Thousands of babies brought illegally from India to Switzerland

Legal requirements were systematically ignored in adoptions from India, and to this day it is not clear who the mothers were. A new study shows that the authorities knew about it and did nothing.

For decades, the overwhelming desire of Swiss couples to have children meant that babies were separated from their mothers in other parts of the world.

Now, a new research study commissioned by the cantons of Zurich and Thurgau shows that in the 1980s and 1990s, India was the most important country of origin for babies who came from abroad to married couples in Switzerland. 

Between 1979 and 2002, a total of 2,278 babies were brought from India to Switzerland.

Until now, adoptions from Sri Lanka have been the main topic of discussion, with several scientific studies revealing actual child trafficking and proving major legal irregularities.

Now a study by the University of St. Gallen and the Bern University of Applied Sciences reveals a whole new dimension: Between 1979 and 2002, a total of 2,278 babies were brought from India to Switzerland. 

Where are the mothers?

The conclusion of the new investigation: "In the process from the admission of Indian children to the adoption decision, numerous legal requirements were disregarded, and to this day it remains unclear where the children came from and who their mothers were."

The research project, led by ethnologist Rita Kesselring of the University of St. Gallen, examined how children from India were brought to Switzerland between 1973 and 2002, how the adoption decisions were made and how the new family developed from a social perspective (for example: dealing with racism).

Shocking results

The result is a "complex network that was characterized by couples' unfulfilled desire to have children, financial interests, questionable legal practice, inadequate child protection and failure of the authorities."

"In all cases, personal details of the child and the parents or mothers were missing upon entry."

From the research project report

Of the 2,278 children who were placed for adoption in Switzerland between 1979 and 2002, 256 came to the canton of Zurich and 30 to Thurgau. In a sample, the research team examined 18 cases from the canton of Zurich and six from Thurgau.

The result is shocking: "In all cases, personal details of the child and the parents or mothers were missing upon entry," the report states. In addition, foster child permits for the care and subsequent adoption of the children were issued too late in many cases - i.e. only after entry.

Zurich district councils and the Thurgau government council approved adoptions without having the mothers' waivers explicitly required by law.

Authorities looked away

That's not all: According to the new study, most children were inadequately represented by guardians during their foster care period.

And even worse: Zurich district councils and the Thurgau government council approved adoptions without the mothers' declarations of waiver, which are explicitly required by law. The analysis of 48 adoptions (Zurich: 18, Thurgau: 30) shows that these Indian documents were consistently missing. 

The research team led by Rita Kesselring comes to the memorable conclusion: "The finding of systematically missing declarations of renunciation indicates that these documents could also be missing in other cantons for adoptions from India." This finding calls into question the legality of such adoption decisions. 

A lucrative business

The Indian adoptions were apparently also good business. Alice Honegger was also involved; she had been arranging babies for adoption for decades (including from Sri Lanka).

According to the study, six other placement agencies were active: Adoption Unity by Christina Inderbitzin (ZH), the association Adoption International (TG/BE), Terre des hommes (VD), Helga Ney (VD), Divali Adoption Service by Jo Millar (GE) and the Seraphic Love Work (SO). 

“The Youth Welfare Office of the Canton of Zurich did not fulfill its duty of supervision.”

From the research project report

The researchers used harsh words to describe the role of the Canton of Zurich: "The Youth Welfare Office of the Canton of Zurich did not fulfill its duty of supervision." The Youth Welfare Office allowed the mediator Christina Inderbitzin to place Indian children in Switzerland for years without permission.

Zurich was even informed that its cooperation partner in India, who was also the trusted lawyer of the Swiss Consulate General in Bombay (now Mumbai), was "illegally transferring children throughout India for a lucrative business deal."

Sad fates

In the vast majority of cases, the biological mothers of the children who were placed in Switzerland are unknown and invisible. The research report states: "Just as the biological mothers disappeared from the documents, they also disappeared from society's perception."

The actors in the Indian adoption system have largely remained silent about the perspectives of mothers who separated from their children. The background to this is the stigmatization of single mothers who were socially ostracized and ultimately kept silent about their fate and that of their children for their own protection.

Poverty, illness and the child's female gender also played a role. Or broken marriage vows, rape and difficult access to abortion. 

Legality of adoptions questionable

In presenting the results of the study, the research team came to the conclusion that the legality of adoptions that were made without a waiver from the Indian parents or mothers must be fundamentally reviewed. 

The researchers also suggest that an institutionalized, interdisciplinary task force should examine documents in response to requests from adopted persons and support them in their search for their origins.

And: Switzerland must clarify with India how those affected can gain access to their Indian court files in order to assert their right to knowledge of their origin. 

It is not clear who exactly is responsible. The federal government and the cantons are responsible. Zurich state archivist Beat Gnädinger says: "This research report is a single call for all federal and cantonal actors to pull together and push forward with the investigation."

To this day, those affected continue to come up against a brick wall when they search for documents about their own origins in Switzerland.

The results of the research report have caused "dismay, helplessness and anger" at the Back to the Roots association, which brings together adopted people from Sri Lanka. This study also ultimately shows the "urgent need for action".

When those affected search for their origins today, in many cases they get nowhere with the Swiss authorities. They do receive their documents, but they contain information that is incorrect. "The Swiss authorities understand the search for origins to mean handing over the fake documents to us," says Sarah Ineichen.

Ineichen was adopted from Sri Lanka to Switzerland as a baby and is now president of Back to the Roots. She is calling on the federal government and the cantons to finally provide targeted support: "The support provided by the Swiss authorities is not sufficient in illegal adoption procedures."

"Authorities in Switzerland are still not very helpful when it comes to those affected wanting to clarify their origins," she told the Observer. 

Back to the Roots association helps those affected

The federal government and cantons are currently supporting the Back to the Roots association financially to help those affected to find their roots in Sri Lanka. But it is not just about those affected from Sri Lanka, says Sarah Ineichen.

All people adopted from abroad would need help in finding out where they came from. "The federal government and cantons must now take responsibility for this. Ultimately, it is about the fundamental right of adopted people to know where they come from."