Provided by PEAR-
From the Australian Central Authority to an Australian adoptive parent's organization., emailed by the Australian Attorney General's Office:
Ethiopia – temporary suspension of court cases involving abandoned children – Updated 28 May 2009
The Department has obtained additional information about the Ethiopian Federal First Instance Court’s decision to suspend cases involving abandoned children in Addis Ababa orphanages. The Court has confirmed that the suspension applies to all existing and new cases. The Court has also advised that the suspension now only applies to children from private (non-governmental organizations) orphanages in Addis Ababa. Please note, the considerable majority of orphanages are privately run.
The Court is unable to provide an indication on how long the suspension will remain in place, given the nature of the investigations required. The Court hopes that the investigation will be progressed as soon as possible. At this time, the Department understands that the concerns are of a general nature and do not specifically relate to any Australian cases.
The Department supports actions taken by the Court to protect Ethiopian children. We recognise and respect the roles and responsibilities of Ethiopian judiciary and Government authorities in these matters and welcome actions taken to ensure appropriate practices and safeguards are in place.
If you have any queries regarding your adoption application, please contact your State or Territory Central Authority. Further updates will be provided when possible.
Would this mean that if our child was originally from a govt orphanage and then sent to a transition home, that we would be back on?
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good question-- children found outside of Addis and then sent to Addis orphanages are being allowed through, so it follows that perhpas children originally from government-run orphanages but sent elsewhere also would be allowed through. I wonder if the agencies even know.
ReplyDeleteI assume (should better say fear) that the Enat Alem orphanage is a private one, right? Does anyony know this? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, yes, Anon. There are only 3 government-run orphanages in the city, and they are the ones listed in the post on Tuesday as being exempt. As far as I know, only Gladney works with these orphanages. Sorry it's not better news!
ReplyDeleteI had googled Enat Alem to see myself if it was government run. I ran across this blog with the link posted below, this person speaks that Enat Alem is government funded. I amnot sure it that is accurate, but I would like to know that too. Our baby is from Enat also.
ReplyDeletehttp://ourethiopianjoy.blogspot.com/2007/08/orphanages.html
My agency told me yesterday that our child is from a govt orphanage, but it is not one of the ones listed as the three. There are more than three. Also, this seems to be a new update that focues on more than just the three.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful news! I was told there were just the three.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can get a list of all government-run orphanages in Addis, please contact me.
Librarian- I hope the exemption applies to you and your case will be heard soon :)
I am looking for a list, it is not easy. The govt reporting in ET is not nearly as organized or cohesive as it is here.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason google is signing me in under an old old old blog that I did a long time ago for an example prject at work.
I've been googling Enat Alem and a bunch of blogs came up saying it's government-run. Dont know if it's true. If it were one of the ones that cases are being heard though, you'd think the consular section chief would have mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't make sense to me that Gladney was the ONLY agency pulling from ALL of the government orphanages. I know our in-country director visits the government orphanage(s) and moves eligible children to the agency's transitional house. I don't know whether that means there are more than 3 government orphanages or not, but it would seem so to me.
ReplyDeleteI asked my german agency that works with Enat Alem and they tolf me that Enat Alem is definitively not government run, it is a non-governmental orphanage. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteI think if your agency used one of the government-run orphangages for your case you would know. Doesn't seem logical that Gladney would be the only ones using these orphanages, but they've been telling some of us since the first week of the investigation that government-run orphanages wouldn't be included in the ban, even when the state department and US embassy said otherwise. Don't know of any other US agency who was told this by the courts so early.
ReplyDelete