Kids custody: Tamils demonstrate outside Norway mission in SL

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A group of Sri Lankan Tamils based in Norway havedemonstrated outside the Norwegian embassy here, claiming that the childwelfare service in that country forcibly removed their children from theparental care.

T Anantharajah, one of those who demonstrated yesterday,told media here that his three children aged 12, 10 and 8 respectively had beenforcibly taken away by the Norwegian authorities and placed under the care offoster families.

Anantharajah said that aggrieved parents from at least 60Sri Lankan Tamil families would soon launch a hunger strike in Oslo against theNorwegian authorities.

However, the Norwegian embassy said the country's childwelfare service step in when measures at home are not sufficient to meet achild's need.

"Placing a child in care is a serious step and can onlybe used when serious neglect or abuse had been documented," it said.

The demonstration came months after two Indian children, whowere taken away from their parents on grounds of "emotionaldisconnect", returned to India after being kept in foster care for almosta year.

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