website. Likewise, European countries, Canada and Australia are most of Ethiopian children are being adapted.The surge of adaption and the number of agencies rushing in Ethiopia in the last few years seems there are more to the stories than helping children who needed loving families to adapt them. It is heart breaking when an Embassy of a country that does not have any other listing of important agencies like investment, education, democracy, health, etc. prides itself to promote 22 adaption agencies out of the US alone.
In an alarming report "adaption in Ethiopia" the Schuster Institute for Investigative journalism reviled a stunning story of lack of transparency and corruption in adapting children from Ethiopia.
When human trafficking of young women for domestic help and prostitution to the Middle East by dozen of 'legal' and illegal agencies in the country was not enough according to Human Trafficking Report of 2009, it seems children trafficking is the new addition in the ever ending crime against Ethiopians by unscrupulous individuals with permission and knowledge of the regime in power.
Who are theses individuals and agencies who operate out of the United States? What motivated them to register adaption agencies faster than they can set-up a legitimate business? and which government Ministry or agencies are responsible to allow them to operate?
Our source in the country tell us the foreign exchange earning is what motivated the government to allow all theses agencies to rush in to adaption business ranging from 25-35 thousands US dollars to adapt a child. Why it cost so much to help a child find a loving family, and why foreign parents are sought-after than Ethiopian parents reviles the shadiness of the operation that requires serious public scrutiny.
Ethiopian religious institutions, the independent media and civic organization must get involved to investigate and make the government and the agencies' officials responsible and accountable. There has to be transparency on who is who in the adaption agencies and the criteria to issue them a license to operate in Ethiopia.
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