Adoption leads to arrest on Sri Lanka

from: Het Algemeen Dagblad

COLOMBO/Ommen - the Dutch couple that was arrested for illegal adoption in Sri Lanka, last Thursday, is facing a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment.

Last year the Sri Lankan parliament approved a law to punish the illegal trade in children more firmly.

24 year old Susan H. and her 43 year old partner Jan H. were arrested in their hotel in the bathing resort Beruwela, fifty kilometres south of Colombo. The National Child Protection Authority of Sri Lanka had the couple arrested after tips of the local population that they had bought a child from a single mother. In addition to the mother, six other Sri Lankans have been arretesd because of their involvment in child trade.

Different speculations are being made about the sum of money the couple was willing to pay for the two year old boy. The amounts vary from 3000 up to 7000 euro.

Sri Lankan authorities have been deeply concerned with the attempts of the Dutch to obtain a child in an illegal manner. ’This problem is becoming larger and larger’ said Jagath Wellawaththa, President of the National Child Protection Authority.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the arrest. The Dutch embassy provides consular assistance.