Ranch of the Special Regime: WhyRussian Representatives Were Not Allowed to Visit the “Ranch for Kids”

The fate of Russian orphans after they get adopted by American families is a painful subject for both countries because of the dramatic, sometimes tragic stories that have become popular in the last couple of years. According to official data of the past 10 years, U.S. citizens killed 19 Russian children, and others died because of illnesses and accidents. The situation couldn’t be kept quiet. “We must have a guarantee of the well-being of the children that we give to the U.S. for adoption.” This was thought to be understood by the American side in the signing of the agreement about adoption between Russia and the U.S. For both sides, the signing of the document practically became a step towards accomplishing that claim. First, this document promises crystal-clear visibility and credible information on our orphans’ lives in America.

That it is why Pavel Astakhov’s case regarding children’s rights, as previously reported by the Association of Children’s Commissioners in the Russian Federation, is especially strange. As stated on the Association of Children’s Commissioners in the Russian Federation’s website, Pavel Astakhov, Konstantin Dolgov (the Russian foreign ministry’s commissioner for human rights, democracy and the rule of law) and Russian consuls in the U.S. paid an official visit to the “Ranch for Kids” last Friday.

The “Ranch for Kids” is located in the state of Montana (a few hours of driving from the city of Kalispell). According to the available data, there are several tens of Russian orphaned children that were abandoned by their foster parents. The ranch was created especially for the American foster parents who were unable to handle the adoption of Russian children and could not continue taking care of them. Parents can leave orphans there for the short-term or follow the legal process for breaking the adoption agreement. The children live in complete isolation due to the fact that the ranch is located almost on the Canadian border.

Before, representatives of the Russian consulate in the U.S. used to visit the ranch, and the children’s situation was used to raise awareness. Officially, a child can live at the ranch for several weeks, but in reality children might be there for years. From the available documents, it was clear that accounting of the arrival and departure of children is not accurate. The registration journal contains contradictory and inexact information. At the same time, it is obvious that some child-orphans were placed at the ranch a few months after the adoption.

Pavel Astakhov ordered children’s ombudsmen in the regions of Russia to raise the archives of all child orphans living today at the “Ranch for Kids.” It is noticed that reports about most of the children’s lives do not come from American adoption agencies. But in those reports that do come, a child’s status is reported as “happily living in the foster family,” while in reality the child is at the ranch.

According to the documentation, some of the orphans were handled for double internal adoption by other American families, but most were again returned to the ranch. Some of the children were sent to psychiatric clinics or juvenile prisons. The owner of the ranch, Joyce Sterkrel, refused to present credible information about the fates of the children.

“These children are completely isolated from the rest of the world, which becomes a base violation of their rights. It is not clear to us whether or not these children are getting help and aid, which is why the situation of Russian child-orphans raises reasons for worrying,” Pavel Astakhov noted.

Joyce Sterkel, who gave permission for the visit, suddenly changed her mind two days before the arrival of the Russian delegation. Her explanation was that “now is not the good time for that.”* Also, the Russian delegation received warning messages from the U.S. Secretary of State that implied that they “do not advise going to the ranch” and proposed rescheduling the visit for another time.

“The schedule of my work, approved by the president of Russia, is not going to change just because of the U.S. Secretary of State’s warnings. We arrived in the U.S. on an official visit, participated in the Russian-American forum in Chicago and from there departed to Kalispell. Everything was planned beforehand, and that is why statements that we should reschedule the visit seem flimsy to us,” Pavel Astakhov highlighted.

When the Russian delegation arrived to the ranch, a man with a camera stepped towards the exit and started filming a video. He refused to answer questions concerning the children. It became clear later that children were replaced from the ranch just before the visit of the Russian delegation.

“The barrier created by the U.S. preventing communication with Russian orphans is outrageous and contradicts the politics of the agreement between the two countries. We are shocked that the issue of protecting the rights of children was transformed by the U.S. Secretary of State into political flatness and a bribery-coin in big politics. Such a decision looks especially strange on the eve of the ratification by the Russian side of the mutual agreement on the sphere of adoption between Russia and the U.S., which is scheduled for 6 July 2012,” noted one of the commissioners.

The agreement is meant to improve post-adoption control and to activate Russian participation in this process.

“When Americans stand against communication between the Children’s Commissioners and the orphans, it raises many questions. And the most important question is whether or not the American side is able to exercise control over the fates of Russian adopted children,” Pavel Astakhov thinks. Russian ombudsman met with the local sheriff and prosecutor around the ranch. “The prosecutor said that worrying signals are always coming from the ranch about the fact that children are abused. Recently, a 9-year-old Russian girl ran away, but Joyce Sterkel is able to control all these issues,” said the prosecutor.

“Just the way children exist at the ranch is horrible. What is that place, an isolator? Or a colony? Or a stable for useless children? It seems like foster parents are trying to place orphans as far away as possible, so children would not be able to escape on their own,” noted one of the Children’s Commissioners, who added that the issue around the situation at the ranch is going to be brought to the table and solved at the highest level.