Organ trafficking 'covered up'

2004-02-25 22:28

Lisbon - A Roman Catholic nun who warned authorities in Mozambique that an organ trafficking network involving children was operating in the southern African country has accused officials investigating the case of a cover-up, Lusa news agency reported on Wednesday.

Sister Maria Elida alleged "that investigations by the attorney general's office had been 'haphazard' and had succumbed to unnamed 'powerful forces'", the Portuguese news agency said.

"She was convinced the investigation had 'come under pressure to hide the truth'," Lusa added.

Elida, a 45-year-old Brazilian who has worked in the former Portuguese colony for nine years, was one of four missionary nuns who earlier this month alleged that a network of organ traffickers was operating near their convent and orphanage in the town of Nampula.

The four nuns said they had gathered testimony from would-be victims of the network who managed to escape and had photographs of dead children with missing organs.

No evidence

But Rafael Sebastiao, Mozambique's assistant attorney general who headed the probe into the allegations, told a news conference in Maputo on Monday a preliminary inquiry had found no evidence that human organs had been removed from bodies and sold.

He said a team of forensic specialists had spent two weeks in the area and examined 14 cases of violent death or disappearances allegedly linked to the sale of organs as part of the probe.

"Several cases of the disappearance of children were noted but the motive was not organ trafficking," Sebastiao said.

The nuns said they had received threats after exposing the alleged organ trafficking network.

The Mozambican Human Rights League has also made allegations of organ trafficking.

- AFP