NEW
DELHI: The United States wants India to sign a multilateral treaty on child
abduction that will help tackle cases where parents' non-compatibility leads to
child trauma and forcible separation from one of his or her parent - at times
across continents.
Citing
about 45 instances in which children were allegedly forcibly brought to India
from the US, American Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Maura
Harty, drew the attention of Indian law ministry officials to the Hague
Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction during her
recent visit here.
Harty said
that she tried to put across the point that governments could come together to
do a lot to ensure that children were treated well and cases involving
"abduction" by parents could be resolved expeditiously.
Harty, who is understood to
have voiced concerns of American citizens - predominantly of Indian origin - who
seek consular help for keeping in touch with their separated children brought to
India, said, "I simply come here to urge the Indian government authorities to
consider becoming Hague signatories."
The Americans are insisting on
India signing the treaty as it states that in case of a child custody dispute,
the case should be heard in a court with jurisdiction over the habitual
residence of child. This, in most of the 45 cases - which involve a total of 55
children - cited by American officials, would mean a court in the
US.