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Call to all diverse factions of the struggle for the 8th of octobre

Thursday 22 September 2016

All the versions of this article: [Deutsch] [English] [français] [Nederlands]

Notre-Dames-Des Landes-ZAD May the sounds of our sticks be heard! Call to all diverse factions of the struggle for the 8th of octobre.

Poster: Let’s hear the noise of our sticks! Prevent the airport project, defend the ZAD Start: 10am in the grove Saturday 08th of October / 08.10.2016

Demonstration, construction, party

As you may know, the French government plans to build a new international airport next to Notre-Dames-des-Landes in France, which implies the destruction of traditional agricultural land and natural areas, not only for the airport but for roads and other infrastructure. Although a working airport already exists in the area, and despite a farmers’ and inhabitants’ resistance since the 70’s, the government has not given up this project and has already evicted farmers. Since years, some farmers still resit and people occupy the area, which has become a flourishing ground for alternative lifestyles and solidarity. The area is known as the ZAD – officially a “Zone d’ Aménagement Différé”, a differed development zone, and for the inhabitants and the movement, a “Zone A Défendre” – a zone to defend. Since years, the struggle [notably with police forces] continues, and demonstrations amplify.

Cornered by the massive mobilisation and demonstrations of January 9th and February 27th , the French government organised a biased referendum in June [done in the Loire-Atlantique region only while the airport project concerns a broader region: 55,17 % voted “yes” to the project of transferring the existing Nantes-Atlantique airport to Notre-Dame-des-Landes]. Feeling victorious from the results of this masquerade, pro-airport groups and the prime minister confirmed their intention to go ahead in autumn with the evacuation and destruction of Notre-Dames-des-Landes’ ZAD, its cultures, fauna and flora, its inhabitants and activities, including the bonds and attachments shared among all people caring about this place. These declarations ignore the legal situation of the project, as, among other things, not all the necessary construction permits have been granted.

Moreover, the initiators of this project do not seem to grasp the determination of all those that live in this grove, the activists fighting by their side, the popular support of the movement in the region and beyond, a well as the involvement of local committees. These 2000 hectares of grove and its life are full of unyielding hope in the face of the destruction of life, nature and agricultural lands as well as the marketization of the world. It is unacceptable and unthinkable that they may disappear!

At the initiative of the whole opposition movement, on the 8th of October, we will establish our determination to stop any attack against the ZAD or the launch of building works. Like so many other farmers struggles, like in Larzac [throughout the whole 70s, a farmers’ non-violent disobedience movement resisted the extension of a military base, the project was eventually abandoned], we will let our thousands of sticks echo through the earth. We will leave them there, and commit together to come and take them back in case of intervention, and to defend the ZAD, its inhabitants and farmers, and the future that is being built there every day.

Together, we will also construct a hall for which the parts were built this summer by dozens of carpenters who came to the ZAD. This collective achievement will be a symbol of our commitment and willingness to organise our resistance. It shall be a base for the struggle in case of eviction attempts, and a collective common structure for future uses.

Let’s meet at Notre-Dames-des-Landes on Octobre 8th! At 10 am in the grove, by foot, bicycle or tractor. Bring your stick, whether sculpted or painted, to put it in the way of that project! Alltogether, let’s prevent the airport!

For more information in English can be found here: http://zad.nadir.org/?lang=en More general information here: acipa-ndl.fr Check zad.nadir.org for more information to be uploaded soon.

We call for the support of any committee or group to organise, from today, and to ensure the success of this mobilisation! For example, by sharing this information or organising group travel schemes. On this link, you can find rideshare offers and sleeping places: http://annonces-ndl.org

Attached documents