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In the midst of the latest phase in the
investigation into the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann, Sky News presenter Kay
Burley entered the fray with an article
in the Daily Mirror in which she
castigated “conspiracy theorists” and
“haters” of Madeleine’s parents.
Burley, a reporter and newsreader of
long standing, wrote: “I am absolutely
staggered by the number of people on
social media who think they know exactly
what happened to little Madeleine.
Conspiracy theorists believe that it’s
only a matter of time before the McCanns
are held culpable for their daughter’s
disappearance.”
Burley went on to dismiss criticisms of
Kate McCann’s refusal to answer
questions put to her by Portuguese
police, and to belittle what many have
read into the findings of cadaver dogs
in the McCanns holiday apartment and a
hire car they used.
“Easy to dismiss such claims as Looney
Tunes, but even a national newspaper was
guilty of claiming the McCanns know more
than they have told the police,” wrote
Burley.
“As a mother I am offended and appalled
by such unfounded allegations.
“Every morning the McCann’s must wake up
only to be smothered by a blanket of
guilt. ‘ If only we’d done this…’
“They have always held on to the hope
that Madeleine will be found alive.
“So as the search continues, please
ignore the haters and think instead of
two desperate parents hundreds of miles
away sitting by the phone and hoping
against hope that nothing is found this
time.”
This heartfelt standpoint exemplifies
one of the most contentious features of
this extraordinary case. In the absence
of indisputable evidence, two
conflicting schools of thought have
developed about what happened to
Madeleine: one that she was abducted,
the other that she died inadvertently in
the apartment and her parents were
somehow involved in a cover-up.
There was no proof either way in 2007
and there is none today, but it is human
nature to adopt a preferred line of
probability depending on one’s logical
and emotional approach.
It is true that many people hiding in
the safety of anonymity or pseudonyms
make abhorrent, highly abusive comments
on internet sites. In the absence of
legal options, indeed they should be
ignored.
The trouble with Kay Burley’s
condemnation, however, is that in its
broad sweep it fails to recognize that
many of those who do not accept as a
given fact that Madeleine was abducted
are not “haters.”
Some of the McCann doubters and critics
have probably studied this case in more
depth and for longer than most
mainstream media journalists in Britain.
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Praia da Luz, the unlikely
scene of such an
extraordinary mystery. |
They are aware, for example, that
back in May 2007 no trace was found
of a break-in or a burglary, let
alone a kidnapping, at the apartment
from which Madeleine went missing.
Well-informed sceptics want the
truth to emerge so that justice can
finally be done. Their reasoned
arguments and conclusions are worthy
of serious consideration.
Not everyone believes what they hear
on television news channels or read
in newspapers. ‘Churnalistic’ and
seemingly servile coverage of this
case gives rise to distrust.
While there is genuine compassion
for Madeleine’s devastated parents,
a great many Portuguese mothers are
offended and appalled by the
repercussions in this country of
leaving Madeleine and her siblings
alone that fateful night.
The reputations of the Portuguese
judicial police, the original lead
detective and a range of innocent
‘suspects’ have been blackened in
the British media over the years.
To cap it all, the Algarve has been
cast recently as a hotbed of
pedophilia and the ordinary folk
dependent on tourism for their
livelihood in Praia da Luz have been
subjected to the crass timing of the
current search operations.
Obviously this case has been a very
public and impassioned one, but
simplistic rants in the mainstream
or social media are not helpful.
One indisputable fact is that no
matter how much anyone sympathizes
with or is critical of Kate and
Gerry McCann, it is still far from
clear exactly what happened to their
daughter.
Sadly, it is looking increasing
unlikely we shall know any time
soon.
At the end of a
TV
interview at the weekend, former
Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral, who
believes Madeleine died in the
apartment, was asked: “Will we ever
find out what really happened that
night?”
He replied: “Yes, we will. When MI5
opens the case files we will find
out. Don’t forget that the British
secret services followed the case
right from the beginning. On
location.”
Amaral did not predict how long it
might be before that information
becomes available.
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