IndyMedia - Vrij Media Centrum Nederland

Wanneer: 16/03/2016 - 12:07

Yesterday morning the meadow occupation near the Hambach forest was surrounded by police. This turned into a huge police operation: All main paths in the forest were cleared, fixed and broadened,, all barricades and tripods destroyed. Until today three unoccupied occupations were evicted (Crusty Town, Pizza, Molly). Police forces are still present all around, chasing people who try to build new barricades.

This is an urgent call-out for all kinds of support! What has happened the last two days is a massive attack! Because all the roads are cleared and passable for big machinery it’s important to protect the forest occupations NOW!

Come to the Hambach forest, we need food, water, blankets and most of all more people with fresh energy!

Ticker: http://hambachforest.blogsport.de/2016/03/15/second-day-of-evictions-sup...

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Hambach forest occupation?

The remaining Hambach forest – originally part of a 6000 hectare large old-growth forest – is ecologically unique in Europe. For more than 30 years the energy corporation RWE is cutting it down. Today, less than 500 hectare remain; however, all of it is to be cut down to make space for the mine in the years to come – at least these are the plans of RWE and the government.

All this because underneath the forest the one finds the so called “brown gold”: lignite (that is a type of coal). Lignite has been exploited in the Rhineland between Aachen and Cologne for more than hundred years. In 1970 the large-scale lignite extraction project has been approved. This project included three huge open cast pits, the the extension of existing as well as the construction of new coal power plants, and the development of the necessary infrastructure. This led to the closure of smaller open cast pits, industrial facilities, and a reduction of agricultural economy in the region. A change that left its traces in the whole of West-Germany (GFR). Stock market trade, the arms race of the cold war period, and billions of Deutsche Mark invested in the restructuring of industries all fostered this process.

The extraction of and the energy production from lignite is among the largest emittents of CO2 globally. Lignite contributes to a life-threatening environment, destroys whole landscapes and thus annihilates them for all times. Each year from October 1st until March 31st RWE continues to cut down the Hambach forest to make space for its open cast mine. 180 days of resistance against this destructive machinery are our answer.

We demonstrate and inform: we make the consequences of lignite mining and electricity visible and present possibilities to act, thus establishing a counter-publicity. We demonstrate and inform: through direct interference with the tree-cutting work and beyond. Thus the tree-cutting is made more difficult and more expensive. We aim for financial damage. We experiment: by exchange of experience and by lerning new skills. We are building a network on both regional and international levels. The result is the self organization of our everyday life and a continuous questioning of our own actions. Organizing the way we live together ourselves is what enables our resistance in the first place. Because our actions are the result of our attitudes and ways of living.

Website: http://hambachforest.blogsport.de
Email: hambacherforst(at)riseup.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HambacherForstBesetzung
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hambibleibt