I have believed in a lie for 40 years: Rune was probably stolen and taken away

I have believed in a lie for 40 years: Rune was probably stolen and taken away

I’ve probably been taken away from my family, kidnapped, taken against my parents’ will, says Rune Renato Hansen, who so far has thought he was found homeless on the street. Photo: Thomas Nielsen – TV2 EAST

Source: tv2east.dk (Danish written)


In recent weeks, Rune Renato Hansen has found that the story of why he was adopted may not fit at all. Yesterday he met with a political rapporteur on the matter.

In 1979, Rune Renato Hansen came to Denmark as an adopted child from Chile. Back then, he was just under five years old.

July 16, 1979 entry into Kastrup. It is 14 days before I turn five, says Rune Renato Hansen, showing the stamp from Kastrup Airport in the little red passport book.

The little passport is the only item he has with him from Chile.

Rune Renato Hansen has always been told that he was found in the street as a homeless child. But via a series of BBC articles, he became aware of how the history of Chilean adoptive children in many cases has no root in reality.

Having believed in a lie for 40 years – it’s tough – it’s tough

Rune Renato Hansen, adopteret til Danmark fra Chile i 1979

The 45-year-old adopted child today got the feeling that the same was true of him.

I have always had a feeling in my body that something is not right, he tells TV2 ØST in his home in Tøllless.

Soon Rune Renato Hansen should find out that the particular orphanage he lived in, Casa Nacional Del Niño, must have played a key role in the illegal adoption of Chilean children. With the help of the organization Chilean Adoptees Worldwide (CAW), he has had reason to believe in his dreaded clues.

According to the organization, Renato – who is his Chilean name – is still a member of the Chilean National Register. A sign that he is not adopted by the rules.

So I’ve probably been taken away from my family. Kidnapped. Taken against my parents’ will, he says.

Rune Renato Hansen is both upset and angry.

We must remember, the adoptive families have been completely expanding on this

Christina Birkemose, friend and Deputy Mayor of Faxe (S)
 The little passbook is the only item Rune Renato Hansen has from Chile. Here is also the name of the orphanage, which has since been linked to thousands of illegal adoptions. Photo: Thomas Nielsen – TV2 EAST

We’ve been told a story – I’ve been told a story – that’s how it was. I have believed that, he says.
Having believed in a lie for 40 years – it’s hard – it’s hard.

Got nothing to know

From 1970 to 1990, around 20,000 children from Chile, following a Chilean adaptive organization, were stolen from the street and taken from poor families and sent to Europe and the United States. This happened in dictator Augusto Pinochet’s attempt to eliminate poverty in the country.

Rune Renato Hansen does not understand how anyone has been able to get themselves to steal children in order to resell them as adoptive children to, among others, Denmark, where unsuspecting adoptive parents received.

I can’t understand that there are some people who can do this, he says, explaining at the same time that his parents in Denmark have known nothing.

They were told I was found in the street.

Meeting with the Minister

It was Rune Renato Hansen’s friend, Christina Birkemose – who is also Deputy Mayor of Faxe (S) – who made him aware of Chilean Adoptees Worldwide’s revelations and the BBC articles.

 Children are uninitiated, as are their families, not least their families in Chile, says Christina Birkemose, friend of Rune Renato Hansen and Deputy Mayor of Faxe (S). Photo: Thomas Nielsen – TV2 EAST

We must remember, the adoptive families have been completely expanding on this, we also put them in a situation that is really, really precarious, therefore it is only fair that they get help, support both psychologically but also formally, compared to getting the questions they must have, says Christina Birkemose

The children are uninitiated, as are their families and not least their families in Chile, she says.

Will help others

On Friday night, Christina Birkemose helped arrange a meeting between Social Democracy Social and Domestic Mayor, Camilla Fabricius, and the leadership of Chilean Adoptees Worldwide, who came to Denmark, where they talked about everything they know about Rune Renato Hansen’s case and provide documentation .

I want to help adopted Chileans in Denmark become aware of this. You say there are 108, says Rune Renato Hansen.

He fears sitting parents back in Chile who have been told a lie about the fate of their children.

“They haven’t done anything wrong,” he says. But he makes a charge against Denmark for not keeping track of the truth about the adopted children’s history when they came to Denmark.

Rune Renato Hansen has now set himself a goal: He wants to find his biological family in Chile.


Source: tv2east.dk (Danish written)

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