Pavee Point is shocked and appalled by recent allegations of slavery against Travellers in the United Kingdom.
Pavee Point is dedicated to the promotion of the Human Rights of all people – Pavee Point unequivocally condemns slavery, exploitation of vulnerable people and forced labour in all their forms, wherever, by whomever perpetrated and whenever they occur. The allegations made in the Green Acres case are extremely serious – it is of vital importance that if convicted, perpetrators of such crimes should feel the full force of justice.
We ask the public and media commentators to allow time for the investigation into conditions at Green Acres to proceed, in order to ensure the appropriate course of justice to take its course.
We further ask that anybody with any information on mistreatment of vulnerable people, slavery or forced labour to give that information to the relevant authorities – people in Ireland who wish to do this confidentially can contact Garda Confidential by free telephone on 1800 666 111.
We echo the concerns of the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain that slow progress in this investigation by the Bedfordshire police, which claims to have received 28 complaints since 2008 may have extended the mistreatment of alleged victims. We are concerned that questions on the timing of the eventual arrests in the case in such close proximity to the events at Dale Farm in Essex are inevitable and unfortunate.