BURUNDI-HUMAN RIGHTS: DESPARATE PARENTS PLACE CHILDREN IN CARE

BUJUMBURA, Dic 16 (IPS) - THOUSANDS OF DESPARATE PARENTS ARE PLACING THEIR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE TO ESCAPE THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN BURUNDI.

THE PARENTS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE GROWING NUMBER OF CENTRES, RUN BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS) LIKE UNICEF, TO CATER FOR THEIR OFFSPRING.

FRANCES TURNER, UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE IN BURUNDI, BELIEVES SOME PARENTS ARE EXPLOITING THE CENTRES BY LETTING THEIR CHILDREN LIVE THERE WHILE THEY STAY IN DISPLACED OR REFUGEE CAMPS.

"IT MAY BE A SAFETY MEASURE BY THE PARENTS OR AN ACT OF DESPARATION BY POOR MOTHERS WHO ARE FORCED TO ENTRUST THEIR CHILDREN TO OTHERS," TURNER SUGGESTED.

TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL ACTION IS NOW REGISTERING THE EXISTING CENTRES AND ORPHANAGES WITH THE HOPE OF ESTABLISHING A MEASURE OF CONTROL.

BUT TURNER HAS REJECTED THE NOTION THAT ALL CENTRES ARE DUBIOUS, CITING THE CASE OF A CHILDREN HOME IN RUYINGI, 200 KM EAST OF HERE, SET UP BY A LONE SOCIAL WORKER, MARGUERITA BARANKITSE.

ACCORDING TO THE U.N. OFFICIAL, BARANKISTE ESTABLISHED THE HOME SINGLE-HANDEDLY, AFTER BRAVING LOCAL OPPOSITION AND HOSTILITIES. NOW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN RUYIGA HAS OFFERED ITS SUPPORT AND UNICEF, TOO, HAS CHIPPED IN.

"THERE IS LOTS OF LOVE AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE HOME," TURNER EXPLAINED.

INITIALLY UNICEF HAD ESTIMATED THE NUMBER OF ORPHANS OR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN IN BURUNDI TO BE 8000. NOW THE U.N. AGENCY HAS FOUND ITSELF TAKING CARE OF 12,500 AND THERE ARE FEARS THAT THE FIGURE COULD RISE TO MORE THAN 20,000 BECAUSE OF THE ESCALATING ETHNIC VIOLENCE ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN BURUNDI.

"AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE ARE MASSACRED IN BURUNDI EVERY WEEK," EXPLAINED A SPOKESMAN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC) IN BURUNDI.

THE U.N. ESTIMATES BURUNDI HOSTS MORE THAN 600,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE AND 250,000 REFUGEES FROM WAR-TORN RWANDA. "EACH INCIDENT OF VIOLENCE INCREASES THE DEATH TOLL, THE NUMBER OF ORPHANED CHILDREN AND THE NUMBER OF DISPLACED PEOPLE," SAID TURNER.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service