argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Housing in the Northern Basque Country: facts and opportunities
  • Near Angelu's love chamber, the occupation of seven days and six nights in front of the luxury residences built by constructor Robert Alday has brought strange and indicative situations. Also perspectives.
Hartzea Lopez Arana 2022ko uztailaren 26a

Firstly, the attitude of the representatives. Constructor Alday did not answer the journalists throughout the week. He prefers to pass, because silence is a good roll to despise opponents. The mayor of Ángela tried to do the same, but our collective [member of the OSTIA network, López Arana], insisted, had to finally go to the bullring to use it in another defense. He wanted to convince people that in construction he takes the best possible measures, that others do worse, and that our initiatives are not democratic. The nonsense of always.

The attitude of the public has been very different. Angelu's neighboring ancestors, the nearby neighborhoods, have shown us their support in one way or another, as they too, directly or indirectly, suffer the crisis. And, even if some political leaders or businessmen are deaf or nothing happens, there is one inevitable factor: the principle of reality.

Soon or later, the minority is placed on the dock of the defendants and on the subject of land and housing, the phenomenon is becoming more and more evident. Individual elections should only be placed on the floor, if more pressure is applied to them, the first signs of obstacles and failures appear. This is what is happening little by little in immense places, thanks to the large number of people, associations, collectives, electors and voters of the Northern Basque Country, asking for further steps. We have already achieved some achievements and it is only the beginning. We now have the ability to turn the trend around or at least drag. And in this strengthening, the occupation movement, faced with the success of last week's action, could activate a new phase: building stronger initiatives to occupy better and more.

Last year we had the famous occupation of the Berrueta de Arbona, in favour of the Hazparn cheese mill, against a 5G antenna in Donamartiri, now in Anglet. All of them are good experiences, always with a dignified ending. At the same time, one-day occupations are becoming more and more frequent. Do we go up with a notch? What can happen if we put a suitable and robust material for the camp in the places where cement projects are to be carried out? What if we go into their offices and homes with more energy and creativity? Good elements for debating, sharing and deciding what to occupy, how much time and what to get, how to act and act.

"Good ingredients to discuss, share and decide what to occupy, how long and what to get, how to act and act"

After the occupation of Arbona, in the OSTIA group, if we want to support the local dynamics and taking into account the desire of the other groups, we want to unite this new leap to a concrete objective: to give a clear answer to the constructive intentions of the multinationals and construction companies. What if, if it is not enough to announce a permanent occupation, we were to settle in truly exciting areas in the popular, determined and festive way? How would the prefecture respond? Will the people and a whole people be forcibly expelled, will the places be militarized in the long months that the works will take place? What if dozens of people were to be brought to Baiona police stations and courts to save private interests? Visual. However, the effort is worthwhile. So when do we start?

In the French State there is a ghost that has left traces: Long fight against the airport in the village of Notre-Dame-des-Landes, with occupation of ZAD. After the triumph of the struggle, this is the tip of jokes: “Shake the threat of a ZAD and you’ll see, they’ll carbonize in front, they won’t move forward.” Even if this is not the case, we Basques are very keen, strong and eager not to let the people drown in our own way, to develop great resistance. In Cambo, the housing project that the great company Bouygues wants to build is the first victory.