Land Issues as regards ownership and use is a major part of Welsh History from 16th century period of the Reformation and the Tudor Gentry Land grab (see Forest of Snowdon Affair and troubles in Cwmwd Caio) to the 18th century period of Romantic Cultural Renaissance (see Before Rebecca on Enclosures etc) up to 1826 and Rhyfel Y Sais Bach and beyond to the Tithe Wars of the 1880's. In this long post medieval period, these land issues are very much about social and economic matters but in the 20th century land issues became central to the advance of Plaid Cymru and then such is dominanted by its cultural nationalist roots and later pacifist politics. Such is much seen in a splendid issue of Y Faner Newydd Rhif 21 Haf 2002 with a special feature on early Plaid Cymru Protests on land issues revolving around campaigns regards the use of land near Abergeirw during WW II up to 1948 for Military training by the English Army.
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Also see via web search: The English Military and seizures of Welsh Land on the Epynt Mountains, Preseli Mountains. South Penfro and Pembre area near Llanelli, not least of course look up Penyberth 1936.
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Later the protests at Abergeirw would evolve into Plaid Cymru protests against building of a Nuclear Power Station at Trawsfynydd, for much of it's existence Plaid Cymru has been not only a Cultural Nationalist Movement but also a Pacifist Party but recent support for a new Nuclear Power Station on Ynys Mon as kind of undone Plaid stance on a so called ''Neclear Free Wales''. In present times, some potential Plaid BGE candidates have been writing to Western Mail supporting 11 November Remembrances and of Welsh Soldiers in the British Army in Afghanistan, all very ambivalent to say the least.
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In our own times Plaid Cymru land protests have in main been on seizure of Welsh Land to build Reservoirs to serve English Cities, as Vyrnwy, Elan and Clywedog but most famously Treweryn. One thing that has been consistent throughout has been the links between the Land Issue and the Welsh Language (threatened way of life etc) and much imbued with pacifism that found bombing campaigns by FWA and MAC against the building of reservoirs an anathema to Plaid's Cultural Pacifist Patriotism.
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The above is highly interesting stuff, one can sympathise with the Plaid Cultural stand whilst having mixed opinions about the Plaid Pacifism, the important thing is to see a Nationalist Party leading a Nationalist Direct Action Movement. This is what we need more of, on a number of issues in Wales today and is something the Peoples Council in North East Wales will have to consider if their petition against the WAG Spatial Plan to sell out the North East to English domination from across the border fails.
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The above is highly interesting stuff, one can sympathise with the Plaid Cultural stand whilst having mixed opinions about the Plaid Pacifism, the important thing is to see a Nationalist Party leading a Nationalist Direct Action Movement. This is what we need more of, on a number of issues in Wales today and is something the Peoples Council in North East Wales will have to consider if their petition against the WAG Spatial Plan to sell out the North East to English domination from across the border fails.
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I have all ready wrote of the growing need to consider the building up, based on Peoples Councils an all Wales MOVEMENT AGAINST COLONIALISM (see Adam Price recent talk to IWA on Wales a Colony). But I digress, back to my proposed LAND & LIBERTY CAMPAIGN, I take heart from Plaid Land Issue Campaigning in the past, but the one I propose, sets aside the pacifism although such campaign I envisage would be non - violent. However, taking aboard the Culture & Language, I see the campaign I am proposing be as much, if not more concerned with the matter of national & popular sovereignty plus issues that reflect Social and Economic concerns on a platform of Hand Back & Hands Off Welsh Land all most definitely under an Anti - Colonial Umbrella with a Banner that reads large SAY NO TO CHEQUE BOOK CONQUEST TOO!
.Gethin Gruffydd.
