Tarifa bordercamp - an introduction

02.Jun.01 - Following the european experience,different groups from all over Spain have created the spanish network called ,"NO PERSON IS ILEGAL" lt's the first step to start coordinating the work that different small groups have been doing around the ,"migration problem". After a meeting that took place in Barcelona last october we decided that it was essential to start a work together with the intention of exchange information, reflexions and experience to reinforce a movement that is really young. The "migration problem" is somehow new in Spain in difference with some countries in Europe where the immigrants have lived for more than 3 decades. The process is completely different specially in a political view, the anti-racist movements and the self-organization experiences are making their first steps in an autonomous way in a country where the traditional left is passing through the worst moment in their history. The European Fortress is pushing more than ever to the spanish goverment to reinforce the border control: a harder strangery law, a repressive plan and a criminalisation campaign is taking place while the PCE, unions, church and NGO'S are doing nothing about it. The plan (like in all Europe) is to make that the immigrant population play just one role: cheap and disciplinate workers.

Our intention with this first bordercamp is to denounce this situation and to contribute to create a meeting point between different groups to discuss about how to expand the movement in this context.

We have chosen Tarifa because of its symbolic value: the biggest border in Europe, the Straits of Gibraltar,where more than 1500 persons died trying to cross and where 1000 africans are arrested by the border police every month.

The camp will take place on the first half of July(soon we'll confirm exactly wich week) and we think it is going to be massive. The program of the camp is still opened and we expect that different organizations from Europe will come; also we are making all our efforts to bring people from Africa and South America.

As you know, to prepare such a thing we need a lot and different kind of collaboration (hands, money, ideas, cultural performances,action planning, etc.).

From Spain we want to salute all the european camaradas and invite you all to come next summer to Tarifa to join us in this important first bordercamp in the south.

How can you collaborate?

-PROPAGANDA: Talk with your group about it, write in your mag azines,newspaper,radio programs,e-mail lists, ne tworks, etc
-INFRASTRUCTURE:- The INDYMEDIA people will take care about the media stuff (if you or your group want to give us a hand get in touch with them or with us and we connect). -We need people to give Us a hand with the food,tents,electricity connection,sound equipment,nomad toilettes,etc.
-ECONOMICAL CONTRIBUTION:As you know we'll need money for lots of things (tickets,infrastructure,media connections,etc) In Spain it's harder than in other places to get ressources: so if you have any suggestion please let us know.
-IDEAS:Our intention is to complement the ,"serious" discussion with ,"relaxing" moments. We have a plan of discussion but if you have any suggestion about both (from a subject to discuss about, to a good sound system or cultural event) please get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Salut and social revolution.

Ninguna Persona es Ilegal - Spain