Reuniting Chile's trafficked children - People Fixing the World podcast, BBC World Service

Summary of YouTube Video:

Key Concepts:

Stolen babies in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship (1970s-80s)
Illegal adoptions, often to foreign countries
Nos Buscamos: An NGO dedicated to reuniting stolen children (now adults) with their families
DNA testing as a key tool for identification
The trauma and emotional impact on both the adoptees and the biological families
The role of poverty, discrimination, and government corruption in facilitating the thefts

The Problem: Stolen Babies During the Pinochet Dictatorship

During the 1970s and 80s, under the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in Chile (which seized power in 1973), a systematic scheme was orchestrated to illegally take babies from their families, often poor and vulnerable women. These babies were then given up for adoption, frequently ending up in other countries like the United States, Sweden, France, and the UK. The process involved various actors, including judges, midwives, doctors, social workers, and lawyers, many of whom worked for public hospitals and were complicit in the scheme. Mothers were often told that their babies had died during labor or were in very poor health and discarded, leaving them with no recourse due to their poverty and lack of education. The exact number of babies taken is unknown due to the lack of a formal government investigation. Nos Buscamos, a civil organization, has over 7,000 cases in its online database, suggesting the scale is in the thousands.

Constanza del Rio and Nos Buscamos

Constanza del Rio, the founder of Nos Buscamos, discovered at age 39 that she was adopted. This personal experience motivated her to establish Nos Buscamos in 2014 to help others find their biological families. She emphasizes that knowing one's origins and identity is a fundamental human right.

Nos Buscamos: The Process of Reunification

Nos Buscamos operates an online database (nosbuscamos.org) where individuals can register their cases as either adoptees or family members searching for a lost child. The software connects potential matches based on shared information, such as birth location and date. The organization employs three main search methods:

Online Search: Analyzing clues provided by adoptees through the online database.
DNA Search: Providing DNA tests to mothers and encouraging adoptees to upload their DNA to databases like MyHeritage to find potential matches.
Field Trips: Traveling to regions where the thefts were prevalent to investigate cases and gather information.

Constanza emphasizes the importance of DNA testing, particularly through MyHeritage, as a crucial tool for connecting families across borders. They aim to provide free DNA tests to mothers in Chile, hoping that adoptees abroad will also participate in DNA databases, increasing the chances of a match.

A Case Study: Reuniting a Mother and Daughter in France

Constanza shares a recent success story about reuniting a woman in France with her Mapuche mother in Chile. The daughter had been taken from her mother at birth because the mother was a young, poor, illiterate Mapuche woman. The hospital staff and a lawyer convinced the mother that she had no rights to the child. After decades of searching, Nos Buscamos located the mother in a small Mapuche community. Using a Starlink antenna for internet access, they facilitated a Zoom call between the mother and daughter. A DNA test confirmed the match, and the daughter is planning a trip to Chile with her family to meet her mother in person.

The Emotional Impact and the Importance of Support

Constanza highlights the profound emotional impact of these reunions on both the mothers and the adoptees. It can be difficult for them to process and integrate the reality of finding each other after so many years. Nos Buscamos organizes annual therapy sessions, including equine therapy in a rural setting, to provide a supportive environment for families to share their experiences and feelings.

Addressing Misconceptions About Adoption

Constanza challenges the assumption that adoptees in developed countries automatically have better lives. She points out that many adoptees face significant challenges and may not be treated as equal citizens in their adoptive countries.

Empowerment and Changing the World

Constanza emphasizes the importance of not remaining a victim and encourages individuals to take action to prevent similar injustices from happening to others. She believes that change starts at the individual level and that even small acts of kindness and support can make a difference. "We raise others by raising. We change the world by raising others." She concludes with the sentiment that "the world is changed one person by one person."

Conclusion

The video highlights the ongoing efforts of Constanza del Rio and Nos Buscamos to reunite families separated by the illegal adoption schemes in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship. It underscores the importance of DNA testing, the emotional complexities of these reunions, and the need for continued support for both the adoptees and their biological families. The video also emphasizes the power of individual action and the potential for positive change through empathy and support for others.