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Sunday 16 April 2017
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To the water protectors:
We write to you from the zad of Notre Dame des Landes in France, a zone in struggle against an infrastructural project imposed by the State to make profit for a multinational corporation. Seven years ago, some resisting inhabitants launched a callout to occupy the land and abandoned houses. In coming to live here where an airport is planned, our desires are multiple: living in a territory in struggle, to be able to act quickly against construction, to learn to live together, to cultivate the land, to be more autonomous in relation to the capitalist system and many others.
We followed from far away the most recent evictions and repression of people resisting on unceded territory. We want to send our solidarity to all who oppose the pipeline and who continue to struggle despite the efforts of leaders (whether of the State or self assigned decision makers of the movement) to break the resistance with pacification and negotiation.
For us, the labels violent/non-violent are irrelevant, we consider that it’s a diversity of tactics and people that make things strong and that no matter what, the violence always originates with the colonialist, capitalist State.
It’s important for us to reaffirm our support particularly at a moment when you are experiencing strong repression. Organizing against this repression is part of all struggles that become threatening to structures of power. In our struggle we’ve found strength in practices of anti-repression, and have seen that organizing in opposition to it can be a way to strengthen links- within the struggle and with other struggles- and participate in making the movement more resistant and sustainable. We want to make public our solidarity with all those who are passing under the steamroller of the justice system.
Against white supremacy and all oppressions
Against the destruction of water and land
Against repression
No DAPL.
Some people from the zad