Campaign Development.
THE WALES LAND ACT PETITION.
In view of the fact that our Cymric land is being desecrated by rapacious landlords, hereditary aristocrats, the English Crown and Corporate Utility Companies this Petition demands of the Westminster Parliament and the Welsh Government the restoration of the land, by compulsory purchase, to its rightful owner, the People of Cymru, in order to preserve our heritage, the great beauty of this land and the common right of our people to access and make use of it until perpetuity.
CASE FOR A WLA WITH ABOVE and BELOW ALREADY ON THE ON THE WEB.
Following the complete occupation of Wales by the Anglo Normans in 1282 - 4 and again, in the 1420's following the War of Independence led by the great Welsh Prince Owain Glyndwr, great areas of Welsh land was either taken by the English Crown or 'given' as rewards to English barons for fighting for England in the Welsh Wars.
Ironically this was repeated by the Tudors in the 16th, who were of 'Welsh Descent', One such example being the Dukes of Somerset being given Mynydd y Gwair and much else throughout Southern Wales. This Mountain is now the centre of a major local issue and national campaign as the Somerset Trust intends to establish a Wind Mill Plantation on it.
Apart from the above, much of Welsh land was common land - which meant that the peasantry had the right to build a smallholding on it as well as hunt and fish but, increasingly over the centuries and up to the present, the Gentry and incoming 'New Conquistadores, such as Iron and Slate Masters began to seize this Common Land by means of Enclosure Acts. The issue of Anglican Church ownership was very much addressed in the Welsh Tithe Wars of 1886 - 88 by a National Land League but there is still much unfinished business to be taken care of.
Today, the aforementioned land is still occupied by the English Crown and the descendents of the English barons and, increasingly, by outside 'Utiliy Companies as in the case of the Vyrnwy Estate, It is being extensively plundered of its natural resources, such as water and timber, and is being savagely destroyed by gigantic windfarms. It is our Welsh herital land and we want it returned to the communities and people of Wales through this Wales Land Act.
NB: A Print version of this will soon be made available to be signed on 9th June at the Mynydd y Betws event also packs may be taken away to be signed in supporters own localities.
The Below is intended as back up to above campaign.
I am placing it here so that supporters may see and discuss with each other when and where possible, here in ‘Groups’ or where ever. Please note at the Mynydd y Gwair event of 10 June 2012, there will be ample opportunity to sit around in a ‘Mountain Top Democracy’ to discuss and make suggestions as to changes and additions. If possible bring some typed up contributions so as to make preparatiuon of a penultimate document ready for presentation to the Tresmasiad Founding Conference at Maenclochog on 14 July. This will then be placed on Cymrwch y Tir Yn Ol Blog and in due course on a Tresmasiad Website. Further to be printed along with the Tresmasiad Manifesto as a pamphlet hopefully providing a clear explanation of much and information to back up the campaign.
TRESMASIAD
Wales Land Act Initiative.
WALES LAND ACT CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION NOTES FROM
DR MYRON EVANS
There are five or six precedents in the Commons for Land Acts under Gladstone and Balfour. William Ewart Gladstone was four times Prime Minister and there is an 1888 recording on the net of his voice. It is a kindly voice with a Scottish accent - plain Mr. Gladstone, but a powerful reformer. All of Wales is seething with anger at various injustices, notably wind turbines, so Plaid Cymru and Labour had better wake up soon and start representing the People or they will have a wholesale revolution on their hands, People's Councils being set up and so forth. Lloyd-George described the House of Lords of his day as a collection of the unemployed chosen at random. The aristocracy is weak, has no power in the Lords, and will not stand against a Land Act.
Diolch yn fawr, many thanks. The most important power in my opinion is to prohibit absolutely the construction of wind turbines and all works that destroy the unique environment. In this the sovereignty of the Welsh Government is paramount, i.e. no court or power outside Wales will overturn or dissolve the Welsh Land Commission and Land Court in Wales. That includes the Welsh Assembly, the Land Act shall become law by direct referendum of the People of Wales. Secondly the Welsh Land Commission shall have the power to order the dismantling of turbines and all works that may hav been illegally built on land formerly owned by absentee landlords. Thirdly the former absentee landlords responsible for turbines shall be fined heavily for damage to the land, and / or ordered to restore it to good condition. Fourthly the former landlords shall be fined heavily for failing to keep the land in good order. The land thus acquired for the People of Wales shall be safegaurded in perpetuity in an extended national park system covering a large percentage of the areas of great beauty in Wales, that is, ninety percent of Wales. As in the Irish Land Acts and Land Law of the Irish Free State the tenants shall have the option of bying back the land freehold from the Commission, and shall not be tenant holders. There are many other provisions like these, modelled on the Irish Land Acts. The Land Act shall be put to the People of Wales in a referendum. For example extensive and effective provisions to heavily protect land against biker criminals, arsonists and horse riding vandals who stary off bridle paths habitually, provisions for traffic regulation orders, gates, fencing and wiring adn other measures such as closed circuit TV cameras to keep horses on bridle paths at pain of being fined or imprisonment, this will make their habitual trespass a criminal offence for which they may be heavily fined and / or imprisoned. Effective provisions against biker criminals and so on, including long prison sentences with hard labour, and optimally, the destruction of all off road motor bikes in Wales. Many other badly needed provisions.
The most important power in my opinion is to prohibit absolutely the construction of wind turbines and all works that destroy the unique environment. In this the sovereignty of the Welsh Government is paramount, i.e. no court or power outside Wales will overturn or dissolve the Welsh Land Commission and Land Court in Wales. That includes the Welsh Assembly, the Land Act shall become law by direct referendum of the People of Wales. Secondly the Welsh Land Commission shall have the power to order the dismantling of turbines and all works that may hav been illegally built on land formerly owned by absentee landlords. Thirdly the former absentee landlords responsible for turbines shall be fined heavily for damage to the land, and / or ordered to restore it to good condition. Fourthly the former landlords shall be fined heavily for failing to keep the land in good order. The land thus acquired for the People of Wales shall be safegaurded in perpetuity in an extended national park system covering a large percentage of the areas of great beauty in Wales, that is, ninety percent of Wales. As in the Irish Land Acts and Land Law of the Irish Free State the tenants shall have the option of bying back the land freehold from the Commission, and shall not be tenant holders. There are many other provisions like these, modelled on the Irish Land Acts. The Land Act shall be put to the People of Wales in a referendum.
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NB: Untill 14 July this Initiative will be under the sponsorship promotion of Cymrwch y Tir Yn Ol – ‘Land and Liberty’ Blog also I have set up a ‘Group’ on my fb in ‘Groups’. For ‘Tresmasiad’ for development of the WLA Promotion Platform and ‘Tresmasu’ for development of Campaign Promotion events and activities. After this and the Maenclocog Meeting, an official elected democratic body will take over and establish a Website and fb etc. All to be organised very carefully and seriously, not just another fb? I shall be retiring at this point from ‘Hands On’ involvement but remain a member and activist. But Sian and I need a bit of a break and then we got to get down to a load of O.S. Business as histories and films etc.
NB: I and Sian are also working on basis of a ‘Tresmasiad Manifesto’which all will get to discuss and contribute to before putting to the 14 JulyConference to finalise and then off we go! Go! So please give these documents your serious special supporters attention and make your contributions for D&D.
NB: Gethin Comment, there was a matter on TV of late re confidence tricks re potential 'Affordable Housing' land, this is an economic issue and I think the Cultural Issues aside as per Deffro Ddraig. This could be of concern to the WLA and Tresmasiad/Tresmasu Campaign - Do Look Into I suggest.
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Search Land Acts (Europe) and Land Rights (native) also Land and Liberty Struggles (Spain and South America) on Web which could be useful as well:
Land Value Tax for Wales
6 Feb 2012 ... The short debate in the Welsh Assembly is well worth listening do. Mark puts across his argument very clearly and distinctly. The response from ...
www.landandliberty.net/1news/land-value-tax-for-wales/ - 22k - Similar pages
Also See:
CAMPAIGNS CYMRU: LAND and LIBERTYCAMPAIGN CYMRU 2010: 'VYRNWY MAS O ...
ymgyrch.blogspot.com/.../land-liberty-campaign-cymru-2010-vyrnwy.html
22 Jul 2010 ... LAND & LIBERTY CAMPAIGN CYMRU2010: 'VYRNWY MAS O'R BYD' and 'YSBRYD TY UNNOS' For The COMMUNITY of the FREE CYMRY! ..
Gethin Gruffydd.
PS: Remember Your Contributions Welcome please send if you wish.
