Faded photos, fading hopes

• Source: Global Times
• [21:22 June 14 2009]
• Comments

“Children in those areas are usually playing outside without being babysat or going to kindergarten. Ignorance of trafficking prevention makes these crimes more viable,” said Chen.

Chinese and international experts agree the real reason for increased human trafficking in the Chinese mainland boils down to lax laws and adoption procedures. They call for fundamental changes to adoption regulations, deleting a series of contradictory measures.
Punishments for child traffickers are too weak and the law supports a buyers’ market, according to Zhang Zhiwei, a lawyer at Beijing Bairui Law Firm.

“Strict requirements must be met by the adopter, and then they are allowed to adopt a child openly and legally.

“But families who have a pressing need to adopt children are usually scattered in the countryside without enough wealth to afford adopting a child through official channels.”

That’s why so many resort to the black market, he explained.

Zhang told the Global Times that a parent may have to pay 100,000 yuan to adopt a child in coastal cities. Adopters have to line up for a baby and their family conditions will be strictly checked.

Soft on crime, soft on causes of crime

Whoever buys an abducted woman or child faces a maximum prison sentence of three years.
Buyers of an abducted woman or child who do not prevent them returning home or maltreat the child or obstruct his or her rescue may even be exempted from criminal responsibility.

“The law exempts the buyer from being punished. That’s why the buyers’ market persists,” said Zhang.

The residency registration system is also an active accomplice to children trafficking crimes, said Deng.

“If all trafficked and sold children can be registered and obtain legal residence, how can we biological parents and police hope to find them when no one tells the truth?”

Sterilized two years ago, Deng is willing to spend the rest of her life searching for her only son.

“My life is pathetic,” she said. “I lost all my joy two years ago.

“The one who bought my child from a trafficker has ripped apart our family.

“And I have to pray for my son that he is fine now and hope his new family treats him well.”