The Travellers, who are set to be evicted from their homes in Basildon after years of legal wrangling, have asked the local council if the new site, neat Witham, is suitable to relocate several families who stand to lose their homes.

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Carrying the flags of the United Nations, the Romani nation, and many countries, the group demonstrated outside of town hall, urging a freeze on the Basildon Council’s forced eviction plans.

The Travellers contend the eviction will cost more than 3 million pounds, and say it amounts to ethnic cleansing of the Gypsy community. Travellers have been consistent targets of racism and discrimination in the UK, despite the fact that most were born in the UK and are British citizens.

During the protest, the Travellers presented a legal memorandum outlining the Council’s obligation under international law to seek an alternative to bulldozing their community. The memorandum, drawn up by the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, with the help of the Univeristy of Essex Faculty of Law, says Dale Farm families have a strong claim under international law to be resettled — and not thrown out on the road, as the council intends.

Last week, the Council was told by the UK Government that it must provide land for a minimum of 62 caravan pitches, to enable Traveller families refused permits
to live on their own properties to take up legal residence in Basildon.

“We hope commonsense will prevail,” said Dale Farm Housing Association president Richard Sheridan. “It would cost the councilnothing to leave us in peace in our own homes.”

So far, talks with Basildon officials, continuing this week, have produced no offer of accommodation or land.

The Dale Farm crisis began in 2005 when it was determined the Travellers were living on Green Belt land that is environmentally protected from development. Eviction orders were issued in 2005 and 2007. The most recent threat began after the UK Court of Appeal ruled in January that the Travellers could be legally evicted.

The Dale Farm Housing Association is a partner of The Advocacy Project (AP). AP has supported the Travellers since 2005 and previously sent two Peace Fellows to volunteer at Dale Farm.

The Echo, which has extensively covered the Dale Farm crisis, reported June 16 that an agreement has been made for traveller spokesman Richard Sheridan  to lead a group in negotiations with council officials.

Coucil Chairman Tony Ball said agreeing to the talks would not stop the Council from pursuing  eviction orders against the Travellers, but that it was in everyone’s interest for the Travellers to leave by choice and avoid the costs of a forced eviction.

The Dale Farm crisis began in 2005 when it was determined the Travellers were living on Green Belt land that is environmentally protected from development. Eviction orders were issued in 2005 and 2007. The most recent threat began after the UK Court of Appeal ruled in January that the Travellers could be legally evicted.

The Travellers and their advocates argue that the Travellers are defined as a distinct ethnic group by British law and have long been targets of discrimination in the UK. The wholesale eviction of about 90 Dale Farm families would also interrupt the education of the Traveller children and create a health crisis.

The Advocacy Project (AP) has supported the Travellers since 2005 and previously sent two Peace Fellows to Dale Farm.

The Dale Farm Housing Association, an Advocacy Project (AP) partner, is insisting that Council freeze plans for an eviction and grant the planning permission needed for families to remain in their homes. A large-scale eviction and relocation could cost up to 25 million euros, in addition to forcing Traveller children out of schools and creating a public health crisis.

The Travellers want the Council to continue the dialogue started on April 23 during a meeting with Commission for Equality and Human Rights, instead of moving forward with their eviction plan. They are also appealing to local churches and social justice organizations to oppose the eviction and lobby the Council and British government on their behalf.

AP, which has supported the Travellers since 2005 and previously sent two Peace Fellows to Dale Farm, will be contacting relevant members of the United Nations and the British Embassy.

The Dale Farm crisis began in 2005 when it was determined the Travellers were living on Green Belt land that is environmentally protected from development. Eviction orders were issued in 2005 and 2007. The most recent threat began after the UK Court of Appeal ruled in January that the Travellers could be legally evicted.

However, the court ruled that the Council cannot make the Travellers homeless, and is still responsible for finding alternative land, under the East of England Regional Assembly and the 1996 Housing Act. So far, the Council has ignored these requirements.

Today, British Parliament Member John Barron offered a plan to help the Dale Farm Travellers move amicably outside of Basildon. This would be a temporary solution that would still leave the Travellers without a true home.

While the Travellers support Mr Barron’s intervention, they maintain that steps must be taken prior to any eviction to find a permanent home on land that they own, according to Grattan Puxon, secretary of the Dale Farm Housing Association.

Travellers have been consistent targets of racism and discrimination in the UK, despite the fact that most were born in the UK and are British citizens. Advocates for the Travellers note that British law recognizes them as a distinct ethnic group in need of protection.