The bulldozing of Britain's biggest Traveller's village will be raised this week (15 June 06) at hearings in Washington
by the Helsinki Commission, a US Government agency monitoring the plight of Roma and Traveller's in Europe.
The fate of Dale Farm is also on the agenda of the World Urban Forum, an important UN body, meeting in Vancouver,
Canada, next week (19-23 June 06).
At both events members will hear that Gypsies and Traveller's are the most marginalised minority group in the UK,
suffering constant harassment and discrimination. They will learn that Basildon council has voted to spend £2.9 million on
destroying the homes of some 86 families at Dale Farm, after refusing retrospective planning permission.
The council have also opposed the provision of an alternative site on a brownfield site at Pitsea, Heather Ratcliff,
of the Washington-based Advocacy Centre will tell the Helsinki Commission.
Listed for discussion at the World Urban Forum on 19 June, the case for Dale Farm is being promoted by the UN
Advisory Group on Forced Evictions. This follows a complaint by residents to the International Alliance of Inhabitants, an
Italian non-governmental organisations which opposes ethnic-cleansing around the world.
"These hearings will help our cause," said Kathleen McCarthy, vice-chair of Dale Farm residents' committee. "But we still
feel very threatened by what Basildon intends to do.
by the Helsinki Commission, a US Government agency monitoring the plight of Roma and Traveller's in Europe.
The fate of Dale Farm is also on the agenda of the World Urban Forum, an important UN body, meeting in Vancouver,
Canada, next week (19-
At both events members will hear that Gypsies and Traveller's are the most marginalised minority group in the UK,
suffering constant harassment and discrimination. They will learn that Basildon council has voted to spend £2.9 million on
destroying the homes of some 86 families at Dale Farm, after refusing retrospective planning permission.
The council have also opposed the provision of an alternative site on a brownfield site at Pitsea, Heather Ratcliff,
of the Washington-
Listed for discussion at the World Urban Forum on 19 June, the case for Dale Farm is being promoted by the UN
Advisory Group on Forced Evictions. This follows a complaint by residents to the International Alliance of Inhabitants, an
Italian non-
"These hearings will help our cause," said Kathleen McCarthy, vice-
feel very threatened by what Basildon intends to do.
DALE FARM EVICTION PLAN
RAISED AT GLOBAL LEVEL
From Grattan Puxon
RAISED AT GLOBAL LEVEL
From Grattan Puxon
Photograph Copyright
JG Jones 2006
JG Jones 2006