Victory to the Dongas
First published in ELPAN No.1
The Dongas are a tribe of about 40 people who have settled in
Twyford Down.They have named themselves after the ancient trackways
which converged on Twyford Down. Some of these were up to 20ft deep.
They have gradually come together over a year, are mostly under 25
and have few possessions beyond a goat, an axe and some bits of
canvas, bedding and rudimentary cooking utensils. One of them told a
reporter "Call us indigenous Albion, if you like. We have chosen
this. We are passionate about Life." (Guardian,15th Dec)
On 9th December, the day of the Lunar Eclipse the Ministry of
Transport and Tarmac joined forces mounted a vicious attack on them
in pursuit of that notorious piece of vandalism known as the
Winchester Bypass. AfterWinchester Collegesuccessfully
took the Dongas to court (the college made a cool
£300,000 by selling land given to them to protect
from development), 80 security men with bulldozers steamed into the
pathways ripping up trees. The Dongas resisted as much as they
could, throwing themselves in front of bulldozers and climbing
trees.
As Professor David Bellamy said: "I have been in many protests
around the world in some very hairy countries and have never seen
such unreasonable force used, especially on women. These boys were
putting the boot and fist in and they didn't care if they were men
or women. There were ministry people there but no one tried to call
them off. The security men went completely over the top." (Guardian,
15th Dec)
While David Bellamy adopted the pose of 'outraged observer', the
Friends of the Earth washed their hands of the matter. Eventually
seventy police were drafted in to mop up the last of the resistance
on 12th December. It is clear that such reformist organisations
will always back off even before push comes to shove.
Meanwhile the "War against the Hippies",is a part of a major
propaganda effort to isolate and destroy some of the most
intransigent elements who refuse to subordinate their lives to
the latest money-making schemes of big business.
The danger of trusting such reformist groups can be readily seen in
the revolting Glastonbury Festival, whereby the Free Festival at
Stonehenge was diverted up the garden path. At first an entrance fee
was extorted onthe grounds that it was going to charity, but the
travellers were allowed in free. Word got round, so others felt they
also had no need to pay. Last year the travellers who had created
the festival were driven away by the organisers. Security was
organised to extract money from anyone attending.Meanwhile, the
money so raised gets distributed around various local landowners and
a whole host of entrepreneurs have been encouraged. A small amount
trickles down to green 'charities', whose social practice ends up
encouraging complacency and denying support to such as the Dongas.
This is a stitch up.
A festival which you have to pay to attend is not a festival, but a
moneymaking business. There has been a struggle for free festivals
now for over twenty years. In that period, whether through a
conscious choice or in consequence of the draconian housing and
benefit laws concerning young people, the number of travellers in
Britain has increased from 3,400 in 1965 to 13,500 in 1992. (Squall
No.3)
The government is planning more legislation against travellers.
This is part of a policy to increase homelessness, particular when
seen in conjunction with their plans to make squatting harder.
What appear as gross stupidities to the liberals, make clear sense
when seen in terms of the class interests dominating society. The
attack on council housing, squatting and the travellers means that
private landlords will be able to extract higher rents for more and
more cramped living quarters.
Of course the notion that anyone can own land is simply a
justification for robbery. No-one can own land any more than they can
the sky. The notion of land ownership simply serves to cover the
brutal oppression exercised first by feudal lords and now by the
capitalists.
The LPA is planning a
studyof the "War against the Hippies "which as far as we can see
certainly goes back to the struggles to make the Isle of Wight a
Free Festival, and the plans of the London Street Commune to open up
mass squats in London. We would welcome any assistance in this by
participants in these struggles, or people who have any leaflets,
articles etc., that may have appeared over the last twenty five
years or so.
Squall, the magazine for Squatter-Homeless is available free
from;
2 St. Paul's Road, London N1 2QN
Traveller and Gypsy Action Group can be contacted at:
16 Greenhill Close,
Winchester, Hants
SO22 5DZ
Tel: 0962 861 685
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