Sangatte - laboratory of law and order policies
transmitter | 17.12.2002 14:16
The demo in Calais on December 15th was called by Csur, a collective from Calais, which brings together 30 organizations, and at the national level by AC!, and the GISTI. It was supported by various other groups including the Green party, Act-up (they fight against discrimination and law-and-order policies) and a libertarian anti-capitalist group. On the British side, it was supported by Barbed Wire Britain, the Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers and noborder London.
Here is the national call by AC! network of unemployed organizations in France:
Here is the national call by AC! network of unemployed organizations in France:
Sangatte, laboratory of the law-and-order policies
Four months before the scheduled date, after a deal agreed by the French and British governments, Sangatte will be definitely closed on December 30th.
The Europe of freedoms, which they have been promising us is still a long way away: Clearly, they don’t need to agree on the Euro to agree on the batons!
In France, the Loi de Sécurité Quotidienne (LSQ, anti-terrorist bill), adopted by the left in November 2001, is being implemented. Those who can’t afford to pay for their train ticket are now facing a 7500 Euro fine and a six months in prison.
Today, the new Home Security law-proposal wants to criminalize the sans-papiers even more, along with those without income, without income, the prostitutes,
squatters, ravers, etc. The social war against all those living under precarious conditions is becoming permanent.
The logic of security reaches a climax in Calais where rather impressive police forces are deployed (3500 CRS, French riot police). Police violence against refugees has multiplied since the closure of Sangatte on November 5th. Surveillance of their movements extends far beyond Calais, it operates at all potential points of passage: Stations like Paris Bercy, where trains from Italy arrive; transit stations on the way to theUK like Paris Gare du Nord; the stations of Lille, Calais, Dunkerque, Caen and more.
Through reinforced controls, they try to discourage migrants, to disperse them, and alltogether to make them invisible. Many migrants are aiming their journey towards the UK, hoping to find conditions which are slightly less unacceptable than anywhere else: access to housing, a small income, health services, employment. These conditions are put into question by the harmonisation of social policies on a lower level, especially where immigration and asylum are concerned. A state of exception would then become the European standard…
The sans-papiers excluded from the Sangatte camp occupied two gymnasiums and a church. At the request of the mairie and the prefecture (local council), they were evicted by the police. Every day, a “prefectoral scheme with a humane face” sends
sans-papiers towards the six corners of the hexagone made up of the Reception Centers for asylum seekers (CADA) all over France, whilst those who do not accept this “offer” are continually being chased and harassed.
Today, migrants are caught between precarious existence in France or the UK, between disappearing into clandestinity or deportation into a war ridden country. The Blunkett/Sarkozy lottery leaves no space for the migrants’ desires and choices.
We demand that the basic rights of migrants and those living under precarious conditions be respected - in Calais as well as anywhere else.
- for freedom of movement and settlement
- for the right to housing, health services, income
- for the global legalisation of sans-papiers, with a ten years residence permit, giving the right to access the common social protection
- for the repeal of the LSQ (anti-terrorist bill) and LSI (home-security bill).
-
December 15th is a coordinated day of action against law-and-order
Bills. We call for the demo in Calais, at 3 pm outside the town hall.
AC!
Agir ensemble contre le chômage
42 rue d’Avron
75020 Paris
ac@ras.eu.org
http://www.ac.eu.org
Contact : 0033 661524312
Four months before the scheduled date, after a deal agreed by the French and British governments, Sangatte will be definitely closed on December 30th.
The Europe of freedoms, which they have been promising us is still a long way away: Clearly, they don’t need to agree on the Euro to agree on the batons!
In France, the Loi de Sécurité Quotidienne (LSQ, anti-terrorist bill), adopted by the left in November 2001, is being implemented. Those who can’t afford to pay for their train ticket are now facing a 7500 Euro fine and a six months in prison.
Today, the new Home Security law-proposal wants to criminalize the sans-papiers even more, along with those without income, without income, the prostitutes,
squatters, ravers, etc. The social war against all those living under precarious conditions is becoming permanent.
The logic of security reaches a climax in Calais where rather impressive police forces are deployed (3500 CRS, French riot police). Police violence against refugees has multiplied since the closure of Sangatte on November 5th. Surveillance of their movements extends far beyond Calais, it operates at all potential points of passage: Stations like Paris Bercy, where trains from Italy arrive; transit stations on the way to theUK like Paris Gare du Nord; the stations of Lille, Calais, Dunkerque, Caen and more.
Through reinforced controls, they try to discourage migrants, to disperse them, and alltogether to make them invisible. Many migrants are aiming their journey towards the UK, hoping to find conditions which are slightly less unacceptable than anywhere else: access to housing, a small income, health services, employment. These conditions are put into question by the harmonisation of social policies on a lower level, especially where immigration and asylum are concerned. A state of exception would then become the European standard…
The sans-papiers excluded from the Sangatte camp occupied two gymnasiums and a church. At the request of the mairie and the prefecture (local council), they were evicted by the police. Every day, a “prefectoral scheme with a humane face” sends
sans-papiers towards the six corners of the hexagone made up of the Reception Centers for asylum seekers (CADA) all over France, whilst those who do not accept this “offer” are continually being chased and harassed.
Today, migrants are caught between precarious existence in France or the UK, between disappearing into clandestinity or deportation into a war ridden country. The Blunkett/Sarkozy lottery leaves no space for the migrants’ desires and choices.
We demand that the basic rights of migrants and those living under precarious conditions be respected - in Calais as well as anywhere else.
- for freedom of movement and settlement
- for the right to housing, health services, income
- for the global legalisation of sans-papiers, with a ten years residence permit, giving the right to access the common social protection
- for the repeal of the LSQ (anti-terrorist bill) and LSI (home-security bill).
-
December 15th is a coordinated day of action against law-and-order
Bills. We call for the demo in Calais, at 3 pm outside the town hall.
AC!
Agir ensemble contre le chômage
42 rue d’Avron
75020 Paris
ac@ras.eu.org http://www.ac.eu.org Contact : 0033 661524312
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ac@ras.eu.org
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