Orphans stay close to home

The reason only 12 earthquake orphans have been adopted by new families is because authorities have been respecting the wishes of the children, the head of Sichuan civil affairs bureau told the same press meeting yesterday in Chengdu.

"Most of the orphans prefer to live with their family relatives, such as grandparents or uncle and aunt," Huang Mingquan said at the meeting launched before the one-year anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake.

"The family relatives also strongly ask for the custody of these children," he said.