UPDATE: DOS Alert for Ethiopia - Addis Ababa Abandonment Cases

From:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues

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May 26, 2009

Adoptions of Abandoned Children Halted by Ethiopian Court

On May 4, 2009 the Ethiopian First Instance Court temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children referred by orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing a substantial increase in the number of children being brought for adoption. The number of abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa has grown dramatically in recent months and Ethiopian authorities have become aware of possible cases of unethical practices associated with some of them.

Neither the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) nor the First Instance Court had been accepting abandonment cases from any orphanage in Addis Ababa pending an inquiry. However, on May 23 the Court confirmed that while the investigation into cases of abandoned children continues, it has begun accepting cases of abandoned children referred from Addis Ababa government orphanages. These include the following orphanages:

• Kebebe Tsehay Orphanage
• Ketchene Orphanage
• Kolfe Youth Center

Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information on Ethiopia.

Source: http://adoption.state.gov/news/ethiopia%20alert.html

Ethiopa Addis Abandonment Cases: Information and Support Resouces for PAPs

PEAR is attempting to bring you the latest in reports from Ethiopia and the US government. We suggest the following resources for PAPs and interested parties to keep abreast of developments as they occur:

Yahoo groups:
PEAR Newsletter Group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PEARnewsletter

Blogs:
Current News on Ethiopian Abandonment Cases http://ethioadoptionnews.blogspot.com/
PEAR's blog http://pear-now.blogspot.com/

Government Websites:
http://www.adoption.state.gov/news/notices.html

Support for PAPs affected by the current situation with abandonment cases from Addis Ababa can be found here:
http://www.adoptionboard.net

We also encourage all adoption service providers with Ethiopian programs to provide complete and accurate information to their client families.

If you have information to share, please contact PEAR at http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=reform@pear-now.org and Current News on Ethiopian Abandonment Cases at http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=EthioAdoption@gmail.com

Ethiopia Update from US Embassy Addis Ababa

PEAR has confirmed that the following email was sent this week by the US Consular Section in Addis Ababa to all US adoption agencies for which the Embassy has contact information:

Dear All:

We contacted the Ethiopian Federal First Instance Court today. Court
President Ato Dessalegn told us that the investigation into cases of
abandoned children is still pending. But, the Court has begun
accepting cases of abandoned children referred from Addis Ababa
government orphanages. These include the following orphanages:
* Kebebe Tsehay Orphanage
* Ketchene Orphanage
* Kolfe Youth Center

I hope this information is helpful.

Regards,
Paul Cantrell
Consular Section Chief
U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa

Updates will be published on the DOS website www.adoption.state.gov and by PEAR as we receive them.

UPDATE: Ethiopia

From the US Consular Office in Addis Ababa concerning the Ethiopian courts’ suspension of hearing cases involving abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa:

"According to the Ethiopian First Instance Court and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA), the Court has temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children referred from orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing concern over a recent increase in the number of abandoned children being brought for adoption. The number of abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa has grown dramatically in recent months and Ethiopian authorities have become aware of possible cases of unethical practices associated with some of them. Currently neither MOWA nor the First Instance Court are accepting any abandonment case from any orphanages in Addis Ababa pending an inquiry.

The Embassy is working with stake holders as well as Ethiopian authorities to further clarify the nature and impact of this suspension and to identify options for resolving problems. I would recommend that interested parties monitor the Department of State’s website at http://adoption.state.gov/ for updated information on Ethiopia.

Thank you again for your message and for bringing this issue to our attention."

Excerpted from May 14 Letter to PEAR from Paul Cantrell, Consular Section Chief. U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa