Iraqi legislator accuses officials of raping orphans and selling their organs

Iraqi orphans wait for help.

An Iraqi member of parliament from the Kurdistani Alliance Ashwaq al-Jaf accused officials and administrators of orphanages and juvenile correction departments of raping and making illegal relations with gangs to sell their organs.

Another member of the Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights said that there are tribal sheikhs that come to the orphanages to marry underage girls under through temporary and customary marriages, which do not require government registration.

But an official from the Director of the Department of Corrections from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs said that Ms. Jaf did not have the right to broadcast such news to the media without proof. From his part the Inspector General from the ministry of labor and social affairs ordered an urgent investigation into the orphanages to uncover the allegations.

This is not the first time reports alleging the exploitation of orphaned children have surfaced.  According to a 2008 figure, there are only 459 orphans in governmental houses of orphans, and around 4.5 millions Iraqi orphans with 500 000 living in streets without any home or family care.

July 8, 2011  By DINA AL SHIBEEB 

english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/07/08/156756.html