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'Les Tanneries' -squat in Dijon, France urgently needs your support!
'Les Tanneries' is a squattted building in Dijon, France where we -Maloka mostly and other collectives- organise gigs, conferences, theatre performances and various workshops. This place used to be a slaughterhouse and had been empty for 5 years. We've been using the space (actually not all the buildings but the offices, the housekeeper's flat and a barrack) for almost 2 years and really been living here for 8 months. We're a diy-anarchist collective of people running an infoshop and a non profit mailorder. We're also putting out a newsletter every 2 months or so about different struggles worldwide (It'll be in English some day hopefully...) and we're into several activities such as demonstrations and what's mentioned above.
'Les Tanneries' is about to be evicted. The Council officialy informed us that they wanted our leaving the place really soon so they can destroy all the area. This obviouslly includes our house/centre. This squat is run according to certain principles based upon autonomy and a rejection of consumerism. We just want to get rid of profit, power and domination in people's relationships. Well that sounds a bit like utopia but we're trying to have a creative space for all. One can be involved in any activity or contribution to the squat if s/he cares.
After 8 months we believe that a lot of projects came true. Lots of people have been involved in all the workshops (painting, reharseal room, bike repairshop, djembe, photo lab, etc.) and it's been a rather refreshing experience, mostly at a personal level with everyone's own initiative. No apathetic consumers like commercial or institutional culture would encourage us to be.
The council wants the building to be destroyed in 3-4 months time just because it's squatted. There's no project behind all that, they just prefer it to be a wasteland.
And because we owe them nothing for our right to live (because we're so radical that we use fun sentences !!), because we just need this place to develop our project, and simply because it'd be a major obstacle to our activities in general, we're ready to defend 'Les tanneries' against the Evil Empire.

IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT US :
you can send the following mail to the mayor (fax 0033+3 80 74 52 94 or go to their website at http://www.ville-dijon.fr/contact/index.htm - write your name, e-mail address and, cut and paste the letter below) to hassle them a bit and also send a letter to us saying that you (or your collective) give your support to our centre at Les Tanneries, 15 bd de Chicago, 21000 Dijon, France.
For any info about the squat, maloka, whatever you want, get in touch with us at maloka, bp 536, 21014 dijon cedex, france or email maloka@chez.com. Thanks a lot, we love you all !!!

A l'attention de Mr le Maire de Dijon,
J'ai appris les menaces de destruction que la municipalité fait peser sur l'espace autogéré des Tanneries. Je souhaite par cette lettre exprimer mon soutien à ce centre culturel et social établi depuis le 30 octobre, 13 et 15 boulevard de Chicago.
Il me semble important que les nombreuses activités associatives, manifestations culturelles et ateliers artistiques qui y prennent place puissent se poursuivre. Je désire donc marquer mon opposition à ce que le projet de démolition des Tanneries englobe les locaux administratifs et remette ainsi en cause l'existence de ce lieu de vie alternatif, pôle dynamique de création et de communication.
La concrétisation de ce projet me semble d'autant plus criticable qu'elle signifierait aussi l'expulsion de 10 personnes qui habitent les locaux depuis 8 mois. D'autre part, il semble que le terrain ainsi libéré sera laissé en friche pendant une période indéterminée puisqu'il n'existe pas de projet de reconstructio à court-terme.
J'espère que vous saurez prendre en compte l'importance de cette expérience unique, soutenue par de nombreux/ses dijonnais/es et visiteurs extérieurs, et renoncerez à mettre en oeuvre sa disparition.

I have heard of the council's will to destroy the autonous space 'Les Tanneries'. With this letter I want to give my support to this social and cultural centre located at 13/15 boulevard de Chicago. It has been opened since the 30th of October and it used to be the offices of the former slaughterhouse.
It seems important to me that all the associative, cultural and artistic activities should still take place there. I want to express refusal to this demolition plan as long as it concerns all the premises which includes the administrative part of them. It would imply the end of this alternative and dynamic place of creation and communication.
The realisation of this plan is to be extremely criticised since it would also mean the eviction of 10 people who have been living in this place for 8 months. Moreover, it appears that the land would remain a junkyard for an undefinite period since there is no plan to rebuild anything in the short-term.
I hope you will take into account the importance of this unique experience, supported by many people from Dijon or international visitors, and I hope you will think again before making it disappear.

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