The Oulu Direct Action Board for Public Niceness (OST VLK) aims to create a nicer and better city environment for all of us. Our requirements for a nice environment are:
- Accessibility. Environment must be usable regardless of one’s limitations and environmental design is not to put people into unequal position based on their ability or wealth.
- Non-discrimination. Environment must be safely usable by anyone regardless of their ethnic background, gender, living situation, wealth, ability or skin colour and oppression towards these or other oppressed groups is not to be tolerated.
- Maintenance. Environment that is falling apart doesn’t fulfil the needs of the inhabitants.
In addition to that, we believe that instead of seemingly public spaces like shopping malls we need actually public space, where the acceptable behaviour is not decided one-sidedly by a private actors. When it comes to this, Oulu is still better than average.
Per our name we support direct action for creating nicer environment. If the niceness of environment can be improved then it should be, even if that means doing it yourself without the permission of the owner of the space. However a solution reached with the people responsible for maintaining the space is preferable when it works. Our support for direct action doesn’t mean we support destruction of environments or spaces for no cause.
If you are interested in our work and want to take part or you have noticed a defect somewhere that should be addressed, contact us over e-mail at oulunviihtyisyys@riseup.net