The last Saturday of January we made a decision about the date of our action: from the 24th to the 41st of August we will organize an action camp in Groningen. At and around the “Gronings Ontzet”, a festive day called Bommen Berend on the 28th, we will collectively act against gas extraction. Make sure you’re there: together we break the power of NAM, Shell and Exxon!
In this newsletter you’ll find:
- A reflection on the action conference
- Next action conference: march the 17th in Groningen
- Updates about the resistance against gas extraction in Groningen
- Code Rood at 2.Dh5 Festival 9,10,11 February in Amsterdam
1. REFLECTION ON THE ACTION CONFERENCE
Last action conference, the 27th of January, we decided when the climate camp surrounding the mass civil disobedience actions against Shell, Exxon and the gas extraction in Groningen will be organized. Together we decided for the last week of August (Friday the 24th to Friday the 31st). The most important day of action will be Tuesday the 28th, a symbolic day that marks the “Gronings Ontzet” (Bommen Berend).
More than 100 people from different backgrounds and with different backgrounds came together to join their forces. We heard inspiring stories about the existing resistance against the NAM, and the necessity to escalate. There was also an opportunity to join, or brainstorm with, different working groups, and afterward we had a delicious dinner at the ORKZ. A good begin of a collaboration that fights for a fair energy transition. Away from fossil and towards a fair compensation of the victims of the unfair gas extraction of government and fossil industry.
Do you want help with the preparation of the action and the camp? Contact a working group or email us for more information.
2. NEXT ACTION CONFERENCE MARCH THE 17th
March the 17th is the next action conference in Groningen. We will come together, make next steps and new decisions. In the meantime, the different working groups will do their work. The exact program of the action conference will depend on the input of the working groups. Everybody is more than welcome to join the conference, whether you want to take part in the disobedience part of the action, want to share your knowledge, or just want to get to know us better.
Sign up for the conference on the website, share the facebook event and invite your friends!
3. UPDATES ABOUT THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE EXTRACTION OF NATURAL GAS IN GRONINGEN
After the heaviest earthquake since 2012, a lot has happened around the extraction of natural gas in Groningen. State supervision of mines concluded that it is Code Red for Groningen and gas extraction has to diminish as soon as possible. Two weeks ago more than 10.000 people walked along the torch relay. Together we made clear that the gas tap must be closed. Enough is enough!
On the day of the action conference news emerged that Shell renounced its so-called 403-statement and therefore waived the liability for claims. A storm of criticism erupted and rightly so! Farmers from Groningen took their tractors to The Hague. Many other people from Groningen and the climate movement joined. Together they made a powerful statement: enough is enough!
Further the ‘Dagblad van het Noorden’ published last week the secret contract between Shell, Exxon, and the Dutch State. This makes it clear that the Dutch State is huge intertwined with the fossil industry. That is the reason why we have to break the power of the fossil industry!
Last Monday morning people came into action to preserve a listed house in ’t Zandt which is in danger of demolition by the NAM. Successfully: the alderman now wants to talk about saving the house. This is only a brief summary of what has been happening – just as the actions around Bommen Berend will be one of the many actions are against the fossil industry.
4. 2.Dh5 FESTIVAL
From 9 to 11 February, 2dh5 Festival will take place in OT301, Amsterdam. The 2.Dh5 festival is a place to discuss grass-roots campaigns, tactics, and methods that bring our ideals of a free and caring society closer. We do this by engaging in analyses of the current and historical context, by looking at real alternatives, and (re)discovering strategies.
We’ll bring together various groups, campaigns, and individuals who are active in struggles around feminism, queer, anti-racism, anti-fascism, decolonialism, anti-militarism, international solidarity, climate/ecology, labour, migration/no-border, internet freedom/privacy, right to the city/gentrification and all their intersections. We aim to learn from one another, strengthen our struggles, and work on building a better world.
Among other workshops, there will be a Code Rood info stand, on Sunday an introduction of Code Rood, and a discussion about the NGO- industrial complex.
5. DONATIONS
We can always use donations. For the next action conference we again want to accommodate for people with less travel budget, and of course, need a space etc. If you can miss something, you can donate at NL55 TRIO 0338 6023 80 t.n.v. Steungroep NVDA. Share this with family and friends – especially if your birthday is coming up and your house is already full of stuff.
Kind regards,
Code Rood