Andrew Ko Update on William & Christopher Re-Adjusting Back to Home

Father's Update on Ko Twins after return from Singapore to California

Andrew Ko successfully recovered his twin sons, Andrew and William and returned to California last week. The Ko twins return is the first return of children from Singapore since the ague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction went into effect.

However, the return of the Ko twins did not rely on the Hague Convention at all - Singapore judges decided to do it all on their own because it was the right thing to do to recognize the US held proper jurisdiction and not to give any assistance to an international child kidnapper.

Singapore ought to be proud of these judges - they have set a good example to everyone.

Here in Andrew Ko's own words is an update on what has been happening since William and Christopher made it back home to California:

The boys are doing great. They came home to their room late Tuesday night and immediately picked up their old toys. Some Japanese card game. Then I saw Christopher measuring his height against their bunk beds. He did a few chin ups on the upper frame, then laughed.

On Wednesday morning they woke up late due to jet lag. Poured themselves a glass of milk and had eggs for brunch. Then they went outside to play basketball.

We had to go see the Minor's Counsel so she can report to the judge that they are returned.

School will start on Monday at the same school they attended when they were abducted. It is 2 blocks away from home and is a familiar environment with friends. They know the basketball coach very well from a previous basketball program. They love basketball had basketballs with them at the airport so they will have lots of fun.

They have made great strides since the Singapore airport on Tues morning. They had a great time on the flight to LA and played the onboard video games, movies and ordered snacks from the attendants. Room service in the air!

At the Singapore airport, a brother-in-law to the mother came over to see me and said he wanted to talk to me. He said you have to remember to do the right thing for the boys. This is funny coming from Choy Kin Chong, a retired Singapore Army Colonel. Why didn't he call me 18 months ago to talk; or better yet talk to the boys' mother after they found out she is wanted by Interpol for kidnapping. I AM DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE BOYS. The Wong family has in Singapore 4 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 sister-in-laws, 3 brother-in-laws and none of them thought enough to talk to their sister to return the boys in 18 months? Instead, they financed her actions. From the mother's previous Declarations in the US, the funding came from the US and Singapore siblings. In Singapore the family business Fung Mui HKS Gararge R on Targore Lane funded her bills. In the US, sister Jane Lee-Shue and brother-in-law Richard from Clearwater FL run a Chinese restaurant that helped fund her here. Maybe if business slowed down, they can't help finance a kidnapper wanted by Interpol, FBI and the State of California!

When we were leaving the airport on Tues, I said Hi to the boys and they responded with "shut up asshole." Either the education system in Singapore or the culture at home has a problem, or both. The boys NEVER talked like that when they were here in the US. Aunty May and her daughter who were walking right next to the boys did not even blink an eye when the outburst came out. Aunty May, husband Derek and their 4 children live in the same home with the boys. Maybe this type of language is allowed in the home so there was no reaction from her at all. This is not a proper environment for impressionable boys. Just incredible that they talk like that.

As you know, child abduction is one of the worst form of child abuse. There will be adjustment and healing going forward. But the boys are doing extremely well for just 4 days. The plan is a playdate on Friday and possibly a sleepover with a few old buddies.

Andrew Ko - Wins Order for Return of Twin Sons from Singapore

Andrew Ko successfully won a return order from the courts in Singapore for his twin sons, William and Christopher.  The boys were abducted from California to Singapore in August 2009, and in this instance the return order appears to be relatively quick - especially given Singapore has only recently signed the Hague Convention.

Rather than me prattle on, I think it better if Andrew's own words speak for him and what he is asking us all to do: Hello everyone,  I wanted to let you all know that I am in Singapore as I write, and we are hopefully on the  brink of some very positive news from the Singapore court.   On March 3rd, the Singapore judge is scheduled to rule on my motion to have the Singapore court recognize the US Court Order, issued Sept. 14, 2010, awarding full, permanent custody to me.   While nothing is certain, there have been numerous indicators throughout this saga that Singapore recognizes that the US is the appropriate forum for determining custody of my sons.    I am very, very hopeful that on March 3rd, the judge will rule that the US court order is to be recognized and respected by Singapore, and the boys returned to my custody to be brought home to the United States.  As we have seen in other cases, most notably Sean Goldman's, the most effective tool to impart justice in cases of international parental abduction is the instigation of government-to-government dialogue.  Pressure applied through appropriate diplomatic channels makes a difference for our children!  This dialogue comes about almost exclusively through the application of public pressure.    Therefore, I respectfully and passionately issue this call to action:  MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!  PLEASE WRITE TO THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS TODAY.  Please encourage your friends and associates to do the same.  Please demand that US diplomates and officials engage Singapore in order to adhere to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and take an active role in ensuring the safe, just and rightful return of these young victims to their father and to their home here in the U.S.  President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500  Use this link to email President Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Use this link to email Attorney General Holder: askdoj@usdoj.gov Office of U.S. Representative Christopher H. Smith - New Jersey 2373 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.  20515 p 202-225-3765 f  202-225-7768  If you live in California, please write to Senator Boxer, Senator Feinstein and your local congress representative. Office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer 501 I Street, Suite 7-600 Sacramento, CA  95814  Use this link to email Senator Boxer: http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm   Office of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein One Post Street, Suite 2450 San Francisco, CA  94101  Use this link to email Senator Feinstein: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe  The paragraph below is a sample that can be used for reaching out to elected officials.  Please email, fax, or call your Senators and Congress members in your home state, as they will likely not respond to non-constituents.    Dear (official's name), Christopher Ko and William Ko are minor children who were abducted to Singapore.  The US Government needs to communicate to the Singapore Government that we want the boys returned.  I am asking you as my elected official to contact Hillary Clinton - State Dept, Attorney General Holder - Justice Dept and President Obama to ask that they contact their counterparts in the Singapore Government to strongly express our desire to see the boys returned home to the United States.  The case is entering its 18th month and it is time my government got involved!  Christopher's NCIC case number is M648309789 and William's is M308382442. On behalf of my boys, William and Christopher, who turn 11 this month, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sincerely, Andrew Ko Singapore acceded to the Hague Convention in December 2010 and will start enforcing decisions with effect from March 1st 2011 - the development means that Ko's US custody order is now recognized by the Singaporean courts and the mother has been ordered to return the children. This does not preclude her from appealing the decision, and there is still the thorny issue of enforcement but for Andrew, William and Christopher at least, the prospect of reunification is looking to be a very real and close prospect. Do your best to make your voice heard and take 5 minutes to contact the Senators and President Obama as Andrew Ko requests.