Pssst, mister, wanna buy a kidney?

Here’s the story from today’s Phnom Penh Post: Mot Hiriphin, age 26, deeply in debt, is told he can solve his problem by selling a kidney. Wealthy businessman from Poipet is in need of kidney. Kidney for wealthy businessman, for Mot, $4,200. Everyone happy. Until Mot finds out the businessman actually paid $12,000. Mot feels cheated, goes to the cops, story makes local news. (Note that Mot’s complaint isn’t that poverty forced him to sell his organs, but that he got cheated on the deal).

Purely by chance I came across a facebook post in which a young man in Morocco asks if anyone wants his kidney, as he has no money. Sounds like Mot’s story. How much of this is going on in the world? I googled. Found there’s a facebook page, I-want-to-sell-my-kidney. Gruesome.

Willing sellers will find willing buyers, but the implications are not nice – and facebook facilitates human organ trafficking. Close down facebook!

(The photo at the top is from the facebook page of the Moroccan boy – Christ knows what’s going on, but he seems to be getting it on with a female cop – it’s a strange world).