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Home Page > News > Man rescued from Irish Travelers work camp denies they were ‘slaves’

Man rescued from Irish Travelers work camp denies they were ‘slaves’

Nine of the 24 people ‘saved’ by police claim they were being paid and chose to be there

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 7:17 AM

Updated Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 10:44 AM

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Man rescued from Irish Travelers work camp denies they were ‘slaves’

Nine of the 24 alleged slaves from the Irish Travelers site, in Bedfordshire, have refused to help police with their inquiries. One of the alleged slaves has spoken out insisting the five arrests were complete rubbish.

Following a four-month undercover operation the police raided the Travelers site, arrested five of the Travelers and freed 24 of the alleged slaves. The police said these people were suffering from malnutrition, were in need of medical attention and were being forced to live in unhygienic conditions.

One of the men allegedly rescued by the police said he had been living in a caravan on the Traveler’s plot for several years. The man, who is in his 50s, said he had worked as a paver and had been paid £50 ($80) per day.

He told the Guardian “I think it's all a load of rubbish and they just hate Travelers. Plenty of men who were here wanted to be here and they were getting paid. The police coming in heavy-handed like this is just wrong."

The man said that he had being working with one Traveler family for 15 years. They had provided him with accommodation and work when he had nowhere else to go.
He explained “The police told me I couldn't come back but I told them it was my home and if I wanted to go back I would go back.” He has refused to cooperate with the police investigation.

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One of the wives of the arrested Irish Travelers said that the police allegations were “ridiculous”.

She said “The men who were taken were getting paid £30 a day, they had somewhere to live, this is all a load of nonsense."

She continued “Isn't it better that they have a roof over their head?" What are they going to do now – when the police have finished with them they will be homeless. It's up to them how they kept their homes, but they could come and go whenever they pleased. It's complete lies and they are trying to make Travelers look bad. There are two sides to this story."

A police spokesperson said “We are giving help to all of the men, but if they do not want it then obviously we are not forcing them to take it."

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sirpeter | Sep 16, 2011, 11:08 PM EDT

IrishMark.I agree.But it's best not bad mouth them.They are the way they are.And in all fairness the Irish government is robbing us more then the knackers ever will.

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IrishMark | Sep 13, 2011, 06:04 PM EDT

sirpeter- I understand and i completely agree with you about them sticking to their own kind. Over the years i have seen housing estates all over the country destroyed by do-gooder politicians moving familys of travellers in and expecting them to just integrate into settled society (not my words, it was one of the Irish governments first strategies to deal with the traveller "problem")Instead they remained the same,trying to turn estates into halting sites and driving out other familys. Look at Mayfield Co. Cork where people are fleeing estates, Moyross in Limerick was once considered a posh area believe it or not, the list goes on. I know my experiences have hardened my view on them and their "traditions" but if you met the familys who have to live near them you would see where i'm coming from. In my own humble opinion if the councils are to house travellers, they should allocate traveller only housing and let them all enjoy their "culture" together.

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sirpeter | Sep 13, 2011, 04:16 PM EDT

Joan & Mark. I totally agree with you. I was just giving a history of the Travellers.I agree Stockholm syndrome is a possibility.I think something not quite right was going on.But those who do wrong should be the ones punished and not tar every traveller with that kind of a crime.Personally I couldn't stand their ways and would not like them living next to me.But that's the way they live and they should stick to their own kind because they do have unsavory habits.But as my first post explains alot of them have developed into people who would rob the eye out of your head if they could get away with it.

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LainieMcEl | Sep 13, 2011, 03:02 PM EDT

Many questions on both sides...did the other 15 actually testify against the Travelers? Is it possible that the ones who didn't testify were really afraid to say anything? Why didn't Guardian interview a member of one of those families? I would like to hear what some of them have to say. Even w/o names would have sufficed if these people are as dangerous as we are lead to believe. Why just an interview with an arrested Traveler's wife? Of course she will take up for her man. Will these men really be homeless w/o the Travelers? Could this be more political than criminal?

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IrishMark | Sep 13, 2011, 02:14 PM EDT

Sirpeter - I'm inclined to agree with Joan. As for the 9 who won't cooperate with the investigation, there are 15 who will! Stockholm syndrome is a possibility but more than likely it's a case of intimidation which is a way of life for most travellers, ie "If you talk to the police we'll kill your parents etc" Also I doubt living in a dog house and being covered in feces is a lifestyle choice!

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johnny111 | Sep 13, 2011, 02:12 PM EDT

This is true, in my village 15 years ago travelers, got 4 young men to go to Germany to do work. When they got them to Germany, they took passports off them. paid them f all, beat them up if they complained. These young fellows escaped, after 6mts by sneaking out one morning, from there site in germany and going to police. Travelers in Ireland are HATED they do sweet f all for the country. Rob old people and rob some more, there kids are like wild animals, in many people eyes they get away with lots of stuff and police turn a blind eye to this. There the most violent of people you will ever come across, why because there inbred, and allowed to marry first cousins. They have different DNA TO, SETTLE Irish as proven by the University of Edinburgh, some have asian Dna (roma) others have a gene seperate from the rest of the Irish population over 1000 years ago. So not fully relate to me thank god

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Joancuddihy | Sep 13, 2011, 01:57 PM EDT

Sirpeter, while what you say sounds reasonable enough and possibly even historically correct, you might however have a slighty different take on things, if travellers moved in next door to you. I doubt whether their 'unsavory habits' would just seem natural to you as the value of your property takes a nose dive.

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fawnmarie | Sep 13, 2011, 12:49 PM EDT

So, are adults of legal age not permitted to make their own living and working arrangements? How can the Travellers be charged with holding people against their will if those people don't wish to charge them. Ridiculous and racist, if you ask me. Personally, I think it's an awful lifestyle, but it isn't up to me to decide for someone else, is it?

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cabbagehead44 | Sep 13, 2011, 11:45 AM EDT

There are always two sides of the story, but it seems like the authorities have the power to promote their version through the media.

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sirpeter | Sep 13, 2011, 11:29 AM EDT

Yeah antoman.Stockholm it's an awful sh*thole.

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antoman | Sep 13, 2011, 10:27 AM EDT

Stockholm syndrome anyone?

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Tooreenagrena | Sep 13, 2011, 10:24 AM EDT

Is it a coincidence that this 'horror' story breaks just before the mass eviction of travellers from Dale Farm. An attempt to scupper any support they may have had from the public? This investigation has been ongoing for four years apparently so why announce it now. Why has it taken four years iof its a case of 'slavery'Cracks are already beginning to appear in the police story. It wouldn't be the first time that the police/security forces have tried to influence public opinion. Any thing to do with the cricism that the Council have received from the United Nations?

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sirpeter | Sep 13, 2011, 07:25 AM EDT

Travellers have been around for hundreds of years traveling from one place to another.They were not always so marginalized.As a matter of fact they were very useful to the communities they encountered.They were extremely skillful in lots of trades.In those days communities were very isolated and the traveller brought news of what was happening around the country.Travelling is ingrained in them much as farming is ingrained in farmers.The sad part is hundreds of years ago every community had what were called commons or patches of land that NOBODY owned.Then greedy landowners using the law started fencing off these commons over the generations and thus depriving the travelers of their lively hood simply by limiting their movement.If you take away a persons means of living where they sold their skills and handicrafts it is only natural they will find another means to survive.Dealing in scrap metal and goods was probably where they started getting a bad name because it encouraged theft and what they couldn't mend or sell they just left the unsightly mess when they moved on.People also became more hygienic over time but the travellers didn't have the facilities thus they were not welcome in peoples houses anymore.You will find with any marginalized group of people unsavory habits can become natural.BUT!! When you look deeper you will always find that it is WE ourselves in mainstream society have created the problems and marginalize people in the first place.Ask the Jews they never wanted to go into banking ect.They were forced because they had no choice.

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