Neither here nor in Calais - Not keeping silence

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The word has come from certain medias that the government’s priority would not be to evict the zad in october, but to « evacuate the Calais jungle ». The police forces being unable to handle both operations at once. The movement against the airport and the world it stands for cannot remain silent in the face of this cynical game of leaving one eviction for later so that the other can be carried out.


We are calling out for solidarity and for the organization of actions now and for the coming weeks against the french state, Vinci, and the others that will take part in the eviction of the « jungle » in Calais and the ZAD of NDDL.. These two struggles are concrete fights against the racist and imperialist policies in europe, and the war it wages against « unwanted » people.


Last March, the people who had participated in a hunger strike in 2012 against the airport of Notre-Dame-des-Landes came to Calais to meet 9 refugees ready to die to stop the eviction of the south part of the « jungle ». These persons were on hungerstrike to protest against the order to evict more than 3000 people from the only home, shelter, wooden cabin, or tarpoline roof that they had. This destruction was carried out by SOGEA, sub-company of VINCI.


For the farmers the of Notre-Dame-des-Landes the destruction of what made their living amounted to question their way of life. In the « jungle » the houses, restaurants, grocery shopsthat have been built are steps to make life possible no matter what, while waiting « to be able to start really living ». If we must share solidarity with the those who live there, it is in part because their existence and perspectives are threatened by a society of control and a police state. But also because, like in the zad, the « jungle » has made it possible to have a space for organization, autonomy, encounters and solidarity. And like in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, the state has little regards for individuals determined to put their own lives at stake.


Today, in October 2016, the state announces the eviction of what remains of the « jungle », 10 000 persons are threatened. The government would like to make believe that this eviction is a humanitarian operation, just like during the destruction of the south part of the slum last march. The hypocricy of this speech is unacceptable in regards to the violence of the planned destruction of the homes of people, and the eagerness to control those in transit in Calais. 


The « jungle » is part of a repressive construction created to hold off, to check, to control, and to deport the migrant population, reminding dark times in occidental history. Unseen and uncared for. Everyone where they « belong ». The stench of racism is disgusting. The rise of the racist and nationalist ideologies thoughout europe is no different to what we encounter in calais, and our solidarity must also include a struggle against the rise of a fascist society. The state is able to carry on its systematic repression of migrants in calais and elsewhere because of our implicit support, thanks to our silence.

 

What happens in Calais is not an isolated phenomenon, or an exception. The same logic spreads in france and in europe, made of repression and management of populations, of war against «unwanted» people, those who challenge the state by their way of life. We think that the management of the territory and its infrastructures is of the same nature as that of the control of populations. The organization of the repression, and the process of evictions and isolation of the « unwanted » will not defeat our drive to chose, to make attempts, to build our own lives. From Notre-Dame-des-Landes we reassert our determination to fight together against these common enemies.

 

http://zad.nadir.org/spip.php?article4057