Bialystok/Polen: Berichte vom Noborder-Grenzcamp

Noborder-Camp in Krynki/Bialystok in Polen

Gleich dreisprachig - polnisch, russisch, englisch - wurden nicht nur alle
campinternen Versammlungen und workshops abgehalten sondern auch ein Teil
der öffentlichen Kundgebungen. Ausdruck einer (osteuropäischen)
Internationalität, die auch das zweite polnische Grenzcamp besonders
auszeichnete. AktivistInnen aus Polen, Weißrußland, der Ukraine und
Rußlands waren an den Planungen beteiligt, im Camp selbst kamen noch
Menschen aus Finnland, England und Deutschland hinzu.

Nach einer Auftaktdemonstration mit rund 250 TeilnehmerInnen in Bialystok
wurden die Zelte etwas abseits von Krynki aufgeschlagen, einem Städtchen in
unmittelbarer Nähe zur weißrussischen Grenze. Daß die dort lebenden Menschen
wenig vom bestehenden Grenzregime und seinen Vollstreckern halten, zeigte
sich gleich einen Tag später. Ganze 12 Polizeibusse, zwei Wasserwerfer sowie
ein Kleinpanzer fuhren zur Drohparade gegen ein Theaterstück des Camps auf,
eine pure Provokation inclusive einiger Festnahmen, die der Staatsmacht
allerdings nicht gut bekam. Denn zahlreiche BürgerInnen Krynkis kamen
anschließend zur Kundgebung, zeigten nicht nur Interesse sondern zumeist in
eindeutiger Weise ihre Unterstützung für das Hauptanliegen des Camps:
Freizügigkeit statt zunehmender Kontrollen durch ein Grenzregime, das nun
mit EU-Mitteln immer weiter aufgerüstet wird. Ein Anwohner, der es sich
nicht nehmen ließ, die schwarz-rote Camp-Fahne zu schwenken, brachte es mit
seiner Erfahrung auf den Punkt: er war zum Arbeiten in Deutschland und wurde
abgeschoben. Hier lebt er vom Handel über die Grenze, der ihm angesichts der
ständigen Verschärfungen immer schwerer gemacht würde.

Die Zerstörung der sog. Suitcase-economy, des grenzüberschreitenden
Kleinhandels, von dem viele hier wohnende Menschen leben, war denn auch in
mehreren Kundgebungsbeiträgen ein Schwerpunkt, neben der vorgeschobenen
Abschottungsfunktion gegenüber Flüchtlingen und MigrantInnen, die diese
zukünftige EU-Außengrenze in Zukunft übernehmen soll.

Im Camp selbst, in erster Linie von anarchistischen Gruppen, vielfach sehr
jungen Leuten getragen, ging es natürlich auch um Party und kleine
Trinkgelage im Grünen. Eine kleine leerstehende Farm, ein Storchennest
dabei, bildete die ideale Kulisse.

Doch entwickelten sich in den zahlreichen Workshops einige interessante,
eben immer gleich internationale Debatten und Projekte. U.a. soll eine
Informationsplattform für tschetschenische Flüchtlinge aufgebaut und
Diskussionen zur EU-Erweiterung zusammengeführt werden. Schließlich ging es
auch um den Vorschlag, die IOM (International Organisation for Migration)
zum Zielpunkt einer gemeinsamen Kampagne zu machen. Diese Institution, die
sich oftmals als humantäre NGO zu verkaufen versucht, spielt nämlich gerade
in vielen osteuropäischen Ländern eine bedeutende Rolle in der "Bekämpfung
der illegalen Migration", während sie in Westeuropa vor allem in die
Organisierung "freiwilliger" Rückführung verwickelt ist. So wurde aus der
Ukraine berichtet, daß IOM dort die Projekte der Aufrüstung der Ostgrenzen
(zu Rußland hin) ganz unmittelbar betreibe.

Zweifellos hat das zweite polnische Grenzcamp neben einer gewissen
öffentlichen Wirkung vor allem eine Vertiefung der Zusammenarbeit der
jeweiligen Gruppen in Gang gesetzt. Angesichts der doch sehr schwachen
politischen Strukturen, vor allem in der Ukraine und in Rußland, kommt dem
eine besondere Bedeutung zu.

Reports about the polish camp, written by friends from Ukraine...

7 July, Saturday: Police alert in the noborder camp in Krynki, on the Polish
eastern border.

At 7 July up to 100 participants of the noborder camp near Krynki village,
which is on the border between Poland and Byelorus, went to the centre of
the village for making some artistic action/happening which could involve
local population, directly affected by the border regime. There they met
unexpectedly aggressive police action.

At first, some 50 participants of the camp came to the village centre, and
some other groups joined them later. Also some people waited for the
beginning of the action in front of the local shop. The action had to be the
artistic happening symbolising the border regime, and everyone was in quite
nice, festive mood. But when people came, they met up to 12 police vehicle,
2 water cannons and at least one armoured personal carrier, if not to
mention police officers who walked around. It's quite unusual for Poland and
was also shocking for local people who didn't see such an alert for very
long time. So when people gathered in the park, most of these police cars
started to go around it, encircling the people and with very loud sound of
all the police sirens turned on. Some people started to shout at police, and
police attacked activists - not only those who shouted but also those who
were simply sitting. Some scuffles began, 4 people were arrested, 3 of them
from Krakow and 1 girl from Gdansk. They are released for now, except one
Krakow guy who had previously problem with the court and was now transported
to Krakow. According to the information available, police 2 times used the
tear gas to some persons. While some of the demonstrators tried to negotiate
with police, explaining that there is no need to provoke people who
peacefully gathered for theatrical action, police verbally assaulted
negotiators like saying "fuck off" (also in English) or threated with tear
gas. When scuffles stopped, a lot of police vehicles, 2 water cannons and
APC came to the noborder camp itself which is located some kilometres from
the village. There they also made a big noise while, full of policemen,
passing the location of the camp with open doors. But finally they limited
themselves to that demonstration of force, while in Krynki happening was
anyway made despite strong police presence, and gave a lot of fun as to the
camp activists, as also to the local people who watched or participated in
it. The activists passed from tree to tree the striped tapes symbolising
borders, which they took with themselves, and threw the cabbage and symbolic
human heads over these symbolic borders one to another expressing the
unnatural nature of the border regime. Everything was quite funny, despite
the previous events there was a good mood, and also among local people
involved. Also some discussion and speeches took place, in part - on the
plight of Tatar people, but also general, with one of local man saying: "I
went to Germany for work and was deported from there; now I'm living with
small-scale trade with Byelorus and when the border will be closed within
some years - I have nothing to live from". Poland will close eastern borders
within 2 years because of will to be EU member.

After the events activists decided to go back to the camp.

These events became the prolongation of state services' campaign directed
against the camp. While first organisers tried to cooperate with some local
officials, they finally were denied by the mayor of the village of any place
in Krynki or permission of make any kind of events - would it be
demonstration, concert, happening or art exhibition. Afterwards the head of
local Palace of Culture was fired from his job, while he tried to cooperate
with camp's organisers. In Krynki campaign against "extremists who will come
with the camp" was started. After such the events and information about
"special interest" to the camp from UOP (polish security services) - while
this "interest" is itself the source of troubles - camp's participants
expected some kind of pressure and provocations. Anyway, from the beginning
of the camp the noborder activists successfully made press-conference and
demonstration in Byalystok town at 6 July. And the action of 7 July turned
to our side: local population, while met face-to-face by camp participants,
seems to be mostly on our side, while keeping very critical point on stupid
and aggressive police activity.

The camp continues. Some 300 people take part in it.

8 July: artistic happening and concert is organised by the noborder
activists in the polish village of Krynki.

After the events of the previous day, when police aggressively behaved with
the participants of the noborder camp who participated in the artistic
happening, the next day activists decided to make again some kind of
political-recreational activity into the village park. The concept was to
make a "Hyde-park" event dedicated to the border regime and noborder
activity.

This time sound equipment was taken, so there was music - recorded and live,
which was played by "Rtut'" band from St.-Petersburg, Russia, and by some
polish people with the drum. Also there was happening which was organised by
people from Byelorus and in which activists from different countries
participated, and some speeches by camp participants from different
countries, explaining why they came here to Krynki and which is the
importance of this camp for them. Leaflets on Polish and posters on Polish,
Russian and English were put around on the trees. At the end some people
chatted and some danced. After shameful police behaviour at the previous
day, this time police presence was quite low-scale: only some cops and some
people in civilian clothes who were evidently the police officers. Also all
the time there were patrols of border police on the motorcycles and cars,
and camp was closely watched by border police helicopters. Camp participants
also visited local orthodox church. At the end of the event, again some 4
police vehicles came and encircled the park, but activists already went to
the football game with the local youth which invited the camp participants.
Police made a video of the activists, but not interfered, while the football
game was a complete disaster for the noborder activists: 7:2 for Krynki
youth team :-)

The next day, 9 July, was mostly dedicated to the workshops and discussions,
which also took place in the previous day, while visit to the local mosque
was interrupted by the heavy rain.