Denmark to look into Sri Lankan adoption case

Danish adoption authorities to investigate Danish link to scandal

Following revelations by a Dutch documentary that upwards of 11,000 Sri Lankan children were in the 1980s illegally sold into adoption to a number of countries in Europe – including possibly Denmark – the Danish adoption authorities have decided to look into the case.

The social case handlers Ankestyrelsen and the adoption agency Danish International Adoption (DIA) have agreed to delve into the scandal and see if any of the children came to Denmark.

“We will try to investigate what sort of co-operation existed between the organisation and Sri Lanka at the time,” Jeanette Larsen, the head of DIA, told DR Nyheder.

“Then, we must look into which picture it presents in comparison to these serious allegations.”

READ MORE: Illegally-adopted Sri Lankan children could have ended up in Denmark

Minister concerned
DIA, which is a fusion of two former organisations responsible for adoptions by Danes in the 1980s, processes international adoptions for Danish adoptive parents.

According to the BBC, Denmark is among the countries that may have received adoptive children from Sri Lanka with falsified papers, along with the Netherlands and Sweden, among others.

The children and social minister, Mai Mercado, said the case was deeply concerning and that the Dutch documentary gives rise to further investigation in Denmark.

“It’s very sad if an adoption doesn’t adhere to regulations and ethical standards. The information that has surfaced in the media is terrible, because they no doubt lead to insecurity and unanswered questions among those adopted – who are adults today – and their parents,” Mercado told DR Nyheder.

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