Switzerland regrets past Sri Lankan adoption practices
Almost 900 Sri Lankan-born children found a Swiss home between 1973 and 1997.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The government has admitted to oversights in adoption regulations that led to some 900 Sri Lankan children being illegally sold to Swiss parents from the 1970s to the 1990s.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
العربية
ar
سويسرا تُعرب عن الأسف للإخلالات التي رافقت تبنّي عشرات الأطفال السريلانكيين
“The Federal Council acknowledges the misconduct of the authorities at the time. Despite early and clear indications of illegal adoption placements in Sri Lanka, the Confederation and the cantons waited far too long before taking appropriate action,” the government wroteExternal link on Monday.
The recognition and the report come three years after a parliamentary question prompted an investigation into gaps in adoption oversight.
Another report published in February by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences also revealed the extent of trafficking, which led to some 11,000 Sri Lankan children given up for adoption in European countries. Almost 900 cases were recorded in Switzerland between 1973 and 1997.
Swiss authorities were aware of the problems no later than 1981, the report found. And while cantons had a role to play – they oversee adoption agencies – it’s the federal authorities that bear the final responsibility since the issue in this case went beyond national borders, it wrote.
The children were often newborns or very young, and sold for CHF5,000-CHF15,000 ($5,650-$16,930). The biological mothers in Sri Lanka received very little of this, with intermediaries usually pocketing the profits.
Tracing roots
On Monday the Swiss government pledged to take various steps to improve the situation.
It will provide better support to those concerned who are in search of their origins, it said. To this end, it is working with cantonal authorities, Sri Lankan authorities, and the “Back to the Roots” association, which represents the interests of adopted Sri Lankans.
It also intends to widen the scope in another investigation to determine whether “systematic irregularities” in adoption rules also occurred with other countries of origin.
Lastly, an expert group will examine the current adoption system to check if any such weaknesses remain.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Finding biological parents abroad is an uphill struggle for adoptees
This content was published on
International adoptees in Switzerland face legal hurdles, slow-moving bureaucracy and cultural resistance when trying to trace their origins.
This content was published on
Hundreds of Sri Lankan babies who were adopted by Swiss couples in the 1980s are trying to discover whether they were smuggled into the country.
‘My parents loved me as if I were their own child’
This content was published on
With photographs and audio recordings, the photographer Carmela Harshani Odoni shows how adoption can be a stroke of good luck or bad luck.
Sri Lankan adoption scheme: questionable but not illegal
This content was published on
The Swiss authorities have published a report aimed at shedding light on a partly illegal adoption programme involving children from Sri Lanka.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.