Memorandum submitted by the Traveller
Movement, Northern Ireland
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Traveller Movement (NI) welcomes the
opportunity to present some facts relating to the racial harassment,
discrimination and prejudice of Travellers, Roma and Gypsies in
Northern Ireland.
1.2 Traveller Movement (NI) regards the
interest and involvement of the NI Affairs Committee in this area
as a positive step forward and a sign that traditional attitudes
of denial of racism are no longer acceptable.
1.3 Traveller Movement (NI) regard it as
important that, notwithstanding the specific political institutions
within NI at any point in time, the NI Affairs Committee will
keep this item on its agenda for the foreseeable future.
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 Traveller Organisations
2.1.1 Traveller Movement (NI) was formally
constituted as a charity in 1983 and is the oldest of the Traveller
organisations in Northern Ireland. It is an umbrella group for
all its member groups and now has a remit beyond the Traveller
community to include Roma and Gypsies.
2.1.2 It should be noted that Traveller
Support groups are a comparatively recent development in Northern
Ireland, most having emerged in the last decade. This means that
in comparison with the wider community and voluntary sector this
sub sector is not well developed.
2.1.3 There are eight local support groups
in Northern Ireland. These are in Derry, Omagh, Armagh, Coalisland,
Newry, Craigavon, Mid-Ulster and Belfast. All of these organisations
provide a range of programmes and services to Travellers, Roma
and Gypsies in their localities. Typical activities include pre-school,
play work, after-schools clubs, youth groups, arts and crafts
initiatives, adult training and learning across a range of themes
such as health, mediation, training, community development, community
economic development, adult literacy. Anti-racism and cultural
awareness training is provided to statutory agencies and voluntary
and community organisations.
2.2 Legislative and Policy Development
2.2.1 There has been substantial legislative
and policy development and change in very recent years in NI.
We list these here chronologically:
— 1997 Race Relations (Northern Ireland)
Order, which recognises Irish Travellers as a racial group. It
defines the Irish Traveller community as
"a community of people commonly so called
who are identified (by themselves and by others) as people with
a shared history, culture and traditions, including, historically,
a nomadic way of life on the island of Ireland."
— 1998 Northern Ireland Act, in particular
Section 75 which requires Departments and other public authorities
(including designated United Kingdom Departments operating in
Northern Ireland and district councils) in carrying out their
functions relating to Northern Ireland to have due regard to the
need to promote equality of opportunity between persons of different
racial groups. It also requires Departments and other public authorities,
in carrying out their functions relating to Northern Ireland,
to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations
between persons of different religious belief, political opinion
or racial group.
— 1998 New Targeting Social Need.
— 1999 Promoting Social inclusion Working
Group on Travellers: an inter-departmental, statutory and voluntary
group, including members of the Traveller community, which made
a series of recommendations for action to reduce disadvantage
and exclusion.
— 1999 New Traveller Accommodation
Policy which transfers responsibility for Traveller accommodation
provisions from District Councils (discretionary and single type
only) to Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
— 2000 North and West Belfast Health
Action Zone is formed and sets up a Traveller Action Group to
address accommodation needs and health improvement for Travellers.
— 2000 Race Discrimination Directive,
which provides for a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination
measures to apply across Europe.
— 2001 Census which identifies 1,700
Travellers living in Northern Ireland
— 2002 NI Housing Executive publishes
Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment.
— 2003 Office of the First Minister
and Deputy First Minister publish a Government response to the
Promoting Social inclusion Report. This sets out a series of actions,
timetable and identifies which body has lead responsibility for
the action. It "acknowledges the multiple and often inter-connected
nature of problems which Travellers face" and seeks "to
address inequalities and disadvantages faced by Travellers".
Progress will be monitored by the Race Forum, which has a thematic
group on Traveller issues.
— 2004 Connecting for Action: Sustainability
for Traveller Support groups, published by Traveller Movement
(NI) and North and West Belfast Health Action Zone calls for a
three year Core Funding package for all existing Traveller groups
to enable strategic planning and development work take place so
that a service is available to all Travellers wherever they are
located in Ni.
— investing Together, Report of the
Task Force on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector, October
2004 which recommends that funding for community development needs
to be long term and proposes that Government adopt a 10 year planning
framework for outcome focussed funding.
2.2.2 Traveller Movement (NI) regards all
the above as important positive changes which have the potential,
when linked to practical action, to remove many of the barriers
to inclusion and begin to eradicate disadvantage within the Traveller
community.
2.2.3 However, we have concerns about two
developments this year which have the potential to adversely impact
on Travellers and negate much of above. These are:
— Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. Our
concern is that for a people historically and traditionally nomadic,
who, in the absence of culturally appropriate safe, satisfactory
and secure accommodation provision, are forced to seek housing
in the public or private rented sector. Prejudice against Travellers
could manifest itself in allegations of anti-social behaviour
and authoritarian action against Travellers to satisfy the prejudice
expressed instead of dealing with the multiple challenges for
a family forced to live in an alien and hostile environment.
— Unauthorised Encampments (2004).
Late last year the Department for Social Development issued a
Consultation Paper which, in summary, proposed to give the police
powers to remove Traveller caravans and vehicles as part of a
policy to force Travellers to move from unauthorised encampments.
— As we state elsewhere there are no
authorised halting sites for Travellers in Ni. Despite the Traveller
community, their support groups, the Equality Commission and other
community organisations stating that there was no need for this
proposed legislation, the present Direct Rule administration has
moved to proceed with it. We believe this legislation, which is
based on comparable legislation in the UK and Republic of Ireland
will have the effect of criminalizing the Traveller community
because of their ethnicity and culture, will create confrontation
between police and Travellers, will do nothing to ensure that
a programme of Traveller specific accommodation, including transit
halting sites, is developed within a five year time frame and
will have negative impact on the recent significant improvement
on Traveller children attendance at and participation in the formal
education system. A five year programme of accommodation provision
is entirely possible given the comparatively small numbers of
families concerned and their acute accommodation needs. We do
not understand how this proposal squares the Department's own
mission statement.
— We ask the NI Public Affairs Committee
to address both these pieces of legislation with the Northern
Ireland Office in the context of this inquiry into Race Hate.
2.3 Racism and Prejudice against Travellers
2.3.1 Racial Attitudes and Prejudice in
Northern Ireland (2001), Connolly and Keenan, Northern Ireland
Social Research Agency demonstrated that whilst racial prejudice
was more than twice as prevalent as sectarian hatred, the most
significant intolerance and prejudice was saved for Irish Travellers.
Specifically the study showed that within the settled community:
— 77% would not willingly accept Irish
Travellers as a relative by way of marrying a close family member;
— 70% would not willingly accept an
Irish Traveller as a close friend;
— 66% would not willingly accept an
Irish Traveller as a colleague at work;
— 57% would not willingly accept an
Irish Traveller as a resident in a local area and
— 45% would not accept Irish Travellers
as citizens of Northern Ireland who have come to live and work
here.
— 40% of people do not want public
funding spent on Irish Travellers.
2.3.2. Such widespread prejudice in the
community at large, coupled with historic disadvantage and exclusion
has created a situation where Travellers distrust of the State
and its institutions is widespread. It also creates a situation
where the community turns in on itself. Such implosion occasionally
manifests itself in internal conflict, distress and disintegration.
3. EXPERIENCES
AND EVIDENCE
3.1 Reporting of Racial Abuse
Traveller Movement (NI) contends that for the
reasons outlined above Irish Travellers, Roma and Gypsies are
unlikely to access formal complaints systems of statutory organisations
to record alleged discrimination. We have contacted a number of
these agencies in compiling this briefing paper to ascertain the
incidence of complaints made by Irish Travellers in recent years.
Our own experience, as well as local knowledge from our member
groups indicates that the formal recording of complaints barely
scrapes the surface on the actual incidents of Travellers experience
of racial abuse and harassment. We have given as well a number
of recent case histories where Traveller Movement (NI) has been
contacted to offering assistance and support to Travellers in
difficult situations.
3.2 Ethnic Monitoring
3.2.1 The Northern Ireland Act 1998 Equality
provisions require ethnic monitoring as a matter of course if
the duties identified therein are to be carried out. While many
statutory organisations now include ethnic monitoring in their
recruitment exercises it is taking significantly longer for such
monitoring to be incorporated into every aspect of organisational
work. We recognise this can not happen overnight but wish to restate
our view that it is absolutely critical if we are to measure progress
and provide accurate information in the future.
3.2.2 Many Travellers are suspicious of
state institutions. Consequently both statutory agencies and our
own support groups have an educational role to perform to encourage
Travellers to self-identify when ethnic identity is being sought.
We know of cases where Travellers have been afraid to declare
identity in the past lest it leads to a lesser service precisely
because they are Travellers. The level of prejudice identified
by Connolly and Keenan exists in all institutions. It is reasonable
to assume that if 66% of people do not want Travellers as a work
colleague it is unlikely they will afford them equal treatment
in the delivery of services. We are also aware of a small number
of Travellers in employment who deny/hide identity because they
believe that to disclose it will lead to them losing their job.
Whether such fears are founded or not is not the issue: denial
of any aspect of identity is profoundly personally debilitating
and unacceptable. We all must work much harder to encourage Travellers
to celebrate their identity as a distinct racial group and provide
opportunities for celebration of attainment, achievement and advancement
within that community.
3.3.3 The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
is asked to encourage ethnic monitoring so that future information
can be accurate. Given its comparatively recent history in Northern
Ireland it is difficult to give precise details about the levels
of reported race hate, bullying and harassment. We do believe
the incidents described below present a flavour of the current
situation for Travellers.
3.4 Accommodation
3.4.1 The absence of any transit site provision
anywhere in NI places all nomadic Travellers in conflict with
the law. All our member groups can report incidents of court appearances
and dispersal of discreet Traveller family groups. It is our view
that the proposed new legislation on Unauthorised Encampments,
similar to that of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill (1996)
in the UK and the Housing Amendment in the Republic (2002) is
not only unnecessary but will the most adverse of consequences
for Traveller families.
— it will create conflict between Travellers
and the Police;
— it will deny Traveller children the
right to education at the very time when educational authorities
are making a significant effort to encourage and sustain Traveller
children participation in education;
— it will cause further dislocation
and disruption of family life;
— it is disrespectful of Travellers
rights and culture;
— it can be regarded as a policy of
assimilation;
— Traveller Movement (NI) regard it
as being in breach of the spirit, if not letter of legislation
such as the Human Rights Act and Northern Ireland Act.
3.4.2 In Lisburn City Council area this
month a disabled Traveller woman and her family were taken to
court for illegal camping, having been on DoE Roads Service Lands
for almost three years. During that time no alternative offer
of accommodation was made and none has been made since. Traveller
Movement (NI) and the local Support Group (Munya Tober) offered
advice and assistance to the family, ensuring legal representation
at proceedings and engaging with NI Housing Executive re alternative
accommodation.
3.4.3 In Cookstown last week a Traveller
family was visited by police and told that if they did not move
their children would be taken into care.
3.4.4 The NIHE 2002 Needs Assessment reported
on the level of intimidation/Harassment in the following stark
terms:
More than one-fifth (22%) of respondents (316=100%)
said they or a member of their family had experienced intimidation/harassment
in the previous 12 months;
78% (53) of these said they thought the intimidation/harassment
had occurred because of their ethnicity;
16% (14) of comments detailing types of intimidation/harassment
experienced by respondents or their families related to "verbal
abuse from the settled community" and 14% (12) related to
"trouble from other Travellers". (Travellers Accommodation
Needs Assessment, 2002, NI Housing Executive)
3.4.5 In 2003/4 NIHE state that of 316 cases
presenting as homeless (of which only three were a result of intimidation/harassment)
some 119 were Travellers (40%) and of these 46 (40%) were accepted
as homeless. From the above it is evident that absence of safe,
secure, satisfactory Traveller accommodation in NI is one of the
biggest sources of grievance within the Traveller community with
its consequent on costs in low self-esteem, poor health status
and continued exclusion and isolation.
3.5 Police Ombudsman
3.5.1 Since its formation four years ago
the Police Ombudsman's Office has dealt with 17 complaints known
to have been made by members of the Irish Traveller community.
They point out however that some complaints may be made indirectly
via a doctor or solicitor and unless monitoring forms are returned
they would not necessarily know the ethnic origin of the complainant.
They state that the type of complaints includes assault and incivility.
3.6 Human Rights Commission
3.6.1 The Human Rights Commission was established
five years as a direct consequence of the Belfast Agreement. To
date it has assisted with one case in respect of Travellers, taken
through solicitors.
3.7 Equality Commission
3.7.1 The Equality Commission has subsumed
the Race Relations Commission. The Equality Commission report
that since October 2002 some 89 cases have been lodged by Travellers,
the vast majority alleging discrimination in goods and services.
The fact that there are very few employment cases is evidence
of the low numbers of Travellers in the private or public sector
employment system. The Commission point out that these are direct
referrals by individual Travellers. Other cases, referred by Traveller
Support groups and solicitors are not included in this total.
In this year alone to date some 23 cases have been referred to
date.
3.7.2 The Equality Commission cannot assist
with every complaint made to it and consequently only those cases,
which involve new law or new aspects of law, can be considered.
It is worth noting that the Commission themselves believe that
a legal route may not necessarily be the most appropriate course
of action in many cases. When remedies lie in the County Court
a complaint may well take their case directly through a solicitor
if legal aid is required.
3.8 Health and Social Services Councils
3.8.1 There are four Health and Social Services
Councils in Northern Ireland covering the four Health Boards who
act as commissioning agents for the Department. Two of the four
Councils report that they have never received complaints from
members of the Traveller community.
3.9 Traveller Groups
3.9.1 Craigaon Traveller Support Group report
the most serious incident in the summer of 2003 when a shot was
fired at Traveller children playing on open space adjacent to
the local Support Group office. The shot hit a horse. The Support
Group was unhappy at the police investigation into the incident
and the failure of the police to release the fact that a shot
had being fired to the media. Such suppression of criminal activity,
which was a terrifying experience both for children and staff
in nearby offices, is unacceptable.
3.9.2 The Support group would wish it to
be known that generally there is a reasonable relationship between
the police and Travellers. They are aware however, and a complaint,
has been made, about an individual police officer that swore at
a local Traveller man known to the officers when he (the Traveller)
refused to give the officer his named as he knew the officers
knew who he was. It is alleged the officer stated; "Give
me your f------ name, you Tinker"
3.9.3 Over the last few weeks Traveller
Movement (NI) was contacted about a young male inmate on remand
for seven months at a Young Offenders Centre in Ni. We visited
the individual, made contact with his solicitor and arranged for
clothes to be provided to the individual. We have just been informed
that the charges on which he was being held on remand have been
dropped by the DPP but the young man must remain an inmate until
he can brought to court to be released. We strongly doubt that
such legal lethargy would apply to a settled inmate.
3.9.4 Anecdotal evidence from Travellers
themselves about their treatment in prison, as well as similar
evidence from other prison inmates suggests that Travellers are
not properly treated within the prison system. Given the Human
Rights Commission report this week on the treatment and conditions
pertaining to women prisoners in Northern Ireland we believe that
this anecdotal evidence re Travellers is probably true. Traveller
Movement (NI) will wish to consider, with relevant voluntary organisations
and both the Equality and Human Rights Commission how we should
proceed to make a significant and positive intervention in this
area.
3.9.5 In Belfast early this year the local
support group report incidents of Travellers been spat at in the
street and eggs thrown at their windows.
3.9.6 In Omagh Travellers are refused entry
to an public houses on the grounds that "they all look alike".
3.10 Conclusion
3.10.1 This brief synopsis is not intend to
provide a comprehensive picture but will give the Committee an
indication of both the scale of the problem and the demands made
on local Traveller groups to provide effective advice and support
to Travellers.
4. SOME EMERGING
GOOD PRACTICE
4.1 While racial attacks, harassment and
discrimination appear at times to be a depressing and apparently
intractable problem we would not want the Committee to leave here
today with the impression that there is no progress being made.
4.2 Traveller Movement (NI) recognises the
additional value and benefit brought to the work of Traveller
organisations through the creation of Health Action Zones and
their inclusion of Travellers on their agenda.
4.3 The Connecting for Action Report (2004)
identified Health and Social Services Trusts and Boards as the
most pro-active statutory agencies in work with Irish Travellers,
very often in partnership with local Traveller Support groups.
There is evidence of good partnership working in both Western
HAZ and North and West Belfast HAZ. Traveller Movement(NI) believes
these represent new opportunities to both challenge racist attitudes
within organisations and develop new working partnerships, which
can tackle inequalities in health at local level.
4.4 We would identify the Royal Hospitals
Traveller out-reach programme, in partnership with Munya Tober,
as a further example of a statutory agency willing to go "Beyond
the White Line" in a serious endeavour to make Targeting
Social Need, Promoting Social inclusion and tackling health inequalities
meaningful to an excluded community.
4.5 The levels of prejudice identified by
Connolly and Keenan(2002) are most obviously manifest at local
government level where very few District Councils have, to date,
sought to engage in development work with Irish Travellers. Rather
their presence amongst Travellers has been one of enforcement
and eviction under Environmental Health legislation.
4.6 Belfast City Council, who have had a
particularly problematic relationship with both Travellers and
Traveller Support groups have recently created a Traveller Community
Development work post and provide recurring revenue support to
the Support group and many of its programme of activities, particularly
with children. It is a model we wish to see other District Councils
replicate.
5. ANTI-RACIST
AND CULTURAL
AWARENESS TRAINING
6. QUESTION
6.1 The NI Affairs Committee should ask
the Secretary of State how much money has been spent by Government
Departments and Local Councils on legal action against Travellers
since the introduction of Co-operation Policy in 1999 and how
much money has been spent on implementing co-operation policy
in the same period?
7. CONCLUSION
7.1 This brief synopsis is not intend to
provide a comprehensive picture but, will give the Committee an
indication of both the scale of the problem and the demands made
on local Traveller groups to provide effective advice and support
to Travellers.
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