Dit is hoe buitenlandse adopties ontspoorden in de jaren ’80 | Zembla (2017)

*This is a 2017 investigation. We are bringing this study to your attention again. In the 1980s, several thousand children were adopted from Sri Lanka by Dutch families. In 2017, Zembla spoke with adoptees who discovered that there are major discrepancies between their adoption files and reality. Birth dates turned out to have been altered, passport photos falsified, and information regarding biological parents proved to be incorrect. Some adoptees also discovered that they had brothers or sisters whose existence they had never known. The files of children adopted from Sri Lanka in the 1980s are often incomplete and, according to those involved, contain incorrect or falsified data in many cases. A former board member of the now-defunct adoption agency Stichting Flash estimates that a large portion of the adoption files are not in order. Additionally, Zembla possesses internal documents showing that Flash paid money at the time to a Sri Lankan mother who wanted her child back. This 2017 investigation covers various examples of errors and irregularities in adoption papers. For instance, Zembla shows a passport in which a different year of birth was manually entered. Another file states that an adopted child is supposedly an only child, while it later turns out that she has an older sister and a twin sister. Most adoptions from Sri Lanka in the 1980s were facilitated by the Flash Foundation. According to those involved, adoption procedures at the time sometimes proceeded remarkably quickly. Former director of adoption agency Wereldkinderen, Zef Hendriks, looks back on that period and criticizes Flash's working methods. He also questions the use of intermediaries who were paid per adoption. Over the years, various reports have appeared criticizing the quality of intercountry adoption. Late last year, the Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Protection of Youth (RSJ) advised State Secretary Dijkhoff of Security and Justice to halt adoptions from abroad. According to the RSJ, financial interests within the system entail risks of illegal and undesirable practices. Dijkhoff did not adopt the advice but did announce that the Netherlands intends to conduct better investigations into prospective adoptive children in the countries of origin. Zembla investigates whether these measures are sufficient to improve the quality of the adoption process. In addition, Zembla examines whether the risks that, according to the RSJ, are part of the system of intercountry adoption can also be prevented in the future. The discussion regarding international adoption remains topical. On May 24, the House of Representatives will hold a hearing on the RSJ's advice. Compilation and direction: Erwin Otten Research: Norbert Reintjens & Nicolien Herblot Final editing: Manon Blaas Listen to our investigative stories on our podcast: Spotify podcast: https://spoti.fi/2UBbCQ6 Apple podcast: https://apple.co/3wVX4ZA Follow us here as well: Instagram:   / zembla_bnnvara   Facebook:   / zembla.tv   Twitter:   / zembla   Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zembla-bnnva... LinkedIn:   / zembla-bnnvara   TikTok:   / zembla_bnnvara