Chinese capitalism continues to prosper...

[stressederic]

Child Trade Is Big Business

Updated: 08:45, Monday September 18, 2006

 

Hundreds, possibly thousands of children have been snatched from their families in China, a Sky News investigation has found.

 

And families who have had children taken claim the authorities are covering up the abductions.

 

Sky Correspondent Dominic Waghorn met in secret with a number of parents who say they are being harassed and persecuted by the police for trying to find their children.

 

Boys are the main targets because of strict birth control laws limiting parents to one, sometimes two, children.

 

Market trader Lin Haiyong was at home last year when his daughter called out: "Mummy, someone is taking little brother away."

 

"When he went missing, we barely ate for three days. My mother said, 'if we can't find him, I think I will die.' I told her I would find him. I still think we can find him. There is still hope."

 

 

Pictures of stolen children But instead of being helped by the police they are persecuting them, putting them under surveillance and tearing down their missing posters.

 

Sky News tracked down a man who admits to kidnapping children and selling them to help pay off spiralling debts.

 

He said he would get to know women, become their friend and help them find jobs in the city. But would kidnap the child when left alone with it.

 

Last year to make ends meet he even sold his youngest son for £500. "I couldn't sell the older one - who would want him?"

 

The story has taken a new turn following a recent scandal that linked an orphanage in central China with the country's baby trade with foreigners coming here to adopt its children.

 

Chinese authorities have admitted Hengyang Orphanage in Hunan Province bought scores of abducted and trafficked children and sold them onto other orphanages for a profit.

 

Some were then adopted by foreign couples who paid a two thousand pound donation each, the norm in these cases.

 

Sky News

 

Human Rights might just take off over there one of these days. Maybe.