NDDL ZAD: After the gesture towards dialogue made by the movement, the government must end its threats!

Press Release from National and Local Organizations

/// NDDL ZAD: After the gesture towards dialogue made by the movement, the government must end its threats!

National and local organizations and well-known individuals salute the willingness to resume dialogue demonstrated by the different groups and residents of the ZAD at Notre-Dame-des-Landes despite the extremely difficult context, and hereby express the firm demand that the government put an end to the threats it is holding over the ZAD.

Despite the government’s initial refusal to consider the proposed collective agreement, today, collectively, they have made a very concrete gesture aimed at ending the infernal cycle of a massive repression that is blind and deaf to all projects for the future. A dossier has been filed with the Prefecture comprising nearly 40 individual applications concerning the various concrete projects existing and under construction in the ZAD. This approach underscores the interdependence of these projects, which function together like an ecosystem. The purpose is to ensure that the cooperative dimension and the links between the different groups engaged in the various projects are maintained. After this gesture in favour of dialogue, we ask that the government finally recognize the movement’s vision of the commons and of solidarity among small farmers, a vision that is genuinely concerned with caring for the environment, and its desire to see that vision take root. This small area of the bocage, which has become emblematic as a living, inhabited, shared territory which also leaves space for projects that are not strictly agricultural, must be maintained.

The declarations made by the Prefect following the meeting seemed to indicate a certain openness. And yet she reiterated the idea that “only the government will decide” regarding the future following the ultimatum of 23 April. The latest announcements made by the Prime Minister on the subject - threatening on 19 April to evacuate the rest of the ZAD “with an immense and tranquil determination” - are cause for great concern. Given the extremely heavy human and material cost of the repression of the last eleven days, and the gestures of good faith made by the movement, we firmly demand that government now move towards reducing the tensions of this explosive situation and return to the path of reason. To remain locked into a purely repressive approach would have dramatic consequences. The unreasonable ultimatums must cease and the military forces must be withdrawn. The conditions must be put in place to continue to work toward the future of this unique territory, which is common ground for struggle as much as it is a collective experiment that bears great hopes.

We hereby reaffirm our solidarity with the territory of the ZAD and its residents, and call on all supporters — organizations, groups, and individuals — in France and beyond to be extremely vigilant about what happens as the current week begins. If, in spite of the good faith demonstrated by the movement, the government decides to resume the expulsions and destructions of homes, farms, gardens, and activity spaces at the ZAD, we will be prepared to react together and gather massively at the ZAD on the Sunday following any resumption of expulsions.

• Communiqué from the Assemblée des usages (inter-group assembly) of 20 April: https://ZAD.nadir.org/spip.php?article5641

• Address for sending signatures (possible until Sunday evening 22 April): soutiensavenirZAD2018@riseup.net (IMPORTANT: To simplify handling, please add in the Subject line of the e-mail: the name of the signing organisation or collective / if an individual: surname, first name, position)

• Reminder:

The communiqué of 18 April, signed by some 100 organisations “ZAD: appel pour une vraie sortie de crise

The communiqué of 12 April, signed by 150 organisations ”Évacuation de la ZAD : stoppez-tout avant qu’il ne soit trop tard”.

The petition “Défendre et Habiter”, which has already collected 52,000 signatures, calling for pressure to be put on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior.

The initial signers:

National organisations

• 350.org • Agir pour l’Environnement • AGTER(Association pour l’Amélioration de la Gouvernance de la Terre, de l’Eau et des Ressources naturelles) • Alternatiba • Alternative Libertaire • ANV-COP 21 • Attac • Collectif national des syndicats CGT de VINCI • DAL (Droit au Logement) • Ensemble ! • Fédération Anarchiste . Greenpeace • Les amis de la terre • No Vox International • NPA • SUD-PTT • Sud Rail • Union syndicale Solidaires

Local groups and organisations

• Alternative Libertaire Nantes • AMASSADA • Association St Hilaire Durable (https://www.sainthilairedurable.net/) • Attac St Nazaire • Attac Flandres • CADE (Pays Basque - Sud des Landes) • Centre Culturel Autogéré de Nancy • Coalition Climat 33 • Collectif pour la sauvegarde de la zone humide du Testet • Collectif jurassien d’opposantEs à Center Parcs (CjoCP) • Collectif Non à l’autoroute A133-A134 • Collectif NDDL Paris-IDF • Collectif gaz de schiste Anduze • Collectif BOCAGE Bordeaux Ouest • Coordination des Intermittents et Précaires d’Île-de-France (CIP-IDF) • Collectif Climat Social • Collectif citoyen Les Engraineurs • Collectif ORVAULT COOPA • Collectif 3R • Collectif RESOME (Réseau d’Etudes Supérieures et d’Orientation des Migrant-e-s et Exilé-e-s • Comité de soutien aux opposants à l’aéroport de Notre-Dames-des-Landes
 Saint-Malo • Comité de soutien ZAD de Genêve • Comité de soutien NDDL Plateau de Saclay • Comité de soutien NDDL Nord et Sud 79 • Comité de soutien ZAD Guérandais • Comité de soutien NDDL Pays de Retz • Comité de soutien aux opposants à NDDL - Saint-Malo • Comité NDDL de Carquefou • Comité NDDL de Clisson • Comité nddl gâtine Sud 79 • Comité NDDL de Houilles • Comité NDDL du Comminges (31) • Comité NDDL de Nîmes • Comité NDDL 09 • Comité NDDL de Lisieux • Comité ZAD de Douarnenez • Coordination Cigeo/BURE Stop : Asodedra, Burestop 55, Bure Zone Libre, Cedra 52, Eodra, Habitants vigilants de Gondrecourt-le-Château, MNE,Fédération MIRABEL Lorraine environnement et des opposantes et opposants à la poubelle nucléaire • Ensemble 44 • Fédération Environnement Eure-et-Loir • LA PRESLE (28) • Mouvement ECOLO • NOVISSEN • NoVox Côte d’Ivoire • OCL (Organisation Communiste Libertaire) Nantes • Sang pour sans Champigny • Solidaires Bretagne • Stuttgart 21 Überall • SUD Santé Sociaux 44