Profound Human Rights Violations Discovered in Bulgaria

Koroviev

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I realize that some people are going to dismiss this as "saying there are starving children in Africa," but I'm going to ignore those people. This is a serious issue that deserves to be recognized and addressed.

Presently, the Bulgarian government is investigating reports pertaining to severe human rights violations that have been taking place at a mental institution in Pleven, Bulgaria.

For those who aren't aware, the residents of these institutions in Eastern Europe range in age from 4 to 80 years and above. Children who are transferred to these institutions suffer from a variety of conditions, some very minor (i.e. cleft lip, successfully operated spina bifidia, etc.), some more significant (i.e. Down syndrome, severe cerebral palsy, etc.). Most countries in Eastern Europe hold views of the disabled very similar to the United States in the 1950s. Children with Down syndrome and other conditions are typically abandoned at birth. They then spend 4-6 years in "baby houses," from which they are ultimately sent to live out their short lives (the heart conditions commonly associated with Down syndrome are often not treated) in underfunded institutions run by ignorant or otherwise indifferent staff.

So what makes the supposed abuses in Pleven worth mentioning? That they arguably even go beyond what is currently acceptable in Eastern Europe. There are 10-year-old children with Down syndrome who weigh 10 pounds. They are fed a grotesque, largely non-nutritive substance from beer bottles, lying on their backs. It is not unheard of for them to die of aspiration in the process. They are changed once a day, left to lie in filth for many hours at a time, resulting in severe skin rashes.

If you would like to learn more, please read this post.

You can donate to help these people, but I'm not here to solicit donations. It would really mean a lot if you just mentioned this to someone.

Did you realize this was happening? Do you find it to be acceptable, or does it outrage you? I find myself firmly situated in the latter category.
 

DoPo

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Wow, that's new, I mean really new - I don't even see it in the news.

SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
The question is why the hell these countries can have stuff like this going on and the rest of the EU just looks the other way.
It's probably because the institutions themselves try to hide it from the country and everybody. I have no idea how they manage that but they try.
 

manic_depressive13

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I feel like the title should have "Surprise!" at the end. Honestly though, this sort of thing happening there isn't new.

So yes, I did realise this was happening. Yes, I find it disgusting. No, I'm not going to do anything about it so my outrage is merely self righteous wankery.
 

Koroviev

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manic_depressive13 said:
I feel like the title should have "Surprise!" at the end. Honestly though, this sort of thing happening there isn't new.

So yes, I did realise this was happening. Yes, I find it disgusting. No, I'm not going to do anything about it so my outrage is merely self righteous wankery.
This particular instance is very recent. Neglect is common, but this case is severe enough that they have removed the orphanage director. Evidence has been found that attempts were made to cover up deaths. There is no excuse for any of this.
 

Koroviev

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SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
DoPo said:
Wow, that's new, I mean really new - I don't even see it in the news.

SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
The question is why the hell these countries can have stuff like this going on and the rest of the EU just looks the other way.
It's probably because the institutions themselves try to hide it from the country and everybody. I have no idea how they manage that but they try.
And why do they do that? To avoid sanctions. Why do they need to avoid sanctions? Because they dont have enough money to provide proper care. I highly doubt a secret company is running these places with a hidden agenda to torture retarded kids for the lulz. I dont know what Bulgaria is spending all that sweet EU money on but clearly these kids need a slice.

I mean fuck. This shit just pisses me off. Why the fuck are we repeatedly bailing out a country that is already fucked and needs to leave the EU while we could give these kids a life worth living for a fraction of that money.

nikki191 said:
flipping heck they still havent cleaned up these places? i remember the outrage when the berlin wall came down and people discovered what it was really like for people in eastern europe in these sorts of places. pure evil abuse
This is what pisses me off so bad. This is not a new thing. Even the thread titled implies it is, but its not. Its not a recent discovery. The people who have the power to change this stuff know about it, and they arent doing shit. More than 10 years ago that couple I talked about adopted that kid and still nothing has changed. What a disgrace.
I realize that this type of thing isn't new, however, the situation with respect to the Bulgarian institution is happening now. Professor Lilova, who has offered to treat the children for free, is seeking funds and support for transportation and related expenses. Donating to this cause or discussing it won't change the state of institutions throughout EE, but it will make a difference to someone.
 

Koroviev

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nikki191 said:
flipping heck they still havent cleaned up these places? i remember the outrage when the berlin wall came down and people discovered what it was really like for people in eastern europe in these sorts of places. pure evil abuse
A lot of it is admittedly the result of ignorance, but this case reeks of malicious intent.
 

Koroviev

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DoPo said:
Wow, that's new, I mean really new - I don't even see it in the news.

SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
The question is why the hell these countries can have stuff like this going on and the rest of the EU just looks the other way.
It's probably because the institutions themselves try to hide it from the country and everybody. I have no idea how they manage that but they try.
Indeed, this is a prime example of that mentality. There is evidence that the staff tried to cover up deaths. Moreover, the sickest children had been kept upstairs (aka "The Hopeless Ward") so that their condition would not be discovered.
 

manic_depressive13

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Koroviev said:
This particular instance is very recent. Neglect is common, but this case is severe enough that they have removed the orphanage director. Evidence has been found that attempts were made to cover up deaths. There is no excuse for any of this.
Fair enough. I won't pretend I knew about this specific case but I was aware that Bulgaria has a record of mistreating its disabled citizens. I wouldn't dream of excusing or dismissing this, but there's nothing I can do. I can't donate to every worthy cause I see. I don't crap cash.
 

DoPo

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SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
DoPo said:
Wow, that's new, I mean really new - I don't even see it in the news.

SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
The question is why the hell these countries can have stuff like this going on and the rest of the EU just looks the other way.
It's probably because the institutions themselves try to hide it from the country and everybody. I have no idea how they manage that but they try.
And why do they do that? To avoid sanctions. Why do they need to avoid sanctions? Because they dont have enough money to provide proper care.
And they don't have enough money because they steal it all. Well, not all of it but all that went to that orphanage, for example. Corruption is a long lasting tradition there. They are getting sent money but don't receive any (or much).

SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
I highly doubt a secret company is running these places with a hidden agenda to torture retarded kids for the lulz.
Prepare to be pissed off even more. What you're describing is a better alternative. Truth is, that there isn't a giant soulless corporation behind it but normal everyday people who just don't care.
 

Koroviev

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manic_depressive13 said:
Koroviev said:
This particular instance is very recent. Neglect is common, but this case is severe enough that they have removed the orphanage director. Evidence has been found that attempts were made to cover up deaths. There is no excuse for any of this.
Fair enough. I won't pretend I knew about this specific case but I was aware that Bulgaria has a record of mistreating its disabled citizens. I wouldn't dream of excusing or dismissing this, but there's nothing I can do. I can't donate to every worthy cause I see. I don't crap cash.
I don't expect anyone to donate. My own donation was modest. If you could tell someone, it would mean something. I appreciate that you took the time to look at this thread :)
 

ElPatron

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the sickest children had been kept upstairs (aka "The Hopeless Ward") so that their condition would not be discovered.
That's fine, I did not want to sleep tonight anyway...

I wish this was some kind if horror story, not real life.
 

Koroviev

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ElPatron said:
the sickest children had been kept upstairs (aka "The Hopeless Ward") so that their condition would not be discovered.
That's fine, I did not want to sleep tonight anyway...

I wish this was some kind if horror story, not real life.
So do I :(
 

orangeban

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Shit, this is awful. My very good friend is Bulgarian, but I'm not sure she is aware that this happens in her home country. You forget, living in Europe, that the countries within her are radically different.
 

Thaluikhain

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Razada said:
Its time we changed the UN mandate, it is time the "Peacekeeping" forces are given the ability to keep the peace.
Whose forces? You've just cited many of the nations you'd want to contribute as being unfit to do so.

Razada said:
With regards to the situation in Africa? Under a new UN mandate, we invade these crackpot dictatorships and impose peace. I say "Impose" because in a lawless (And these places are truly lawless) society the only power people understand is violence. Martial law, refugee camps and an increased budget to try and help those who have had their lives annihilated.
Taking a country by force to impose a better standard of living doesn't tend to end well. The best you can expect is for people to get tired, use minority rights as political bargaining chips, and make a power sharing deal with the sort of people you went in to get rid of in the first place.

Likewise, few are going to support a war to fix problems in some nation nobody has heard of. Helping people in Irag and Afghanistan was what the mission was changed to when people stopped being excited by Al-Qaeda support, WMDs and regime change.

...

On the other hand, I agree, that sort of thing should happen, and even sort of could. You've had successful military intervention on a small scale in places like the Solomon Islands (though when was the last time you heard about that? Nothing particularly horrific happening at the moment, it seems, so nothing particularly newsworthy). Hell, under Castro, Cuban troops went to Africa because communism is ideologically opposed to Apartheid, (so the US, naturally, support Apartheid).

But it's not going to because people don't care. Hell, many the ones causing the problems are doing so because they don't care, you don't have to go out of your way to fuck things up.
 

Bealzibob

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If I still could this would make me weep uncontrollably. Moreso for the sake of the children I wish someone would nuke the whole place out of it's painful existence. Obliterating the handlers would just be a bitter sweet bonus.