Expelled father of Roma family admits he lied to French authorities

(18 Oct 2013) The father of a Roma immigrant girl who has become a cause celebre in France said Friday he pretended his family was from Kosovo in hopes of gaining pity - and political asylum. The lie didn’t work, and he and his family were expelled as illegal immigrants. His revelation is the latest twist in a tale that has shaken the French government and sent thousands of French high school students into the street, protesting on behalf of deported classmates. The girl, 15-year-old Leonarda Dibrani, was taken by police from a school field trip last week, then sent to Kosovo with her family. While such expulsions occur regularly as France tries to stem illegal immigration, the circumstances of the arrest - in front of Leonarda’s classmates and teachers - shocked many. France’s Socialist government is investigating and Interior Minister Manuel Valls has said he will get the results of the investigation on Saturday. Meanwhile, questions have surfaced over the Dibrani family history. Activists who worked with the family initially said they had fled Kosovo because of discrimination and limited opportunities against Roma, or Gypsies. But Leonarda’s father, Reshat Dibrani, told The Associated Press in Mitrovica on Friday that the Kosovo story was a lie aimed at achieving a better life for his six children. Presenting copies of their birth certificates, he said he was born in Kosovo but moved to Italy years ago, and that his children were born in Italy but don’t have Italian citizenship. He believed they had a better chance at permanently settling in France than Italy, so he moved the family to France, claiming the whole family was from impoverished, post-war Kosovo. “We said in France that we had come from Kosovo so that we get the papers (documents),“ he said. “ If I had told them (the French authorities) that I am Kosovar and they were born in Italy, France would then have said ’go back to Italy’,“ Reshat said. He said that others would have used the same tactics in a bid to claim asylum, adding, “you look to do what’s best for the family.“ Leonarda Dibrani meanwhile acknowledged the protests that have been taking place on her behalf and expressed her gratitude, but blamed French Interior Minister Manuel Valls for her situation for failing to hand over her documents. “That is why we are here in Kosovo, because of the Minister. Why did he not give them to us before?“ she asked. She said that she would like to return to France but added, “even if we don’t there is a life here. If the minister does not want us back we have a life here too.“ The case of the Dibrani family and an Armenian high school student expelled last weekend prompted protests by high school students around Paris. Thousands of teenagers, saying the expulsions are unfair to immigrant children trying to get an education and a better life, rallied in Paris on Friday. Clashes broke out between some protesters and riot police during the march. A number of protesters threw objects at police trying to slow down the march, and were met by tear gas. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: