Posted on 02/13/2005 5:52:52 PM PST by srm913
Chinese parents giving away unwanted daughters
YULIN (GUANGXI) - TINY newborn infants bundled in layers of blankets sleep next to their mothers while fathers and grandmothers sit quietly by the bedside, but this is no ordinary maternity ward.
'Do you want to take the baby home?' one baby girl's grandma asks a visitor at Fumian Hospital, whispering so the nurses would not hear. The infant's parents do not protest and instead eagerly await a reply.
Incidents such as this in farming communities of Yulin city, in southern China's Guangxi region, underline a problem rarely discussed by the government or media - that parents are among the chief offenders for the country's widespread trade in babies.
Despite years of government efforts to end traditional preferences for boys, Chinese farmers still prefer sons to carry on the family line, do tough work and care for elderly parents.
So farmers, limited by China's one-child policy, give away their daughters so they can try again for a boy, experts say.
While Chinese media routinely report cases of trafficking in kidnapped children, a more prominent phenomenon is the giving away of babies by parents.
Parents send word out, usually through midwives, to find people willing to take their unwanted daughters.
International experts say child trafficking is getting worse despite some people's hopes that China's economic development might change the situation.
Official figures show about 1,000 children are trafficked each year, but that often does not include babies given away by their parents, experts say.
In 2003, police caught 20 people transporting 28 unwanted baby girls from Yulin stuffed in bags on a long-distance bus. The babies were drugged to keep them from crying. One girl died.
While traffickers in the Yulin case were executed, and doctors and midwives sentenced to prison, there is hardly any focus on the parents and why they gave up their children.
Some experts say it is because the government is sensitive to any suggestion that its two-decades-old one-child policy is causing baby-selling.
Mr Chen Zhineng, a village official in Yulin, says: 'What parents are most concerned about is getting rid of the girl so they can have a son. In the countryside, that is the reality.' \-- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
I see.. so then I'm correct.?.
I would LOVE to have one of these precious angels, but I am 54 and Mr. Adler is 57. I doubt we would qualify, and I am not so sure Mr. Adler would like to start over again with a little one.
Some time ago, I saw footage of an orphanage in China filled with little girls and a few handicapped boys. The parents had given them all aways so that they would be free to "try again". It was horrific. The conditions were filthy. The older children abused the younger ones who couldn't get away from their tormentors who didn't know any better. I have never forgotten it.
My Mom.
It depends on whether the child is special needs or not. I have an online friend who has adopted a second child from China because the child had a deformity that was easily repaired here.
One of my business partners and his wife just adopted a Chinese baby.
The process took years, and cost thousands....
When it was time to go and get the child, they had to stay in China for over 2 weeks to conclude the formalities...oh, and they were told to bring $5,000 in CASH that they would likely need to "complete the process" while in country.
The child is beautiful and they love her dearly...but you have to wonder about the whole process.
Actually, an adoption from China is easier than a domestic adoption. Our entire adoption process from first paperwork to CIS (formerly INS) to receiving our daughter was 18 months. Our greatest delay was getting CIS approval, which took four months. I can guarantee you that the process for a domestic adoption takes longer than 18 months.
The paperwork is not that complicated because both the Chinese government and the CIS tell you exactly what is needed.
This page provides links to Personal China Adoption Stories available on the web. Every one is different, but each adds dimension to the story of China adoption. Many stories include adoption diaries, photos, trip journals, and other wonderful information, including links to all sorts of interesting and helpful sites for families thinking about or pursuing a China adoption.
http://www.tussah.com/lara/chinasto.htm
SOME countries are exclusionary. Others are not and permit other siblings, older parents, and single parents. It all depends.
That is not correct. China requires that both parents be over thirty years of age and does not have a specific maximum age. It prefers couples ages 35-45. When we traveled to China most of our group was in their late thirties or early forties (including my wife and I)
The limit on children is four children under eighteen per household. Several families in our travel group had other children.
My understanding regarding domestic adoptions is that it is nearly impossible to adopt a baby when the couple are both over thirty-five.
Our neighbors went to China and adopted a little girl. She's very cute, and seemingly very bright.
As others have said, it beats killing them. Indeed, it wouldn't be necessary to go to China if more mothers here offered their babies for adoption instead of killing them.
Thank God these parents try to give them away- I was reading for years how they were killing them and throwing them in the street. Many Americans are adopting these little girls.
Nope ;o) You dodged that bullet. If there's one thing I'm not, it's somebodies mom.
I guess it hasn't occured to you that American parents don't raise Chinese kids.
Americans don't trade with mortal enemies who slaughter the innocent, torture priests and trade in human flesh.
I mean, that's the reason purchase of Cuban cigars is illegal, yes?
this is the culprit.
the state allows only one child - mothers, who already have one child, have been force to abort. If they don't have a son, they have no "old age pensions" - (means of support)
Many baby girls, in the past, have simply been left outside to die.
I wouldn't want to contemplate what would happen if we lived under a government that "allowed" only one child.
Of course, our libs pushed, for years, for no more that two - I notice they've finally dropped that mantra
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