Harry Lime's blog

Victims of Balmandir

In March of 2004, a mysterious slowdown began in Nepali adoptions. Few (if any) placement agencies were upfront about what was going on. Most spun one lie after another.

In fact, on March 8th, 2004, Taja Khabar published "Victims of Balmandir," and Nepali adoptions slowed to a crawl. The article alleged child trafficking at Nepal Children's Organization (NCO/Bal Mandir) and described a reputed adoption without consent to the United States.

Here is an English translation (name of adoptive child removed):

Victims of Balmandir at the Refuge of Palace

Taja Khabar Weekly

8th March 2004

Kathmandu

Balmandir, which was established to provide protection to the orphan and helpless children, has now become a centre for openly selling children. The institute in which Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah is sponsor, is selling children -- may be you do not believe this, but it's true.

According to sources, when tension between Ganga Bahadur Tamang and his wife Manju Tamang (residents of Sindhupalchowk district, Attarpur Village Development Committee, Ward no. 4) started increasing, their sons, namely Tensing Tamang and P****** Tamang, were sent to Balmandir.

After some time, on 1st September 2003, Balmandir Naxal, published a notice asking for anyone to claim the children. According to the letter (dispatch no. 451 and 384 of Ward Police Office Lainchaour dated 25th August 2003), from 27th August 2003, these children were staying in Balmandir, and it informed the parents of these children (or any claimant) to claim. In two days, the father, Ganga Bahadur Tamang, with the claim letter registration no. 386 claimed the children at Balmandir Naxal. But the Balmandir employees delayed by giving false excuses that there was not enough proof. Only after long follow up, did Balmandir hand over Tensing Tamang to his father. But when an employee of Balmandir, Ramarishna Subedi, informed the guardians that P****** Tamang, brother of Tensing Tamang, had been sent to America, they were surprised. This is not the only case in Balmandir -- more than 20 children a month in the name of adoption are sold to foreigners and are given permission to be taken abroad, and thus the hefty amount gained in this process is divided among them. Obviously this is also the subject of investigation.

After his younger son was sold by Balmandir, the father has been wandering around. He said that he did not know where to go for justice; whereas the uncle and aunt of the child said that they will go to Her Majesty the Queen Mother for justice. Sharing the bitter experience when he went to claim the child, the Former President of Lisankhu VDC of Sindhupalchowk district, Samlit Yonjan, said Balmandir is an institution which sells children.

The institution in which Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah is the sponsor ("preserver") and Rita Singh Baidya, the daughter of late Ganeshman Singh, is the President has involved itself in selling children and taking commission. It is known that in the process of selling children and taking commission present office secretary Rajeshwor Niraula, President Rita Singh Baidya, employee Ram Krishna Subedi, some police personnel and some child trafficking agents are involved.

Taja Khabar (8 March 2004)

Translation by Nisith Kumar Shrivastawa


The Taja Khabar controversy (that spring of 2004) seriously slowed adoptions through the Kathmandu CDO (Chief District Officer).


With the Nirmala Thapa scandal that summer, adoptions through the Kathmandu CDO came to a complete halt. See Samay National Weekly for details (three alleged adoptions without consent to Spain):

http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/43603


Finally, with the Mukti Nepal scandal in September 2004, Nepali adoptions shut down completely.


Mukti Nepal -- alleged torture of a birth parent (a sibling was in mid-adoption to the United States):

The Himalayan Times

Duped whammy: Torture follows trickery

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu

September 25, 2004

A man, whose two sons are with an NGO, Mukti Nepal, was accused of being a Maoist and had to face mental and physical torture when he went to meet his kids. In December, NGO Mukti Nepal took Pawan Karki (6) and Pravesh Karki (4), sons of a low-income labourer, Mitra Bahadur Thapa, a resident of Jorpati, assuring him that his kids would get free education up to Grade 10 and may get a chance to study aboard if he agreed to present the children as orphans. Since then Thapa was not allowed to see his sons, neither was he informed about their whereabouts. However, on Wednesday, he decided to visit Mukti Nepal office at Balaju with three sympathisers from CWIN and other organisations. But he was not only denied to meet the children but was accused of being armed Maoist.

He was then handed over to Royal Nepalese Army, who blindfolded him for over 24 hours and grilled him to ascertain the NGO's claim. When nothing incriminating was found, the RNA released him and he was sent to Balaju Police Post. From there, the three who had accompanied him to Mukti Nepal office took him to Kathmandu Chief Administration Office. He apprised the Chief District Officer of his ordeal and pleaded that he be united with his sons. CDO Baman Prasad Upadhyaya coordinated with the police leading to the detention of Mukti Nepal activists, Goma Luitel and Dipa Sharma, last nigh. They were, however, later released on the condition that they would return the children to Thapa as soon as possible. Though the younger child is with the NGO, the elder boy has been sent to Spain.

Thapa, who hails from Sankhuwasabha district, told The Himalayan Times that when he went to Mukti Nepal office Goma Luitel called a man, who claimed to be a security personnel. "He threatened us and sent others who were with me home. I was beaten up and handed over to army, who blindfolded me and took me to an undisclosed place," said Thapa. In fact, it was Goma and Dipa who handed over Thapa to the army, claiming that four armed Maoists entered her office with threats. She told the RNA that while three escaped, Thapa was apprehended.

THE HIMALAYAN TIMES

http://www.stichting-veldwerk.org/projecten02_e/nepali_children_homes.html


Mukti Nepal  -- another children's home with powerful friends:

"AIGP of Nepal police Dr. Govinda Prasad Thapa, Dr. of maternity Hospital Dr. Mrs Kastiri Malla and Chairperson of MUKTI NEPAL Goma Luitel distributing clothes and other necessary articles to mothers from the conflict ridden zone."

http://muktinepal.org/activities.html


About Dr Govinda Prasad Thapa

Dr. Govinda Prasad Thapa (MA, BL, MPA, PhD) has served 31 years in Nepal Police and just recently retired (15 March 2006) as Additional General of Police (AGP) of  Nepal Police. His field of expertise include human trafficking, issues relating to women and children, security and terrorism, criminal justice and community policing. He has lead many sensitive investigations and initiated many projects such as protection of human rights and Law reforms while serving for the force, and he has associated his works with networks such as Center for Victims of Torture, SAATHI, Maiti Nepal, ABC Nepal  and SAARCPOL.

http://www.digitalshristy.com/lc/mar30-gpthapa.html


Dr. Kasturi Malla
Treasurer, MIRA
Director and Sr. Consultant Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Maternity Hospital, Thapathali, Kathmandu

http://www.mira.org.np/training.htm


In any case, Nepal's 2004 adoption shutdown was short-lived.


That autumn, facilitator Prachanda Raj Pradhan met with the prime minister (Sher Bahadur Deuba), and Nepal's shutdown soon came to an abrupt end.


Oddly enough, Pradhan was the facilitator at the center of P****** Tamang's reputed adoption without consent to the U.S. (see Taja Khabar -- above).

Trade of Children (Voice of Children)

PEAR Nepal:

http://pearadoptinfo-nepal.blogspot.com/2010/06/trade-of-children-voice-of-children.html

Some Disturbing Allegations from Voice of Children"What seems confusing here is that one can still make fake papers to show that a child is an orphan, and it can be adopted in the same way as has been practiced earlier."

The Special Commission on the practical operation of the Hague Convention is screening the Terre des Hommes/UNICEF Nepal documentary Paper Orphans on June 17th:

http://pearadoptinfo-nepal.blogspot.com/2010/05/draft-agenda-for-special-commission-on.html

The documentary Paper Orphans focuses on three NGOs -- Nepal Children's Organization (NCO/Bal Mandir), the Helpless Children Protection Home (HCPH), and the Education Centre for Helpless Children (ECHC).


The Helpless Children Protection Home (HCPH) has been the center of controversy for many years. Back in 2004, Samay National Weekly published an article (in Nepali) on the home.

Here is a translation:

The business of foster children

Samay National Weekly
Date: August 27, 2004
Page No: 26
Section: Cover Story
Author: Kiran Bhandari

Kathmandu - At just 29 years of age, she is not only a mother of seven, but also a hapless widow. If this was not enough, another crisis has now befallen in her life. Among her 7 childrens she trusted to Bal Mandir (a school for poor children and orphans) for their upbringing, three have already made it to Spain. And after knowing about this, she has become greatly annoyed and irritated. How they went there, she knows nothing.

Samakushi located Child Protection Center has given the custody of the children of Nirmala Thapa of Dhading to three different Spanish families through, as it has been alleged, fraudulent and deceptive ways. According to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, the three children were adopted by Rosa Maria, Maria Teresa and Vladamir Ripol Rosel and were subsequently taken to different Spanish cities.

However, Nirmala's only wish and desire was to see her children get a good upbringing. After losing her children, Nirmala has been moving around telling her heartrending stories to CDO office, police, foreign ministry, different non-governmental organization and whoever takes interest on her plight. While recounting the sad tale of her separation from her loving childrens, she sometimes becomes dreary and seemingly cheerless and then suddenly becomes enraged and then bursts into tears.

Blaming the Child Protection Center of sending her children to Spain by deceiving her and claiming it as a fraudulent act, she is making rounds of the CDO (Chief District Officer) office daily from the past one month seeking justice. Who gave the authority to the center to give away the children, who were admitted there for their studies, as foster child? She has only one demand, "I don't know anything, I only want my children back."

Lav Hari Acharya, an official, is angry with Nirmala and blasts at her, "Late King Birendra might return, but your childrens would never. So it is would do you no good to fight with Sabitri." Sabitri Basnet, a former employee of Bal Mandir, is an administrator of the Child Protection Center. Her husband, former police inspector Jitendra Basnet, is a chairman of the center.

But still, despite all the odds working against her, Nirmala hasn't called it all over and without feeling defeated has been saying that she didn't give the permission to send her child abroad. Stating that Sabitri had sent her children without her consent and knowing, she is adamant on her stance that she should get her children back. Instead of reaching into the conclusion by first finding out the facts, when the officials of the CDO office turned a deaf ear to all her pleas, helpless and at the same time enraged looking Nirmala was said with streaks of tears in her eyes: "Do anything, but never do injustice by taking bribes."

To be continued....


Continued from yesterday

On this Chief District Officer Neupane said, "As Nirmala's case is very complex, we are looking into the matter very seriously." Making it clear that the document certified by the district administration can't be bypassed, he said, "Before giving the recommendation to hand over the custody of the foster children, we now first verify the parents of the children and then only move the process forward. But what happened during that time, I can't say."

By taking this very episode as an example, Kathmandu District Administration, suspecting massive irregularity and misrepresentation on the issue of foster children, has made the entire process a bit stricter. "We are making decisions only after considering the reputation of the organization in question," Neupane said, "Only after first closely analyzing the intention of the child center, I approve the foster children's file." As the administration has adopted a strict policy on this issue from the past three months, some 76 such files are gathering dust in the Kathmandu District Administration.

In the past five years, some 706 Nepali children have gone abroad as foster children. With every passing year, this number is growing alarmingly. Including Bal Mandir, thirteen other child centers have been sending children as foster sons/daughters to different countries in Europe and America. Government officials and concerned people and organizations involved in this admit that a transaction between 5 to 10 thousand dollars takes place while sending a child abroad as foster son/daughter.

Strong business mindset has already set a foothold in child centers opened with the sole objective of "charity and service." In the child center at Samakushi, some 78 students have received full and family scholarships. In the three years after they started sending children abroad as foster sons/daughters, the child center proudly informed us that they have altogether sent 54 children abroad up till now.

After handing over the custody of small children, like Nirmala's, to a foreigner, it is unfair and wrong to drive out relatively older children and adolescents (who have less chances of being adopted as foster children) from the child center. A child center makes good profits when it sends children as foster sons/daughters abroad, and this is very much like an open secret.

Meanwhile, Nirmala hasn't demanded anything other than her sons and daughters. "She hasn't asked for any money, and says she wants her children. Now how should I get her children back as they are already abroad?" Sabitri said. She said that she is even ready to give refuge to other children of Nirmala if she comes to her and apologizes and agrees for a compromise.

Which agency's doors should Nirmala (and many other suffering mothers like her) knock at in this kind of situation? CDO Neupane tries to answer this, "Our work is to recommend only, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare decides on this."

Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asta Laxmi Shakya told us that there is serious problem in this whole process of sending children as foster sons/daughters abroad. She informed that the government has formed a taskforce to find measures to curb these kinds of deplorable practices.

Concluded (Translated by AGrg, Nepalnews.com)


For a Spanish translation, go to The Direct Help Foundation (TDHF):

http://tdhf.ibernet.com/cast/..%5Cboletines%5Cpdf%5C_200410_boletin7.pdf

See also: El Pais -- Un drama lejano: los ninos vendidos de Nepal:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/reportajes/drama/lejano/ninos/vendidos/Nepal/elpdomrpj/20041017elpdmgrep_6/Tes/


And Pound Pup Legacy:

http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/27956


At last report, Nirmala Thapa was still waiting for her children:

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=80117


For more recent controversies at the Helpless Children Protection Home (HCPH), see PEAR Nepal:

Dalit Couple Foils Adoption Of Offspring (Republica)

http://pearadoptinfo-nepal.blogspot.com/2010/02/dalit-couple-foils-adoption-of.html

And:

Adopted Children always in disputes! (Voice of Children)

http://pearadoptinfo-nepal.blogspot.com/2010/04/adopted-children-always-in-disputes.html


Here is the 2007 Helpless Children Protection Home board (2007 download from HCPH website):

1. Mr. Jetendra Basnyat - Chairman

2. Mrs. Pabitra Ghale - Vice Chairman

3. Mrs. Ishori Shah - General Secretary

4. Mrs. Archana Gurung - Treasurer

5. Dr. Tekendra Karki - Member

6. Eng. Narayan Karki - Member

7. Dr. Laxman Shakya - Member

8. Lieutenant Karna Bahadur Gurung - Member

9. Re. Col. Mohan Pratap Gurung - Member

10.

Dr. Damber Gurung

- Foreign Counselor

11.