Eva Michalakova is the mother of two children. Two boys. David and Denis.

To ensure that the two boys grow up to become solid and productive Norwegian citizens the Norwegian authorities have decided that both David and Denis are to break all bonds with their mother Eva and the rest of their Czech family. They are to be brought up in two separate Norwegian homes. Even though both of them are citizens of the Czech Republic.
The system of Child Welfare has long and solid traditions in Norway. As the first country in the world to pass a law that gave the Norwegian State permission and responsibility to take care of children (in reality children from the lower parts of society) in the year 1900 – the tradition carry on with increasing strength today. An enormous growth in the Norwegian economy the last 40 years or so is one plausible explanation why the numbers of children taken away from their parents by force, have exploded in Norway over the past decade.
Another reasonable explanation is that Norway continues an over 100 year old tradition of a severe form of social control. The laws that applies in these cases proves this point. They are written and interpreted in a way that leaves no room for the family to object to the state interference in their private lives.
The government appointed expert-group on the matter «Raundalen-utvalget» states in the year 2012 that their ethical stand is «to weaken the families power and freedom to enable society to rescue the most vulnerable children».
With this viewpoint, it is no wonder that five children are taken away from their parents without warning each day in the supposedly «best country on earth» to live in. The group also says that one of the reasons for this ethical stand is to make sure that children grow up to become «solid and productive members of society in the best interest of the nation».
That this policy breaks with basic human rights is not an issue for the Norwegian Government that blindly continues its offensive campaign against families living in Norway. The thought behind this policy is the same today as it was when the law first was written – control over the working class – to protect society against children that might be a threat to social order. Today Norway has the resources to implement this ideology to its full potential and in this regard finalise an experiment that started well over a century ago.
One can also read into the state´s premise a goal to eliminate all social problems – to be the first nation in the world to create «The Perfect State». And the means to achieve this goal is through an extremely tight knit system of laws and subsequently the effectiveness in which these laws are carried out.
Today we see that a very high number of foreign citizens under the age of 18 are taken into custody by the Norwegian authorities. It is as if the mantra is: «What we don´t understand is considered a danger to our form of life».
This process of assimilation is not new in Norway. This summer – 2015 – an official report states that Norway has indeed conducted an assimilation process against the Tater-Romani people – a process – the report states, that is in breach with human rights. It is interesting that the actions by the state that are condemned as a criminal act against the Tater-Romani people are the same actions Eva Michalakova is subjected to.
It is no wonder this form of politics have created protest movements in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic.

In July 2015 Eva came to visit me and my family in the small town where we live. We did some interviews, had meals together, talked about her children and how her case has inflicted her and her family. During the period she was here we spent one day at the beach. The pictures are taken out of the film we shot.
Eva connected well with my daughter Alma – and it is sad to think about what her sons are missing.

I first met Eva in Prague in October 2014 during a session held at the Charles University.


I was there shooting footage for my documentary about the Norwegian Children Services. It was my first time in Prague and I went on a boat-trip to get some footage of this beautiful city.



I also spent time at the Franz Kafka museum and the striking resemblance between «The Trial» by Kafka and Eva´s experience with the Norwegian repressive state apparatus can not be ignored.


To first be accused of «something» and on the background of these vague suspicions – that are constructed by strangers, to the next step in the process; the massive de-humanising process Eva was – and still is – subjected to. A sign of miscarriage of justice – professor dr. philos. Arild Linneberg states – is when one conducts a character-murder on the accused.
Eva was first noticed by an employee in the kindergarden. She thought Eva was «strange». The seed of suspicion was planted – and with this gaze of mistrust that was cast upon Eva – the suspicions grew to accusations that subsequently grew both in number and in severity until Eva ended up becoming «the monstrous» mother. And without being in a position to prove that the accusations are false – Eva loses the right to have any contact with the two boys she has carried under her heart and also given birth to.
I think this is a predicament that is impossible to fully convey in a documentary. I think one has to go to Franz Kafka to comprehend what it feels like to be put in this situation.
Continue reading Eva Michalakova
http://www.altombarnevern.no/eva/
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