Inter-organisational appeal: “We will not give in!”

We will not give in to those who subjected Paris and Saint-Denis to a moment of sheer inhumanity in the name of Daesh. Nothing can justify these killings, either in France or elsewhere. Each and every one of the victims lives in us because we are all part of the same human family. Our solidarity with them and their families is absolute. This is an immense crime, but the only suitable response is to continue to live in a spirit of freedom and brotherhood.

We are not naïve – we know that these acts of terrorism call for a response that is commensurate with the danger they represent. We also realise that the law-enforcement authorities and justice system play an essential role in protecting our freedoms. But that must not stop us from reflecting on our society’s response to these and previous acts.
When Parliament is called upon to make overnight decisions, under emotional duress and in the face of aggressive populism on the part of political leaders who cultivate fear, it is democracy that is undermined.
Following the extension of the state of emergency and the expansion of police powers, further measures continue to be announced by the President of the Republic.
It is crucial not to lost sight of the fact that nothing should subvert the rule of law or deprive us of our freedoms. The state of emergency cannot become a permanent situation and the conditions in which it is applied should not hinder social democracy, the exercise of citizenship or public debate.
Since 1986, laws granting increased powers to law enforcement, establishing special courts and restricting our freedoms, under the pretext of combating terrorism, have multiplied. As other legislative and constitutional provisions are adopted, we must question their effectiveness and their potential to further undermine our freedoms. Before amending the law and giving itself increased powers, the State should question why it was not possible to avoid such an abomination from occurring in the first place. The authorities are responding in a military manner that provides no assurance of security and in no way guarantees respect for our freedoms.
The wish to deprive even those who were born with French citizenship of their nationality serves to reinforce the message of a divided France. The President’s failure before Parliament to affirm the State’s essential commitment to ensuring equal rights, social justice and the development of public services, and to fighting all forms of discrimination and all manifestations of racism, drastically increased the sense of exclusion felt by a whole section of our population. Thus a little more weight is given to the growing sense of stigmatisation that prevails, jeopardising our commitment to living together in harmony.
Instead, we want these tragic events to serve as an opportunity to forge a different path to the one we have been shown. A path that refuses to scapegoat and refuses to allow France to go to war with itself. A path that recognises the important of peace and equal rights and works to maintain a France that is united, open to difference, welcoming, free and fraternal.
For the sake of our freedoms, for the sake of a society that values fraternity, we refuse to give in to the fear promoted by those whose reason for living is death.
We call on the men and women of this country to remain united and combat all forms of racism. We also call for the protection of our freedoms and will ensure that the right to freedom of information, expression, demonstration and assembly prevails in all circumstances. Our organisations will foster forums for open debate all over France and we will remain vigilant in ensuring that our rights and freedoms are safeguarded and that no person is subjected to discrimination.

First signatories:
AFD International, Agir pour le changement démocratique en Algérie (Acda), Assemblée citoyenne des originaires de Turquie (Acort), Association des Marocains en France (AMF), Association des travailleurs maghrébins de France (ATMF), Association des Tunisiens en France (ATF), Association des universitaires pour le respect du droit international en Palestine (Aurdip), Association française des juristes démocrates (AFJD), Association France Palestine solidarité (AFPS), Association Grèce France Résistance, Association interculturelle de production, de documentation et de diffusion audiovisuelles (AIDDA), Association pour la reconnaissance des droits et libertés aux femmes musulmanes (ARDLFM), Associations démocratiques des Tunisiens en France (ADTF), Attac, Cadac, Cedetim, Confédération générale du travail (CGT), Conseil national des associations familiales laïques (Cnafal), Collectif national pour les droits des femmes (CNDF), Collectif 3C, Collectif des 39, Collectif des féministes pour l’égalité (CFPE), Comité pour le développement et le patrimoine (CDP), Comité pour le respect des libertés et des droits de l'Homme en Tunisie (CRLDHT), Commission islam et laïcité, Confédération syndicale des familles (CSF), Collectif des musulmans de France (CMF), Coordination des collectifs AC !, Droit au logement (Dal), Droit solidarité, Droits devant !!, Emmaüs France, Emmaüs International, Fédération des Tunisiens citoyens des deux rives (FTCR), Fédération nationale de la Libre pensée, Fédération internationale des Ligues des droits de l’Homme (FIDH), Filles et fils de la République (FFR), Fondation Copernic, Fédération syndicale unitaire (FSU), Genepi, Ipam, La Cimade, La Quadrature du Net, Le Mouvement de la paix, Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH), Le Gisti, Les Amoureux au ban public, Les Céméa, Maison des potes, Mamans toutes égales (MTE), Médecins du monde, Mrap, OIP - section française, Organisation de femmes égalité, Planning familial, Réseau éducation sans frontières (RESF), Réseau euromaghrébin culture et citoyenneté (REMCC), Réseau Euromed France (REF), SNPES-PJJ/FSU, Snuclias-FSU, Syndicat des avocats de France (Saf), Syndicat national des journalistes (SNJ), Unef, Union des travailleurs immigrés tunisiens (Utit), Union juive française pour la paix (UJFP), Union nationale lycéenne (UNL), Union syndicale de la psychiatrie (USP), Union syndicale Solidaires