By Joseph Tumbey
Madam Maria Morgan Luyken who was accused of trafficking several Children from Liberia to USA and Canada denies her involvement in any act of human trafficking and said she facilitated the legal adoption process, approved by the US Embassy near Monrovia and the Liberia government.
“I am a humanitarian, after our civil war in 2003 to 2009, I was asked by some agencies in America to facilitate adoption process, and most of the children that were brought me by their uncles, grand mother and some local humanitarian organizations saying they lost their parents during the war while some were found alone”, she explained.
Speaking to Journalists over the weekend at her United Independent Democrats Headquarters in Monrovia, Luyken explained that the international community, local partners and other stakeholders have done their findings and concluded that there was no trafficking done in Liberia.
According to her, serving humanity is her calling and has been involved in humanitarian services for over 25 years as she was able to facilitate the adoption process for 260 Liberia children to America and Canada from 2003 to 2009.
Madam Luyken however disclosed that she has a letter signed by the then Speaker of the House, Edwin Snowe exonerated eight of them from trafficking.
“The US Embassy already told the parents that when you adopt a child, they no longer belong to the original parents as you have signed a document of relinquishment.
“The case against me now is one case by one Family , not all the 560 Children that were adopted, but the case is in court which I can’t speak to until the Court comes up with their final ruling,” Luyken stated.
Over the years, several citizens claiming to be the original parents of the adopted Children staged several protests at the US Embassy and around accused Ms. Maria Morgan Luyken of trafficking their children abroad.
During their protests, they make several appeals to the international community and government to intervene to get back their children.
Maria has however disclosed that after adoption, the facilitator no longer has contact or connection with the adopted parents as doing so could violate their privacy.
Also speaking on her Humanitarian services and political ambitions to contest Montserrado district #8 in the upcoming elections, Maria claims to be the only aspirant born and raised in the district and ready to take over her district.
Ms. Maria Morgan Luyken maintains that she has a vast experience in humanitarian services for over 20 years and as such the demand of citizens in her district is nothing strange to what she has been doing.
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