Amsterdam: ADM community has to pack again!

By: fawda - June 4th, 2020  Filed under: Communique, News

A first update from the Slibvelden crew itself was made public on May 24th 2020. One big part of the former ADM crew relocated at the Slibvelden on Buikslotermeerdijk 95 in Amsterdam Noord. The following statement is published on Indymedia on June 4th by Stichting ADM Leeft, with Hay Schoolmeesters (also Urban Resort, Free Spaces Accord), holding the pen:

ADM community has to pack again!

Almost a year and a half ago, the ADM site was evicted inappropriately. Under the supervision of the municipality, all that was from and dear to the more than 125 residents was completely destroyed by the owner of the site. Part of the close-knit community ended up on the Sludge Fields of the former Water Purification in Amsterdam North. Now this group is forced to relocate on November 1 this year, without any necessity.

At the end of 2018, a motion was passed by the Amsterdam city council, which instructed the college to work with the ADM community to find a definitive location where the community could continue their way of living and livelihood after the sludge fields. The sludge fields were made available to the ADM community for 2 years by means of a tolerance decision. In a recent meeting with the Municipality Noord, it turned out that, despite the motion and despite the fact that no other location is in the picture, the Municipality nevertheless wants to remove the ADM community from the site! [Read More]

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Amsterdam: The continuation of eradication policy of Free Spaces

By: fawda - May 24th, 2020  Filed under: News

Update by the Slibvelden crew, May 24th 2020.

Wednesday morning we had a meeting with the relevant officials talked about the Slibvelden (sludge fields) and the end date of November 1 that is imposed us. We entered the conversation with the hope that Erna Berends (City District chairman Amsterdam North, SP) that we could find mutual ground in our stay on the sludge fields. We left this digital meeting trembling from the reconfirmation that nevertheless all beautiful slogans and open conversations Amsterdam is stuck in their extermination policy free space.

After the eviction of the ADM Terrain in January 2019, we where offered an alternative place. This is the Sludge Fields – former water purification company Amsterdam Noord. The deal was that we could say for two years and in the meantime we and the municipality would look for a sustainable solution. In one and a half years we have bandaged the wounds and the community itself is healing. We managed to use the terrain for what it is. There is a communal garden, kitchen, workshop, concert space built up. And there have been some small-scale events and neighborhood activities organized. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: New Policy. No Eviction for Emptiness…

By: fawda - May 16th, 2020  Filed under: News

As a squatter in Amsterdam, looking back on the past year is painful. 2019 dealt heavy blows to a movement that didn’t seem capable of much more than taking the beating. The city has lost its largest squats and despite numerous squatting actions, hardly any new buildings have survived the end of the year. What’s more, politicians tried to introduce a law at national level to further criminalise squatters while the media reported time and time again how afflicted property owners are being deceived repeatedly by squatters. To top it all off, the mayor concludes the year with a report on a new policy designed to implement a more rigorous approach to squatting.
There’s not much left to say beyond 2019 having been a rather grim year, making it difficult to paint a hopeful picture for squatting in Amsterdam in 2020.

We look back on a year in which we, above all, lost a lot. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: ADM Christmas Newsletter 2018

By: fawda - December 16th, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

Update: Tuesday 18 december 2018, 14:00, Appeal Court-case ADM vs. Amsterdam’ municipality

ADM is appealing the issuing of an environmental permit to the Koole Maritime LCC company, by the Municipality of Amsterdam, despite the fact that the activities of this asbestos removal company are NOT complying with the Perpetual Clause, which rests on the ADM terrain. In our previous court-case this case was dismissed, because the court ruled that we can’t be a party in the interpretation of that Perpetual Clause.
The Perpetual Clause, which is part of the buying contract in 1997 by Bertus Lüske states:
– When the ADM is being sold, it should be offered first to the Municipality of Amsterdam
– On the ADM terrain is only a ship-wharf or ship-wharf related activities allowed
This Appeal court-case starts at 14.00 at The Court of Amsterdam
Address: Palace of Justice, IJdok 20, 1013 MM Amsterdam

Early November the ADM residents received the official letter of the mayor, in which everyone is ordered to leave the terrain before the 25th of December. De municipality offers the sludge-fields in the North of Amsterdam as a temporary emergency solution. This terrain does not provide a solution for the many ADM people who do not have a mobile house or who live on ships and houseboats. Only for 2 years this terrain will be available, it is nearly impossible to build anything (It is forbidden to dig poles into the polluted soil) and winter is is starting to kick in. A humanitarian drama, but nobody calls the municipality to account. [Read More]

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