Bwest From Belgium, joined Jul 2006, 1314 posts, RR: 4 Posted (5 years 4 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1340 times:
"Bulgaria's abandoned children", a BBC 4 documentary about an orphanage in the Bulgarian town of Mogilino has caused some uproar in Belgium, after being broadcasted here. The documentary shows how neglected children are being treated in inhumane conditions. The children, often handicapped, suffering from the Down syndrome, are mal-nourished, sometimes have to sit for hours on the pot just to avoid getting a new diaper, and suffer from infections, that aren't treated. The case has even lead to a parliament hearing of the Bulgarian ambassador. Later this week, a delegation of Belgian parliament members are traveling to Bulgaria to verify the situation in the orphanages, and to see what can be done. For those interested in the docu, you can see it online here (not for an easily disturbed audience). These images remind me of those gruesome pictures coming out of Romania right after Ceausescu was driven from power...
I think it's great to see how TV can sometimes make a difference and put things in motion. At the same time, it's shocking to realise these things are still happening in the EU.
PSA53 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3004 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (5 years 4 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1317 times:
Quoting Bwest (Thread starter): I think it's great to see how TV can sometimes make a difference and put things in motion.
This is what the media does best! Thanks for the story.Hope these kids get the attention they need quick.I won't see the video,at this time, as it is hard for me to comprehend the hate and the neglect that has been done to these kids.
Scorpio From Belgium, joined Oct 2001, 4934 posts, RR: 47 Reply 2, posted (5 years 4 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1298 times:
Quoting Bwest (Thread starter): The children, often handicapped, suffering from the Down syndrome, are mal-nourished, sometimes have to sit for hours on the pot just to avoid getting a new diaper, and suffer from infections, that aren't treated.
Many of them don't even have a mental handicap: blind kids, who never learned how to speak (!), never left their rooms (!) since arriving at the institution. Many of them have normal intelligence, yet never receive any form of education. Most of them are in the institution because someone labeled them 'unfit to be educated', often without even a second opinion, and without specialists even having come near the children.
Several were physically abused at the institution, by someone with a history of violence, and with the full knowledge of the management. The documentary is indeed truly shocking, and the uproar is indeed well justified. I hear there was a similar uproar in the UK when the documentary was shown there for the first time. To realise that Bulgaria is actually in the EU makes you wonder how much the standards for EU membership were dropped...
N229NW From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 1850 posts, RR: 36 Reply 3, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1175 times:
Orphanages in general are not happy places. These extreme cases get much publicity (as they should!), but we should remember that even in "good" orphanages where there is relatively little neglect and abuse, enormous proportions of children fall significantly behind developmentally, begin to self-sooth (including self harm), and cannot form loving bonds or learn the value of genuine relationships--so they instead learn to manipulate and lie compulsively, and often later turn to petty crime, drugs, etc. Working with orphanage kids can be exhilarating but often heartbreaking.
Fixing the conditions in certain orphanages shouldn't lull people into thinking that everything is dandy. In an ideal world, people wouldn't have kids they couldn't care for. But given that that will never be the case, it would be great if more people would adopt--including fertile couples. The world is full of kids who need love.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24929 posts, RR: 60 Reply 4, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days ago) and read 1161 times:
Quoting Bwest (Thread starter): At the same time, it's shocking to realise these things are still happening in the EU.
Makes me think that some countries were still not ready to join the EU !!! This kind of stuff cannot be tolerated in EU states and is a major breech of human rights. The EU should seriously consider sanctions and holding back economic funds until things change !!!
I was also shocked to see this on tonights news ::::
Children Trafficked For 'Large-Scale Theft'
By Paul Brennan
Sky News reporter
Updated:19:47, Thursday January 24, 2008
Police have smashed an Eastern European gang that trafficked children from Romania and used them as pickpockets and thieves in London's West End.
-----------------------
Thank god British police have freed these children.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
Bwest From Belgium, joined Jul 2006, 1314 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days ago) and read 1146 times:
Quoting OA260 (Reply 4): Makes me think that some countries were still not ready to join the EU !!! This kind of stuff cannot be tolerated in EU states and is a major breech of human rights.The EU should seriously consider sanctions and holding back economic funds until things change !!!
Maybe it's a good thing these countries are in the EU. Now they don't only have to deal with their own public opinion, they have to deal with that one in 24 other countries. I think this is an occasion for the EU to shine and to show its true power. The EU should sent out the message that these situations are intolerable in member states of the union. But the EU should also let the country know that the other member states are there to help, to bring up child support to acceptable standards.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24929 posts, RR: 60 Reply 6, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1107 times:
Quoting Bwest (Reply 5): I think this is an occasion for the EU to shine
Hmm actions speak louder than words!!!
Quoting Bwest (Reply 5): But the EU should also let the country know that the other member states are there to help, to bring up child support to acceptable standards.
Well maybe the person who is in charge of the welfare of children in the EU should set up an emergency task force and funding to get a team out to Bulgaria ASAP to help these kids....I mean there is so much money going to Bulgaria from EU grants to build roads and other things but this needs to be given priority and its totally embarrassing and unbelievable .
Quoting Bwest (Thread starter): sometimes have to sit for hours on the pot just to avoid getting a new diaper
I cant even express my anger at this above comment. Its not neglect its pure child abuse.....
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
does Luxembourg ever have an opinion on anything ? I believe they consider having opinions to be too controversial , it could interfere with the process of making oodles of cash , and maybe Slovenia have excused themselves from having any opinions while they hold the chair
Seriously though , while I think that maybe the last two additions in particular where not quite ready for the EU the fact remains that they are members - I agree that somewhere in the vast mountain of EU bureacracy there must be some facility for trying to sort this out - pressure is good but it only works so far , especially if the country does not have money to deal with the problem - it seems sometimes like the EU throws money at any number of questionable things - perhaps they could do something useful with it instead - though obviously it would have to be tightly controlled to ensure that the money did actually benefit these children instead of being siphoned off by corrupt officials
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24929 posts, RR: 60 Reply 10, posted (5 years 4 months 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 988 times:
Quoting Bwest (Reply 9): (still, are the Brits really in the Union? )
Well seeing as the United Kingdom is still one of the major contributors in money to the Union then I guess they are more of a member than alot of others .
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
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