This topic will be treated in the decentralised gathering in Lyon.

Migration Policies, Racism and Neo-Colonialsim

According to us, the four issues that follow are linked together despite their diversity. You can not deal with one without dealing with the others. They are hotly debated issues because they put at stake individual or collective situations, which are often controversial. We often wonder about them, without really linking them to our lives and our struggles. That’s why we are eager to discuss them earnestly- they are of the most importance.

Moreover, we would be glad to take a glance at the implementation of European and Extra-European migration policies, how they have got tougher, how dangerous they can be for some people, what we can already do to re-act and resist... and so on, in order to strengthen resistance, to enhance reaction, and to encourage solidarities.

Racism (or racisms?) is still prevailing in our societies, on institutional as well as inter-individual basis. How can we face it, and resist it? In a word, how can we react against racism/s?

In the French context, people often explain the position of some individuals or social groups –according to their situation into de country, or their relations towards the State itself, or comparing to society – by the prevalence or resurgence of colonialist attitudes... What about those analyses? How can we fight? How come people are so much "colonialist" in their relations to their country, nationally speaking, but as well in their relations to "us", and "our networks"?

And last but not least, we should mention the riots and the other demonstrations of violence that mostly occurred in suburbs and poor areas of France, in November 2005, as well as the old struggles that regularly make us march. Those struggles are linked to the three topics we mentioned lately, i.e. migration policies, racism, neo-colonialist attitudes and policies (notwithstanding the police’s behavior, social and economical discriminations, urbanism…). Most of us felt enthusiast when the riots occurred, but actually it seems there is a great discrepancy, in France, between most anarchists, libertarians, anti-capitalists, and revolted whatsoever and the people themselves who revolted in suburbs and poor areas. That’s why we should focus on the nature of those movements. How can we use them to meet, strengthen links, solidarities and projects between the most of revolted people? Besides, we should as well question the riots: what did we get, in terms of meeting, enthusiasm, and questionings... How can we fill the gap, and feel empathy …behind the words? You, people outside of France, most of you may be interested in discussing those matters.. What can you add to that, how did you see, how did you live those events? Did they inspire you, or question you... in which way?