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Amnesty International expresses concern over councils' policies on travellers

22 October 2012
1 minute read

Amnesty International has expressed concern over the record of support for Gypsy travellers in Scotland. The organization has written to the Dundee and Fife City Councils to draw attention to widespread discrimination suffered by travellers across the country.

The Scotland Courier reported that Dundee was singled out because it does not have a dedicated traveller liaison officer in place with Amnesty claiming that there is need for more consultation with travellers with regard to increasing the number of transit sites in the area.

Meanwhile, Fife was criticized for having an apparent shortage of transit sites, while Amnesty believes there needs to be more consultation over existing tenancy agreements. Amnesty International’s programme director for Scotland said the organization surveyed the performance of Scotland’s 32 councils against recommendations of a report published nine years ago by the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee.

He told the Scotland Courier that: “The situation for Scottish gypsy travellers raises fundamental human rights concerns, particularly the rights to health, education, housing and cultural life and freedom from discrimination.As the main providers of housing, sites and education, local authorities have a crucial part to play in improving the situation for Scottish gypsy travellers in Scotland.”

Fife already has three permanent sites near Cupar, Kelty and Kirkcaldy.

Dundee City Council’s response to Amnesty noted that the council will continue to engage with the traveller community, but lack of available land and funding makes it difficult to find transit sites.

Fife has not yet replied formally to Amnesty’s letter.

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