Relevant Links
Cape Town — A Malawian judge has rejected an attempt by Madonna to adopt a second child from the country, a local newspaper reported Friday.
The Nyasa Times said Judge Esmie Chombo had ruled that the pop star could not be granted custody of the four-year-old girl she wanted to adopt because she was single and she had not lived in the country for the one-year period prescribed by inter-country adoption laws.
The child lives in an orphanage in the town of Thyolo, in southern Malawi.
The judge issued her decision in the High Court in the capital, Lilongwe. The Nyasa Times quoted her as saying: “Whilst there is a felt need to open a window for inter-country adoption, there is a caution and clearly some felt tension between the rights of the child to adequate welfare and the need to protect the subject of the adoption.”
Madonna caused controversy both in and outside Malawi when she adopted a child there three years ago.
In an apparent reference to the first adoption, the judge was reported as adding: “Put simply, courts do not make law by the process of precedents, and Ms Madonna may not be the only international person interested in adopting the so-called poor children of Malawi… Clearly inter-country adoption is supposed to be a last resort alternative.”
Madonna operates a charitable organization, “Raising Malawi,” to support children and health initiatives in the country. The judge added in her decision: “I have no doubt that all hope is not lost with the petitioner’s noble and immediate ideas of investing in the improvements of more children’s life with her projects in Malawi.”
Malawian media report that many ordinary citizens and some government leaders welcomed Madonna’s intention to adopt, on the grounds that it gave a child opportunities she would otherwise never enjoy. But human rights and children’s welfare groups argue that children do best when they grow up in their own communities and that celebrities and others concerned about them should rather support more systemic change which benefits all children.
Comments 1 to 5 of 6 Post a comment
I commend the judge's decision against Madonna's request to adopt a Malawian baby girl. Madonna's motives for adopting "poor" African babies might be rooted in her selfish religious beliefs in Kabballa. It might be that adopting poor children from a poor African country is one of the tennets of attaining to a higer ellevation in the religious sect. Please do not get me wrong, I am not against the principles of adoption,just not in par with the selfish motives of so called "money bags" celebrities, who crave for publicity. If any celebrity really care for the poor children of this world (not only africans), it is my view that they establish some sort of educational or health programme, in that part of the world, to help the so called "poor children" to have a meaningful life, within their cultural confines. If "money bags" celebrities of this world genuinely want to help the poor people of africa, it could be done quietley, in order not to attract so much media attention. We all know that celebrities crave for media attention ever so endlessly that they will go to any lent to get it. I'm sick and tired of watching repeatedely charities organisation's adverts on tv channells, begging for money to help the poor Africans get out of poverty. These adverts are creating negative notions in the minds of white people in the west and eastern europe, that all africans are poor. There was this situation recently, where a white eight-years old girl, told her black classmate, in graphic detail, how she and her white parents believe that Africans are poor and unhealthy people. This white girl concluded her lecture by saying that her family is doing thier part to help by contibuting money to charity organisations. These adverts are sending out negative vibes in the minds of growing children both white and black. African continent and Africans are always portrayed in the western media as poor and wretched,jungle so to say. We all know that Africa has been and will be the subject of exploitation, by europeans for over two hundred years.
The New Celebrity Colonialist like Mad-ddona needed to be reminded that, Malawi does have rules and regulations, whicvh everybody must follow. Otherwise, use of her money to buy lawyer's or jugde is corruption. Her aim of trying to circumvent the law, is about her and the not the best interest of the child. If she had the best interest of the child-she would have been sepaking to the extended relatives and asking them how she could help them be there for the child. She should be less arrogant, less direspectful and less selfish. After all, her children are cared by a host of nannies and assistants. Cifondo, like David would loose his ability to sepak ith his relatives. Whether europeans arrive to fill their shopping baskets with children, diamonds, oil, plants, or animals-ythey Africans are loosing. I do spspnor 3 mall girls from Lipunga and I know the sittuation for most families is desperate but, Mad-ddona's attitude towards Malawians is even more disturbing. Mad-ddonna would not befriend or speak with African Americans so, why do things abroad,which she does do either in America or Italy ? African American Children in Harlem nd Southern USA are just as poor as most children in Africa-what is doing to help them?
I commend the judge's decision against Madonna's request to adopt a Malawian baby girl. Madonna's motives for adopting "poor" African babies might be rooted in her selfish religious beliefs in Kabballa. It might be that adopting poor children from a poor African country is one of the tennets of attaining to a higer ellevation in the religious sect. Please do not get me wrong, I am not against the principles of adoption,just not in par with the selfish motives of so called "money bags" celebrities, who crave for publicity. If any celebrity really care for the poor children of this world (not only africans), it is my view that they establish some sort of educational or health programme, in that part of the world, to help the so called "poor children" to have a meaningful life, within their cultural confines. If "money bags" celebrities of this world genuinely want to help the poor people of africa, it could be done quietley, in order not to attract so much media attention. We all know that celebrities crave for media attention ever so endlessly that they will go to any lent to get it. I'm sick and tired of watching repeatedely charities organisation's adverts on tv channells, begging for money to help the poor Africans get out of poverty. These adverts are creating negative notions in the minds of white people in the west and eastern europe, that all africans are poor. There was this situation recently, where a white eight-years old girl, told her black classmate, in graphic detail, how she and her white parents believe that Africans are poor and unhealthy people. This white girl concluded her lecture by saying that her family is doing thier part to help by contibuting money to charity organisations. These adverts are sending out negative vibes in the minds of growing children both white and black. African continent and Africans are always portrayed in the western media as poor and wretched,jungle so to say. We all know that Africa has been and will be the subject of exploitation, by europeans for over two hundred years.
When little Chifundo James grows up and learns of how life could have been for her she will absolutely despise the Malawian government for depriving her of such a privileged life, shell probably end up moving to America anyway (if she can afford to).
A wise decision by the Malawi judge; although he could have made his argument much stronger: "SEND MONEY, if you really care!" That should be the definitive legal argument to the historical KIDNAPPERS of Africans! This evil European kidnapping of African children from their indigenous 'root's have been going on for centuries in many disguises. Africans are very experienced in raising their own children AT HOME! After all, Africans have been raising their own children SUCCESSFULLY for thousands of generations. Most Africans in the West are living as 'second class' citizens, even though their ancestors were ALSO kidnapped by wicked Westerners many generations ago. Return stolen African wealthy, and see Africans take best care of Africa's children IN AFRICA -- THEIR HOME!
See All Comments