Up to now most people have been worried about unauthorized child adoption. But even while it still exist, our children are facing graver problems. They have become targets for abuse and smuggling by different criminal gangs running with profitable and cruel intentions.

Many children were reported to have been missing, possibly kidnapped, by unknown groups. Several witnesses have complained of child snatching right in front of their eyes. Like the incident where two small children went missing in a Galle hospital even while they were under the care of hospital staff. These groups are making use of the country's situation to kidnapped children and smuggle overseas. What do they care as long as they get their lockers filled up.

Then comes the sick stories of child abuse. Since the day the tsunami devastated the region, we have been hearing different stories of abuse mostly targeted on children. It's probably the worst thing I've heard during this course of adversity. As much as it's displeasing to hear, it's reality for those poor kids. And the more we just keep talking about it the more child lives we are putting on risk. Because the devils would not waste time while opportunity lasts.

Almost all children subjected to this ordeal are ones who have lost their families due to the tsunami attack. Mostly, poor ones who have no one else to look after them or no where else to go. They have been through their worst childhood nightmares, some that even the grown ups found it hard to bare. Their vulnerability had made them preys of an insensible group of psychopaths, when no one out of the millions in this country could have come to their help when they needed it the most.

It's sad to see how cruel humanity could get at times when we are meant to work together for the betterment of our race. It's even sad to know that after so many deaths and suffering we have still failed show compassion to our own brothers and sisters. Nature tried to teach us a lesson, but sadly there are some in this world who would never want to learn it.

I hope we all take interest in our children and work towards their safety and well being; otherwise we will be responsible for their innocent lives and become the real criminals due to our ignorance.