Autumn has arrived – and as nights grow longer, we keep on struggling against the planned underground disposal facility for highly radioactive nuke waste (CIGEO) and the nuclear company Andra out and off from destroying these woodlands of Mandres in Bure, France. After nearly 5 months of demonstrations, (re)occupations, forest walks, evictions, legal actions, (wall) sabotages and new constructions from tree-houses to watch towers rising in the forest – we continue to settle in. Our forest family is small, but active and growing, welcoming new residents and visitors to walk the woods with us.
Since the 1st of August 2016, Andra, a state-financed nuclear company considering highly radioactive nuke waste as a *resource* instead of a danger, was ruled by the court of Bar-le-Duc to cease the clear cuts and fencing off the forest with the leftovers of the late Berlin wall it had started without legal permissions. The company was ruled into the process of either getting the authorization or, in the best scenario, be ruled to re-cultivate the destruction it had caused.
To encourage the court system for once to do the right thing and the forest to keep on standing strong, 500 of us seized the moment on 14th August and took down the 1,2km long concrete wall surrounding the forest. After this action, the new forest occupation built itself up without call-outs, in-a-matter-of-factly: when you know what’s the right thing to do, it’s easy to get going.
Unfortunately, we still haven’t defeated Andra. They appealed the 1st August court decision, and the matter was scheduled to go to court on 3rd of November. Unsurprisingly enough, the session was postponed, giving Andra yet more time to find legal loopholes for its needs. Thus, the procedure to authorize the clear cuts is advancing. Since October, the bailiff’s and security guards have tried to have their own forest walks with varying success, police controls taken place in nearby villages and helicopters buzzed up the air space. Some artistic comrades were given a 2 month suspended prison sentence for a graffiti on a ruined Andra building, another one got a ban from the area of Meuse for two years and free auditions are piling up for the fall of the Andra wall. A new prefect took the office in Meuse and CIGEO has a brand new director. Andra has also recruited a new public law expert to avoid its past mistakes.
To put it short: they are reorganizing, and threat of a forest eviction and resumption of the drilling works are growing on an alarming rate. And since the forest cannot stand up and fight for itself: it’s up to us to stand up for it.
With this new call we’re not only giving an update to old friends and supporters. First and foremost, we’re inviting all of you to come or take a stand of solidarity elsewhere. From Calais to Notre-Dame-des-Landes active people are not giving in for repression, but finding hope from action. We respect the diversity of tactics: whether your thing is to summon up the clown army, get creative with your friends or arrange a Sunday fiesta of roasted chestnuts for local supporters, you’re welcomed here.
The fresh forest occupation has built its infrastructure just for a couple of months. We offer the usual setting: kitchen, toilets, material to build your own nest: but as the warmable communal hut with a spacious sleeping floor is still a work in progress, we recommend that you take enough warm clothes and personal sleeping gear with you.
You can reach us via sauvonslaforet[at]protonmail.com or +33(0)7 5387 8161. More info on en.vmc.camp
*every sunday afternoon, starting at 14:00, we offer forest walks, climbing workshops, hut constructions and discussions in the forest – come and bring your friends and neighbours!
*to support us financially and materially, feel free to donate what you can: food, finances, tools – and especially pellets and planks are always treasured.