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Dale Farm Travellers

Title of entry:
Dale Farm Travellers
Type of eviction:
Class, racial or gender-based discrimination
Region:
Europe
Country:
United Kingdom
City:
Basildon
Neighbourhood:
Crays Hill, Wickford
Name of community or family threatened with eviction:
Dale Farm Travellers (second eviction from roadside threatened)
Estimated number of people affected (in figures):
240
Type of tenure:
Owners
Economic characteristics:
Various
Social characteristics:
Ethnic minority
Age group:
Various
Case history:
The Dale Farm Travellers own the land on which they had put their caravans for the last 10 years. They paid for the water, electricity connections, as well as the street lamps and roads. They applied for planning permission but it was refused (on discretion) by Basildon Council. On 19th October 2011 Basildon Council employed riot police from across the UK and well-known violent and racist bailiffs to remove the Travellers from their own land. Up to 100 activists living with the Travellers on Dale Farm supported them. The council then cut the water and electricity and destroyed Travellers' buildings; afterwards they dug deep trenches and piled up high bunds to stop them going back. The land was an old scrap yard and contained toxins which the action of the council exposed and spread.
The Travellers are now living, without light, heating, sanitary facilities, along the road leading up to their land. Basildon Council have served notice to evict them from this road without providing anywhere else for them to go. The families consist of school age children, as well as elderly and disabled people. If they leave their education, healthcare and employment will be discontinued.
TSN is marching from Victoria Station at 1pm on 19th October 2012 - the anniversary of the first eviction - to the Office of Communities and Local Government which is responsible.

Scale of responsibility:
Local , National
Violations of international legislation:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights , International Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 27) , International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (art. 5)
Reasons given for eviction (official and unofficial) :
Contravention of the local planning laws
Main events in the eviction (date, year, time):
From 29th September 2012 onwards the Traveller families are under direct threat of eviction - legal firms are trying to delay it but it will only be a delay.
TSN is marching from Victoria Station at 1pm on 19th October 2012 - the anniversary of the first eviction - to the Office of Communities and Local Government which is responsible.
Authorities planning or carrying out the eviction:
Basildon Council; Essex Police
Organisations involved, their strengths and weaknesses, and their position on the problem :
Traveller Solidarity Network who are mostly volunteers
Agencies, NGOs or other organisations providing support to the community affected:
Irish Traveller Movement (NGO)
Measures taken or proposed by community members and/or organisations supporting them to resist eviction and/or find alternative solutions:
A number of different short term and longer term measures
Options or possible solutions proposed by local or national authorities for the communities affected:
none
Future strategies or measures proposed to deal with this case or other evictions :
TSN Fight for Sites campaign launched in September 2012
Important future dates (specify what and when: day, month, year) :
19th October 2012
Source of information (name, address and nature of involvement) :
Essex Gurrl, member of TSN
Organsiations(s) providing information :
TSN
Relationship of community organisations involved with IAI:
Participates in Zero Evictions Campaign
Update:
30/12/2012
Date of complaint:
1 October 2012
Editor:
Jan Plummer