Zone to defend

AND THE VILLAGE, WHERE WILL IT BE ?

In April the Collective of struggle fighting an Airport (http://lutteaeroportnddl.wordpress.com/) proposed us a space on the so called "Zone to defend" , LaZAD (zad.nadir.org /). The 2000 hectares of land threatened by the stupid idea to build a pharaonic international airport for the city of Nantes. Project useless, pompous verbiage hidden behind a pseudo-green flags (it would be a Aéoroport HQE - Environmental Quality - Ha Ha) that barely conceals it's true ambitions: develop a business at the expense of live, expand the concreted areas to create a Industrial zone from Nantes to Rennes, impose yet a little more the law of money against those who just want to live off the land.
It is a field that many of us are familiar with. Different groups and associations, numerous and heterogeneous, are fighting for up to 40 years. In addition, a Climate Action Camp was held there in 2009. The desire to make a place to experiment with radical struggles have emerged. A call to occupy the area has been sent out, and many people have responded ever since, helping to enhance the fight by the occupation of land and houses purchased by the General Council, for the establishment of autonomous collectives and experimentation on daily level our lifestyles and collective alternatives. The local struggle against the construction of the airport is vital (actioins took place in early May as well in june, works could start in September). It is therefore logic to do the village in July 2011 on this occupied ground and to try to build up a dynamic group with the various collective and individual who are fighting on the ZAD. Without claiming ownership of this fight, we hope to make it more visible and show that there is a clear link between the local project and the global economic system we are fighting. By making a village we hope to participate in the development of infrastructure to accommodate people wanting to settle for active resistance against the airport and its authoritarian world.

…I don’t know… I don’t know what you’re searching

No no, that’s true really

because… nobody who…

who has to tell us that

yes.

Go?

Yes, go.

Well, the project of airport arrived

in the region, it was annonced in the journal,

people discovered it by reading the journal one morning

that they wanted build an airport here

and it was in 70s… or 69 perhaps even

and so that project has around

40 years now, it was an exagerated project

then, they imaginated that air transport would become

like… there will be… everybody

would move everytime by plane,

by helicopter, that one would link very near cities

by the air, and… they always had a lot of arguments

to explain it was a good idea.

And so, since 40 years, this region is threatened

by this project

At the time, the firsts to mobilize themselves against this project

it was peasants, and they created an association

that is called ADECA

Their main aim was to maintain an agricultural activity

on the zone, because the State propaganda

was it was deserted area

and that one can do what one wants.

They, they said "well, no, here there is life,

there are working peasants"

And so, it was mainly this

and at the time of the 70s, in the region,

it is movements of working peasants

and in fact it is peasants who have

an awareness of the class conflict.

They didn’t think… they didn’t struggle

just only for their own tool to work

But they really saw there were links

with the working class,

that their situation wasn’t so different of that

and they endorse the struggles

there were in the factories.

And so, that, it was a quite strong movement

at the time

and another…

At the time also, what was quite strong

were anti-nuclear struggles,

and in the region there were many victories about that,

where many projects of nuclear plants

aborded and were abandonned

after quite difficult struggles.

What happened after

was they declared this area as a

Area of deffered building

It’s the ZAD

We, we still use this word

today but as a

Zone To Defend (ZAD)

or for them area to destroy

But at the time, it enabled them, each time,

to be first on the list to buy a land.

As soon as something was sold

They had priority

and the Department bought the land

And they did that during many years.

Mainly in the 70s,

people didn’t believe anymore in the farming,

they said "it’s all over,

we can no more live from farming".

And so, since 70s,

there was that purchase of the land

but, also, the project, they didn’t speak

about more concretely.

It wasn’t anymore… neither the institutions, neither the medias

spoke about.

And during a long time, they continued

to buy the land

whithout it was really clear

the project will happen.

Because they didn’t ended this project…

Because they have…

It was probably also because of the economical crisis

in the 70s, that made up it was a bit…

it gives the impression they abandonned the project

they didn’t speak anymore, and in fact

during all that time they bought the land

and so, with the time, they became

owner of the a big part of the area

I don’t remember was is… the totality of…

Who is there into?

It’s the department, the region

who bought during all that time

and what happened then

memories gradually forgot

people were no more vigilant

about that story

because nobody spoke about that

And it is only in 2001 that the project

appeared again.

Government said it will build

an airport here.

And at this time was created

an citizen opposition

where there is an association called

ACIPA

ACIPA?

Yep.

The Association of Citizens Impacted

by the Project of Airport

I think, I’m not very sure.

They worked about a lot of different schemes,

a lot of juridical claims

to ask the abrogation of the project.

They also worked a lot with the elected people

to make up there are more and more

political people opposed

to the project, and to do that gradually

it arrived in the government

Also, a lot, they made

big information campaigns

I think they were quite active during a moment also

about… to these and these actions

but always with a symbolic spirit

at the time.

And during drillings,

the first land studies happened,

the drillings,

it began there were more outsiders

who joined the movement

But perhaps, what I forget to say,

is that during the 2000s,

at the government level,

at the level of institutions,

they made a bill about a declaration of public utility

to say that the airport was recognized as useful

for the population

and from this moment

they opened the possibility of performing the project.

It was in 2008.

And in 2009 they began land studies

And from that moment some people

came from outside

and simultaneously local people

perceived the need of more people there

because during the first resistances against the drills

they react by bringing more policemen

and soldiers on the ground

to enable to achieve the studies

And since there was like that something…

the number of present opponents was important

there was a sort of appeal to exterior

to join the struggle

Because before… they said citizens endorsed

the projects before even to know if the project was…

achievable, that we could do it?

Yep.

Before making the studies, they said the citizens…

They acted as if they asked the citizens

to say the project was ok for them

but in fact, that enquiry say nothing

Even if everybody is against,

it’s them who decide if it is of public utility.

And at the time, this step

if really important because

it’s like…

it’s the concrete realization

of the project

and during that time

associations thought they could give their opinions

say "us, we think this project

is not interessant and we don’t want give

our land for that"

and they came toward institutions

that say that

but they were not heared

whereas for instance

in other struggles against nuclear plants

for instance in Plogoff in the peak of the Brittany

from the start inhabitants were opposed

to this project and from the start they said

"we will not leave the enquiry happen"

but here it was accepted

citizens associations said themselves

they could give their opinion

about that, and they realized after

that, even if they said they were against the project,

it didn’t changed anything

and they were not heared.

And, why is it important to be here

and what would you to tell to the people

to mobilize, then to come?

I, I don’t know if…

During a long time we called

to occupy here

and it was in order to be more people

to squatter here on this area

and presently we are quite…

in a sort of dilemna

because to oppose to the project we need to be more people

and at the same time, to be a bit organized,

and efficient, we need more dense

links between us.

And so I don’t know if I want to say, you see,

you ask me if…

I don’t know if I want to say

"Really really come here to fight with us"

I, I think… I’m happy to know

there are people who fight in other places also

and this, for me, it’s really worth to know

and perhaps to create a link

but I don’t want at any cost to say

people to come here to join us

and…

we, we arrived after the first drillings,

in fact during the first drillings, the associations

began to understand it needs

more people here

and they called, they asked

to some people to organized a camp,

it was an Action Climate Camp

and after this Action Climate Camp

we launched an appeal to occupy

And from this time there was this…

we supported during a long time

this call to occupy.

Today people begin to know this site

and they come by themselves

try to support

and sometimes to imply or inhabit

and join the way

we are organized here.

But the Occupy movement became stronger since two years

Today we are in the time of evinctions

and, I, I’ve the sensation that if there are people

who want participate in this struggle with us

they are welcome, but I don’t want to do propaganda like

"really, people have to come here,

it’s the more important thing in the world"

No, it’s not the more important.

Capitalism and State, we have to step down it

anywhere in the world

we have to fight against State and capitalism

anywhere in the world

no more here than anywhere else.

Could you tell about the nature here like…

About the Nature… like… you protect…

In fact, what is special here

is that this project was announced

40 years ago, and during these 40 years they bought land

and so they prohibit

building of new locations,

new houses,

because each time they bought

they bought also houses

the one they didn’t like, they destroyed them

and so, this space, in some way, this project…

this space had been protected because…

there is no urbanization here,

people could’t access the ground,

didn’t have access to houses here,

because the department bought it systematically

and so although it is a region of intensive farming

there are a lot of meadows for milk cows…

different…

but anyhow it is big farms

it’s intensive farming

and into that

there are some pieces of land which are abandonned

which are forgotten in fact

and there is bocage.

And there are places where there is also

we are in very damp soils

there are uncultivable land, but…

it’s some paradox

they wanted to build an urbanization project

and they still want realise this enormous urbanization project

but in fact, since it is during since 40 years,

it last 40 years that the land are more quiet than elsewhere

And how many inhabitants are here?

I don’t know the answer for this question

In the…

In neighbourhoods?

Yes.

It depends because there are different villages

and we are between three villages

And how many people should leave their houses?

Leave their houses?

I don’t know exactly…

About?

I would say 80, but…

It’s a lot of people because they empty the area gradually

There are not a lot of people who have to leave

But anyhow they are people

Anyhow they are people…

Yes…

who have their lives here

Would you like to [??]?

Or not, I don’t know.

I don’t know… that the struggle continue, well.

Merci (thank you).