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Babies Scandal In Serbia
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VECERNJE NOVOSTI,
HOLIDAY ISSUE, December 30, 2002 - January 2, 2003. Beside hundreds of newspaper articles, among which the numerous are
from "Vecernje novosti", posters on this painful subject have
appeared on the global network. On the web site there is a text, which says that this child trade
has not only broken the Eighth Commandment but also buried all that was
human in the people who committed it. This is no usual theft like the act of stealing money, car,
precious things or anything else. This is the theft of the body and
blood, fame and offspring, first name and family name, chance of keeping
the origin. Something that should have never been taken away was stolen.
Something that never has and never will belong to that family before the
eyes of God. Somebody's life was stolen; life that does not and never
will belong to those traders. A man must ask himself what it is like to live and know that the
human being those people call their child, is not theirs! What it's like
to lie to yourself, to lie to other people and to lie to that child your
whole life and maybe go to church, pray to God, celebrate your patron
saint and be a Christian! This also proves the breaking of the Tenth
Commandment, which says: "Don't wish for anything that does not
belong to you". Questions like "what is the price of a child?" and
"who are the buyers?" but also harsh remarks as "children
aren't brought by midwives" and "don't be your wife's
brother" appeared on the posters. Beside numerous warnings that paranoid thinking is very possible
and that these painful situations don't have a happy ending the things
that have recently happened to many of the mothers prove the opposite. Vera Vukomanovic, from the village Donja Sabatna near Kragujevac,
one of the mothers who is searching for the destiny of the "taken
away" babies, presented a few weeks ago that she has heard from the
mediator of the family who adopted her son who was, according to the
official documentation, born dead on May 12, 1987. This woman confirmed that the mediator pointed at the fact that the
family who had adopted her son lived in Kragujevac and that they would
meet very shortly. The mediator even said to her son "boy, you will
soon see your brother." Do miracles still happen? Most people would say-very unlikely
unless people who were involved in stealing and selling new born babies
start to appear; or if the destiny alone doesn't arrange unexpected and
shocking meetings between parents and their "dead" babies. Ljubinka Bubnjevic gave birth to two boys on March 20, 1980 at the
Clinic for gynecology and childbirth in Novi Sad. As they were born with
very small body weight and in the seventh month of pregnancy they were
immediately transferred to the Children hospital. After only a day and a
half the younger one "died". The older one, Milos, is now 22
years old.
Olgica Trajkovski from the village Jabuka near Pancevo gave birth
to male twins on May 1, 1978. One of the sons "died"
immediately while the other one is now a tough young sportsman. And
then, last summer, at a soldier's farewell party she saw a young man who
looked exactly like her son who has officially "died". -We
spoke to each other, but I couldn't say anything about the matter-says
Olgica. She filed a complaint against the hospital in Pancevo, for
stealing the baby. The investigation began. Olgica is waiting for the
government to legally return the boy to her and then she would tell him
everything. On May 11, 1987 Valid Masad in the Clinic for gynecology and
childbirth in Nis delivered Granu Stefan. The Palestinian doctor
congratulated her on getting the healthy twins, first the girl, Marija,
who is now 15 years old and then five minutes later, the boy. The next
day she was told that the baby boy was dead. About six months after that she took her daughter out for a walk
and came across the doctor who delivered her. - I have and still do live in conviction that my child is alive.
Also my son Radovan who was born as an identical twin with his brother,
who was declared dead, shows that he misses his brother. I feel he would
be much happier if he could play with his older twin Milovan. This name
was assigned to him by his godfather-says Rada Vaskovic from the village
Vitanovac near Krusevac. On February 27, 1990 at the maternity hospital in Krusevac Rada
gave birth to two boys, identical twins. The older one weighed 3,350 and
the younger 2,600 grams. Together with the crying of the babies the
mother heard the doctors saying all is fine. When she was put in the
room for women in childbed Dr Trena Strelarac told her that the babies
were put in the incubator due to tiredness. The next morning, with the
help of Dr Zdravko Jovanovic, Rada went to see her babies. They were
fine, except for being tired-said the doctor smiling. She nursed them
twice, with the instruction how to nurse two babies. During the night all the women in childbed went out to see why the
babies were crying and one of the women in a dressing gown was running
through the corridor saying "they are stealing the
babies"-remembers Rada. The next morning, before the doctors'
rounds, an unknown dark man wearing a brown jacket came into Rada's
room. He said he worked as a porter and he came to see the woman who
gave birth to such big twins. He addressed her by name and asked about
the babies' health. And then came the worst. Dr Trena said: "Your
baby has died" The doctor took the devastated woman to the doctors'
room and comforted her by saying that the older boy died and that
"it is better like this because the child would be mentally
deranged". Rada's husband, Stojan, was later told that the boy had troubles
with gullet. And, like in many other cases, they couldn't see and take
the baby's body to bury it. They were told that the hospital buries the
deceased babies. Misa Ristovic Daily Jurnal VECERNJE NOVOSTI,
December 2, 2002.
- Whether we are talking about harsh administrative mistakes,
fantasies of the mothers or the paranoia of the families who lost their
children it is up to you to decide - emphasize the parents in the letter
to the presidents of ministers in The Town Hall. Republic ministers are asked to suggest adequate modifications of
the law so something like this would never happen again. - We invite the directors and chiefs of all the maternity hospitals
in Serbia, the Ministry of health, the Society of writers, actors and
musicians and education and sport workers to help us find the truth -
says Milutin Manojlovic from Soko Banja. Due to slowness and no contact from the authorized people the
parents have started their own researches and already found out where
their children are, claiming they have proof about that as well as the
knowledge about who sold their children. At the same time the parents are angry the prosecution disregarded
their complaints due to the obsoleteness of the criminal act of taking
away the under aged person, which starts after ten years, and the
complete obsoleteness after twenty. - It is obvious they are concealing the deceit. It preceded the
theft of the babies and the alteration of family status - emphasizes
Manojlovic. Manojlovic also says there are hundreds of people in Serbia who
don't now they are brothers and sisters. - Does anyone think about the proportion of the sacrilege of
relations that can appear - asks Manojlovic. Has anyone thought about
engaging psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers to work on
these cases beside judges and policemen? Misa Ristovic Daily Jurnal VECERNJE NOVOSTI, June
21, 2002. Living proof Nikoleta Milutin Manojlovic says they no longer have any doubts as they have
"living proof" that their daughter has been stolen. After the
birth of their twins, Ljubomir and Nikoleta, on May 5, 1979 who have
been transferred from "Narodni front" hospital to the hospital
for premature babies, the female baby was stolen. - On May 16 we were informed by telegram that the girl died. In
confusion we believed the doctors. We wanted to keep the boy - says the
father. Quest in Krusevac
The Manojlovic have the paper that says their daughter, who was
declared dead, was taken away from the hospital for premature
babies-alive! According to that document, issued on December 3, 2001 the
girl didn't die on May 16, as it was written in her death certificate.
On the contrary, she was released alive 40 days later. When they started to compare the numbers on the available
documentation for those children, they thought of it as a code-letter
that baby mafia used to keep track of the babies. One combination of
numbers from birth and death certificates was, for instance, supposed to
hide the dialing code of the town the stolen baby is taken to. According
to that combination their girl was to be looked for in Krusevac. Somehow, at that time they heard from an acquaintance that knew
well Dr Aleksandar Marjanovic - the doctor who worked at the Institute
for neonatology who in 1979 signed the confirmation of their daughter's
death. The acquaintance said that she had always believed their child
was alive and that it should be look for in Krusevac. The Manojlovic organized the search in the town under Bagdal and
gained information about a family that had difficulties in having
children. First the mother had a miscarriage then, officially, in July
1979 by Caesarean section she got a girl and then, again by Caesarean
section she got another girl in August 1980. Further research about that family brought them to Belgrade. It
turned out that a girl, who was named Nikoleta, went to the same high
school as their son - her possible twin brother Ljubomir, who attended
that school as the scholar of the Football club Zemun. They knew each
other superficially, but that was enough to become friends. Strange signature
During the time, the Manojlovic told their assumptions to Nikoleta
and advised her to look for her data in the birth certificate books in
Krusevac. In March this year she found herself in Krusevac with her
Belgrade sister and visited the birth service where she was told she
could only get her birth certificate but she could not see the book,
regardless of being over 18 and regardless of the book being a public
document. The official emphasized that in the case of the adoption the
book can't be seen. She then went to the high school where she asked to
see the data about her and her "Belgrade sister". - In Nikoleta's birth certificate it was written that the father
was born in 1957 and the mother in 1956, which isn't true - says Milutin
Manojlovic. In the meantime the Manojlovic tried to get some information from
the Archive in Krusevac. In the report of Nikoleta's birth mother's
signature differs from the signature in the report for the other child.
Besides, Nikoleta doesn't have a personal number while her sister does. - In Nkoleta's birth report there are dates and places of birth of
the parents while this information is missing in the birth certificate.
Also, it says the parents were both born in Krusevac, which isn't true -
says Manojlovic. In the report it says the parents live in Krusevac,
with no address written while the birth certificate has the address. Bracelet as a gift
The Manojlovic believe that the original birth report was made and
the parent's address was written to the birth certificate from it. Then,
by their words, the original report was destroyed. The forgery has
recently been made, without the address but with forged mother's
signature. Seeing all that Nikoleta decided to visit Soko Banja for Easter, to
be baptized and to celebrate birthday with Ljubomir as her twin brother.
Ten days later, after she told her "Belgrade mother" she had
doubts about her origin and that she had visited Soko Banja, Nikoleta
went to Krusevac again, with her mother. They managed to get the
official documents but without seeing the birth book. On their return
Nikoleta wanted to visit Soko Banja again, which her mother refused. "Belgrade mother" and "parents from Soko Banja"
met on May 20 on Nikoleta's demand. The Manojlovic say they came to the
meeting with bundles of papers and documentation while "Belgrade
mother" didn't have anything. She said she was taken to maternity
hospital two weeks earlier, she didn't remember the delivery as she was
under narcosis and she didn't know when the child was brought to her
because she was "asleep for three days". In their conversation she said: "We took good care of Nikoleta."
On our remark there are no data about her delivery at the hospital in
Krusevac she said: "What's going to happen to the doctors?"
When we said that brother and sister could have fallen in love with each
other she said: "Well, now they know each other so they
won't!" A few days later Nikoleta again spent some time in Soko Banja with
her sister and a friend. She told her "Belgrade mother" she is
going "to get used to the situation". After some time she
returned home and showed a bracelet she got from the Manojlovic. This
bracelet was intended for their daughter right after her birth.
"Belgrade mother" said: "Maybe you have accepted the gift
too early if you are not quite sure about the thing". The fear "Belgrade
mother" and "parents from Soko Banja" met again on June
1 in Zemun. This time it was also on Nikoleta's demand. The Manojlovic
say that after the second meeting they have irrefutable proof that
woman didn't give birth to Nikoleta. An apology In the meantime the
Institute for neonatology issued declaration in which they claim that
the confirmation, which says the Manojlovic girl, was released from
the hospital alive was issued by mistake. Supposedly the authorized
official was confused by the noisy atmosphere raised by the Manojlovic
so instead of the information about the female she entered the
information about the male child. The official was suspended and the
Institute apologized to the Manojlovic for the harsh mistake that was
made. Meanwhile, the Manojlovic weren't peaceful… Misa Ristovic Daily Jurnal VECERNJE NOVOSTI, June 18,
2003.
In Soko Banja, in the home of Radojka and Milutin Manojlovic about
15 families gathered, connected by the same destiny - mothers
mysteriously lost their newborn babies. They all believe their children
are not dead, as they were told by the doctors, but sold for huge
amounts of money to some other families. - This is all a great project of stealing children, which involves
the doctors - says Milutin Manojlovic. - The goal of our gatherings is
to inform all the families in Serbia, which there are dozens of, how to
look for their children. They all show certain documents with certain information but at
resumed receiving of the documents the tracks are lost. All the parental uncertainties will be written down and delivered
to the Republic prosecutor. As we could hear at the meeting in Soko
Banja, the price of a stolen child goes from 250, 000 to 2,5 million DM.
Great numbers of our children were sold in Western Europe and the USA
and female children usually go to the Albanian families. Misa Ristovic Daily Jurnal VECERNJE NOVOSTI, May
7, 2002.
After frantic private investigation Manojlovic couple found their
allegedly dead daughter and she recently visited them in their home in
Sokobanja. Emotion and tear-filled reunion took place after great drama,
mostly psychical. It was difficult for Radojka and Milutin toi explain
to a girl that they are her real parents, and who knows how Nikoleta
(till then Violeta R) accepted the fact that all these years she lived
with people who are hot her own flesh and blood. - Don't ask me how we came across a trail of our daughter, but she
came in our home and learned the real truth - states Milutin Manojlovic
- We proved that she was stolen from the hospital. This almost incredulous story, which threatens to became a huge
scandal, begins while ago, when Radojka, fieldball player from Benkovac,
and Milutin, football player from Galenika team, met, fell in love, got
married and settled in Belgrade. She got pregnant and he went in army
service. Their biggest trouble was that they had the worst combination
of Rh-factors - Radojka was Rh-negative, and Milutn was Rh-positive. On
top of that, in that time sonography was not a common procedure, so
Radojka was not aware that she is bearing twins. - Only when I gave birht to a boy, in Gynecological and Obstetrical
Clinic „Narodni front“, they realized that there is another baby -
remebres Radojka Manojlovic. After accepting the cruel „fact“, Manojlovic couple focused all
their parental love and care on a son, Ljubomir. Doctors stated that hi
is very ill, so parents asked them how to take care of him. They were
told that nothing is for sure, at least till after his puberty, and
advised to change the environment and move to seaside or a health spa.
Mr and Mrs Manojlovic decided than to leave Belgrade and change their
life altogether. Milutin remembered his inheritance in Sokobanja, so
they settle in this tourist town. Last fall Ljubomir decided to became professional football player,
and for that reason he needed detailed health documentation. After so
many years Mr and Mrs Manojlovic got a chance to peer in their dead
daughter files. They found a document which brought them great upset. It
said that their daughter, who was pronounced dead, left special hospital
- alive! On December 3. last year Instutue for Neonatology issued a
certificate which said: „Infant Manojlovic, female, reg.number 600,
mother Radojka, father Milutin, born 05.05. 1979. in GAK Belgrade, was
admitted in this Institute on 05. 07. 1979. and released 06. 25.
1979.“ So girl haven't died on May 16. although that same hospital issued
her death certificate in that time. Contrary, she was released alive after forty days. Of course, it
was enough for Mr. and Mrs. Manojlovic to start chase for truth which
recently ended successfuly. Big boy Short life was
predicted to Ljubomir. So greater the shock for parents was when were
told that the girl died. Mr and Mrs Manojlovic claimed that doctors
proposed a lethal injection for a boy, to „shorten his suffering“,
because he will, if survived, be wheelchair-ridden. The boy who was
written of today is big young man, 185 cm tall, and active football
player. He has a younger brother, Dragan (21). Criminal charge
Atr the end of past
year Mr and Mrs Manojlovic really „frightened“ district attorney
in Sokobanja by filing a lawsuit aganist NN culprit who had stolen
their infant daughter Nikoleta. Misa Ristovic
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Series
of texts containing 14 continuations, called “Abductions from the
cradle”,published to daily jorunal VECERNJE NOVOSTI Belgrade,
exclusively elaborate the subject about the work of baby mafia, what has
been kept in silence for the last 44 years in Serbia. Moving
stories of many parents, who claim their babies were proclaimed dead
after birth and then stolen from maternity hospitals and sold for the
price of 150,000 to 2,5 million DM, show their tough struggle for one of
essential human rights – parental right and return of the identity to
their stolen daughters and sons. Thinking
that every mother and father have the right to fight for the final truth
about their child, no matter how harsh and hard it may be, I have
published the confessions of the unhappy parents, with their suspicions,
but also with their proofs that their children were taken from maternity
hospitals. After
publishing the serial, “the affair of baby thefts” was opened; the
biggest one in Serbia after 1945 and the number of doubtful parents has
reached over thousand of them who filed criminal complaints for
abduction of their babies. Many investigations have been opened in
authorized courts but haven’t been concluded so far. In the meantime,
the parents, by themselves, started finding their allegedly deceased
children in other families… According to the
Orthodox Church not giving a deceased child to its mother, who carried
it in her womb, is an act of inexplicable sacrilege of everything a
human is supposed to be by God’s conception. –
Every human being that comes to this world alive has the right to be
baptized and buried decently and has the right to have a grave to rest
in – said a priest father Rasa regarding the affair of suddenly died
babies, which shook up Nis several years ago. – Modern age conditions
deliveries at specialized institutions, maternity hospitals. Most of the
staff that help women deliver their children to this world know that
when there is, even the slightest, risk, which brings the survival of
the child in question a, so called, “shortened” or “clinical”
baptism can be performed. That ceremony is done over a living child and
it takes only a few seconds. However, if the
baptism isn’t done, even beside that, deceased child has to be given
back to its parents, before all to its mother, who carried it and
brought it to this world. – A deceased
newborn has to be buried as a deceased human being, since every newborn
is human, which means the icon of God – said father Rasa. –
Postmortem is done with mother’s consent and after that a child is
given to parents to decently bury it and to know the grave where it is
going to rest after being in this world, no matter how short that stay
may be. Not to bury a dead child means to sacrilege everything holy and
human in this world. No body has the right and no body is allowed to
deny that to deceased human being or to parents.
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