On December 18, the "day of the refugee" in Greece, a march was held through the center of Athens, the capital. Involved were organizations of the left that are not represented in Parliament, anarchist collectives "for self-organization" and help and solidarity to refugees, anti-fascist organizations, and also refugees who claimed their rights.
So they won the streets in their thousands, marching against the Government of Syriza that has been deporting refugees or maintaining them in detention centers that are true prisons. This is the same Government of Syriza, which has 50 young rebel prisoners because that dared to fight for the possibility of having a future of a dignified life and to defend refugees and immigrants from fascists such as the Golden Dawn party.
The demonstration protested against the EU, which carries wars, destruction and looting of the peoples and leave them with their cities and towns destroyed, and the exploited in extreme poverty in countries in Africa or Asia. Thus, the exploited in these areas are forced to seek refuge in Europe in order to survive as well as their families. Today, the refugees who have come to Greece with this idea, found the borders closed - under orders of the EU – so they cannot go to the rest of the countries of the Continent, as for example Germany where they sought to settle.
The cries from the March said: "Full rights to all refugees and immigrants who arrive in Europe", "Open borders!", "Enough of deportations of refugees!", "Deport the police and Frontex!" (I.e. the border guard along the European borders and coasts that is preventing most refugees from coming to Europe).
Arriving at Syntagma Square, where the Parliament building is, the march began to denounce the Syriza Government allied in the EU which imprisons the refugees, which is deporting them, that does not give permits except for a few for super-exploiting them making them do the worst work in countries such as Germany or France for wages far below the minimum. A group of refugees who participated in the march exclaimed: "Open the borders! We are workers! We want to get to Germany to work to support our families! The German Government said that it would receive us... why not let us pass? Enough of hypocrisy! For our rights, and opening of the border right now!"
The march was ending and the multitude began disaggregating. But future actions for the refugees are called for next Tuesday, while it is discussed how to continue the fight plan. From the organizations that took part in the march there are claims that refugees are not alone, they are next to Greek workers and young people! That the Government of Syriza and Golden Dawn fascists acknowledge that!
From the first steps of solidarity with and support to the refugees they are beginning to think of actions that give solution to all. We must stop the massacre in Syria, defeating the genocidal Bashar Al-Assad and his Russian allies. We must expropriate all the imperialist oil companies, which command this massacre and pillage to the peoples of the Maghreb and the Middle East. They are which leave the peoples in this desperate situation of having to flee from their homeland to find work in Europe. Expropriating them to recover the legitimate wealth of workers and poor people so they have work for all, and enough money to rebuild houses and put all the refugees back to their homes, to have a dignified life.
The way people are looking for together is the opening of the borders, with the refugees receiving full citizenship rights, grouped in the same organizations as the native workers, in a unified fighting plan of all the working class and youth which is in Greece against the Troika, for jobs for everyone with a decent wage, sharing the working hours among all, with the occupation of factories which shut off, or suspend or lay off its workers so they produce under workers control, and expropriating the banks that stole the people's money.
And for that, it is necessary to confront the Government of bankers, which is the jailer of the Revolutionary Youth... the government of the “lefts of the Troika”.
Correspondent |
December 17 2015
REFUGEES’ VOICE
Youssef comes from Morocco. Under the looting and oppression by imperialism, together with the Moroccan Government, the people there are living in absolute misery. Unemployment is high, poverty is rampant and prospects to find a job or a salary that covers basic needs are scarce. So Youssef embarked towards Europe, in search of work that allowed him to sustain himself and provide for his family, which he had to leave in his native country.
Youssef came to Greece by sea, as first stop in his way to Germany. But this road was closed to him, since he cannot leave the Greek borders. Neighboring countries like Macedonia denied him entry.
Therefore Youssef had to stay in Athens. There the police, along with 200 Moroccans detained him on more. They took them to a police station. They retained them all day long, until late in the evening. Youssef told the police called them a one to take their fingerprints and made them sign a paper asking for a passport, on the basis of a from provided by the police.
Youssef said that this form was “made to be rejected”, because he could understand something of it. Many other Moroccans saw it that way as well. They understood it was a form for deporting them to Morocco. They knew that the Government of Syriza wanted to deport them, and that many already had been returned forcibly to their countries. So as Youssef and many others in his situation refused to sign the paper and were severely beaten and threatened deportation directly, or taking them to detention centers where they wouldn't receive food if they did not sign it. The officials were thus forcing everybody to firm.
Once they had finished, the officials took them to the 200 Moroccans to a detention center called "Corinthos". There, detainees are maintained locked. They are not allowed to go out and walk freely by Athens or any other part of Greece. Youssef says that this detention center is like a prison. 8 to 12 people share a room, in which they are enclosed and only allowed to walk through the courtyard of the detention center for 2 hours a day. Rooms do not have heating and they are only given a blanket each one... something that is not enough to withstand the intense cold of the evenings. But according to Youssef, what people most suffer there inside is that they don't know what will happen to them... no one tells them if they will be deported, or how long they are to be kept there...
Detention centers must be opened and dismantled! Papers and full rights for refugees! For the opening of the borders!
Correspondent |