State Police (VP) and State Inspectorates for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (VBTAI) representatives today also visited the Bārbele Boys’ Primary School “Roots and Wings” established by the Mountain Blessing Community, confirmed the director of the institution Ilona Blūma.
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She confirmed that the staff of both institutions had arrived at the institution, but asked for more comments from the police and the VBTAI.
There is currently a children’s camp in the school building, but all permits have been received for its operation, and no violations have been found in its operation, Bloom said, adding that her “conscience is clear”.
At the moment, the mini-festival “Little Prince’s Planet” planned for the weekend has not been canceled, which will be both as an open day in Barbel and as a way to the establishment of the first drone park in Latvia.
Enrollment in primary school itself is also ongoing, and it is currently known that 16 pupils in grades 1 to 6 could attend the school. Bloom stressed that the institution’s programs are accredited.
The State Education Quality Service (IKVD) confirmed that Bārbele Boys’ Primary School “Roots and Wings” is an accredited educational institution that implements an accredited primary education program. IKVD from 2018-2020. No complaints have been received regarding the operation of the mentioned educational institution.
According to the information published on the website of the Mountain Blessing Community, the Bārbele Boys’ School was established as a school for young fathers, “which would provide suitable conditions for the growth of boys into developed, versatile, capable and judgmental personalities”.
“A school where training takes place not through fear, because in life we get exactly what we are most afraid of, but by stimulating to think positively and do good according to the program within which we are created,” the website said.
It has already been reported that in the association “Kalnablību community” VBTAI together with the representative of the Ombudsman’s Office found that children were employed in field work from ten to 12 hours a day without access to medical care and in case of violations are punished by food intake restriction Trams.
The initial inspection was carried out in response to information provided by an individual about possible violations of children’s rights, including physical and emotional abuse. On August 20, the VBTAI and the Ombudsman’s Office re-examined.
During the initial inspection, the community leader was unable to pinpoint the number of children in the community, and avoided providing information about the children’s legal representatives and presenting documents justifying why the children were placed in his or her care.
It was established that minors staying in Brukna manor are employed in field work for a disproportionately long time, but in case the child has not fulfilled the set daily norm, the work also continues at night. In the case of violations, one of the types of punishment is the restriction of food intakes – children are forced to live on bread and water.
Given that minors do not have access to medical care if necessary, the VBTAI has also received information on cases where children have felt physically ill or even lost consciousness due to long working hours and lack of water while working in the field.
There have also been reports of several episodes of physical and emotional abuse. An additional risk for children is the fact that they live in the community on a daily basis with adults who have previously been convicted of various crimes, as well as people with various addiction problems.
Information on the findings of the inspection in accordance with the competence has been submitted for further evaluation to the LP, the Food and Veterinary Service and the State Labor Inspectorate.
The administration of Brukna manor admitted that the complaint about the alleged violations of children’s rights was written by an addicted adult who did not like what was happening in the “Blessing Community of the Mountain”.
Work in the community is organized voluntarily. People come to Brukna manor themselves, offer their help, get involved in home and garden work, involving children as well. Summer camps with a long stay in the manor are not organized, the administration claimed.
At present, all information and what is happening in the community is evaluated by the responsible authorities. A more detailed comment should be requested from the leader of the community, Pastor Andrejs Mediņš, but LETA has not yet been able to contact him.
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