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18
October 2006
Madonna
Defends
Adoption
Madonna
has defended her
intended adoption of a
Malawian baby, saying
she had acted "according
to the law like anyone
else who adopts a
child".
The
singer said she wanted
to "open up our home and
help one child escape an
extreme life of
hardship, poverty and in
many cases
death".
Earlier
the child, David Banda,
was taken to the US
singer's London
home.
The
one-year-old boy flew
from Johannesburg
overnight with a
bodyguard and Madonna's
personal
assistant.
The
baby arrived at London's
Heathrow airport at 0630
BST, despite claims by
some charities that the
rules on adoption have
been bent for the
star.
Madonna
said she and her husband
Guy Ritchie began the
adoption process months
ago.
"This
was not a decision or
commitment that my
family or I take
lightly," she
said.
She
added her family would
now take time "to
experience the joy we
feel to have David
home".
Earlier,
a statement from the
star's publicist
confirmed Madonna had
been granted an interim
adoption of the
child.
The
decision by a Malawian
court gives the singer
and her husband,
film-maker Guy Ritchie,
temporary custody of
13-month-old David Banda
for 18
months.
A
group of charities in
Malawi had tried to stop
the adoption, claiming
it was unlawful because
Madonna has not lived in
the African
country.
David
was carried by the
assistant through the
airport, with a
grey-hooded top hiding
him from the view of
surrounding
press.
He
was taken to the star's
home near London's
Marble Arch, where many
of the world's media
were waiting.
He
was reported to be
remarkably alert
following the long
flight.
The
couple's statement,
issued on Monday
evening, said the boy
had been given a
passport and
visa.
Madonna's
publicist Liz Rosenberg
said the singer was
"going to do her best to
not make it a public
circus".
During
18 months of temporary
custody the couple "will
be evaluated by the
courts of Malawi per the
tribal customs of the
country," the statement
said.
The
baby was flown out of
Malawi by private plane
to South Africa on
Monday, where the party
boarded a scheduled
flight for
London.
The
singer, 48, returned to
the UK three days
earlier, but David was
unable to travel as he
did not have a
passport.
The
Human Rights
Consultative Committee
of 67 Malawian
organisations had been
due to go to court on
Monday seeking an
injunction to halt the
adoption
process.
But
it deferred the move,
saying it wanted to
interview an
unidentified uncle of
David's who was "said to
be opposed to the
adoption
plan".
The
committee insists that
Malawian law prohibits
international adoption
and requires a minimum
of 18 months'
assessment.
But
Penston Kilembe,
director of child
welfare in the Ministry
of Gender, Child Welfare
and Community Services,
said Madonna and her
husband had broken no
laws.
"The
process did not start
today - Madonna's people
have been pushing the
papers for some time and
her coming was just to
sign the papers to
conclude the process,"
he said.
The
boy's father, Yohame
Banda, has agreed to the
adoption.
"What
I want is a good life
for my child," he
said.
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