Latest news with #culturalgenocide
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Swinney apology to Gypsy Travellers ‘significant milestone', campaigner says
A campaigner has lauded the First Minister's apology over the 'cultural genocide' of Gypsy Travellers in Scotland as a 'significant milestone' for her community. Roseanna McPhee welcomed the apology, which she said was the result of years of campaigning. John Swinney made the formal apology at Holyrood on Thursday over 'unfair and unjust policies' that caused 'trauma' in what was known as the 'tinker experiment'. Between 1940 and 1980, the so-called experiment – supported by councils and the UK Government – attempted to strip away the nomadic lifestyle of Gypsy Travellers, providing rudimentary and often cramped huts for people to live in. A report published by the Scottish Government stated that 'the context within which the TE (tinker experiment) occurred is best understood as cultural genocide'. Ms McPhee, whose family was among those settled in Pitlochry on the former Bobbin Mill site, had grown up in a prefabricated Second World War-style Nissen hut which had no electricity and used candles for light. She welcomed the First Minister's apology, but said more needed to be done to stop the discrimination that her community continues to face. She told the PA news agency: 'It's a milestone that we have reached in our long, long campaign, with no resources and just two or three generals and few food soldiers, really, because most people want to hide. 'I think the fact we managed to achieve that apology from the Government is a significant milestone. 'We're hopeful that discussions shall move forward, and perhaps something may be done about the general level of racism which we suffer, particularly in relation to public bodies.' Ms McPhee said the apology could have been 'more robust' and expressed disappointment that Mr Swinney did not label the Tinker Experiment as 'cultural genocide', the description used in the report published by the Government. 'Cultural genocide is a crime against humanity,' she said. 'They did not name the offence. They did not say they took full responsibility of the offence. 'However, it's a positive step on the road towards the discussion around restitution and just satisfaction.' Asked if she believed the Scottish Government should offer redress to affected families, she said: 'I absolutely believe it. 'If you'd been kept in degrading conditions as long as I have, with 16 health conditions and prevented from working with a joint-honours degrees and two post-graduates I think you might see some reason to have redress too.'
Sky News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Scottish government apologises for 'cultural genocide' of gypsy travellers
Scotland's First Minister has formally apologised to the gypsy traveller community for the decades of trauma they suffered during the so-called "tinker experiment". John Swinney said the "unfair and unjust" policies, enforced by councils and the UK government between 1940 and 1980, had been "unacceptable". The "experiment" attempted to strip away the nomadic lifestyle of gypsy travellers by rehousing them in low-quality Nissen-type huts, repurposed military buildings and other disused properties at sites across Scotland. When families became too big for the cramped accommodation, their children would sometimes be taken away, either into temporary care or permanently – with some adopted in the UK or overseas. Mr Swinney's apology came following the publication of a new independent report published by the Scottish government, which stated: "The context within which the TE [tinker experiment] occurred is best understood as cultural genocide". The report, based on research from the University of St Andrews, found that the types of accommodation gypsy travellers were relocated to were "known by government agents to be substandard". It said the properties were "frequently without" electricity and running water. Researchers said the "experiment" was part of a "recurring societal and institutional dehumanisation of gypsy travellers in Scotland", fuelled by the stereotype of them as practising "a backwards or undeveloped way of life". The report highlighted the role of the UK national government "and specifically the Scottish Office as a primary actor in the construction and enforcement of such policies". But it said local councils, churches and charities were also involved in "constructing the environment" that allowed it to happen. Following its publication, the Church of Scotland also issued "a heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs". In a statement to Holyrood, Mr Swinney told MSPs: "It is clear to the government that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies. "These policies resulted in children being removed from families, and families were forced to live in substandard accommodation and degrading conditions. "The trauma that this has caused to individuals, families and groups, including those who regard themselves as 'victims of tinker experiments', is significant and lasting". With some members of the community watching on from Holyrood's public gallery, Mr Swinney added: "As First Minister of Scotland, I want to say this directly to gypsy traveller communities: the 'tinker experiments' should not have happened. "These policies were wrong. And we recognise how much it is still hurting so many. "And more than anything else, I want to say this – on behalf of Scotland, we are sorry."
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Swinney says sorry to Gypsy Travellers for ‘trauma' of the ‘tinker experiment'
Scotland's First Minister has apologised to Gypsy Travellers for the 'unfair and unjust policies' that caused them 'trauma' in what was known as the 'tinker experiment'. John Swinney made clear that the treatment of members of this community in previous years had been 'unacceptable'. His comments came as a new report, published by the Scottish Government, stated that 'the context within which the TE (tinker experiment) occurred is best understood as cultural genocide'. Between 1940 and 1980, the so-called experiment – supported by councils and the UK government – attempted to strip away the nomadic lifestyle of Gypsy Travellers, providing rudimentary and often cramped huts for people to live in. When families became too big to be housed in the huts, children would sometimes be taken away. The Scottish Government has been carrying out research into the impact of what happened – with report, by the Third Generation Project at St Andrews University, revealing 'discriminatory' policies had been carried out in 27 of Scotland's current 32 local authorities. The Church of Scotland also issued 'a heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs'. Mr Swinney, in a statement to Holyrood, said he hoped his apology could be the 'beginning of a new conversation' with efforts to improve the lives of Gypsy Traveller community in Scotland. The First Minister told MSPs 'without ambiguity' that 'what happened to Gypsy Traveller communities in Scotland was unacceptable'. He added: 'It is clear to the Government that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies. 'These policies resulted in children being removed from families, and families were forced to live in substandard accommodation and degrading conditions. 'The trauma that this has caused to individuals, families and groups, including those who regard themselves as 'victims of tinker experiments', is significant and lasting'. With Gypsy Travellers in Holyrood's public gallery, Mr Swinney continued: 'As First Minister of Scotland, I want to say this directly to Gypsy Traveller communities: the 'tinker experiments' should not have happened. 'These policies were wrong. And we recognise how much it is still hurting so many. 'And more than anything else I want to say this – on behalf of Scotland, we are sorry.' Mr Swinney added that although Scotland had 'come a long way since the 'Tinker experiments', there was 'still much to do' in tackling the prejudice the community continued to face. And while Holyrood ministers published a new Gypsy Traveller action plan last year, the First Minister said the experiences shared as part of the government's work 'underline the urgent need for systemic change, greater accountability, and a shift in attitudes at every level'. He declared: 'We must do better.' Stressing the need for 'meaningful action' he highlighted the importance of 'challenging stereotypes, confronting everyday discrimination, and committing to long-term efforts that promote understanding, respect, and equity for Gypsy Travellers'. He stated: 'Our hope is that we now have a foundation for continuing to build trust and fostering renewed relationships with all those who have been impacted by historical policies.' His comments came as the report described the tinker experiments as being the 'recurring societal and institutional dehumanisation of Gypsy Travellers in Scotland'. This was 'often carried out under the stereotype of Gypsy Travellers as a people that collectively practised a backwards or undeveloped way of life', it added. The research highlighted the role of the UK national government 'and specifically the Scottish Office as a primary actor in the construction and enforcement of such policies'. But it said that others – including local councils, churches and charities – were involved in 'constructing the environment' that allowed this to happen. Gypsy Travellers in Scotland were housed in accommodation including Nissen-type huts, repurposed military buildings and disused properties, the report added – with these 'known by government agents to be substandard' with such properties 'frequently without' electricity and running water. The report also highlighted the 'forced transfer of children', with some youngsters being removed from their families and placed in temporary care, while others were permanently taken away, being adopted either in the UK or overseas. Afterwards, the Reverend Tommy MacNeil, convener of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team of the Church of Scotland and Dr Mike Cantlay, convener of its Social Care Council said: 'On behalf of the Church of Scotland, we offer a heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs, highlighted in the report and carried out in the name of the Church.' They added: 'We wish to say we stand in solidarity with those who suffered, and deeply regret the harm that came to them as a result of actions by the Church in the past.' Their statement acknowleged that the Church of Scotland 'tolerated discrimination and the use of derogatory language by its employees and members' The men stressed: 'We regret and are very sorry for the trauma that was inflicted on Gypsy Traveller communities, families and individuals by our Church.'
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
John Swinney apologises to travellers for 'Tinker Experiment'
First Minister John Swinney has apologised for a state-sanctioned social experiment on Scotland's Gypsy what is known as the "Tinker Experiments", which ran from the 1940s to 1980s, authorities aimed to "settle" travellers by forcing them to leave their lives on the road for permanent involved parents being threatened with having their children taken from them and put into care if they refused to leave their settlements on said sorry for the "injustice and prejudice" of the historic policies, the impact of which he said was still felt today. 'Unfair and unjust' In a statement to parliament, the first minister said: "It falls to this government to state without ambiguity that what happened to Gypsy Traveller communities was unacceptable."It is clear to the government that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies."These policies resulted in children being removed from their families and families were forced to live in sub-standard accommodation and degrading conditions."Swinney told MSPs: "The Tinker Experiments should not have happened. Those policies were wrong and we recognise it is still hurting so many today."He added: "On behalf of Scotland, we are sorry." Swinney's statement coincided with the publication of an independent report into the experiments that was commissioned by his government. It concluded that the social experiments were a form of "cultural genocide". The report, produced by academics at the University of St Andrews, found that the UK government's Scottish Office, as well as churches, charities, local authorities and police, were complicit in facilitating forced assimilation, settlement and the removal of academics said this involved traveller children being placed into care, forced to attend industrial schools or adopted by non-traveller families in Scotland and report recommend that the Scottish government, as the body now responsible for the issue, gives an apology and considers paying compensation to those affected. The university report's draft findings have been explored in a BBC podcast called The Cruelty - Stolen Generations, presented by Davie Donaldson, who comes from the traveller told BBC Scotland News: "The belief was that if older travellers were forcibly settled, they would forget about their culture. "And as the generations went on the younger travellers could be boarded out or placed in institutions and be brought up as non-travellers, and by doing that they would eradicate the culture."It really is a really dark period in Scottish history and one that sadly few people have heard of until today." Members of Scotland's traveller community have been campaigning for an apology for their treatment for to "assimilate" travellers into Scottish society were first documented in the late 1800s, with the authorities aiming to force them into "normal" Travellers were settled on sites across Scotland, including in Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Highlands, Perthshire, Fife and the is not know precisely how many were forced from this life, or how many children were forcibly removed.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Scotland's travellers suffered 'cultural genocide', report says
Social experiments on Scotland's Gypsy travellers - including children being forcibly taken into care - were a form of "cultural genocide", new research schemes operated across Scotland in the last century which aimed to "settle" travellers by forcing them to leave their lives on the road for permanent settlements.A draft report of independent research commissioned by the Scottish government suggests there was also a "forced and systematic initiative" to remove traveller children from their families and Scottish government said it recognised that Gypsy traveller communities had been adversely affected through historical policies and would set out its response to the research soon. Efforts to "assimilate" travellers into Scottish society were first documented in the late 1800s, with the authorities wanting to force Gypsies into "normal" operation, known as the "Tinker Experiment", ran from the 1940s to 1980s and was supported by UK governments and Scottish local authorities at the time. In 2023 the Scottish government asked independent academics to research this experiment in the available archives.A draft of their findings was completed in September last year, and has been seen by BBC said that in addition to the well-documented housing issues, there was a "forced and systematic initiative to remove Gypsy/traveller children from their families and communities".This saw traveller children being placed into care, forced to attend industrial schools or adopted by non-traveller families in Scotland and report, produced by academics working for the Third Generation Project at the University of St Andrews, said churches, charities, local authorities, the police and the UK government's Scottish Office all played a role in academics recommend the Scottish government, as the body now responsible for the issue, issues an apology and consider paying compensation to those affected. 'Truths buried for decades' The draft report says that the apology should be for the polices, such as the Tinker Experiments, which "led to the dehumanisation, control, and assimilation" of travellers - as well as "the lack of action to redress these actions that are best characterised as 'cultural genocide'."Members of Scotland's traveller community have been campaigning for an apology for their treatment for years. The report's findings are explored in a new BBC podcast called 'The Cruelty - Stolen Generations'.Presenter Davie Donaldson, who comes from the traveller community, said: "I have spoken to many Scottish travellers whose families have been shattered and split apart because of the forced removal, generation after generation, of their children."This investigation has unearthed truths buried for decades, but now, with the leaked report, we have irrefutable evidence of what survivors and communities have long known - the state was complicit in the removal and segregation of traveller children."For the first time, it is named for what it was - cultural genocide." 'Trying to kill a culture' Martha, who asked for her surname not to be published, said she was forcibly removed from a Scottish traveller camp when she was just six months parents were out working while her grandparents were looking after her and her five siblings and who is now in her sixties, said all the children present were removed and she was eventually adopted by a non-traveller family."Genocide means killing something and that's what they were attempting to do by looks of things," she says."They were trying to kill a culture by taking the kids away, thinking that they would grow up with settled people and be like settled people."I think they should apologise. Because I stand firm in the fact that if it hadn't been for them, I would've known my parents, I would've known my three sisters and my two brothers that we were never told about."Fellow traveller Elizabeth, who also asked for her surname not to be published, said four of her siblings were forcibly removed when she was a 52-year-old said she and two other siblings were only able to stay with their parents because they all hid away in the Fife countryside, away from their traveller said: "We were happy when we were in the camp. We didn't have much, but we were happy."It's kind of destroyed a lot of people's lives, this separating families and taking bairns away from the folk and it should never have happened."They should be made responsible, including the churches and anybody else that was involved in it, because it's affected every one of us. I hope this government we have actually takes action." Understanding events Gypsy travellers were settled on sites across Scotland, including in Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Highlands, Perthshire, Fife and the said it was hard to pinpoint how many were forced from this life, or how many children were forcibly removed from the Scottish government said it had been working with local authorities' body Cosla on a £3m action plan aimed at supporting improvements to accommodation, education, healthcare and access to benefits for the traveller community.A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We recognise that Gypsy/traveller communities have been adversely affected through historical policies and actions and we want to understand events as fully as possible."We are committed to ensuring the voices of Gypsy/traveller communities are reflected in key decision-making forums and continue to take forward measures in our joint action plan with Cosla to improve outcomes for Gypsy travellers."The spokesperson said the independent archival research had been undertaken to establish key events, decisions and roles and will be officially published in due course, after which the government will consider its next steps.
