The area now occupied by these travellers was once one of the most attractive in the country. The woods saw birds of various types and sightings of the English Adder had been made. Since their arrival things have changed somewhat. Illegal building works have seen 300 year old Oak trees cut down, a blubell glade popular with local people destroyed and trenches dug that altered the flow of a stream causing the death of an otter group.

You decide of what is the most important - these peoples human rights or nature.

If there are real concerns about the wildlife I'm sure the locals would be happy to swop some monocultured, wildlife poor, farmland for the "beauty spot" thus keeping all parties happy, including snakes!

You miss the point Mark. The damage has already been done. Why do we make an exception for the Traveller community when we wouldn't for any other group ?

Would you support a property developer who did the damage these people did ?

I have close a personal knowledge of the Traveller settlement at Cray's Hill in Essex as I lived there until 6 months ago.

This delightful piece of woodland and open grassland has been ruined by a group of people who have used violence and intimidation on a daily basis. Trees have been uprooted, other cut up for firewood, the famous local Blue bell wood was destroyed and school trips which previously visited the wood on a regular basis have had to be cancelled after regular attacks on the children.

What makes local people so frustrated is the lack of action from the local authority who have stood back and watched an area of outstanding natural beauty ruined for generations to come. I was involed in the protests against the Newbury Bypass and Manchester Airport but the damage being done at Cray's Hill is just as bad.

I urge all those who want to see our natural landscape to be protected to ensure these people are removed as soon as possible before any more damage is done.

Am I correct in believing that Dale Farm has been a home to Roma for a few decades now?

Is there any way that we can verify your "facts" Jack Withson? Is it a site that has listed trees, or had been designated a site of special interest for example?

What do you think should happen to the people who live at Dale Farm?

And when you ask "you decide of what is the most important - these peoples human rights or nature" - what conclusion are you hoping that we come to? Especially when your post is so uncluttered with verifiable facts .......... and in the aftermath of a "stamp on the camps" campaign by a racist newspaper and a racist party leader.

JimT - lets start with ascertaining whether someone exploiting land for money is identical to someone having a home on land.

Is it? If not - what is the link you are trying to make?

And, what do you think should happen to the people of Dale Farm? Where should they live?

"Am I correct in believing that Dale Farm has been a home to Roma for a few decades now"

Yes and no. There was a small Romany community which visited the area for many years, they worked with local farmers and respected the area. Of the nearly 2000 people who now live there the vast majority arrived over the corse of three weeks in early 2003. The damage to the area has been done since then.

I'm not sure I understand your comments about "where should they live". I don't know - where do you think they should ?

Fuck all property developers, sp[eculators and bailiffs. Destroy the police state. how about that, then?. Nature? - get rid of your car, cash crop economies, your polluting mobile phones etc etc. Nature vs captialism mate. Whats your house made of - and what's it built on? Low impasct living for all. Fucking english - stop your shopping frenzy. No border, no states, no lots of other things, more joy.

Ian

Travellers have been subjected to increasing levels of oppression, and many, many sites have been shut down. I guess its inevitable that the fewer the sites the more the people on them, and any site, anywhere that is overpopulated is likely to suffer damage if there are insufficient amenities and facilities to accommodate everyone.

In my opinion, more sites need to available - so that overcrowding and the attendant environmental issues don't become a tool for yet more oppression, and calls to wipe out Roma culture.

This means that there have to be planning laws that meet the needs of travellers, and allow for the establishment of new sites to stem the overcrowding.

In the current political climate that is not going to be easily achieved, and Howard and the Sun have helped raise the racist climate considerably.

Follow this link to hear a member of the travelling community explaining how he sees the situation.

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/cambridge/2005/05/310569.html

I have been reviewing both sides of the argument in this case and have stumbled on a conclusion that I believe is right, but will not be liked. Firstly, yes; all the Travellers should be evicted. Secondly, no; WE shouldn't have to assign them new land.

My reasons are as followed:

Watching the travellers argue that the local council should support them and give them a new site appalled me. If they want to be considered a part of the community, they, like everyone else, have to contribute towards it too. They cannot expect to be supported by councils with which they do not feed back into.

The reason above I claim is another why they don't shouldn't rely on the councils to find them new sites. They fact that they have adopted a lifestyle of travelling and illegally setting up homes is their fault - they brought their children into the lifestyle, so that cannot use them as a part of their argument.

I was so surprised at how ignorant these travellers were, and how selfish they can be in their needs.

This situation is born from them leeching off of a community of give and take. A community that is far from Racist - at least in respects of what nowadays laws accomodate for within realms of discrimination and persecusion - but is, and shouldn't be, in fact taking time to consider this entire situation.

The introuction of Human Rights should not be an issue either - they are not free; if you infringe other's rights, what entitles you to your own?

I say all this not as a supporter of any government today, but simply as an 18 year old who believes in Equal Rights and Fair Treatment, but does not believe in special treatment for Minority groups - and that is not a form of Racism at all, as I am categorised in a minority group myself.

Fingers crossed the right and far judgement will come together from this case.