Media frenzy over Roma child stealing claims unravels as new facts come to light

From the Travellers' Times

The “media frenzy” over accusations of child stealing by Roma families is beginning to unravel as new facts come to light in the Republic of Ireland and Greece amidst claims of state-sponsored child “abduction”.

Traveller campaigners have accused the Irish Government of illegal “abductions” of Roma children and following criteria similar to the eugenic theories of Nazi Germany, after a blond haired Roma girl was returned to her family when DNA tests proved that she was related to her parents. Shortly afterwards, another Irish Roma child was returned to his family in similar circumstances.

The “sensationalist” and “inaccurate” media coverage of in the UK is now being called into question by campaigners as new developments in Greece throw serious doubts on the claims that the Greek ‘Maria’, who is at the centre of the media storm, was abducted. Instead, initial results from the Greek investigation suggest that ‘Maria’ may have been unofficially adopted from a Roma woman by the Roma couple who initially claimed to be her biological parents. In Ireland Pavee Point, the Traveller rights organization that is supporting the Roma family whose child was taken by the Gardai, has called on the Minister for Children to establish an independent review of the actions of the Irish state authorities.

read more...