linksunten Archiv

The upcoming destruction of the jungle and forced mass dispersion of people from Calais are not isolated. They are part of a larger strategy of the government of France, working in tandem with other governments to segregate, through violence, people with and without papers, the white and the “other,” the rich and the poor: to lock people in camps, deport centers, and prisons, to coerce or force people to return to “safe” countries where they risk further imprisonment and death.

The government plans to pretend to give people a choice – get on buses to temporary accommodation centers (CAO – “welcome centers”) or be forced out of France (through OQTF papers). However, there are have been Dublin deportations from CAOs and there are no guarantees that they will cease to happen. Some people who have fingerprints in other European countries, like Italy, are pushed back there. From all countries, some are deported further back in huge numbers, including to their countries.

Now, there are more arrests, people are unable to enter train stations based on the color of their skin. Calais police has been given a target goal of 80 arrests per day and as many deportations as possible. This is part of the evictions. People are being caught en mass – the deportation center in Calais is being expanded.

Humanitarian associations working in the jungle are collaborating closely with the government. They want to make the evictions «humane» or «safer». There are no humane evictions! There are no safe evictions!

Whom does this solution benefit? Not those who risk deportation, not those who want to go to the UK, not those French people oppressed by the machinery of capitalism for whom the government does not pretend to provide housing either. It benefits the agendas of politicians (including those up for elections in France). It benefits multinational corporations making billions from evictions and militarization projects in Calais and elsewhere.

When evictions happen people are forced into further precarity and more danger. If it happens as planned, there will be violence from the police and those who attempt to stay in the area will have to find another place to sleep. Those trying this will face a real risk of deportation as police will issue anyone who does not go to the CAO with an OQTF.

With more fences and barbed wire, people are trying more dangerous ways to cross – there have been 15 known deaths at the border here in 2016 alone.

The policies of border oppression are not isolated in Calais. The fight against the border and show of solidarity for those oppressed here are not isolated in Calais. As police prepares more repressions of those without papers and those standing with them, people are preparing to fight against oppression and repressions in various places. There have been call-outs in places across France to show solidarity to those facing eviction in Calais and fight the companies that profit here. This is the call-out from Calais for you to fight the border mechanism in places where you are.

This does not mean that you should not come to Calais. If you have been here before, are fairly autonomous and have clear idea of what you would like to do, there will be people who may well need support during and after the evictions.

If you have not been to Calais before, need a lot of information about the situation, and do not have a good idea of what you would like to do to show solidarity in support of people being evicted and facing the violence of the border, now may be a difficult time to arrive.

We call on people to provide dignified housing solutions and welcome spaces in their cities*– because many people living in the jungle will leave Calais! We call on decentralized actions in their cities* against the companies profiting from human misery! We call for the destruction of prisons and deport centers across Europe! We call for solidarity in fighting the border!

Calais Migrant Solidarity - October 15, 2016

*Send your meeting points and actions feedback to calais_solidarity [at] riseup.net