The 1994 criminal justice effectively criminalised the traveller way of life making it impossible to live. Councils no longer had to provide sites and police powers were strenghtened so families could be moved on immediately by the the cops. The situation was ridiculous and polititicians soon started encouraging both Irish and English Travellers to buy their own land and build their own sites.

For travellers buying land and making it habitable (hard standing to put caravans on, water and sanitation and building day houses) was seen as a way of adapting to a difficult situation and in doing so preserving their autonomy and keeping their communitys together. However now that many Travellers have bought land they are finding that it is almost impossible to get planning permission. The system is abhorently racist and every excuse from noise to traffic concerns to the usual accusations of crime and anti social behavior are thrown at almost every site which developes.

According to Cliff Cadona of the National Traveller Action Group, speaking at a House of Commons meeting for the Traveller Law Reform Bill Committee last wee, 80% of planning applications made by Travellers are turned down, this is compared with 20% from the settled community. Furthermore Cliff stated that there were over 2,500 caravan parks built last year in the UK, these being built for people who live in houses to go on holiday in.

Cliff knows what he is talking about, he lives on the Woodside Traveller site in Bedfordshire, with his family and wife Janey. Last year Woodside was a vibrant community, with over 200 residents and many Irish Travellers living alongside English Romanys. However John Presscott turned down the planning application for the site and most families moved away. There was about 20 caravans left in November when the baliffs came with the police to forcibly evict the site. However barricades had been built and supporters (many direct action folk) had come from around the country. The result was that the site was only partly evicted and the Cadona's are still there along with some Irish families and the srtuggle for Traveller recognition continues.

Tommorrw Thursday 30th at The Wick, the squ@tted social centre in Hackney Wick there will be a film (by Piratetv.net) screened about the resistance at woodside followed by a discussion about other Traveller Sites which face eviction such as Dale farm in Basildon.

Even though Travellers are now buying the land they wish to live on, the authorities still want them to MOVE ON. It is time we got out of our armchairs and extended our solidarity to Travellers fighting for their rights. The plight of the Roma is also on the agenda tommorrw and there will be Roma speakers on hand to discuss plans to set up a sanctuary for Roma Assylum Seekers in London