CAW meeting: Ministry of Justice & FIOM (NL)

Today CAW had a meeting with the Ministry of Justice and the FIOM (a Dutch organisation working for heritage matters among others) in the Netherlands. Objective of this meeting was to give a follow up to the meeting we have had with them about the adoptions and Netherlands as a receiving country of international adoptees.

Currently in the Netherlands there is an investigation Commission being set up, going to investigate the roll of the Dutch State in regards to the illicit adoptions and the Netherlands as a receiving country.

CAW was invited to this follow up meeting where the question was asked:

• What would be the ideal situation in regards to the help towards adoptees?
• What is required for your NGO or Adoptees to achieve these goals?
• Which tasks does your NGO requiere from the Ministry of Justice and the FIOM?

First of all, Angelica & Alejandro have been able to inform the members of the meeting their personal stories which left them quite impressed and emotionally touched. They found it very strong and powerful to hear such stories and got a very good and new inside understanding of what adoptees in general can go through in regards to their emotions.

We have been able to make clear that there are some objectives we as CAW are working towards but those important things is that adoptions today can not be seen anymore as it was seen in the past. Of all that happened we have to learn from the past and learn that today we have many knowledge that illicit adoptions can simply be banned.

Another item which we find very constructive is that the FIOM, who deals with heritage matters and family searches for adoptees in the Netherlands, have confirmed to start working with the Family Search team of CAW in Chile in a very profound way.

Also with the Ministry of Justice we have been able to look constructively to an important part of adoptions from Chile to the Netherlands in the past and how we can work to have important available information towards the Investigation team in Chile.

Next meetings are being configured as soon as possible.