The Swiss Federal Central Authority suspended adoption procedures in Cambodia on

December 9, 2002 according to Isabelle Lammerant of the International Resource

Centre for the Protection of Children in Adoption. The ban was due to "the

practices taking place involving the trade, purchase and abduction of children

and which are principally directed at young mothers alone and without means" and

"proof of the agreement (of biological parents) which is practically impossible

to verify". The Dutch government also suspended adoptions recently, said local

human rights group Licadho. Other suspensions remain in force for citizens of

France and the US.