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Madonna still keen on adopting Malawi child
Source: Agencies |
April 13, 2009, Monday
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AMERICAN pop star Madonna is still keen on adopting a second child from Malawi, despite a court ruling in the southern African country preventing her from doing so, a Malawi newspaper reported yesterday.
Madonna, who lost an appeal against a High Court decision refusing her bid to adopt 4-year-old girl Mercy James, said she wants to provide education and a family environment for the girl.
"I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible. And it's my hope that she, like David, will one day return to Malawi and help the people of their country," Madonna told the newspaper, Nation on Sunday, in an e-mailed response to questions.
"Though I have been advised that I cannot publicly discuss the pending appeal regarding my desire to adopt Mercy, I do want to say how much I appreciate the level of support that I have received from the people of Malawi and my friends around the world."
Malawi's government came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old child, David Banda, in 2006, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.
Madonna's lawyer, Alan Chinula, lodged an appeal against the decision earlier this month but by last week the courts had not yet granted a date for the hearing.
In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.
"Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect," she said.
The singer, who was divorced from film director Guy Ritchie last year, has sold more than 200 million albums.
Madonna, who lost an appeal against a High Court decision refusing her bid to adopt 4-year-old girl Mercy James, said she wants to provide education and a family environment for the girl.
"I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible. And it's my hope that she, like David, will one day return to Malawi and help the people of their country," Madonna told the newspaper, Nation on Sunday, in an e-mailed response to questions.
"Though I have been advised that I cannot publicly discuss the pending appeal regarding my desire to adopt Mercy, I do want to say how much I appreciate the level of support that I have received from the people of Malawi and my friends around the world."
Malawi's government came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old child, David Banda, in 2006, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.
Madonna's lawyer, Alan Chinula, lodged an appeal against the decision earlier this month but by last week the courts had not yet granted a date for the hearing.
In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.
"Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect," she said.
The singer, who was divorced from film director Guy Ritchie last year, has sold more than 200 million albums.
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