Hausmania social center threatened

In the winter of 2000 a group of artists contacted the state property
owner, Statsbygg, in order to rent an abandoned building for cultural
activities. The first artists started to work in the spring of 2000. Since
then the 5.000 square meter cultural house Hausmania has developed into
being Northern Europe’s biggest autonomous art center. We make decisions
through concensus, we strive for freedom.

The 10th of February 2004 Hausmania got a message from Statsbygg that
people had to pack their stuff and leave the buildings. This came as a
total chock. We were surprised. On a meeting the same day Statsbygg got
moderated and everything seemed to be all right. Two days later we
received a letter which told us that our contract with Statsbygg was
terminated and we had to vacate the premises within 14 days.

The case is that we had an agreement with them, which they now have
broken. The agreement was that we until the 20th of February should make the place more secure concerning fire and that the Oslo commune should make the first step by telling Statsbygg they are interested in buying the place to keep the social center running. Oslo commune has still to do this. It’s therefore difficult to not blame them to. We are the ultimate losers and it does not look nice when we afterwards also hear from Statsbygg that they want to get rid of us. It looks more like a political game than anything else.

At the same time, it’s a fact that mostly all of the citizens in Oslo and also most
of the local party politicians supports us, shows how much we have brought
to the city and continue to do. If Oslo is going to be a city of culture,
Hausmania is needed. It gives the city an identity, color and attitude of
openess and tolerance. Without such a house the city would be very boring,
but in this way the city get flavor and exiting. It is like the other
side of the coin, the official and the radical. People are able to be open
and prejustice. and it’s a international place both artists and cultures
meet and get mixed. People come from all around the world.

Statsbygg tried to sell to private business. Statsbygg wanted to demolish
what we have built up in the last 3-4 years. The worth of the locale land
is high. Especially since the line between the rich and poor part of the
city has moved, and is now by the river beside Hausmania. Obos, a private
firm, are now constructing a new shopping center and expensive flats close
by. Obos was established by the working movement to offer cheap flats for
the majority who hasn’t much money, but got corrupted and do now work
for the rich. Our poorly and radical looking social center is a contrast
to all of this. For us it’s what inside, our values, that are important.

By throwing us all out, something which didn’t only come as a surprise just
for us, but for local politicians and citizens as well, they prevent us
from working and ruin us instead. This they have no right to do. To
prevent private interests to buy and build a parking lot or all too
expensive flats, we will to show our resistance. On Saturday the 14th we
were 250 people demonstrating. The next demonstration will be at Wednesday
the 18th. We hope that as many people as possible can participate, but we
still work in legal terms. If we don’t succeed other measures have to be
taken. So keep yourself updated!!! If you would like to join a Norwegian battle!


Hausmania
www.hausmania.org.

Nei til riving av Hausmania! Av IMC.no 02 sep 2003 (Norwegian)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/index.php

Hausmania: Pressemelding (Norwegian)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16148/index.php

Hausmania trues med å bli revet - I sin helhet (Norwegian)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16147/index.php

Begravelse av friheten og folks beste interesser ved statsbygg (Norwegian)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/index.php

More pictures from the demonstration 14/2-04 (Pictures)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16144/index.php

More pictures from the demonstration 14/2-04 (Pictures)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16143/index.php

More pictures from the demonstration 14/2-04 (Pictures)
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16139/index.php
 http://www.indymedia.no/newswire/display/16138/index.php