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Skepticism greets baby trade report
By Wang Qingchu |
September 30, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN investigation into an alleged baby snatching scandal in central Hunan Province has concluded that there is no evidence of infants being sold to foreign couples.
However, the terse statement by Shaoyang government, which conducted the inquiry, failed to convince many members of the public.
Some commentators said the investigation had no credibility as it was not carried out by an independent body.
The investigation said family planning authorities in Gaoping Town didn't sell babies to a welfare home in Shaoyang. Nor did the welfare facility sell babies to foreign families to make money.
Adoptions adhered to regulations issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and international rules, according to the report published on Wednesday night, local news portal rednet.cn reported on Thursday.
The announcement did not address accusations that babies were forcibly taken from families who violated family planning policies.
However, it said 12 government officials lost their Party membership or were removed from their posts for "negligence, unsubtle work approach and serious disciplinary violations."
It didn't elaborate on what these violations were. Calls to the publicity department of Shaoyang went unanswered.
In a report by New Century Weekly in May, officials were accused of snatching babies from families falling foul of China's family planning rules and sending them to the home in exchange for cash.
Each foreign adoptive family was ordered to pay US$3,000 - a so-called sponsor fee - to the facility, before getting a child.
The New Century report alleged that by the end of 2005, at least 16 babies had been taken in Gaoping Town.
The investigation found 14 babies were sent to the Children's Welfare Home in Shaoyang between 2002-05.
Eight were abandoned children, one was given by parents who didn't marry and were unable to raise the child and another five were babies born in violation of the family planning policy.
Wang Shichuan, a commentator, said Shaoyang government should not have led the investigation, due to a conflict of interests. Doubts could only be removed if an investigation was independent.
However, the terse statement by Shaoyang government, which conducted the inquiry, failed to convince many members of the public.
Some commentators said the investigation had no credibility as it was not carried out by an independent body.
The investigation said family planning authorities in Gaoping Town didn't sell babies to a welfare home in Shaoyang. Nor did the welfare facility sell babies to foreign families to make money.
Adoptions adhered to regulations issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and international rules, according to the report published on Wednesday night, local news portal rednet.cn reported on Thursday.
The announcement did not address accusations that babies were forcibly taken from families who violated family planning policies.
However, it said 12 government officials lost their Party membership or were removed from their posts for "negligence, unsubtle work approach and serious disciplinary violations."
It didn't elaborate on what these violations were. Calls to the publicity department of Shaoyang went unanswered.
In a report by New Century Weekly in May, officials were accused of snatching babies from families falling foul of China's family planning rules and sending them to the home in exchange for cash.
Each foreign adoptive family was ordered to pay US$3,000 - a so-called sponsor fee - to the facility, before getting a child.
The New Century report alleged that by the end of 2005, at least 16 babies had been taken in Gaoping Town.
The investigation found 14 babies were sent to the Children's Welfare Home in Shaoyang between 2002-05.
Eight were abandoned children, one was given by parents who didn't marry and were unable to raise the child and another five were babies born in violation of the family planning policy.
Wang Shichuan, a commentator, said Shaoyang government should not have led the investigation, due to a conflict of interests. Doubts could only be removed if an investigation was independent.
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