Support for Gypsies and Travellers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Support for Gypsies and Travellers - Essay Example According to Gypsies and Travellers (2006) unauthorized sites could be classified into two categories. One such type is the unauthorized encampments wherein the gypsies or travelers are parked illegally on land not belonging to them. The other type is called unauthorized developments which are described as sites where they own the land but without the required planning permission (Fraser 2007). Other groups, who are financially capable opt to move into permanent housing but are still socially branded as gypsies (Keltcher 2004). There are no official figures regarding the total number of British gypsies and travelers. However, in Keltcher (2004) estimates the size of these groups put together living in caravans to be between 90,000 to 12,000 excluding the 200,000 residing in settled houses. The July 2004 statistics (in Keltcher 2004) reported that a total of 847 caravans of which 562 were in authorized sites, 76 on authorized private sites and 209 on unauthorized encampments. Thomas ( 2006) cited that the poor accommodation and the shortage of sites to stay is one of the biggest problems faced by the travelers. This is the continuous sickness that the government spends time to search for remedy. There were no polices against the gypsies in terms of their economic engagements during the 19th century. (Acton 1997) However in the 20th century, because of the economic changes, their trades became obsolete and they were forced to move out of their encampment sites. Acton (1997) explained that poorer gypsies resort to caravan while the wealthier ones began to buy land. However this was cut off by the 1960 Caravan Sites (Control of Development) Act (O'nions 1995). Such events led to the formation of the Gypsy Council on December 1966 (Thomas 2006). They demanded camping sites to open in every country, equal rights to education and equal standing through respect between themselves and the already settled neighbors (O'nion 1995). The government then enacted the Caravan Sites Act in 1968 (Acton 1997). Section 6 of this Act gave the Local Government a mandatory duty to provide "adequate accommodations for the gypsies living or staying in their area" (O'nion 1995). In return of such mo ve, the Local Government can apply to the Secretary of State to become a "designated area" (Thomas 2006) Section 10 also gave designated Authorities additional powers to remove Gypsies from unauthorized land within their governed areas (O'nion 1995). These powers were greatly resented because they were granted even before all the Gypsies in an area had a place to stay (Acton 1997). The glorious solution lasted for a short time. In 1977, Sir John Cripps reviewed the implementation and reported that this Act was not properly implemented. Many of the gypsies still had no legal right of abode and societal pressures are still evident. Sir Cripps recommended that the central Government must provide funding. (Regional Spatial Strategy Draft 2000) This was also not the remedy because many Local Authorities still fail to comply with their statutory duty (O'nions 1995). The Councils ignored the new planning circular that called them to assist Travellers to identify land they could buy themsel ves and be developed as sites. This resorted to the shortage of sites thus forcing the gypsies to live on unauthorized encampments (Thomas 2006). The gypsies or travelers moved to unauthorized

Ethics and Politics of Asylum and Migration Dissertation

Ethics and Politics of Asylum and Migration - Dissertation Example In this regard migration is aligned with abuses of the internal market by criminals and terrorists. Essentially asylum-seekers and immigrants are characterized as presenting a threat to domestic economics and security. 4 On the other side of the argument, it is suggested that many of the asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are from third world countries and are therefore immediately subject to cultural and quite often racial occlusion.5 There is also the concern that stronger border controls merely result in immigrants and asylum-seekers using other more dangerous methods for escaping poverty, exploitation and human rights abuses.6 These opposing views relative to the strengthening of border control raise some important issues. First and foremost, in light of the increase in the threat of international terrorism and international criminal organisations, is cultural occlusion justified? More particularly, is cultural occlusion a deliberate outcome or is it merely a coincidence? This paper provides a critical analysis of these issues and in doing so identifies whether or not there is a resolution to the realistic concerns about international terrorism and international criminal activities particularly human and drug trafficking. The question is therefore, whether or not a resolution could viably filter out would-be terrorists and criminals and at the same time permit legitimate asylum-seekers and immigrants’ entry across borders in such a way that it does not raise suspicions of cultural occlusion and racism. I. Border Control: Definition Globalization has two sides. It not only facilitates the mobility of goods and people, it also facilitates the movement of terrorists, weapons, illegal drugs, illegal aliens and illnesses. It therefore appears that the most viable solution to this dilemma is the strengthening of border controls.7 However, any discussion of strengthening border control is easier said than done since border control involves a number of co mplex issues, particularly conflicting interests of the various stakeholders. In order to understand these complex issues it is necessary to first evaluate what border control is and what it means to the various stakeholders in the wider context of customary international law. In most countries, such as the US, Canada, Mexico and countries within Africa, Asia and the European Union, border control involves four significant points of entry. These points of entry are airports, sea ports, land points of entry and unofficial land and sea ports of entry. The unofficial points of entry, are the points used for the most part by traffickers, smugglers, migrants and quite possibly terrorists.8 The main question is therefore, the feasibility of balancing the interests of the stakeholders in any plan to strengthen border control. Although strengthening border control could conceivably increase the incentive for smugglers, terrorists, and traffickers to use unofficial points of entry it would a lso increase incentives for legitimate asylum-seekers and other migrants to use unofficial points of entry. This is particularly troublesome for asylum-seekers and

Did The Peace Movement Really Help End The Vietnam War Essay

Did The Peace Movement Really Help End The Vietnam War - Essay Example Johnson is among the most unpopular United States president of all times. Diplomacy in a democratic country is believed to be a key driver for peace initiatives and unity. Following such notion, it would be rightful to assert that indeed, the Peace Movement truly helped end the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War is also known in history books as the Vietnam Conflict or the Second Indochina War that started in the later part of the 1950s. It was a war fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which is North Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam, which is South Vietnam1. Truly, Vietnam War was nothing more but an internal conflict between power strugglers in a nation, which just won its independence from its colonizers ( in its case France). Other nations got involved when North Vietnam had the support of socialist country of Soviet Union and the communist China. The involvement of communist and socialist nations in the war prompted the involvement of the pro-democratic Western nations. Thus, the United States got involved in the war that should have been fought in the local front. President Dwight D Eisenhower was then the US president when the country decided to show off its power against the non-democratic forces. Vietnam War was seen by analysts and historians as a perfect venue where the United States could show to the world how democracy could rule the world and how it could easily defeat the hard and authoritative ways of the socialists and the communists1. The US' involvement in the Vietnam War was also the main focus of the government of the popular and assassinated president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Initially, Mr Kennedy's intention was only to provide Vietnamese troops assistance through trainings. He also wanted to battle out the threat of communism and socialism to countries especially in the east. Mr. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. But the involvement of the United States to the Vietnam War went on until the entire duration of President Lyndon B. Johnson's term, which ran from 1963 to 1969. It was during this period that numerous protests and activist movements were staged throughout the country. The citizens of the United States then created a model that would eventually become the framework of other anti-war and peaceful protests not just in the country but also in the whole world2. The so-called Peace Movement in the United States was a clear and loud opposition to the government's firm stand to support South Vietnam on its fight to win and rule over the whole Vietnam. The Peace Movement was a series of protest rallies, demonstrations and mass assemblies that, for the first time in world history, involved Americans from all walks of life. The anti-war movement actually consisted of college students, middle-class citizens, labor unions and government institutions. The Peace Movement gained its prominence in 1965, then peaked and became mostly hyped and controversial in 1968. Encompassing political, racial, and cultural spheres, the anti-war Peace Movement exposed a deep schism within the American society during that time1. It was noted, moreover, that the Peace Movement also made way for several opposing groups to take a consensus for once

Canadian government launched an active electronic immigration Essay

Canadian government launched an active electronic immigration recruitment system called Express Entry - Essay Example This is particularly in view of the fact that the local labor market needs need to be met under the various programs that guide the immigration recruitment system. The Canadian Express Entry system works by ranking potential immigrants and then selecting the top ranked individuals to apply for a visa. The first step is for the potential immigrants eligible for any of the economic immigration systems to apply. After application the potential immigrants are ranked based on values such as age, education level, workplace experience, language, marital status, and even the core human capital factors that can be identifiable from the individual. These factors account for a maximum of around 500 points. Additionally, there are an extra 100 points for the ease by which the potential immigrant can transfer the skills. Finally, the system allocates around 600 points for any pre-existing employment offer from a Canadian organization or even an appointment from a Canadian institution. Overall, this means that a candidate can get a maximum of about 1200 points, and the system then invites the highest ranking individuals to apply for permanent residency. From the above, it can be noted that a major advantage of this system is that it measures eligibility on account of a candidate’s skills and experience. This is highly advantageous as it ensures that the immigrants can easily fit into the corporate system and eventually improve the economy through their input (Simpson et al. 2015, pp. 141). Moreover, there is no cap on the number of candidates to be admitted since it bases the selection on merit. This results in only the best being allowed through the system. On the other hand, a major disadvantage is that the system is somewhat discriminatory in nature, only allowing the highest ranking individuals the ability to apply (Simpson et al. 2015, pp. 199). While the previous system was based on a first come first processed basis, the express entry system treats each