|
By Grattan Puxon
For some residents forced eviction next month could be a death-sentence, representatives from Dale Farm have told the UN in Geneva. President of the Gypsy Council Richard Sheridan, who flew to Geneva on Sunday, said the missionwas a last bid to get the UK to comply with UN requests to call off what would be the biggest clearance operation against an ethnic minority in modern Britain.
UN agencies have twice requested that the UK Government, which is funding the mass eviction, instead find a peaceful resolution. In its latest move, the UN Human Rights Commission has placed the UK under an Earning Warning Procedure notice stating that forced removal may breach human rights.
“The UN will be placing specific focus on Dale Farm while we are in Geneva,” commented Matthew Brindley, of the Irish Travellers Movement, which is mounting the mission. “We’ll be feeding in the latest evidence, including the chronic health condition of several residents.” He said among these were two people dependent on the life-support of nebulisers, which require a regular electricity supply.Basildon Borough Council has announced that electricity is to be cut off when hired bailiffs enter the estate after 31 August.
In an urgent action call-out Amnesty International says the eviction will leave residents homeless and without access to proper medical treatment for those with serious illnesses. It draws attention to the UN call for an agreement on relocation in conformity with international human rights standards. emphasising the needs of residents with disabilities and chronic ailments.
So far, Basildon’s Tory party leader Tony Ball has brushed aside all appeals for exceptions to be made where proof of severe illness has been submitted. In face of this life-threatening situation, lawyers representing Dale Farm are preparing to take the matter back to court through an application for a temporary injunction to stay the eviction.
Preparations for support
1. Camp Constant:a mass gathering of national and international supporters of the Dale Farm community will commence on the ‘Big weekend’,Saturday, 27th to Monday 29th August, which is the final weekend before Travellers have been told they must abandon their homes or face the bulldozers.Residents of Dale Farm have invited supporters down for a long weekend of skill sharing and cultural celebration.Join us for:
* Training for legal observers and human rights monitors
* Practical eviction resistance workshops
* Acoustic music on Saturday night
* Traveller history & celebration
Sleeping space is available in caravans and residents homes or you can bring a tent, and you are welcome to sleep over on Friday August 26th. There will be more information next week, but for now, we would love to hear from people who to help out with this. In particular:
Workshops: We’re planning a full programme of workshops for the weekend. We may have space for some additional workshops if you have some constructive/inspiring ideas, relevant to resistance and Traveller heritage. We’re also looking for people with good ideas/energy/kit for some workshops for kids and young people. There are over 100 children facing eviction at Dale Farm and residents have especially asked for creative workshops that the young people can enjoy. If you think you can help, please email: savedalefarm@gmail.com
Music: residents are keen for some acoustic music on Saturday night ‘to cheer us all up’ without disturbing elderly and unwell residents. There are likely to be several small music tents on Saturday evening and some open mic spots. Traditional Irish music with fiddles extremely welcome, but if you have a band who can play a good uplifting acoustic set, or are just happy to fill an open mic slot, please email: savedalefarm@gmail.com
Food: want to help run the vegan kitchen? Again: savedalefarm@gmail.com
———-
2. Haven’t been to Dale Farm yet? Well, either wait for the ‘big weekend’ 27th—29th August, or get a head start on site this weekend. There’s loads to do, so join us on site at 11am for a morning briefing and site tour. See:
http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/activity/
3. Sign up to stuff:
To spend nights at Dale Farm here
To get our email bulletins here
4. Amnesty International has sent a callout to all their many thousands of supporters, condemning a forced eviction which would leave families homeless, when no alternative culturally appropriate site has been made available. This follows last week’s letter from the UN Special Rapporteur to the UK government, expressing concern that the planned forced evictions will be a clear breach of human rights legislation, if families are not offered an alternative site before forced evictions take place. See the Essex University Human Rights Clinic for more information on this.
5. Dale Farm news round-up:RomaBuzzMonitorand OpenDemocracy
6. Remember the Demo:Sat, 10th Sept, 1pm, see herefor more information and email: savedalefarm@gmail.com to add your group’s support to the list…
7. Info night in Cambridge, Monday 22nd August, 7.30pm, rear of St Barnabas church, Mill Road, for more information see here (pdf) or here (odt)or here (word doc).
8. See you at Dale Farm.
|
