Bordercamping2002: international bordercamp
Call to the international noborder-actioncamp in Strasbourg from the 19th to the 28th of July
02.Dec.01 - Freedom of movement and settlement are basic human needs. Migration is a
fact, its autonomy could and cannot be regulated, as states and
transnational organisations would want. Migration is a consequence of
economic exploitation, political repression and war but also of the
legitimate interest of people to find better or different living-conditions.
Free movement for everyone must become a reality which we have to fight for
by any means necessary.
Freedom of movement has been a central demand in the last few years, when
grassroot groups started to organise noborder-camps at different borders of
fortress Europe: against the militarised borders around Europe, with their
weapons, control technologies and the racist support of many people in the
European countries. This is the opposite of our dreams to create a world
without borders.
We are living in a worldwide capitalist system which divides people. This
system of exploitation and exclusion is supported by both the internal and
external borders of fortress Europe or the so called schengencountry. It
relies upon racist laws and the barbarism of detention and deportation.
Thousands of people have died as a consequence of the border regime.
We are currently witnessing a strengthening of the repressive apparatus of
the state across the world. Whilst the control of domestic populations and
the movement of people across national borders is nothing new. It has been
going on at an accelerated pace since the attacks against the WTC and the
Pentagon as those in power have taken advantage of the cover of their war
against terrorism to push through new draconian measures of control. In
Europe after the proposal of a European anti-riot policebody, we now have
the project of a European arrest warrant and the adoption of common
anti-terrorist legislation. Behind this pretext of fighting terrorism
the states' real aim is to increase the control over the daily lives and
struggles of everybody.
We seek to act concretely against the instruments of state control in all
their multiplying forms. As part of this struggle the noborder network is
organising a border-camp in the summer of 2002 in Strasbourg, France.
Strasbourg houses the Schengen Information System (SIS), a central piece of
the control machine. This search and control database with tens of thousands
of terminals across Europe aims first and foremost at migrants. However it
is not only used at border checkpoints, but also serves to extend the
state's control onto every street. The SIS can be instantly consulted to
determine whether a person is wanted for deportation or arrest as well as
providing other information used to monitor an individual's movements and
activities.
Against this instrument of control and repression we want to be present in
Strasbourg with our protest actions and our criticism of the European
institutions and the interests they represent.
We aim to work against all forms of exploitation and division, by working
together to create new forms of collaboration and resistance.
We aim to create a platform for exchange of information and experience among
groups and individuals involved in different political struggles with an
emancipatory anti-capitalist perspective.
We aim to work together with self organized groups of migrants.
We aim to interconnect people working from different political practices and
coming with different regional experience.
The noborder-camp will include a variety of direct actions, from public
demonstrations to forms of communication guerrilla.
The camp will give space for a lot of international discussions and
workshops and we intend to create a ten-days-laboratory of creative
resistance and civil disobedience.
The Strasbourg camp expresses our ability to determine our own places and
moments of presence, of action and communication.
We invite all interested people to come and participate, to contribute and
support this international event ...
Agreed on by the European noborder network on 02.dec.2001 in Munich.