When the earth rises, it is necessary that underground work has
occurred. Let's take the example of the creation of mountains, thetectonic plates participate, through their friction and the
interpenetration of one under the other, in the movement of very large
masses of rocks creating what we call mountains. Well, all this is well
and good, but what's the problem? I will try to explain it in the rest
of this text. ---- The following text is a mood piece from a member of
stop mines 03, an association that opposes the lithium mine project in
the Allier department. Several articles have already been written in CA,
you can find them in issues 326 January 2023, 330 May 2023, 340 May 2024.
A little-known department, Allier?!
At the end of October 2022, through the press, the inhabitants of Allier
learned that a mine to extract lithium was planned in the commune of
Echassières. The multinational Imérys, which also operates a kaolin
quarry in this commune, has an Exclusive Research Permit (PER), the
first step towards the concession and exploitation of so-called
"essential" metals.
Following this announcement, the inhabitants of Echassières and the
surrounding communes met and thought about what to do with this
information? The decision was to contact Stop mines 23, which has been
fighting for several years against mining projects in Creuse, Limousin
and Guyana and which also has contacts with other groups.
A first meeting was organized to find a consensus on the future
organization. The idea of creating a collegiate association is enacted,
not without reluctance from some "Stop mines 03, Ni Ici, Ni Ailleurs"
considered too divisive. But the majority approves of the operation,
close to a collective, with decisions taken in general meetings and
without an office, where each active member is jointly responsible.
We are in December 2022, the association will be declared in January 2023.
Following this creation.
After decisions taken in general meetings, public meetings are organized
in neighboring municipalities to inform and know the state of mind of
the Bourbonnais (1) in the face of this announcement, a dynamic is set
up to expand our local action, helped in this by an existing association
"Préservons la forêt des colettes", which appeared during a previous
fight against the installation of wind turbines. Leaflets on markets and
during demonstrations, we are in the middle of a fight against the
"pension reform", contacts are made with other collectives or
associations. After the demonstration in Sainte Soline, on March 25,
2023, against a mega-basin, where the violence of the State showed one
facet of these repressive possibilities, the government decided through
the voice of its Minister of the Interior to dissolve "the earth
uprisings (SLT)" one of the organizers of the demonstration. In the
process, the earth uprisings called for the creation of local committees.
First meeting with the earth uprisings.
In April 2023, we were asked to organize an information day, to allow a
presentation of the different struggles in our territory, this came from
the earth uprisings 03 (SLT), in creation. During our general assembly,
we responded positively to this request. A room was found for the sum of
56 euros.
An invitation email for this day comes to us from the SLT (future 03),
oh surprise! Stop mines 03 organizer, does not appear in this
invitation. Following our questioning, the haste is invoked as an
excuse. We are told that the blunder has been corrected. The day will
not be as agreed, namely a presentation of local struggles. For the
occasion, representatives of the national SLT are present. All morning,
replacing what was planned, will see a communication with power point,
exclusively directed towards and by the SLT. The time of the shared
meal, will show us that the word sharing does not have the same meaning
for everyone. At the beginning of the afternoon, a presentation of the
struggles will be authorized, quite quickly. This will be followed by a
call to join the new local committee of the SLT 03, a handful of the
audience will respond positively. When a person present will ask the
awkward question, Can we know how the SLT works, decisions,
organization, etc. " In response, a person present stands up and
indicates that she is unable to make decisions, but on the other hand
she is in favor of action and will respond favorably to the
decision-making group and asks the crowd, who is in favor of action?
There, oh surprise! about fifteen people volunteer. In the process,
another person stands up and invites them to follow her for the creation
of the decision-making and organization group, a little over half a
dozen will respond favorably. I had just witnessed what some call a
turnaround, when it is more a brain-twist with an undisclosed desire for
manipulation. Following this episode, I left the room feeling strong
from this mind-blowing day. The following general meeting of stop mines
03 will be an opportunity to look back on this memorable day and will
allow some to put into appearances the course of this meeting.
Second round
The SLT 03 contact stop mines 03 to participate in "struggles in
resistance", with a documentation table on Sunday, in a town in the
south of the department. The AG decides to participate. And there,
surprise! (Again, yes and it will not be the last). We receive the
invitation and its program, where it is indicated that stop mines 03
will give a conference, on Saturday, for three hours on the lithium mine?!
After having made a clarification with the SLT 03, with regard to the
collegiate decision-making of our association and that our autonomy is
essential, after acceptance by the AG, members offer to lead this
conference. Which will also be very appreciated by the participants.
We are in October 2023.
In continuity
New solicitation of the SLT 03, this time in the north of the
department. On the theme "Information and discussion meeting on the
lithium mine".
On this occasion, I would learn of the existence of a telegram list,
while no mention of it was made during our assemblies, yet
decision-making? Where ideas are discussed in small groups.
But let's get back to the thread of this long, quiet river. To set the
scene, it is March, April 2024, the National Commission for Public
Debate (CNDP) has appeared on the territory. During our AGM, the
decision to participate in this solicitation is made, without the
existence of the telegram list being announced.
According to the report that was given to us and the information
elsewhere that I have gleaned. This meeting looked more like a practical
implementation of managerial innovations, with small groups, for more
fluidity, small colored papers with questions, finally the whole lot.
And as for the unsaid (Telegram list?!), the premises of the emergence
of a unifying collective were pointing its nose.
Furthermore, a press release issued by SLT 03 announcing this meeting
informed us that Stop Mines 03 was questioning the merits of this mine,
while for over a year, we had presented ourselves as a local
association, against this mine, neither here nor elsewhere. And
subsequently, after the CNDP disclosed the location of the two other
sites, we positioned ourselves against the entire project. Stop Mines 03
questioning itself, but who were we kidding! At the following AGM, the
functioning of the association was questioned, the collegiate decision
was in the hot seat, the cause given was the lack of responsiveness,
some under influence (telegram list) confusing speed and haste. The
discussion that followed would reinforce the continuation of collegiate
decisions and our autonomy in the face of external adversity. The AGM
continued with the organization of the day of May 25, 2024.
The day of May 25
On May 6, 2023, we organized in Echassières, a day of information and
meetings which welcomed between 200 and 300 people.
This time, we decided to bring together several associations with the
aim of bringing together the struggles with a view to future
coordination. Several had responded positively. The decision had also
been made to create a poster to announce the event. But it was late. And
tired, the final poster did not show stop mines 03 as the organizer of
the day, but a multitude of logos suggesting that all were organizers,
including that of the SLT?
On the day in question, the presentation of all the groups present, due
to lack of preparation, dragged on a bit, when a member of stop mines 03
asked the representatives of the SLT 03 if they could be brief, they did
not appreciate it. Indeed their performance was brief, which had as a
message and a bit summarized, as we were unable to coordinate our
struggles, invited us on July 7 to a meeting between different
associative, union or political collectives to create a collective of
collectives to allow them to compensate for our inability to coordinate,
insisting on the importance of this meeting, almost our survival
depended on it!? During their intervention, at no time did I hear them
position themselves against the mine, we will understand why with their
positions to come (See box).
While for more than a year and a half, in our acts and our actions we
have been working for this coordination. What contempt!
The meeting with the prefect
The CNDP is coming to an end, where the prefect has been conspicuous by
her absence, but holding in the local press an unequivocal position on
the merits of this project, deigns in her great leniency and undoubtedly
to participate in this famous participatory democracy, so vaunted, to
receive a delegation of associative, union and political collectives, in
the prefecture.
We receive from the SLT 03 a proposal for a video conference, the
interest of which would be to show ourselves in our best qualities and
if possible with common demands, in front of the administration. We are
at the end of June, this video conference will not be able to take
place, too late.
July 7, 2024, a fateful day
The SLT 03 press release on the day of July 7, suggests that the idea of
a collective of collectives would be the emanation of a collective
reflection (Here is the famous telegram list again) and would have been
mentioned on May 25 in Echassières, not at all, only the evocation was
issued during the intervention of the SLT 03 that same day. When its
desires meet its reality, a regrettable confusion. But, there you have
it, macronite has been there. Dissolution of the national assembly
obliges, the SLT 03 postpone the day of creation of the collective of
collectives until the fall. The emergency for them is to block the
national gathering, which is understandable, but is it
parliamentarianism that will get us out of the relationship between
capitalism and the extreme right?
Not to conclude
So yes, we can move mountains, but I am not a follower of "all means are
good, to reach the goal". I consider that the means are more important
than the goal, which can also change. This concept carries within it,
our troubles today, but also future. Indeed, for ages, we have delegated
to others the decisions on our lives. Thus, we favor the means to the
goal. While our interest is that adopted by stop mines 03, for
decision-making.
Certainly the SLT have the means of their ambitions, but let us not
forget that all this is based on existing local struggles. Without
pre-existing struggles, no SLT. If stop mines 03 is requested for each
intervention of the SLT 03, it is not out of kindness, but because the
work of information, communication, coordination that we have been
deploying for almost two years now, makes us visible and for the moment
inseparable from the protest against the Imérys project, but for how
long? Stop mines 03 is composed in its majority, by "nobodies" according
to the Macronist term and not only. Few are activists and not used to
the mysteries of political games. The latest proposal of the SLT 03 for
the creation of a collective of collectives participates in these games
of deception. Indeed, when I discover the list of invited actors, I can
only be taken aback. For my part, I have never participated in an
anti-something front, considering that it only corresponds to the lowest
common denominator, in other words, to the reformism that has managed
our lives for centuries. While the time is rather to turn the table over
and not to lean on it.
But let's get back to the creation of the collective and the
Prévert-style inventory of the guests. This ranges from associations
against the project to those against part of the project or for its
development. Opposing unions and others wanting to be co-managers, a
political party that opts for the nationalization of the project,
another party that we have never seen during our demonstrations.
"Radical" environmental associations, a collective that is not known,
another specialized in rail. But what can come out of all this?
After the announcement by decree, published on July 7, 2024 in the
official journal, to qualify the "Project of national interest" or even
European. The goal is indeed to coordinate our actions with the greatest
number, but not by any means. If coordination, there must be, it can
only be with the greatest common denominator where the collectives will
remain autonomous and decision-makers. The challenge must be global and
not piecemeal.
The current organization of society is based on, a minority decides and
the majority executes, what is proposed to us with the collective of
collectives recalls this organization. The pretext invoked being
efficiency. Not confusing efficiency and honesty. Let us not reproduce
the organization of the society that exploits and oppresses us. Yes,
collective decision-making is long and tedious, but it inaugurates the
society that we want, if delegation there must be, it can only be on
imperative mandate or only the collective remains decision-maker.
Last minute:
The meeting for the creation of a collective of collectives, where two
dates were proposed. August 28 or September 14, in AGM we had opted for
September 14 with reading of a text on our position written by some of
us. This date allowed us during our AGM of September 4 to prepare
ourselves, as well as to approve the text, for this meeting.
But the date chosen, following the majority return of emails according
to the SLT03, was August 28, undermining our option. This date, without
calling it into question, since no response was given to us from the
distribution of emails from the various stakeholders, other than the
email from the SLT03 inviting us on August 28.
Following the setbacks mentioned above, I am a little doubtful, even
suspicious.
We therefore decided to send an email to the SLT03, to inform them of
our non-participation and if they could send us the minutes of the
meeting. Once again, this way of doing things, has caused problems
between us, between efficiency and honesty.
At the end of August we received the minutes of the meeting of August
28, what we can read there, leaves me speechless once again. Those
present, a Clermont association, a union, three political parties, what
about the Bourbonnais associations against the various sites of the
project which have represented the opposition since the beginning?
But that's not all, I'll spare you the commonplaces about the prose of
this report, we can read in capital letters "NO MINE, NEITHER HERE, NOR
ELSEWHERE" would be the unconditional common basis, as a reminder our
demand is stop mines in the plural, neither here nor elsewhere. While
the collective of collectives that is proposed to us is a conglomerate
of different or even contradictory positions.
But it is written, while this meeting was a first contact, "to make
known the existence of the new collective in the activist community",
what about the locals? Our struggle is anchored locally and the
explanation that we give for it goes through a global vision, which
questions the society carrying this project. The questioning of this
mine goes hand in hand with the questioning of this society in search of
ever more profits to the detriment of our lives.
The facts are tenuous between efficiency and honesty, I lean towards
honesty for more efficiency, but apparently this is not shared by
everyone. The fight continues!
Degas September 2024
Note:
1. Bourbonnaise and Bourbonnais who populate the Allier department.
Neither here nor elsewhere
The actor's notebook is part, as a participation in the National
Commission for Public Debate, (CNDP).
Actor's notebook of the Earth Uprisings (SLT 03)
Conclusion:
The Earth Uprisings of Allier cannot subscribe to this project which in
no way justifies responding to the needs of the ecological transition.
It is part of the current policy, in France and too often elsewhere in
the world, which favors large projects and large groups, allowing them
to make great profits by causing great damage. It is therefore not a
question of sovereignty. What was shown was a financial goal, against
the backdrop of an energy transition using the language elements of the
IPCC, but being only a geopolitical positioning project for France and a
financial one for a multinational needing to satisfy its shareholders.
While the actor's notebook of stop mines 03, rejected elsewhere by the
CNDP, claiming non-compliance with the expected literature.
We do not want the 3 Imérys sites in the department.
We do not want the mine with its crushing plant, its loading dock and
its refining plant.
But not only that, we do not want it, (Followed by 4 pages of)
Neither Here, Nor Elsewhere,
As a conclusion:
We do not want this mine and the world that goes with it!
P.S. Visit the Stop Mines 03 website: https://stopmines23.fr/ and listen
to the news program dedicated to this struggle:
https://actualitedesluttes.info/emi...
http://oclibertaire.lautre.net/spip.php?article4269
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
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