Solidarity actions in front of detention centers

December 13, Paranesti detention center, Greece

(more images here)

November 30, Amygdaleza detention center, Greece

November 29, Ježevo detention center, Croatia

Hunger strike in Amygdaleza detention centre

“Hunger strike until freedom”*

On November 17th, 2014 hundreds of refugees detained administratively in
the pre-removal centre of Amygdaleza started to protest massively
against the prolonged detention of more than 18 months, against the
detention of dozens of minors and the detention conditions that amongst
others recently led to the death of two detainees.

“They coop us up here like sheep and then don’t care anymore about us. (…)”
“There are persons detained 26 months. (…)”
“When we say ‘my stomach hurts’, they’d answer ‘my balls hurt’.”

Only on November 6th the 26-year-old Mohammed Asfak died of the
consequences of beating by law enforcement officers in Corinth detention
centre during one of the uprisings of migrants there 5-6 months ago. His
injuries had not been taken care of adequately. He was only transferred
to hospital after a break down. For 15 days he had been begging the
police to bring him to the hospital as he had respiratory problems. When
asking for medical aid, police even replied: “Die, we don’t care.” Only
some days after this tragic incident, another detainee from Bangladesh
died of lacking sufficient medical aid.

Demonstration and assault against the detention camp of Rome

Yesterday, around 10.000 people marched against the detention center for migrants (CIE) of Rome Ponte Galeria. In the days before police arrested 17 comrades from the movement for the right to the house very active in the mobilization against the CIE and deported back to their countries several migrants that did the hunger strike against the detention. The same day of the march cops confiscated the truck with the amplification, making impossible to communicate during the demonstration.

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