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As Chad's President yesterday said he hoped some French and Spanish nationals detained for trying to fly African children to Europe could be freed soon, United Nations workers said most of the children were not Darfur orphans as claimed, but had been living with their families in eastern Chad.
Chad is holding nine French nationals and seven Spanish air crew after blocking an attempt by French charity Zoe's Ark to fly out 103 children for foster care by French and Belgian "host" families.
They were arrested in the town of Abeche last week and charged with abduction and fraud and face possible forced labour terms of up to 20 years if convicted.
UN officials said information from Red Cross interviews with the children contradicted statements by Zoe's Ark, which said they were sick and destitute orphans from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.
The interviews suggested 85 of the children came from villages in eastern Chad on the border with Darfur. It did not specify their nationality. Some had told journalists that their parents were alive and they were lured from their villages with offers of sweets and biscuits.
"They are not orphans and they were not sitting alone in the desert in Chad, they were living with their families," Annette Rehrl of UN refugee agency UNHCR said.
Zoe's Ark, which has denied any wrongdoing, said it was operating under international law. Some of the families in Europe said they had paid up to €2000 ($3793) or more as a "donation".
Chadian President Idriss Deby promised a quick investigation and held out the possibility that some of those arrested might soon be released.
"I hope for my part that the Chadian justice system can quickly shed light on this and that the journalists and also the [Spanish] hostesses will be freed as quickly as possible. But I can't force the hand of Chadian justice, there is a procedure."
Deby said he had spoken to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has called for the release of the journalists.
Officials from the UNHCR, the UN children's agency Unicef and the International Committee of the Red Cross have been caring for the children, 21 girls and 82 boys aged between 1 and 10 years, at an orphanage.
"During interviews with humanitarian staff, 91 children said they had been living with their families consisting of at least one adult they considered their parent," the agencies said.
Children who lose their parents in Africa are often taken in by other family members.
- Reuters
