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.