A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #370 - Antifascism - Undocumented Migrants: Solidarity Organizes in Caen and Ouistreham (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

In Caen, International Migrants Day provides an opportunity for the 
struggles of undocumented people to converge. It's an important time to 
organize solidarity, in a context of rising far-right extremism. ---- On 
December 20, for International Migrants Day, Families in Distress and 
Revolt (FEDER) organized a march in Caen to raise awareness of the 
struggles of undocumented people and to voice their demands. ---- This 
day was also marked by an antifascist rally organized by Caen Antifa 
against the arrival of Jordan Bardella for a book signing. Following the 
rally, which was violently suppressed by the police, the participants 
joined the demonstration in support of Palestine.

This initial convergence led to the meeting point set by FEDER, where 
the women of the collective were greeted by a large crowd of supporters 
chanting "Solidarity with the exiles!"

This convergence of antifascist, internationalist, anticolonialist, and 
solidarity struggles continued with a joint march to the Caen 
prefecture, punctuated by stops and speeches from the exiles and their 
children. It was a powerful day of activism, brimming with energy and 
hope, demonstrating that the convergence of struggles is more than just 
a slogan.

Who are FEDER?
The FEDER collective was formed at the beginning of 2025 in response to 
the exclusion of undocumented people from a monthly subsistence 
allowance previously provided by the Calvados Departmental Council.

Composed primarily of women, the collective organized itself to address 
a situation of extreme hardship. During various public appearances, 
notably at the Forum des Luttes (a Caen event held on October 18th), 
they explained the difficulties even the impossibility of obtaining a 
residency permit, which blocks any prospect of employment, stable 
housing, and independence.

Deprived of any financial resources, the women of FEDER had to band 
together to organize solidarity and meet the basic needs of their 
families. As one of them put it: "Even buying a two-euro food basket 
from Secours Populaire isn't possible with nothing."

The collective regularly organizes collections, for example, of school 
supplies in August, in various locations (independent cinemas, community 
bars, etc.). Through their actions, the FEDER (European Regional 
Development Fund) raises public awareness about the elimination of 
support programs for the most vulnerable and advocates for equal access 
to education, transportation, housing, culture, and leisure activities 
for their children. And they will continue to amplify their voices and 
those of their families![1]

In Ouistreham too, Sudanese exiles mobilized
Sudanese exiles living in the Ouistreham camp (10 minutes from Caen) 
have been highly active in recent months. On December 13, they organized 
a rally in Caen in support of the Sudanese people, in response to the 
ongoing massacres in Sudan, particularly in El Fasher, in the Darfur region.

They were also present at the Forum of Struggles, where they shared 
their experiences, the reasons for their exile, and the political and 
military mechanisms that led to the current situation. They raised the 
alarm about the plight of the inhabitants of Darfur and the city of El 
Fasher, which is besieged, regularly attacked, and now in the hands of 
the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force originating from 
the Janjaweed militias, led by General Hemedti, and responsible for war 
crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Faced with the media silence in France, they wanted to bring the crimes 
committed in their country to light. They also denounced the treatment 
they receive from the municipality of Ouistreham, and in particular from 
the xenophobic mayor, Romain Bail, who obtained their eviction from an 
unoccupied public building on July 18th[2].

The Sudanese exiles are supported daily by the Citizens in Struggle - 
Ouistreham collective, which assists them with their administrative 
procedures and provides them with food and other material support[3].

On March 14, rallies for the Solidarity March were held throughout France.

Photo library red/Alexandre
The Forum of Struggles: a space for dialogue and popular unity
The Forum of Struggles, held on October 18, was an important moment for 
meetings, exchanges, and raising awareness of the struggles waged by 
undocumented people and support groups.

Representatives from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 
Sudanese refugees, and residents of a squat in Cambremer spoke at a 
public conference entitled "Trajectories of Exile." The women presented 
their way of organizing themselves in a rural squat, a unique situation 
in a town of 1,300 inhabitants, 15 minutes from Lisieux. All are 
undocumented, without income or benefits.

Faced with the impossibility of accessing housing, they organized 
themselves within the association Solidarités exilé·es Lisieux Pays 
d'Auge (Solidarity with Exiles Lisieux Pays d'Auge) to live collectively 
with their families and about thirty other refugees. Since the beginning 
of October 2025, a temporary legal occupancy agreement has been in place 
with the owners, allowing them to remain on the premises and organize 
their daily lives. The events organized by the association serve, in 
particular, to raise funds to pay the building's expenses.

During the forum, they also shared their experiences of solidarity with 
the villagers, demonstrating that bonds can be forged even in rural 
settings[4].

Supporting the struggles of undocumented people
By highlighting the struggles of undocumented people, the Forum of 
Struggles contributes to strengthening the fight against racism. Through 
its participation, UCL Caen reaffirms its support for and commitment to 
undocumented people, and particularly to the actions of the FEDER 
(European Regional Development Fund), Sudanese exiles living in 
Ouistreham, and families in Cambremer.

Let's continue to support their demands: regularization for all, decent 
housing for everyone, and freedom of movement and settlement!

Marie and Val (UCL Caen)

Submit

[1]To follow them: contact Feder_calvados@proton.me, or follow the 
Facebook pages of La Cimade Normandie and Coordination solidarité 
exilé·es 14.

[2]See the article "Ouistreham: Sudanese exiles homeless again," 
Alternative Libertaire no. 363, September 2025.

[3]Contact Citoyen.nesenlutte@gmail.com, or on Facebook and Instagram: 
Citoyen-nes en lutte - Ouistreham.

[4]To follow them, contact Solidaritesexileeslisieux@gmail.com, or on 
Facebook: Association solidarité exilé.e.s Lisieux.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Sans-papiers-A-Caen-et-a-Ouistreham-la-solidarite-s-organise
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