18 March 2014
The Romanian Members of the Committee for Labour and Social Protection of the Chamber of Deputies unanimously decided in its meeting of March 11, 2014 , not to endorse the legislative proposal on adoption prepared by the Adoption Lobby.
It is soon 10 years after the Romanian government ruled that adoption by non-related foreigners would be no more allowed. Even since attempts were made to re-open Romania. The so-called Adoption Lobby failed until now, despite all the negative media they were able to generate lately, using old images of ‘abandoned’ children.
No doubt, they will not give up. But at least, for now, they must be licking their wounds.
WHO WAS BEHIND THIS LATEST ATTEMPT?
Formally: Associatia Catharsis *), the Romanian adoption agency that got into trouble when, in 2000, the Romanian tycoon Ion Tiriac blocked adoptions from the Famyly-type homes he had set up. It was fought all the way up to the European Court on Human Rights. In a landmark decision, the ECHR ruled that that the rights of children have priority and take precedence over any competing rights of adults. As the ruling stated, adoption is “the giving of a family to a child and not a child to a family”. The European Court thus sent out a clear message that there can be no trade in children. See: Red light on human traffic
Last week, Azota Popescu from Catharsis, when at the Romanian Parliament to promote the law, was accompanied by a certain Peter Heisy.
End 2009 the Council of Europe and the European Commission organised a conference on adoption. For background: Battle of international adoptions reaches peak
One of the participants of the Strasbourg Conference: Peter Heisey.
From the list of participants of the Strasbourg Conference:
FOR THE CHILDREN SOS
– Mr Peter HEISEY, President of Biruinta (Victory) Association and Representative of For the Children SOS
For the Children SOS is the astroturf lobby group of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS): set up in 2004 by Lynn Wetterberg, then owner of Uniting Families Foundation, Debra Murphy-Scheumann, owner of Special Additions (now part of Families Thru International Adoption). Both women were Board Members of the Joint Council on International Children Services (JCICS). For background, see here: The Lobby Exposed
For the Children SOS’ public face was Linda Robak, who adopted from Romania. See Linda Robak explaining her activities here:
On the below list of partners of Cathersis we also find the Italian adoption agency Amici dei Bambini and Amici dell’ Adozione.
It’s a small world after all, indeed.
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*) This particular attempt started in 2010 by the Romanian NGO Catharsis, (See website Catharsis) :
Partners:
Local, national and international NGOs that have as activity object children’s rights
Pro Democraţia Association Brasov
“Samariteanul Milos” Association Brasov
SCUT Association for Social Services Brasov
“Un pas Spre Viitor” Association Brasov
“Copii Abandonaţi” Foundation Brasov
Ge-Ro Foundation Romania
Rafael Foundation, Codlea
Sunshine Foundation, Romania
“Viitorul Tinerilor” Foundation Prahova
“Livada” Association Targu Mures
“Amici Dell’Adozione” Association Italia
Asociatia Pro Adoptie Cluj-Napoca
Asociatia Lunca Dunarii Tulcea
Asociatia Biserica Baptista Independenta Biruinta (Peter Heisey)
Partida Romilor “Pro Europa” Bucuresti
“Amici dei Bambini” Association Italia
Associazione Il Conventino Bergamo, Italia
local, central and international mediaSponsiori:
Il Conventino Association Italia
Oasi Dell’Acoglenza Association Italia
Hearts Across Romania Fundation Dallas USA
Carla Deales& Pier Dipaola
Melsheimer Eillene & Thomas Mathias, cittadini americani
Mariana & Nelu Achiriloaie, cittadini americani
Hellen & Mariano Nozzi, cittadini americani
Maria Chera, cittadini americani
Don Antonio, parish priest, cittadino americano
Some