Baby sales a worry

By DULCIE OREKE
RECENT reports over the alleged sale of babies in one part of the Highlands region have sparked concerns from one civil rights group this week.
Ume Wainetti, from the consultative implementation and monitoring council, said the sale of babies had become a concern not only because parents were selling unwanted babies but because they were doing it to get back at each other  and to score points.
“And children have become the victims of this,” she said.
She said children were not sold but they were being abducted and moved to the other biological partner’s home by relatives.
Wainetti added that this usually happened when the parents were facing marital problems.
“This abuse against children is becoming a common place thing to see or hear.
“We have witnessed mothers who are crying or are traumatised because children have been taken away and they feel helpless,” she said.
Wainetti said children were usually bought by couples who were about to board a flight or get on a PMV to go back to their home provinces.
“Some of these children are taken to isolated parts of the country where it is almost impossible to apply any sort of laws to return them.”
In an email circulated this week to gauge public view, Wainettii said there was a genuine need to educate the public on adoption processes and procedures so that parents who wanted children could apply.
“There is also a  real  need to look at what capacity the community development welfare sections has to deal with this,” she said.
“We usually expect them to perform duties and I agree they are very capable but unfortunate they do not have the staff and the funds to protect children and guide parents to adopt.”