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Roma Lobby to End Anti-Gypsy Racism
Roma Lobby Issues Call for Racial Equality
By Grattan Puxon
Dale Farm Housing Association
United Kingdom, December 10, 2005: A call to end the use of forced evictions and mass deportation will be made at the first session of the newly-created European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF), to be hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg this week (December 13-15).
The Forum, which brings together elected delegates from 42 countries that comprises a Roma population of 12 million, wants to bring an end to all forms of anti-Gypsy racism, and tackle the extreme poverty and high child mortality rates prevalent among these groups.
Racial attacks on Roma across Europe are occurring at the rate of ten a week, according to Rudko Kawczynski, chair of the ERTF. In the last decade, two thousand Roma have been killed and four thousand injured.
Kawczynski believes a direct corollary exists between legally-sanctioned force and racially motivated killings. He says current deportations and constant move-on operations encourage a climate of intolerance and racism.
In Britain thousands of Gypsies have been evicted from their own land. Among them are Kay Beard and Cliff Codona, two delegates of the ERTF elected by a new UK standing conference.
Codona says in Britain the call for a moratorium is being backed by action including:
- Legal challenges over land recently seized and cleared by local councils.
- A stand by 85 families at Dale Farm in Essex against an eviction by Basildon council.
- A tour of trouble spots by a Gypsy and Travellers Affairs team to expose what is happening to Travellers forced to camp illegally.
- International lobbying by the UK Association of Gypsy Women (UKAGW) working with the Advocacy Project in Washington, D.C and other organizations.
- Promotion of the RED WHEELS FESTIVAL to coincide with the 35th Roma Nation Day, on 7 and 8 April 2006.
Kay Beard, chair of the UKAGW and a veteran international lobbyist, is taking video footage and other documentary evidence showing the brutal methods used by private security companies hired by local authorities for eviction work.
©Grattan PuxonDale Farm residents block authorities from entering site
"Some evictions have been conducted like police raids," comments Beard. "We think private firms should not be used and police limited to peace-keeping."
Meanwhile, Codona is mounting a court case over the action of Mid-Bedfordshire council in evicting 50 families from his Woodside caravan park without providing an alternative location.
While local councils have trashed many other self-provided caravan parks, Codona says 600 Travellers at Dale Farm are determined to hold out. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has ordered Basildon council to facilitate a move to land at Pitsea instead of bulldozing their homes.
The UK Commission for Racial Equality has branded Basildon Council’s motives as racist. The council has voted to spend five million euro on ethnically-cleansing "illegally camped" Travellers from the district.
"We want to live in harmony," says Richard Sheridan, a spokesman for Dale Farm. "But we'll defend our homes and our human rights if necessary."
Speaking of their return to the road, Joe and Bridie Jones, say they are still trying to get planning permission for their land in Kent. Living temporarily at the roadside will be a hardship but one they are prepared to undergo for the sake of all.
"This situation cannot go on, " Jones commented, "We hope appealing at Strasbourg and taking to the road again ourselves will help end the misery thousands are suffering."
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