Labels:
2010,
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Darshna Soni interview w/ McCanns
Continue Reading...
Labels:
2010,
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Labels:
2010,
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
The Press Association vs. Goncalo Amaral
Quoting below: ":: February 18 - A Portuguese judge upholds the McCanns' ban on Mr Amaral's book." and no mention of the Lisbon Appeals court ruling overturning the ban. The article jumps to the McCann petition, clearly omitting a key event in the timeline.
It is my opinion that this was done deliberately.
Article:
"KEY EVENTS SINCE MADELEINE DISAPPEARED
By Press Association Reporters
2 November 2010
Press Association National Newswire
Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.
2007
:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in southern Portugal while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.
Nothing is amiss when Mr McCann checks on the youngsters at just after 9pm, but when his wife goes back at about 10pm she finds three-year-old Madeleine missing.
Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.
:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.
:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese property developer Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.
Officers also search the home he shares with his mother in Praia Da Luz, just 100 yards from where the youngster was snatched.
:: May 25 - Portuguese detectives finally release the description of the man reported by Ms Tanner three weeks earlier following pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.
:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.
:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.
:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.
:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.
:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.
:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.
:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Ms Tanner.
2008
:: May 3 - A tearful Mrs McCann urges people to "pray like mad" for Madeleine as she and her family mark the first anniversary of the little girl's disappearance.
:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.
:: July 24 - Mr Amaral publishes a book about the case, entitled The Truth Of The Lie, in which he alleges that the young girl died in her family's holiday flat on the day she went missing.
:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.
They reveal details of the lines of inquiry pursued by detectives, witness statements and scores of previously unknown sightings of the little girl.
2009
:: January 29 - Nearly £2 million was raised for the official fund to find Madeleine in the first 10 months after she went missing, Companies House accounts show.
:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished for a Channel 4 documentary.
:: August 6 - The McCanns' investigators launch a worldwide hunt for an Australian lookalike of Victoria Beckham seen at a marina in Barcelona three days after the little girl disappeared.
:: September 9 - A Portuguese judge bans further sale or publication of Mr Amaral's book following legal action by Mr and Mrs McCann.
:: November 3 - The London-based Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre releases an internet video aimed at pricking the conscience of a friend or relative of the person responsible for Madeleine's disappearance.
:: December 11 - Mrs McCann returns to Praia da Luz for the first time since being made a suspect.
2010
:: January 12 - A civil court in Lisbon hears that Portuguese detectives believed Madeleine's parents covered up her death by faking her abduction as Mr Amaral tries to overturn the injunction on his book.
Mr and Mrs McCann strongly deny the allegations and defend their decision to take legal action against the former policeman.
:: January 27 - The McCanns mark the 1,000th day since their daughter went missing with a fundraising event in London and the release of 1,000 lanterns in Britain, Portugal and the US.
:: February 18 - A Portuguese judge upholds the McCanns' ban on Mr Amaral's book.
The ex-detective says he will appeal against the ruling and take his case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
:: March 3 - Another 2,000 pages of case documents held by Portuguese police are made public, revealing dozens of reported sightings of Madeleine for the first time.
:: November 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann launch a petition to lobby the UK and Portuguese governments for a joint or independent review of the case."
*************************************************************************
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
Excerpts:
...Our efforts have been rewarded with trust: More people in more places get their news from the AP than from any other source.
...we insist on the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior when we gather and deliver the news.
...That means we abhor inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions. It means we will not knowingly introduce false information into material intended for publication or broadcast; nor will we alter photo or image content. Quotations must be accurate, and precise.
...It means we avoid behavior or activities that create a conflict of interest and compromise our ability to report the news fairly and accurately, uninfluenced by any person or action.
...It means we must be fair. Whenever we portray someone in a negative light, we must make a real effort to obtain a response from that person. When mistakes are made, they must be corrected - fully, quickly and ungrudgingly.
...And ultimately, it means it is the responsibility of every one of us to ensure that these standards are upheld. Any time a question is raised about any aspect of our work, it should be taken seriously.
...
The policies set forth in these pages are central to the AP's mission; any failure to abide by them is subject to review, and could result in disciplinary action, ranging from admonishment to dismissal, depending on the gravity of the infraction.
...
CORRECTIONS/CORRECTIVES:
Staffers must notify supervisory editors as soon as possible of errors or potential errors, whether in their work or that of a colleague. Every effort should be made to contact the staffer and his or her supervisor before a correction is moved.
When we're wrong, we must say so as soon as possible. When we make a correction in the current cycle, we point out the error and its fix in the editor's note. A correction must always be labeled a correction in the editor's note. We do not use euphemisms such as "recasts," "fixes," "clarifies" or "changes" when correcting a factual error.
...
RESPONSES:
We must make significant efforts to reach anyone who may be portrayed in a negative way in our stories, and we must give them a reasonable amount of time to get back to us before we move the story. What is 'reasonable' may depend on the urgency and competitiveness of the story. If we don't reach the parties involved, we must explain in the story what efforts were made to do so.
Note: SEE WEBSITE FOR ENTIRE VALUES STATEMENT
COMPLAINTS:
The Associated Press
Headquarters
450 W. 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
Main Number
+1-212-621-1500
Send an e-mail to info@ap.org and it will be forwarded to the reporter or editor.Headquarters
450 W. 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001
Main Number
+1-212-621-1500
Labels:
2010,
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann,
Robert Murat
McCanns demand action on missing Madeleine
The Irish Examiner
Kate and Gerry McCann today said they have had enough of "fluffy worthless words", calling again for a full case review over their daughter Madeleine’s disappearance.
Exactly three-and-a-half years since Madeleine went missing, the couple said they want "action" and for "somebody to do something".
Today they launched a petition to lobby the UK and Portuguese governments for a joint or independent review of the case.
"Essentially for the last three-and-a-half years the authorities have not been doing anything proactive to help Madeleine," Mr McCann said.
"That is despite our best efforts to encourage them to do so.
"I don’t think it’s right that the onus should fall on us, the authorities really should be doing more."
His wife said: "I don’t want to be appeased and that’s what I feel we’re getting at the moment.
"We need action, I don’t need fluffy worthless words. We need somebody to do something.
"Madeleine is still missing, she’s a little girl, her abductor is still out there, so by not carrying on we are putting other children at risk. I think more needs to be done."
The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, have met with former home secretaries Alan Johnson and Jacqui Smith, as well as current Home Secretary Theresa May, to discuss the issue and to ask for a review of the case.
Mrs McCann said when they met Mr Johnson, who commissioned a "scoping exercise" by Ceop to see if a review would be helpful, they felt they were making progress, but now did not even know if the report had been read.
"There has not been a formal case review and I think for such a serious case like this, and with the profile of it and international aspects, that should be carried out," her husband said.
"The onus is on the UK and Portuguese authorities to sort that out.
"I think the best thing is for this case to be solved, and at the moment the authorities are not doing anything proactive to try and do that."
Madeleine was three when she went missing from her family’s holiday flat in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3 2007 as her parents dined with friends nearby.
Portuguese police launched a massive investigation with the support of British officers, but the inquiry was formally shelved in July 2008 without reaching any firm conclusions about her fate.
Private detectives employed by the McCanns are still investigating the case and as well as the petition, the couple are appealing for continued financial support for the official Find Madeleine fund – as it stands the fund will run out in spring 2011.
Mr and Mrs McCann said they had not given up hope and spoke of their frustration at a lack of help from the authorities.
"Children do get found years down the line," Mrs McCann said. "There’s no evidence that Madeleine is not out there alive.
"It’s just heartbreaking to think that nothing is getting done other than what we are having to do, other than our small team.
"Obviously a small team has limitations. If we had a review, if we had help from the authorities, the chances of finding Madeleine would be much greater I think.
"We deeply believe it will take us that step closer to finding Madeleine."
Mr McCann said fundraising was a secondary objective to urging people to help put pressure on the governments "to do what they should have done all along".
"In the interim we are carrying on, we’re interviewing witnesses, dealing with new information and continuing reviewing the information available to us," he said.
"But it’s important to emphasise we do not have all of the information, there’s information that went into the inquiry that was not made public when the file was disclosed and therefore it’s impossible for our team to review everything, we simply don’t have access to it.
"The team also doesn’t have any statutory authority, no one has to speak to them.
"That’s why we’re asking for the governments to organise an independent, thorough and hopefully transparent review."
Mrs McCann said the lifting of a ban on a book by former Portuguese police detective Goncalo Amaral, in which he alleges the little girl died and her parents faked her abduction, was "baffling".
Mr McCann said: "Anyone who tried to claim that Madeleine is dead without evidence, anyone who does that and essentially stops the search – their motive has to be questioned.
"We’re here trying to instigate the search in a meaningful way, it’s very clear he wants the search to stop."
But the couple said they could not give up and spoke of how their family was coping with the situation.
Mrs McCann said: "Sean and Amelie are great, they are doing really well, they seem to have taken everything on board and coped really well. Maybe that’s one of the attractions of youth really.
"We’re doing okay, we make the best of it. Life is not normal, I guess it’s a new kind of normal.
"A friend of mine said she heard a radio interview with a man who had been through a tragedy.
"He described the pain like a boulder, he said it’s not like the boulder gets any lighter, you just get stronger.
"I think that’s true, you adapt to the situation, you learn different coping mechanisms.
"It doesn’t mean the pain is any less, it doesn’t mean that the whole issue is any less important.
"We haven’t got our daughter, Sean and Amelie haven’t got their sister, our family isn’t complete.
"We can’t stop, it doesn’t matter how tired you are, we’re on this treadmill and we can’t stop trying to find Madeleine or at the very least find out what’s happened.
"That ordeal would be much more bearable if we had more assistance."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Secretary has met Kate and Gerry McCann and is deeply sympathetic to their situation.
"The Government wants to ensure that everything feasible is being done to progress the search for Madeleine.
"The British authorities will maintain a dialogue with the Portuguese and continue to liaise with Madeleine’s family on any developments."
Labels:
2010,
CEOP,
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Jim Gamble,
Madeleine McCann
Press Complaints Commission: United Kingdom
The PCC is an independent self-regulatory body which deals with complaints about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines (and their websites). The Press Complaints Commission is charged with enforcing the Code of Practice which was framed by the newspaper and periodical industry and was ratified by the PCC in September 2009.
As it is clear that there was extensive coverage in the British media regarding the McCann's success in achieving a temporary ban on "The Truth of the Lie"; it is also apparent that there is now a responsibility by these same organisations to inform the British public about the Lisbon Appeals Court ruling overturning the ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
(NOTE: Please read the Code of Practice prior to making a formal complaint.)
The following excerpts from the Code of Practice are, in my opinion, relevant to complaints regarding the silence in the British media regarding the Lisbon Appeals Court Ruling. It cannot be said that editors are unaware of the development as numerous complaints to the editors have already been lodged.
1 ACCURACY
- i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.
- ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published.
- iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.
- A fair opportunity for reply to inaccuracies must be given when reasonably called for.
...
1. The public interest includes, but is not confined to:
- i) Detecting or exposing crime or serious impropriety.
- ii) Protecting public health and safety
- .iii) Preventing the public from being misled by an action or statement of an individual or organisation.
**************************************************************
E-mail: complaints@pcc.org.uk
Press Complaints Commission
Halton House
20/23 Holborn
London EC1N 2JD
Email: will.gore@pcc.org.uk
Available during office hours 9.00 to 5.30 Monday to Friday:
Helpline: 0845 600 2757 (a local rate call charge)
Scottish Helpline: 0131 220 6652 (a local rate call charge for those based in Scotland)
Welsh Helpline: 029 2039 5570 (a local rate call charge for those based in Wales)
Switchboard: 020 7831 0022
Textphone: 020 7831 0123
Facsimile: 020 7831 0025
Labels:
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Press Council of Ireland / Press Ombudsman: Complaints
Please feel free to use the information HERE should you decide to complain to the Irish Press Ombudsman regarding the apparent news blackout regarding the Lisbon Appeals Court decision to overturn the ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
Note that the Irish Examiner, the Irish Independent and the Irish News gave extensive coverage to the McCanns battle to censor "The Truth of the Lie". These three papers have not (to date) reported the ruling to overturn the ban. (Contact details are at the end of this post.)
Continue Reading...
Note that the Irish Examiner, the Irish Independent and the Irish News gave extensive coverage to the McCanns battle to censor "The Truth of the Lie". These three papers have not (to date) reported the ruling to overturn the ban. (Contact details are at the end of this post.)
***
(Please use "read more" for more info)
(Please use "read more" for more info)
Labels:
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Shameful censorship of the ruling of the Lisbon Appeals Court in the Amaral case
This list is a work in progress as I prepare to make formal complaints regarding the silence in the British and Irish Press related to the overturned ban on "The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral.
I thought the information might be helpful to others who are similarly bothered by this censorship and possibly also inclined to contact editors and/or the Press Complaints Commission.
Although there are other examples (I'm still collecting them), it is clear that the success of the McCanns in temporarily banning the book was reported in detail in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The same cannot be said for the Lisbon Appeals Court ruling to OVERTURN the decision to silence Dr. Amaral.
I've excerpted only enough text from each article to prove that they relate to the temporary ban on "Truth of the Lie". In my opinion, any news organisation that has covered the story to date has the responsibility to tell the entire story.
I'll try to keep this list current and will add any articles that belatedly inform the British / Irish public about the Lisbon Appeals Court ruling in favor of Dr. Gonçalo Amaral. I'll also add links to the (very few) news sites that have written about the October ruling, and you will see for yourself the outrageous spin involved in those. You may find the word count interesting - compare the words written about the temporary ban to the words written about the removal of that ban.
Is there a single unbiased, articulate journalist left in the UK? Is there even ONE with the integrity to provide an unbiased, non-emotive rendition of the FACTS about this case?
(Please note: I am adding many more articles as time allows...this is *far* from complete.)
Continue Reading...
I thought the information might be helpful to others who are similarly bothered by this censorship and possibly also inclined to contact editors and/or the Press Complaints Commission.
Although there are other examples (I'm still collecting them), it is clear that the success of the McCanns in temporarily banning the book was reported in detail in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The same cannot be said for the Lisbon Appeals Court ruling to OVERTURN the decision to silence Dr. Amaral.
I've excerpted only enough text from each article to prove that they relate to the temporary ban on "Truth of the Lie". In my opinion, any news organisation that has covered the story to date has the responsibility to tell the entire story.
I'll try to keep this list current and will add any articles that belatedly inform the British / Irish public about the Lisbon Appeals Court ruling in favor of Dr. Gonçalo Amaral. I'll also add links to the (very few) news sites that have written about the October ruling, and you will see for yourself the outrageous spin involved in those. You may find the word count interesting - compare the words written about the temporary ban to the words written about the removal of that ban.
Is there a single unbiased, articulate journalist left in the UK? Is there even ONE with the integrity to provide an unbiased, non-emotive rendition of the FACTS about this case?
(Please note: I am adding many more articles as time allows...this is *far* from complete.)
If you are interested, the list has been moved HERE.
Labels:
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Thoughts ...
After acquainting myself with everything I could learn about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, trying to study the files released by the Portuguese PJ, watching video interviews, reading every news article I had time to read, I knew that there was something quite wrong with the story told by Madeleine's parents and their friends. So much has been already said about that, all over the internet there are people, like me, expressing the reasons why - there is no need to go into that here and now.
A long time ago I came to the conclusion that no legal punishment the McCanns could possibly face for their actions after their child "went missing" would be as traumatic as losing the daughter they loved. I believed they loved Madeleine. It is what they have done from May 2007 on that I have thought about and continue to think about every day and why I believe they must be held to account.
The McCanns and others aligned with them apparently determined that the way to exonerate themselves, to avoid the consequences for their actions, was to destroy a Truthteller, a man who would not turn his back on his lifelong commitment to justice, a man who would not cast aside his integrity. As I watched it take place, I even came to the point of wondering if they did love their children, if those happy family photos told the true story. Could they be capable of love and at the same time capable of intentionally ruining other people's lives? People they knew to be telling the truth when they knew they themselves were NOT telling the truth?
More for Dr. Amaral (and others they have attempted to destroy), than for the crimes related to Madeleine (crimes which I believe took place) I have waited, with many others, for justice to be done and for the McCanns and anyone else involved in the cover-up to their crimes be subjected to the strictest punishment possible.
Over the last three and a half years, I've watched it all, as have so many people from countries all around the world.
I saw a Portuguese professional lead an investigation into a little girl's disappearance. I watched him dedicate himself to solving a complicated case - working with a crime scene contaminated by the McCanns and their friends, being subjected to the immediate intervention of the British government, staying silent (as was his duty) when reporters and pundits insulted him, questioned his abilities, mocked his appearance.
Then I watched as, on his birthday, he was removed from the case - a transfer apparently known about by the British Prime Minister before Dr. Amaral himself was even informed of the action (the outrageous injustice, in my opinion).
This dignified professional, with over 20 years serving his countrymen, was not defended by those who led the organisation to which he had given his life. His career, up until that time, had been exemplary, and who stood up for him against the xenophobic British media who labeled him a "Keystone Kop"? Where were his superiors when the British headlines were screaming (inaccurately) that he was "fired"? Who among them stood up to defend him when reporters were calling him a "bumbler", "disgraced" or "inept"?
I saw a man who had conducted himself with quiet dignity and who chose to leave a career he loved, who stepped off the path he'd walked his entire life, because he refused to break the rules of the organisation he served by speaking out about the case - a man forced to leave his profession out of a commitment to the very thing that organisation was supposed to stand for - TRUTH and JUSTICE.
To speak the truth, this man made what had to have been an agonising decision...and yet, after watching him all this time, I believe it was the only decision he could make and remain true to all he had ever been.
So... he wrote the truth of the investigation. The "Truth of the Lie" is not vindictive in tone, it is not cruel or unkind. It is a factual account of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, up until the time Dr. Amaral was removed from the helm of the inquiry.
It is the voice that had remained silent finally finding expression.
I applaud the Lisbon Appeals Court for overturning the decision to silence this man. Specifically, I applaud the Appeals Court judges, Francisco Bruto da Costa, Catarina Arelo Manso and António Valente for upholding the right of this Portuguese citizen, one who has served his country for so many years, with integrity and professionalism, to speak freely and to be heard by those of us all around the world who want to hear him.
***
To the Amarals, if by some chance you read this blog;
I want to thank you for your courage and the sacrifices you have ALL made. While many are celebrating the decision of the Lisbon court, I find myself filled with a deep sadness over what you have endured. My hope is that you will be fully vindicated and that the days ahead bring you peace and happiness as a family.
To you, Dr. Amaral, a personal note;
This world is full of many injustices, there are many people who suffer unfairly and many things that are impossible to accept without protest. This has been one of those things. I agree with the definition of a hero as being a person who faces adversity by choice, unselfishly, motivated by principles and a commitment to his fellow man. And you are that, Dr. Amaral. It is rarely I've ever been willing to call anyone a hero, but you are that to me. Thank you for helping me believe there is goodness in this world.
Para os Amarais, se por algum acaso você ler este blog;
Quero agradecer a você por sua coragem e os sacrifícios que todos têm feito. Enquanto muitos estão comemorando a decisão do tribunal de Lisboa, sinto-me cheio de uma tristeza profunda sobre o que você tem sofrido. Minha esperança é que você vai ser plenamente justificada e que os próximos dias lhe tragam paz e felicidade como uma família.
Para você, Dr. Amaral, uma nota pessoal;
Este mundo está cheio de muitas injustiças, há muitas pessoas que sofrem injustamente e muitas coisas que são impossíveis de aceitar, sem protestar. Esta foi uma dessas coisas. Concordo com a definição de um herói como sendo uma pessoa que enfrenta a adversidade pela escolha, desinteressadamente, motivados por princípios e um compromisso com seus semelhantes. E você é isso, Dr. Amaral. É raro que eu já estive disposto a chamar alguém um herói, mas você é que para mim. Obrigado por me ajudar a acreditar que existe bondade neste mundo.
Continue Reading...
A long time ago I came to the conclusion that no legal punishment the McCanns could possibly face for their actions after their child "went missing" would be as traumatic as losing the daughter they loved. I believed they loved Madeleine. It is what they have done from May 2007 on that I have thought about and continue to think about every day and why I believe they must be held to account.
The McCanns and others aligned with them apparently determined that the way to exonerate themselves, to avoid the consequences for their actions, was to destroy a Truthteller, a man who would not turn his back on his lifelong commitment to justice, a man who would not cast aside his integrity. As I watched it take place, I even came to the point of wondering if they did love their children, if those happy family photos told the true story. Could they be capable of love and at the same time capable of intentionally ruining other people's lives? People they knew to be telling the truth when they knew they themselves were NOT telling the truth?
More for Dr. Amaral (and others they have attempted to destroy), than for the crimes related to Madeleine (crimes which I believe took place) I have waited, with many others, for justice to be done and for the McCanns and anyone else involved in the cover-up to their crimes be subjected to the strictest punishment possible.
Over the last three and a half years, I've watched it all, as have so many people from countries all around the world.
I saw a Portuguese professional lead an investigation into a little girl's disappearance. I watched him dedicate himself to solving a complicated case - working with a crime scene contaminated by the McCanns and their friends, being subjected to the immediate intervention of the British government, staying silent (as was his duty) when reporters and pundits insulted him, questioned his abilities, mocked his appearance.
Then I watched as, on his birthday, he was removed from the case - a transfer apparently known about by the British Prime Minister before Dr. Amaral himself was even informed of the action (the outrageous injustice, in my opinion).
This dignified professional, with over 20 years serving his countrymen, was not defended by those who led the organisation to which he had given his life. His career, up until that time, had been exemplary, and who stood up for him against the xenophobic British media who labeled him a "Keystone Kop"? Where were his superiors when the British headlines were screaming (inaccurately) that he was "fired"? Who among them stood up to defend him when reporters were calling him a "bumbler", "disgraced" or "inept"?
I saw a man who had conducted himself with quiet dignity and who chose to leave a career he loved, who stepped off the path he'd walked his entire life, because he refused to break the rules of the organisation he served by speaking out about the case - a man forced to leave his profession out of a commitment to the very thing that organisation was supposed to stand for - TRUTH and JUSTICE.
To speak the truth, this man made what had to have been an agonising decision...and yet, after watching him all this time, I believe it was the only decision he could make and remain true to all he had ever been.
So... he wrote the truth of the investigation. The "Truth of the Lie" is not vindictive in tone, it is not cruel or unkind. It is a factual account of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, up until the time Dr. Amaral was removed from the helm of the inquiry.
It is the voice that had remained silent finally finding expression.
I applaud the Lisbon Appeals Court for overturning the decision to silence this man. Specifically, I applaud the Appeals Court judges, Francisco Bruto da Costa, Catarina Arelo Manso and António Valente for upholding the right of this Portuguese citizen, one who has served his country for so many years, with integrity and professionalism, to speak freely and to be heard by those of us all around the world who want to hear him.
***
To the Amarals, if by some chance you read this blog;
I want to thank you for your courage and the sacrifices you have ALL made. While many are celebrating the decision of the Lisbon court, I find myself filled with a deep sadness over what you have endured. My hope is that you will be fully vindicated and that the days ahead bring you peace and happiness as a family.
To you, Dr. Amaral, a personal note;
This world is full of many injustices, there are many people who suffer unfairly and many things that are impossible to accept without protest. This has been one of those things. I agree with the definition of a hero as being a person who faces adversity by choice, unselfishly, motivated by principles and a commitment to his fellow man. And you are that, Dr. Amaral. It is rarely I've ever been willing to call anyone a hero, but you are that to me. Thank you for helping me believe there is goodness in this world.
Para os Amarais, se por algum acaso você ler este blog;
Quero agradecer a você por sua coragem e os sacrifícios que todos têm feito. Enquanto muitos estão comemorando a decisão do tribunal de Lisboa, sinto-me cheio de uma tristeza profunda sobre o que você tem sofrido. Minha esperança é que você vai ser plenamente justificada e que os próximos dias lhe tragam paz e felicidade como uma família.
Para você, Dr. Amaral, uma nota pessoal;
Este mundo está cheio de muitas injustiças, há muitas pessoas que sofrem injustamente e muitas coisas que são impossíveis de aceitar, sem protestar. Esta foi uma dessas coisas. Concordo com a definição de um herói como sendo uma pessoa que enfrenta a adversidade pela escolha, desinteressadamente, motivados por princípios e um compromisso com seus semelhantes. E você é isso, Dr. Amaral. É raro que eu já estive disposto a chamar alguém um herói, mas você é que para mim. Obrigado por me ajudar a acreditar que existe bondade neste mundo.
Labels:
Find Madeleine Fund,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
Will the British Media continue to suppress the truth?
Lisbon Appeals Court Ruling ENGLISH TRANSLATION
24 October 2010
Joana Morais Blog
Translation by "Astro"
Press Complaints Commission
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24 October 2010
Joana Morais Blog
Translation by "Astro"
Definition of suppress:
"Keep from public knowledge by various means"
Press Complaints Commission
Labels:
2010,
BBC,
Gonçalo Amaral,
Madeleine McCann
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