Children massacred for organ-trafficking
Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:23 am
Correspondence from Rome from Claudia Stanila
"La Nazione" deals with the problem of illegal transplants in Italy
Children massacred for organ-trafficking
"Albania and Moldova - gold mines for kidney-trafficking", wrote the
Italian newspaper "La Nazione" yesterday. The elevated prices for
transplants caused explosion of criminal activities. In Italy, the
demand for organs has been very high over the last few years and number
of "donations" have tripled. Although it is well-known that Moldova and
Albania are in the top of organ-trafficking, there is no incriminating
evidence to allow incrimination of the macabre smugglers. Smugglers
recruit their merchandise in the poor East European and African
countries, writes "La Nazione". The prices for a kidney range between
3.000 US dollars in Moldova, 1.000 in Africa and 10.000 in South
America. In Moldova, there were cases when the donators were recompensed
with less than 100 US dollars or just with modest clothing articles. The
intermediaries receive 100 US dollars. Iurie Sobietski, a Moldovan
teenager, declared to the Italian press that he has sold one of his
kidneys ...to buy a mobile phone!
Screen covering the organ-trafficking
The Italian anti-Mafia committees warned some time ago about the
existence, behind illegal immigration, of a flourishing human organ
trafficking. A magistrate in Trieste, Nicola Maria Pace, cites from the
statements of Slovenian illegal immigrants: "They take out the organs of
persons with psychological problems and of the street children". The
East European network includes Romania. According a statistical survey
coordinated by "Organs Watch", an organization of University of
Berkeley, which makes research on the organ market, the demand has
frighteningly increased , proportionately to the offer.
"Not the countries where the transplants take place are to indict but
those which make the transplants possible - says the journalist Giovanni
Moranti. Those countries should build legislative barriers against these
new forms of human slavery. Science doesn't stipulate that we should
save one life by annihilating another".
Organ trafficking has become a global phenomenon. There are currently
agencies which, based on a mere request submitted via the Internet,
manage to send to destination in only a few days the required organ. The
only problem is of economical nature.
Justice keeps silent because of lack of evidence
There are countries where astronomical figures are paid for life and
life is worth nothing, says in July 2000, in Trieste, Italy, a Chinese
criminal organization was discovered, which "imported" Chinese nationals
for the black market of transplants. Each illegal immigrant was required
about 30-40 million Italian pounds to have access to Italy, and those
who couldn't pay cash, were required to donate one or more organs. Until
they were able to pay, they were kept sequestrated. Justice is still
investigating the whole network.
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