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ROMANIA - FOR EXPORT ONLY |
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Readers‘ Comments |
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ROMANIA FOR EXPORT ONLY - A REVIEW
Sun, 2007-08-12 21:00 — Niels
When in 1999, Roelie Post started working for the European Commission on the "Romanian Orphan" dossier she could not have foreseen the consequences of accepting that job.
In 1990, soon after the Ceaucescu regime had been overturned, the world could witness ABC's 20/20 documentary on Romanian Orphans. The shocking TV images gave rise to many initiatives to "save the children". Most often started with best intentions, help to Romanian orphans during the 1990's lead to a soaring market of international adoption.
Especially after 1997, when a point system was introduced, the Romanian adoption market was booming. With this system, adoption agencies could earn points by investing in social services. When enough points would be gathered the agencies would be given a child for international adoptions.
Late 1990's the European Union had started the Phare project, which aimed at reforming Romania's child protection system, needed for its accession to the EU. This project focused on closing down large institutions, setting up a foster care system and implementation of family preservation.
Against this background Roelie Post started her work for the European Commission, on changing the European Union's projects for Romanian children, a job she held for eight years. Those eight years she describes in detail in her book: Romania - For Export Only.
From the onset she makes clear how the adoption lobby has one primary interest, delivering as many babies as possible to the adoption industry, all in the name of a child's best interest.
The French business man Francois de Combret sets the stage in the story that reveals itself in the 270 pages of the book. With black and white pictures, showing horribly underfed Romanian Orphans, he bombards media and authorities to raise funds for his organization Sera. The pictures, not representing current Romanian situations, were actually taken years before Romanian child care reform had started.
De Combret has an adoption agenda and Post's book unravels the workings of that agenda. She shows how several projects by NGO's affiliated to or working with adoption agencies are doing little to improe child care facilities in Romania, but mainly focus on keeping status quo, while preparing babies for adoption.
The book takes an interesting turn when in 2001 Romania's moratorium on international adoption starts, leading to 2004's adoption laws. Because many adoption agencies working in Romania had already assigned children to prospective parents, the moratorium led to pressure from several countries on Romania to stop its moratorium.
Roelie Post takes us to conferences, diplomatic meetings and shows how trade negotiations and NATO accession negotiations were used to put pressure on Romania to change adoption regulations. We meet Baroness Nicholson, Special Rapporteur for Romania's accession to the EU, who played a crucial role in the 2004 Romanian adoption law and the moratorium leading to it. Post sketches a knowledgeable picture of the Baroness and reveals many of the political ins and outs of the political arena this British Member of European Parliament operated in.
She takes us to Romanian institutions too and tells us about the situations she meets, varying from maternities run by American adoption agencies, institutions with Renault "everywhere" and orphanages that don't really care about the babies, because they will be adopted soon anyway.
Towards the end, the book takes a grim turn, when Roelie Post tells us about constant threats made against her. The pressure around her builds up as the Romanian accession reaches its deadline. Candid and well documented she describes how she eventually is forced to leave her job, due to political pressure on the adoption agenda.
Romania - For Export Only is a captivating book. I read it cover to cover over the week-end. It is a very well documented account in diary style of the wheelings and dealings over the access to Romanian orphans. At times it can be a tough read, because she gives many details of the Romanian case. Fortunately the book is much more than cold facts and figures. Roelie Post keeps closely focused on the child's best interest, both in her work and in the story she has to tells us. http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/4544#comment-1483
Claudia Marcu, Dutch correspondent Radio Romania said…
Since a few weeks the Dutch press is abording the question of 'orphans' and more specifically international adoption.
For this discussion the book 'Romania - For Export Only' is the perfect didactic material.
AntiAdopt said…
This book unravels not only the mechanism behind adoption, but also how the interests of rich parties dominate politics. The Dutch version of the book might be easier to read than the English one. Much recommended.
Applause for Ms. Post and her colleagues who stood up for what is morally right, against aggressive and powerful parties. If we could have counted on the fact that your kind is the only one, we might have voted YES [for the European Convention]. http://antiadoptie.blogspot.com
Marian van Teeffelen, Coördinator Romania Kinderpostzegels, said…
When will the interest of the child be finally at the centre? The book of Roelie Post makes clear how easy this principle of the Convention on the Rights of the Child is put aside. And replaced by the wishes of a few doubtful Western organisations. With this the de-institutionalisation process in Romania was frustrated and a more humane local approach of the issue hampered. Already beginning ‘90s many Romanians were ready to take children out of the orphanages, where they often lived in dire circumstances, to take them into their family. But it took years before they got this chance. And the story goes on, in other countries. What is the EU about? About the Rights of the Child, or the pressure of a doubtful Western lobby? 15 June 2007
Hilbrand Westra, United Adoptees International - Netherlands, said…
Roelie Post publishes a remarkable book. A book about export of Romanian children for adoption. A book that when one reads the first chapters overwhelms you if the issue is new. Unfortunately for the undersigned it is not. I even wished that a similar empirical and personal book had been written by the sort of researcher as Roelie Post at the time in Korea and now in China.
Roelie Post dares to describe a taboo-issue at a level that can compare with the works of Noreena Hertz and the movie Constant Gardener. Unfortunately such reporting in general does not receive a lot of media attention, because of its political sensitivity. If you read the book, you find out why. A nest of scorpions of big (business) interests interwoven with political and social actors, and the large demand for adoptable children, creates indeed a market functioning that until now was systematically denied. As a result the discussion remained in the margins of society.
The introduction of the book about a mini-breakfast conference of her children concerning this issue illustrates in my opinion that we have gone far beyond the real and primary question, which still is: what is the interest of the (adoptive) child?
supercostica said...
It's great that finally someone tries to expose the propaganda lies of the child trafficking gangs that masquerade as "charity organizations". 05 April 2007
Mirah Riben, author of "Shedding light on...The Dark Side of Adoption" and "The Stork market America's Multi-Billion Dollar Adoption Industry" said...
This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in adoption or child welfare....especially anyone from one of the importing countries who is planning to adopt. It is an insiders view of the corruption and bureaucratic failures. Those of us in the industrialized world who think adoption is a win-win way to 'save' and 'rescue' babies need to read this! Every movie star should be MADE to read it! Thursday, April 05, 2007
Marc RAEYMAECKERS, Consultant Child Protection Romania 91-94, said...
Even if this book is not going to change the world, or Romania for that matter, at least you have been on the side of the good guys/girls. "Bad things happen because good people fail to act", you did. Noroc. Monday, March 19, 2007 8:16:00 PM
Iza Niewiadomska said...
I read it over the weekend: forget Agatha Christie if you get real stories like this! I could not put it down till the very last page. Respect, Roelie and others who worked on this. Thursday, March 15, 2007 5:25:00 PM
David Haworth, Irish Daily Mail, said...
This is a shocking and forensic case history of how the lobbying nexus can work in Brussels, threats and all, as children's lives are cynically disposed off between the "In" files and the "Out". Few players emerge well from this story and some are out-and-out black hat villains. A salutary antidote to the EU's 50th anniversary celebrations. Friday, March 02, 2007 5:40:00 PM
Paul van Buitenen, Member of the European Parliament, said...
As a former European Commission official, I know that it is not obvious to write such a book. It is courageous and necessary to put this story on paper, as many misconceptions about the Romanian children's adoption issue float around and have even caused the European Parliament to adopt a misguided written declaration on this issue. Well done Roelie! Thursday, March 01, 2007
Rupert Wolfe-Murray said...
Bravo Roelie. I am delighted that someone has finally told this story. I also know that she was the driving force behind Romania's reform of its child welfare system. Rupert Wolfe Murray, Thursday, March 01, 2007 10:30:00 AM
Brian Douglas, British humanitarian, said...
I am delighted to see that the Author has taken the time to put this book together. It is for certain a story that needs telling, so the world can read this untold, true story of Romania's orphans and I recommend the public to purchase a copy, so that they will understand the truth of the interferences that tried to protect their interests rather than those of the children. Well done Roelie! Sunday, February 25, 2007 4:20:00 PM
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