…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).