IndyMedia - Vrij Media Centrum Nederland

Wanneer: 20/04/2018 - 20:36

This press release is a reaction against the messages shown earlier today on Indymedia and the Leeuwarder Courant. This message is to make clear that the organisation of the Pinksterlanddagen are not staying quiet, not like the so called 'Foundation Bard' were telling everybody in their message. (http://www.devrije.nl/archives/00003692.html)

We as organisators are looking forward to the Pinksterweekend (18-20th of May). Like every year there will be a campfire to sing songs at and there will be distro's from all over the country to spread the newest and best anarchist texts. The workshops and lectures are also looking promising: A videosession with anarchists from Birma, story's from a organiser in Barneveld and a lecture about the history of the struggle of the surinamese community against racism.

This is an official statement from the PL organisation 2018: The PL will take place! For over 85 years. You dont stop anarchists. We hope to see you there, and we will promise that the PL this year will be great.

PL on your
This year we will gather at different social centres to talk or to cook a voku, at others we will run a cocktailbar. Help spread the word about the Pinksterlanddagen and come to the coming dates:
25 April in the ''Oude RKZ' in Groningen; A benefitvoku
28 April in the MKZ in Amsterdam; a benefitvoku
11th of May in the Acu in Utrecht; a party with a cocktailbar
12th of May in the 'Vrijplaats Leiden'; a benefit voku

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We also wrote a longer piece for the curious people. We will explain what and how the situation precisely is. Do you have a question or are you worried about the state of the festival (dont, it will be great): email us at: pl@puscii.net.
For a reaction from the side of the campers who are in resistance against the board check this message: https://www.indymedia.nl/node/43300

The context of the dispute.
The anarchist camping 'Tot vrijheidsbezinning' in Friesland has been in a power struggle for the last few years. The one side is a authoritarian board that doesnt give any insight or access to the finances. This board should be according to a agreement non-functional and asleep, but it is making decisions in a authoritarian way. Also was it never clear why the profit of the PL couldnt flow back to the movement, but it had to stay on a bank account of the board. On the other side are concerned anarchist organisations and individuals who have a fixed space on the camping. After a long bureacratic struggle and a renting strike it seems that the power of the camping is back in the hands of the people from the anarchist movement.

What exactly happened?
The camping in Appelscha has been established over 85 years ago as a resort for anarchists and as a location for the yearly Pinksterlanddagen. At that time there was chosn for a 'Foundation', instead of a 'association'. Because people thought that this was the best way to keep the anarchist approach on the camping. At that time there was also the input that the board will be a sleeping non-functional board. The board at that time was filled with active and appreciated anarchists, but after a decennia there was a change in the board of the foundation and different people who were not that much of a fan of the original anarchist ideologie took place as members of the board.

What is the conflict?
The majority of the campers wants that the board gets less authoritarian. They demand a management-structure of the camping that fits with the anarchist ideas of Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis. They proposed a structure change that included that everybody could be working on the management of the camping and that it wouldnt be in hands of a few people. The board didnt want to give over their function. The campers started a renting strike as an reaction, they put their rent on a different bank account of their own association. After a long process where there was mediation commission who came with a proposal, there was a result who everybody seemed to agree with. The board however, never came to the meetings where the last minor details would be discussed. Instead they didnt open the camping 'officially' this year. The gas, water and electricity has been shut down and they threatened with an eviction if people came to camp here.

And now?
There is a new association that started on the campingmeeting, this one is busy organising everything so the camping is ready for the campingseason of 2018. The camping has been established in 1933 by anarchist. It shouldnt be that this unique space, a anarchist space, gets lost by mismanagement. The anarchist were always able to fix opinion problem between each other. Its sad that the conflict has gotten to this level, but the campers are motivated that by working together, they can save the camping from the authoritarian board. The conflict is not over, but shows that our strongest weapons are self-organisation and collective action. Onwards to the PL 2018!