I am posting this item as we are all a part of the International Adoption Community .... Having made several mission trips to Guatemala and being friends to adoptive parents of a Guatemalan child, the issue is significant to us ....Adoptive Families magazine is writing in support of an initiative led by the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS), an umbrella organization of leading international adoption agencies. The request that follows comes from JCICS. We hope the AF community can lend their support.
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Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has announced plans to suspend all intercountry adoption with American families on January 1 2008. The Joint Council on International Children's Services strongly opposes such a suspension and asks for your support in their efforts to ensure that all children retain the right to permanency through Intercountry Adoption.
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Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has announced plans to suspend all intercountry adoption with American families on January 1 2008. The Joint Council on International Children's Services strongly opposes such a suspension and asks for your support in their efforts to ensure that all children retain the right to permanency through Intercountry Adoption.
President Berger's plans also call for the suspension of adoptions currently in-process. Such a suspension would be extremely detrimental to the children referred to adoptive parents. If President Berger's plan is actually implemented, up to 5,000 will unnecessarily remain in foster care or orphanages indefinitely.
This situation represents a pending crisis for the adoptive families who have lovingly chosen to provide permanency, safety and love to a child in need and most importantly a crisis for 5,000 children of Guatemala.
What can you do? Make five simple phone calls and send one email.
1. Call your U.S. Senator>>You can find your Senators' phone numbers at http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe301575766c0d7c761570&ls=fdf815787167037e75127371&m=feef16767c6c03&l=fec513757065017e&s=fe3011727260067e771171&jb=ffcf14&t=>>Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
2. Call your second U.S. Senator
3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative>>You can find your representative at http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe2f1575766c0d7c761571&ls=fdf815787167037e75127371&m=feef16767c6c03&l=fec513757065017e&s=fe3011727260067e771171&jb=ffcf14&t=>> Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
4. Call or fax UNICEF Headquarters>>Ask to speak with Ann Veneman, Executive Director>>Telephone: 212-326-7000>>Fax: 212-326-7758
5. Call or fax UNICEF Guatemala>>Ask to speak with Manuel Manrique>>Telephone: 011-502-2327-6373>>Fax: 011-502-2327.6366Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls.
6. Send an email supporting Intercountry Adoption to https://webmail.cfl.rr.com/do/mail/message/mailto?to=guatemala5000%40jcics.org>>Write briefly or at length>>Joint Council will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for Intercountry Adoption.
1. Call your U.S. Senator>>You can find your Senators' phone numbers at http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe301575766c0d7c761570&ls=fdf815787167037e75127371&m=feef16767c6c03&l=fec513757065017e&s=fe3011727260067e771171&jb=ffcf14&t=>>Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
2. Call your second U.S. Senator
3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative>>You can find your representative at http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe2f1575766c0d7c761571&ls=fdf815787167037e75127371&m=feef16767c6c03&l=fec513757065017e&s=fe3011727260067e771171&jb=ffcf14&t=>> Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff
4. Call or fax UNICEF Headquarters>>Ask to speak with Ann Veneman, Executive Director>>Telephone: 212-326-7000>>Fax: 212-326-7758
5. Call or fax UNICEF Guatemala>>Ask to speak with Manuel Manrique>>Telephone: 011-502-2327-6373>>Fax: 011-502-2327.6366Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls.
6. Send an email supporting Intercountry Adoption to https://webmail.cfl.rr.com/do/mail/message/mailto?to=guatemala5000%40jcics.org>>Write briefly or at length>>Joint Council will use the cumulative email petition in our advocacy for Intercountry Adoption.
When should you call? Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (October 9th, 10th 11th). For maximum effect, we are asking you to make these calls within a 72-hour window!
What should you say or write to member of the U.S. Congress? Speak from your heart and give them the following information.
>>Inform them that you are calling regarding Guatemala 5000
>>Ask them to sign the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) sponsored letter to President Oscar Berger
>> Ask them to sign the Joint Council on International Children's Services sponsored letter to UNICEF>>Inform them that the Guatemalan government has announced that all intercountry adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008.
>>Inform them that President Berger's announcement also indicated that there will be no 'grandfathering' of adoptions already in process.
> >Inform them that if children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care.
>>Ask that their office get involved and sign the sponsored letters to the President of Guatemala and UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in-process as of January 1 2008 be allowed to process to completion under the existing notorial laws.
>>SAMPLE STATEMENT<<>
As you may be aware, the Guatemalan government has announced that all intercountry adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008. Their announcement also indicated that there will be no 'grandfathering' of adoptions already in process. If children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care. Your office must get involved and sign the sponsored letters to the President of Guatemala and UNICEF. These letters ask that all adoptions in-process as of January 1 2008 be allowed to process to completion under the existing notorial laws.
Sincerely,
[your name and contact information]
Sincerely,
[your name and contact information]
What should you say or write to UNICEF? Speak from your heart and give them the following information.
>>Inform them that you are calling regarding the Guatemala 5000
>>Ask them to support the right's of children and lend their considerable influence to ensuring that intercountry adoptions currently in-process be allowed to process to completion under the existing notorial laws.
>>Inform them that the Guatemalan government has announced that all adoptions with the U.S. will be suspended on January 1 2008.
>>Inform them that President Berger's announcement also indicated that there will be no 'grandfathering' of adoptions already in process.
>> Inform them that if children referred to families are not allowed to be adopted, they will languish in institutions or foster care.
>>Ask them again for their support of the Guatemala 5000 Initiative.
>>SAMPLE STATEMENT<<>
Procuraduria of Human Rights
Can you explain the problem behind the pending crisis? Here is some additional information…>>Guatemalan President Oscar Berger has announced plans to effectively stop all adoptions into the United States including those children who have already been referred to adoptive parents
>>Over 5,000 children have been referred
> >The birthparents for these children have already relinquished their parental rights. As a result, they currently have no family and the Berger suspension will result in these children having no prospect for a permanent, safe and loving family
>>The government of Guatemala currently does not have the finances or facilities to even provide housing for these 5,000 children
>> The Berger plan is a crisis waiting to happen
What else can you do?
In addition to your primary calls to U.S. Congress and UNICEF, you can call the following.
SOSEP (Guatemala)
SOSEP (Guatemala)
>>Director Teresa EcheverrÃa de Bastarrechea Office Phone- 011-502-2383-8400
>>Assistant Director- Edin Palma- Same office phoneOffice Phone- 011-502-2383-8400 >>Jaime Tecu Office Phone - 011-502-2239-0000 ext 2766Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls Guatemala Ministry of Foreign Affairs
>>Minister Gerth RosenthalOffice Phone 011-502-2410-0000, 2410-0010
>>Vice Minister- Marta AltoaguirreOffice Phone 011-502-2410-0020Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international callsPGN (Guatemala)
>>Carlos Victor Hugo Barrios Barahona Office Phone 011-502-2248-3200 Ext. 207/208Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls
Procuraduria of Human Rights
>>Dr. Sergio MoralesOffice Phone 011-502-2424-1717Please note that calls and faxes to Guatemala are international calls
Embassy of Guatemala in the U.S.2220 R Street N.W.Washington, DC 20008Office Phone 1-202-745-4952Office Fax 1-202-745-1908Website: http://guatemalaembassy.com/
Embassy of Guatemala in the U.S.2220 R Street N.W.Washington, DC 20008Office Phone 1-202-745-4952Office Fax 1-202-745-1908Website: http://guatemalaembassy.com/
2 comments:
Thank you for all of your hard work on this post.....
I am sadenned to think that they may close the adoption door on so many little one.....
We all need to band together and do our best to help prevent this from happening.
From here in Canada, I will be voicing my opinion!! Every little bit will help.............
Thank you
I also got the "Call to Action" email. My heart breaks for the Guatemalan children who will be negatively affected by this. My heart also breaks for the Chinese children still in orphanages who have been affected by the referral slowdown.
It's so sad when there are so many loving families who want to give orphaned children safe & loving homes.
~Dawn
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