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Rights Groups Get Say in Madonna Adoption

Thu., Nov. 30, 2006 3:17 PM PST by Sarah Hall

Madonna will have to justify her love to more concerned parties than she may have liked.

After a series of delays, a Malawi High Court judge has ruled in favor of a coalition of 67 human rights organizations' request to be a party to the assessment of the Material Mom's fitness as an adoptive parent.

Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, were granted interim custody of 14-month-old David Banda last month and were permitted to take him home to London, rather than remaining in Malawi for an assessment period of 18 to 24 months as the country's adoption laws require.

The ruling set off a flurry of controversy among human rights and child advocacy activists, who complained the adoption process was fast-tracked for the couple due to their celebrity. (Madonna and her attorneys have steadfastly denied that she was granted any special treatment.)

Justin Dzonzi, an attorney and chairman of the Human Rights Consultative Commission, stressed that the group was not trying to block the Ritchies' adoption but was instead seeking to draw attention to Malawi's "archaic" adoption laws, which he said are regularly circumvented by foreigners.

Judge Andrew Nyirenda granted the coalition's request, stating he saw no reason not to do so.

"I believe the applicants mean well, and this court will certainly benefit from the applicants' researched opinions," the judge said in a written order Wednesday.

The groups will now be a party to the court's first assessment of Madonna and Ritchie, which is expected in May.

According to Madonna's attorney, Alan Chinula, the singer accepted the ruling without question.

"The Ritchies called me from London and I explained to them the ruling...they have no problem with the ruling and are also willing to sit back and wait," Chinula told reporters.

As the singer tells it, she has little reason to be concerned about any failings as a parent, seeing as little David has made a virtually seamless transition into her home.

"David is amazing," Madonna said in a satellite interview on Oprah last month.

"What really surprises me is how great my children are with him and how he's transitioned so easily from living in Africa in an orphanage to living in our house," she said.