The Irish "parents" of child victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster yesterday embarked on a trip with the children to an orphanage in Belarus hoping to ensure their quick return to Ireland.
The seven children, ranging in age from seven to 18, have been cared for by Irish families for periods up to three years away from Cherven orphanage through the Burren Chernobyl Project.
However, last week the director of the orphanage ordered the children's return to the orphanage by next Friday.
No reason was given in the one-line letter as to why the children had to go back, and yesterday at Shannon Airport the children, accompanied by a number of their Irish hosts and Burren Chernobyl Project volunteers, boarded a flight to Minsk, not knowing if they will be able to return.
The director of the Burren Chernobyl Project, Brother Liam O'Meara, said yesterday that the project was to hold a meeting today in Belarus with the commission in charge of the children where their future could be decided.
He said: "We are hoping that it will be good news. Everyone here is very sad, but at least some of the families are going with the children, and it easier for me that I am not taking children out of mothers' arms."
Through the recuperation programme organised by the Burren Chernobyl Project and the love they received from their Irish families, the seven children got tremendous care here, he said. "They won't get that level of one-to-one care in an institution," he added.
Ms Teresa Kehoe of Enniscorthy said she was prepared to stay at Cherven orphanage as long as it took to ensure that eight-year-old Vitalia returned.
Vitalia arrived from Cherven two years ago and, according to Ms Kehoe, "he was the size of a three-month-old child when he first came. Now he is going to school at St Patrick's in Enniscorthy. He loves life here, he is very lively, very energetic".
Sheila Murphy of Ashford, Co Wicklow is travelling with Andre (12) and Krystina (8) to Cherven orphanage. She said: "It is not fair on them, Andre is already stressed out. He was getting sick all day yesterday. He knows everything that is happening and he is very upset."
