24/10-3/11, 2011, Cyprus: Immigrants on Hunger Strike

On October 24, 52 immigrants held in the central prisons of Cyprus started a hunger strike. On November 1st, 15 more immigrants in the cells in Lakatameia began a hunger strike. A few weeks ago, in the same cells, a 28-year-old man from Georgia passed away. On November 3rd, the hunger strikers announced that they will end the hunger strike, as they managed to draw attention and the government promised to meet some of their demands.

Some news from No Border Camp Bulgaria

Report by No Borders North East

The No Border camp set-up began a week before the opening, with lots of preparation work like digging trenches for water supply, and building infrastructure.

One of the aims of the camp was raising the issue of the border locally, and supporting and extending local solidarity work.

Film screenings and discussions took place in local villages in the run up to the camp, where there were really interesting conversations with local people on the frontline of the border regime, who told stories of meeting people crossing the border in search of safety and security.

Giving back names and dignity to lost migrants

Fountain to remember death and missing at the border in Tichero (Northern Greece)

John lost his wife Jane and Tahera her husband Bashir in the Evros River. They represent hundreds of other migrants who drowned in the water, were killed by landmines or are still missing. Their dead bodies were treated disrespectfully: In 2010 we discovered a mass grave in Sidero where the corpses could not be identified. We returned to give back a piece of dignity to the death and also those who survived.

http://w2eu.net/2011/09/01/giving-back-names-and-dignity-to-lost-migrants/

Tichero, 30th of August 2011

We came together today, here on the road to Tichero.

We gathered in Tichero around this fountain for remembering the dead of the European border regime.

300 migrants in hunger strike in greece

Statement by the 300 migrant hunger strikers – March 13, 2011

The hunger strike of the three-hundred migrant workers has ended. The struggle for a world of equality, solidarity and freedom continues!

March 9, 2011 6pm: THE HUNGER STRIKERS WON!!!!!

3 days of mobilizations

On December 18 a mobilisation was organized at the Evros region. Early on the afternoon there was a protest outside the Fylakio detention centre and later a demonstration in Orestiada, where the Frontex headquarters are located. You can read more in our friends from w2e report: http://w2eu.net/2010/12/19/fylakio/.

The only things we would like to add is that the mobilization was organized and attended by groups and people coming from various political milieus and that we consider the whole thing a big success, as it took place in a region located 12 hours drive from Athens, under extreme weather conditions and in a period that many more mobilizations were on (i.e.: 6th of December demos, 15th of December general strike, occupations in universities. mobilizations in prisons…)

On December 19, in the city of Patras, members of new-nazi organization tried to hold a protest against the presence of immigrants near the train station, hoping to imitate the so-called ”citizens’ committees” that new-nazis have set up in Athens. Unfortunately for them, they were attacked and chasen away by a group of 60 anarchists.

On December 20, in Athens, some 100 Afghans and Iranians who are camped outside Propylaia (University of Athens) and UNHCR respectively, held a demonstration and a gathering outside the ministry of public order, demanding to be granted asylum.

Sans papiers immigrants sewed their lips together at a prison in Volos, central Greece

Thursday 25 November, 2010

Four sans papiers immigrant prisoners sewed their lips together with needle and thread at the Kassaveteia Prisons near Volos, central Greece, protesting their prolonged and completely unjustified imprisonment, while another three refused their meals.

In the last fourteen months, all seven of them, together with another 25 Somalis, Afghanis and Palestinians, have been pushed from one prison to another, after they were arrested for the sole crime of illegally entering the country. Their release is pending while the deportation is also being legally processed.

A month ago, 32 sans papiers immigrants were transferred to the Kassaveteia prisons. Though they have committed no crime and have not faced trial, they are being held captive and are being deprived their liberty and basic rights. The four sans papiers who decided to sew their lips together, as well as the three who refuse to eat, are protesting both their upcoming deportation, as well as their prolonged detention behind bars. According to certain sources, more sans papiers immigrants held in Greek prisons, are planning to take action.

The crane hunger strike

The “crane struggle” starts on October 30th, during a free, unauthorized demonstration of about 100 people in Brescia, supporting the many thousands of  immigrants in Italy, who are forced to work illegally and live underground for years, being subject to frauds, blackmails and any sort of unjustice by the unfair (and actually also un-constitutional) Bossi-Fini Law.

While the demonstrators seem to be effectively holding back the  police cordon, some people get arrested and 6 men from Pakistan, India, Egupt, Senegal and Morocco climb up the 35-meter crane and begin a protest against the injustices suffered by about 1700 immigrants in Brescia: After having applied for the ‘colfs and carers’ ranking list (paying the Brescia Prefecture 500Euro), these people were dropped from it for having produced false employment documents (most likely sold to them by swindlers) or were receiving warning orders of eviction from Italy.

For the rest of the month, supporters of the cause picket the building site around the crane and show their solidarity: Squatted social centres with banners and sit-ins, the association Diritti per Tutti by negotiating with the authorities, NGO Pax Christi by interceding on their behalf, Charitas by supplying clothes and food, the adjoining parish of San Faustino’s by providing room for the night.

At first, the media coverage is rather low and only RAI 3 and Radio Onda d’Urto follow the protest with constant broadcasts. While some commentators label the 6 guys “the international workers avant-garde”, the president of Ethnoland Otto Bitjoka, though he supports the cause, dismisses this kind of spectacular rhetoric, feeling that  mediatic distortions might offer a pretext for further evictions and the  justification of racism.

On the 5th day, Father Toffari’s mediation results in the police suggesting an alternative site for the protest. The immigrants immediately “smell a rat” and refuse the offer, threatening to come crashing down from the top of the crane if forced to give up.

On November 8th, Arun, Papa, Sajad, Jimi, Rachid and Singh throw chunks of iron and bottles of urine to prevent the installation of a safety net which would prepare the grounds for their the evacuation. The police attacks with a blitz to clear off the site around the crane: 25 people are arrested, of which 6 ratified by the magistrate. One is a metal worker and Fiom union representative.

November 11th: Singh the Indian is promised ‘humanitarian’ treatment by a government representative of his country, agrees to get off the crane but is arrested, tried “for serious criminal offence”, sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, and evicted from Italy within 24 hours.

November 14th: During the  1000-strong anti-racist demonstration, about 60 guys start a battle with stones, bottles, paper bombs and smoke bombs, aiming at breaking through the police barrier which has been blocking off the crane site for 8 days. In the meanwhile Papa has also got off the crane, possibly during the clash or the night before, but no media has reported it and apparently noone knows where he ended up.

On November 15th the ‘craners’ get off, thanks to the negotiation of the CGIL union and the Brescia’s Diocese that achieve the inclusion of the 4 immigrants in the lists for regular work and residence permit  in Italy.

A great victory, but still a partial one: Thousands of immigrants in Brescia and many more in the whole country are still formally sans-papiers, which in fortress Europe is absurdly defined as a crime.

contribution by Diego

Iranian asylum seekers sewed their mouths and are on hunger strike

Thursday 14th: 43 days have passed since the day that the greek government promised to grant asylum status to the iranian asylum seekers that were on hunger strike in front of the Office of the High Commissioner of UNHCR since July 19 and yet no respond from Greek government. As they announced before, the Iranian Political Asylum seekers went on a harder strike against inhuman and unjust actions done by Greek government. 5 men and 1 woman from this campaign sewed their mouth and the rest of the group (beside children) went on hunger strike since Thursday 14th.
Friday 15th: Greek police attacks the members of Campaign
Watch this video and see how the members of Campaign who are on hunger strike and some of them have sewed their mouth are treated by racist police!

More information and constant updates at the campaign’s blog: Iranian Political Asylum Seeker’s Campaign in Athens

Solidarity demonstration in Attiki Square (Athens)

October 8, 2010 – Attiki Square

Big solidarity protest against fascists & state racism, organized by anarchists and antiauthoritarians

This is one of the seldom afternoons that the afghans reconquer the square. A group of 1000 people, among them many Afghan refugees, women and children gathered in the afternoon in Attiki Square to protest against the fascist movement that is occupying the place since more than a week and that already has expulsed all forms of human life from the St. Panteleimon Church. Among the many speeches were mainly Afghan refugees talking: “what have we done to you, that you treat us like this? We were forced to leave our country, we came here for saving our lives. Whose mother would send her own children away in the danger of crossing borders in the dark and with the fear of loosing them to the streets of Greece – to hopelessness, homelessness and drug addiction? Which mother travels through all that dangers with her small children if she has another choice. We came here to be saved, but instead be get beaten and kicked. Why does the government not gives us a place to sleep? We never chose to spend all our time on this square. We have nowhere else to go. Why do they take our fingerprints here if they cannot offer us anything? Why don’t they let us go, if they don’t want us? Why do they want us back, when Austria asks them to? I was deported from Austria back to Greece with my husband and my two small children. Three days ago we lost our flat, because we could not afford to pay the landlord anymore. Now we sleep in the park. Why is nobody taking his responsibilities and helping us?” A small girl says: “I want to go to school! I want to become an educated women!”

At dusk the bulk of people sets of towards St. Nicholaos train station demonstrating and shouting slogans such as: “Fascists assholes – the gallows are coming” and: “Nobody in fear never and nowhere – break the fascists in each neighbourhood” Greeks and Afghans walk together while the police is not far. The fascists hide. The demonstration ends peacefully and gets dissolved.

Riot police violently attack migrants after demonstration

Fascists were hiding during the protest. But when the demonstration ended, riot police did the fascists’ job…

On their way back a group of 50 Afghans and a few Greeks was suddenly attacked by two dozens of police. Riot police wanted to give the Afghans a lesson, so they suddenly just started beating them, blindly attacking a group of demonstrators. The first Afghans attacked fell to the ground from the beatings and were arrested thereafter for unknown reasons. Most people ran away, but at least 10 people were injured – some of them badly. Among them were also minors. One of them had to be brought to hospital, while there were rumours that another Afghan had been attacked by fascists near St. Nicholaos with a metal pipe. His leg was broken in two places…

More info about the situation in Attiki Square:

http://w2eu.net/2010/10/05/the-jungle-of-athens

Iranian refugees continue their struggle for Asylum in Athens

POLITICAL ASYLUM FOR ALL REFUGEES NOW!

Commission of Iranian political refugees started its struggle on July 20 2010 [with a hunger strike] outside the UN High Commission for Refugees office in Athens. Our First victory came by gaining political asylum recognition to six Iranian hunger strikers. One of them, Hamid Sadeqi had sewn his mouth. Now we continue the struggle in the center of Athens at Propylaea (University of Athens), demanding asylum for all refugees!
We expect by the government the announcement of the strarting day of the sessions of Asylum Committees, as it was promised: “The transition process for Asylum under the new presidential decree is expected to be operational in September”(06/08/2010). No more fake promises!
There are thousands of refugees waiting in vain without any information on their case. Children born in Greece or came on an early age and now grow as if there is no future! What should the children and their families do to get asylum after 5,6 or even 12 years? Do they also need to sew their mouths?
We fight for the vindication of all refugees. We fight to stop the violation of our rights. We were persecuted by dictatorial regimes and illiberal states like Iran and suffered prisons, torture, death penalty, disappearances and also hunger and poverty.
How to live in countries devastated by war such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia?
How to survive in Pakistan, where half the country sank beneath the waters and the indifference of the government scatters despair, disease and death? How to live in African countries that have been ravaged by famine?
We urge greek people, workers and youth, trade unions, student associations, organizations fighting for democratic rights to support the struggle that we start and will not stop unless we take our rights.

COMMITTEE OF IRANIAN POLITICAL REFUGEES IN GREECE