Manasseh Raphael, Kidnapped July 5, 2009

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 9

1. States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. Such determination may be necessary in a particular case such as one involving abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one where the parents are living separately and a decision must be made as to the child's place of residence.
2. In any proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1 of the present article, all interested parties shall be given an opportunity to participate in the proceedings and make their views known.

(....in Manasseh Raphael's case, not only was he not permitted to make his views known, but his great-aunt Lydia, clearly and interested party, having clearly established rights to custody, was not permitted any opportunity to make her views known either. Great-Aunt Lydia specifically requested an attorney, but was ignored without comment. Great-Aunt and Godmother Lydia held legal custody of Manasseh and four of his siblings at the time they were kidnapped, and her claim to custody, proven by witnesses and written contracts, was also ignored by the court without comment...)

Manasseh Raphael, you are in our prayers. Your mother and father and many other family mambers, are waiting and praying for you to come home.