(en) Canada, Qu?bec, Montr?al, Anarchist collective Emma Goldman (UCL) - Defending the wetland Testet: "A legitimate fight against unnecessary project" (fr)

 [machine translation]

In the department of Tarn, France, activists are fighting against a dam project on the 
river Tescou. In total, 34 hectares of land that will be flooded if the project 
materializes. Dam that will serve overwhelmingly (70%) to provide water to a devastating 
agriculture based on corn. Activists challenge this intensive agriculture that is needed 
around the globe. Antoine1, organic farmer in the Tarn Valley think Tescou "could host of 
gardening." Florent, "Corn is not suitable for our climate, especially the same variety 
that is imposed across Europe. This is a loss of biodiversity."2 It is important to 
remember that this wetland plays a key role in the water cycle of this ecosystem is the 
Valley of Tescou. ---- For several days, the repression has intensified on the zadistes 
Testet. After trying to block the machine repeatedly, without success since the CSR 
savagely attacked the activists, the struggle continues. Ajourd'hui, September 9, the 
opposing-es project occupied the General Council of the local authority in Albi in the Tarn.

Solidarity with the struggle of the activists against the destructive dam project Sivens!

For the latest on this fight and see the devastation already caused by the early work of 
destruction, here's a website run by a group opposed to the project: 
https://tantquilyauradesbouilles.wordpress.com/author/tantquilyauradesbouilles/

The following is from the website Bastamag.

Link to the original: http://www.bastamag.net/Defendre la zone du wet Testet

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In the Tarn, near Gaillac, an area rich in biodiversity may be flooded by a dam project. 
Opponents denounce a public investment for a handful of corn producers, a very greedy 
culture water. While legal remedies are still being examined, deforestation began on 1 
September with about 200 CRS and gendarmes. In this forum, representatives of associations 
and unions denounce violent behavior forces. And ask the Minister of Ecology S?gol?ne 
Royal to immediately suspend the operations of deforestation.

Since 2011, the Collective for safeguarding wetland Testet acts to protect this threatened 
with destruction by the dam project on Sivens Tescou River in the Tarn area. The project 
would sacrifice the last major wetland Tescou basin, home to at least 94 protected animal 
species and 353 species of vascular plants.

Concreting and asphalting are not the only reasons for the creation of artificial farmland 
that removes the equivalent of one every ten department. Paradoxically, excessive 
irrigation needs for crops such as corn and the need to reduce the rate of water pollution 
in the summer because of the intensive use of pesticides are also involved.

This is exactly the purpose of the farm dam project Sivens. It is symptomatic of the 
excesses of agriculture that aims to adapt the environment without changing its practices. 
Logic applies to the detriment of biodiversity and the community that bears the cost. 
Public investment in the service of this agricultural model and a handful of beneficiaries 
is incomprehensible.

How local, prefecture and General Council, manage the project recalls the methods used in 
other useless projects like the airport at Notre Dame moors: no consultation with 
conservation associations surround and aquatic environments; unfavorable opinions hidden 
during the public inquiry; refusal of the General Council and the prefecture of the Tarn 
publicly debate; refusal of the General Council to follow the advice of the Committee of 
Public Inquiries, the Federation of fisheries and aquatic environments, government 
departments in charge of water (ONEMA); refusal of the General Council to follow the 
scientific advice of the Scientific Council of Regional Natural Heritage (CSRPN) and 
national experts from the National Council for the Protection of Nature (CNPN) appointed 
by the State which both consider inadequate compensatory measures.

The compensation system is intended only to convey projects. No compensation will replace 
the destroyed biodiversity and agricultural land are disappearing in the end!

Several legal challenges filed by the Collective and its partners are under consideration: 
An appeal against the order at the bottom says "Water Act" of October 3, 2013 An appeal 
on the merits against the declaration of public utility (DUP) of 2 October 2013 An 
appeal on the merits and for interim suspension against the order of exemption from the 
prohibition of destruction of protected species October 16, 2013.

The tribunal should consider appeals on September 26.

Yet nothing happens, the president of the council of the Tarn refuses any dialogue 
claiming that all the steps of investigations were regular and showed the validity of the 
project. This is false.
The imminence of work and facing the intransigence of local authorities, three opponents 
have decided to start a hunger strike on August 27. They are now five and begin their 
third week of hunger strike.

Monday, 1 September 2014, the General Council of Tarn decided to push through with the 
support of the Prefect. Deforestation wooden edge of the wetland began under the 
protection of about 200 CRS and gendarmes. Their behavior is unspeakable, violent with 
direct shots of tear gas, rubber bullets without warning of, wearing foul language and 
gender, with arrests baseless.

So far, the General Council with the support of the Prefecture refuses to take into 
account the legal actions, and even claims to the press that all appeals of opponent-es 
had been exhausted. This is to make light of the situation of people in hunger strike!

On 28 February 2014, Jean-Marc Ayrault, the then Prime Minister, had told the media that 
"the appeals against the draft Nantes airport transfer to Notre-Dame-des-Landes to be 
considered by the court before the work could begin " arguing that "we are in a state of 
law" . Following his appointment as Minister of Ecology, S?gol?ne Royal has confirmed the 
commitment of the previous government.

The group and its partners call this commitment is also respected on the wetland Testet. 
So they ask for a moratorium on the work until the review of all litigation withdrawal 
of forces to organize a truly democratic debate involving the communication of all 
aspects of the case, including scientific advice.

Faced with the repeated refusal of the General Council of the Prefecture to hear the 
legitimate demands of the opposition-es and given the urgency of the local situation, the 
signatories of this forum since September 5 request a meeting as soon as possible with the 
Ecology Minister to quickly examine the solutions that will solve the current crisis 
starting with sursoir clearing operations which began on September 1.

Didier Aub? (Trade Union Solidarity), Genevi?ve Azam (ATTAC France), Amelie Canonne 
(AITEC), Laurent Pinatel (Confederation Paysanne), Thierry Uso (CRAUE)
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1. Zadistes names were changed.
2 Interview by the special envoy of the journal Humanity . Monday, 1 September 2014, p. 18.

Published there 21 hours ago by Collectif Emma Goldman
Labels: France environmentalists Struggles Solidarity ZAD