Greek Revolt: Updates 7th & 8th March

"... I have tried many times in the past to talk with an authoritan, express the social problems and remind him that a state is constructed in order to serve the citizens and not the bankers and plutocracy. The only response I ever took from these creeps was a bunch of cheap bananas, grown in countries with fascistic status quo. Whenever I taste these bananas, I feel like having a drop of human blood on my tongue ..."

By Carlos Marxos

(posted on some Indymedia Sites: Athens, UK, Linksunten & Germany, in English & auf Deutsch)

Summary:

Clashes in Volos and Xanthi, National Bank Occupations in Komotini, Occupations in Athens (note: as long as the "measures" law isn't published it's not legal, therefore the workers of the NationalPrintFactory occupied their workplace, the other one is occupied by the sacked workers of Olympic Air) AND SO ON, strikes continue, bigger one on 8th and General Strike on 11th

_Sunday 7th March 2010_


* Protest by anarchists, out-parliamentary communists, leftists in Irakleio town on Creta island. The protest took place during Ms. Anna Diamantopoulou, the Education Minister, was making a speech in the town. The protesters condemned the governments plans to reform the educational system and the decision to make financial cut-outs for education through the government's and EU's austerity program. (Fotos)

*Clashes in the Town Hall of Volos during the speech of Ms. Katerina Mpatzeli, agricultural minister, who was promoting to the local society the necessity of the austerity program. When a group of leftists started shouting slogans against the government's and EU's plans some undercover bigs and bodyguards attacked them and expelled them from this public discussion. Thanassis Vogiatzis, journalist of Thessalia Newspaper, was brutally beaten up by a pig when he tried to use his camera and make some fotographs.

*The citizens' reports about para-statists' actions in the city of Thessaloniki still go on. For one more time, undercover cops attacked without any several reason to a team of people who were walking in a central street of the town. So, the Greek police after the tortures in cop stations, the asassinations, the snitches, the spying of citizens, now they go one step further and use methods of social terror that remind of the times of military junta.

*Clashes in Xanthi town during a speech of George Floridis, member of PASOK ("socialist" party on government), while he was talking about the necessity of the austerity economical program. When some people tried to rise up their voice against his propaganda, state bodyguards and pigs attacked them.

*Gathering under the rain in front of Avlonas jailhouse in solidarity with imprisoned anarchists comrades and any other prisoner of the system. There was no announcement for this action, the decision for the gathering was taken secretly but the special pig units were there before the arrival of the people, event that proves for one more time the spying repression methods of the state. Fotos & Video with the slogans: "The passion for freedom is stronger than any jail-cell", "Fire and bomb for this bordello")

*Intervention by comrades in the ecological fiesta that was organized by SKAI TV-station on Ymittos mountain. The TV-station often organizes such fiestas and calls citizens to plant some pine trees, but they never say to people to them how to plant the tree so it can survive or they even never water them. On the other hand, the same companies which organize such fiestas, after some time they also organize new distructions of the nature with constructions that take place on the same mountains. Further more, the certain action took place on a burnt forest area, area that must be a no-go area because people step on the baby trees that grow and destroy the rebirth of the forest. Also many trees that are used in these ecological fiestas are types of certain companies and never chosen after any scientistic ecological research.

*Cops attacked with their dog an immigrant from Iraq in Igoumenitsa town. The immigrant was known to the authorities, after spending time in the local hospital (he has lost one of his lungs because of the chemical weapons that were used in Iraq, and his heart has also been relocated). When the pigs saw him on the streets of the town, they started laughing against him and let their dog attack and bite him on the knee. (See more on Clandestine English)

_Monday 8th March 2010_

*The week actions in Exarcheia district of Athens against the heroin dealing still go on. To remind about the past, after the election of PASOK, the district was occupied by special cop forces in daily time and when the cop-occupation came to an end the state decided to transfer the heroin dealing to the area. The residents have opposed against the heroin dealers continuesly by chasing them away and many times under a risk of their lives. In the area are active several open social centres, squats and political organizations (watch older updates & Video).

*Announcement from AGRA Publication Company for the re-employment of the dismissed syndicalist Ntinos Palaistidis. After the struggles and strikes of his co-workers and the solidarity from other several base's unions Ntinos is back in his working place.

*The squats in the National Printing and the State General Accounting Office still go on (watch older update). Since today, also two agencies of National Bank of Greece in Komotini town are squatted by workers of the United Textiles. The Landfills of Sanitary Garbage Burial are also kept closed since last Friday against the government's and EU's austerity program. They will kept closed until the 11th of March, day of the next General Strike.


*Announcement of Antiracism Initiative of Thessaloniki:

The refugees' hostel functions only under our own support. After the apparent failure of all officially involved persons, first and foremost the Ministry of Health, to find a way so the Hostel of Refugees' Welcome Centre could remain in function, the case now goes definitely in the hands of society. Since late February any state economical support has been stopped and the previous administration of the Hostel is unable to continue its operation. From the first time, the Antiracism Initiative has requested for the function of the Hostel as a hosting area open for the refugees and the society. Responsibility for this belongs above all to the Ministry of Health, which must provide (as hitherto) the necessary public funding, but also to find a way of management and administration for it, always according to the needs of refugees and always under social control. But the Ministry, seems to put up behind the excuses of "renewal of the population of tenants" or behind the sudden inadequacy of the building, to get rid of an unnecessary "provision", leading to the closure of the hostel. After the mobilization of all of us in the last month, many of the families that used to live in the Hostel moved to other accommodation. But the issue is not only that: equally important is the hostel to remain open, the only place for hosting refugees in the center of our city. Not only for the families that are left in it, but also for the dozens of others that will need to accommodate the coming years. Today, as the hostel is left without gas, electricity, food, it is now our responsibility, the antiracist and immigrant organizations, the workers and federations of this city to decide if we want to keep open this necessary social stracture. Already, since last week, it was needed to be there every single day, to ensure oil, food and support to the refugees. We call all collectives, organizations and citizens of Thessaloniki in a joint action to claim from the Ministry a permanent solution for the hostel, but also to ensure the uninterrupted operation of it until the solution. For the next few days the refugees need food (mainly bread, vegetables, fruits, baby equipment and children's milk), cleaners, oil, and participation in visits there. For more information contact to: info@socialcenter.gr and 0030 - 2310241015 (Antiracism Initiative Thessaloniki)

*Educational - Antifascist demonstration in Chania town of Creta island after the last period's nazi attacks. 400 pupils, students, teachers, professors, political organizations, anarchists demonstrated through the town of Chania to spread information about the events of nazis in the town.

*Announcement of workers in Greek Telecommunication Company, OTE (today another scandal of Deutsche Telekom, partly owner of OTE, came up):

Those who talk about (social) peace ...

declared war against us!

Crisis, my nerves are in crisis ...

... and for the confrontation of the crisis, the state reveals once again the true face of repression by implementing new measures that will turn the living standards of the social majority back to standards reminding of past decades. With vulgar ideologies such as "forward all Greeks to save the country", the government calls the working classes, employees and retirees to sacrifice gains and rights in order to pay back for debts and deficits which were not created by people themselves. Gambling of the reserves from the Social Insurance funds into stock-markets and structured bonds, glaring escape of taxes from the side of employers, government grants (-supposed- to boost employment) of millions of euros to businesses, which in turn exported their money abroad and founded off-shore companies to pull through taxation, are only some of the reasons that led to the current reality. In any case, the crash of the 14th and 13th salary, the devastating cut-outs in allowances for public sector's employees paving the way for corresponding cut-outs of income also in private sector, the freezing of the pensions, even of those of 360 euros per month (substantial reduction, when calculating the inflation), the new taxes that will rise up the prices even for basic need products, the new taxation for fuel, drinks, cigarettes, the new higher prices for electric energy, etc., do anything else but do not affect those who are responsible for the situation of the economy. In fact, what we watch happening is just a blatant redistribution of social wealth for the benefit of capital.

Cheers for the suckers ...

At the same time when the government together with parliamentary opposition, in perfect cooperation with the Mass Media, call hysterically the youngster with the 700 euros salary and the pensioner with the 600 euros to "tighten their belts" because "there is no cash", some numbers are very meaningful: 300 billions was the banks' profit for the last eight years, 166 companies with high profits which in the case they will be taxed with 40% (a percentage as it was before some years and not at 20% as it is today) the state can have an income of 5,6 billions, 30.000 Greek families have private banking departments in banks with almost 50 billions and another 40 billions are deposited by Greek citizens abroad, 10.000 off-shore companies under Greek benefits handling around 500 billions which do not pay taxes of almost 6 billions per year to the state ... and the related list is endless. Finally, as it seems, the cash exists and it's really enough. The only answer, our collective struggles ... The new measures have already targeted the most bad economically affected part of society and can be lightly characterized as disastrous because in reality the drink the blood of low-payed workers and pensioners. The bully treatement of the government does not end on this point ... it is expected to take tougher new measures! To ensure the profitability of capital, they are determined to remove any remaining rights of workers. Against, however, the governmental robbery, workers and youth are demonstrating their opposition to the plans of bourgeoisie experts who decide against our own lives. The massive participation in the General Strike on 24th February and the protests on 4th and 5th March are a first signal of what will follow for the next time. But the workforce can not wait to be expressed only through structures of GSEE (General Confederation of Workers in Greece) and ADEDY (Confederation for workers in public sector) type. The masks have fallen long ago ... The official syndicate unionism not only can not express the interests of the affected social majority, but does not want as well, after their extent clearly interwoven with the state and employers mechanisms. They leader syndicalists act repressionly against the real interests of the workers, GSEE and ADEDY are unable to form the front and defend the attack against workers' rights. The only solution is the coordination of the independent workers, the unemployed, the pensioners and youth, all those parts of the society who are under attack. We coordinate with other base's unions and put the spotlight on our needs and our rights. The beauty is on the streets ...

" ... Those who steal the food from our table
are preaching about austerity.
Those who take back whatever was given
are asking for sacrifices.
The well-fed talk to the hungry people
about the great times that will come later ..."

- Bertolt Brecht

Everybody in the General Strike demonstration on 11th March


*Announcement of workers in Landfill of Garbage Healthy Burying of Ano Liosia district of Athens:

We decided to keep closed the Landfill of Garbage Healthy Burying of Ano Liosia until the 11th of March. We also decided for strengthening the safeguarding of the strike in the landfill and our continuous presence on the spot because of danger that the cops will attack us for one more time. None employee will work on Wednesday 11th of March in any municipalities and prefectures around Greece. We, all type of workers in public sector, will protest in front of the Labor Ministry in Athens and we will also participate in the strike of Thursday as all the social classes will do. On Thursday we organize a new assembly to decide for further actions. Everything starts now!

P.S. It would be clever from the cops not to attack against us like the last time because this time we will smash them with our garbage-trucks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anarchist Group Resalto on Crisis, Bankruptcy and Probation

Crisis, "bankruptcy" and probation are a generalization of the social and class war. No consent to the austerity plan!

Translated communiqué by the anarchist group Resalto in Athens

"At your draws the galley slave

was always the one to lose

and to be savaged.

But the time of happy shipwrecks is over.

When the admirals fall into the sea

don’t count on us to throw a life-jacket

unless it’s one made of stone."

Crisis, deficit, debt, spreads, probation, austerity plan, emergency measures, necessary measures, additional measures …

A campaign of social terrorisation has been launched in the past few months that is spinning around the capitalist crisis and the state deficit, especially after the staged elections of October for the handing over of the government position to the social-neoliberal political management. The pre-planned, full-scale class attack from the side of Capital, aiming at further shrinking of labour costs and pensioner rights, as well as the continuation of the "necessary" capitalist restructuring, were both showing signs of delay and incapacity to be introduced by the previous political leadership – whose social status after December’s revolt had been shredded apart. A "fresh governance" with an equally fresh "mandate from the people" was needed and was achieved with ample pre-electoral selling of hope to the gullible.

Of course, the promises and fake words disappeared overnight. Suddenly they "discovered" the "lies of the previous ones regarding the size of the state deficit"; they were "perplexed" and "enraged" by the "country’s tragic finances" and they imposed a "state of emergency" calling for "national conscription" to face the situation – promoting for themselves the image of an "honest government, negotiating and fighting hard for the country’s good".

"We must all contribute to the rescuing of the national economy", howl the political and financial bosses and their journalist-lackeys. All who eat with golden spoons, exploit human labour, pocket bribes, sort out their own people and loot social wealth. The bosses, the financiers and the managers, the bank / stock market capital and its golden boys, the governors, the party headquarters and their electoral clientèle, TV station owners, salaried hack writers and the journalistic mouthpieces, the managers of public administration, of state organizations and insurance funds … This raffle asks us once again to “tighten the belt”, to accept the new plans of austerity, the cutting-down of wages, pension freezes, additional tax exactions; "restructuring" in the insurance plans, "flexible" and insecure labour, and so on.

How boring and lousy a repetition of the same defrauding tactics. For twenty-five years now it’s been always the same, always with a different disguise. And of course it is anything but a coincidence that the guarantors of this global-scale experiment of social and class discipline and further pillage are the watchers of the EU, the howling dogs of the EU Commission, with a parallel observation of the IMF.

And so pensions must stay put and salaries must be cut, with a 30% cut of the Easter and Christmas bonuses; apart from the further 12% cuts to the rest of the bonuses of the public sector employees (for now, this is “limited” to the public sector, but how long will it really take to debate its extension to the private one too?). New taxes must be applied to petrol, cigarettes, drinks, together with the increase of the VAT across all categories (from 4,5 to 5%, from 9 to 10%, from 19 to 21%) and new tax scales have to be constructed at the expense, once again, of the waged and the pensioners – now to include the so-called "middle incomes". At the same time the number of the officially registered unemployed has sky-rocketed to 800.000 as of early March, making the estimate of the minister of employment, Loverdos, of 1.000.000 during 2010 looking rather mild.

The domestic and supra-national sovereignty, the local and globalized elites of political and financial power, which have amassed and privatized incomprehensibly huge wealth during the past 30 years of (neoliberal) development and looting, are now attempting to spread across society their damage and to continue apace with their attack and their looting. "We have gained everything and it’s time for you to pick the bill" is their cynical statement. With some determination that fills our city centres with cops of all kinds: check-points, pedestrian and motorcycle patrols, neighbourhood police, undercovers and units of crowd repression (the well-known MAT). A very real occupation army for the dealing with of any possible social reaction, unrest or uprisings. After all, the memory of "December" is still fresh, in society as much as in the government boards.

The new round of the social-class war has started and goes under the names of "Crisis", "Probation", "Austerity and Development Plans"… and more is to come. Intensification of exploitation in the workplace; new measures for further flexibility of the job market” (read: further labour insecurity), laws for the complete deconstruction of the system of social security, increase of the reserve labour army of the unemployed. The ruffians are brutal: "work more for less", that’s the only way for costs to go down, for investments to come back, for capital to move, for new work positions to open up, for us to exit the crisis. And who knows what comes next …

And so questions immediately open up: is it ever possible for someone, after all these years of exploitation and mocking, to still believe in or trust the political and business establishment together with its supranational coalitions (EU, IMF and so on?) Is it possible for us to take in stoically the looting of our lives, to consent with our crushing? Illusions of "rights" – "vested" or else, are over. Any further time credit to this deteriorating world of alienation, of exploitation and obedience must end the soonest. The state-capitalist system no longer has anything to promise other than more poverty (material, emotional, mental), environmental destruction, human wrecks, fear and repression.

Let’s organize and strengthen our fronts and our trenches in the social-class war that is storming ahead. Promoting the logic of the community, of mutual aid, real solidarity in-between the lines of the exploited and the suppressed, away from fictional dichotomies and constructed divisions (workers-unemployed, new-old insured persons, locals-migrants, and so on). Promoting the logic of conflict with the political and financial authority and its advocates. Against fatalism, individualization, individual and social defeat. Promoting the logic of direct, collective action; without hierarchies, without any experts or mediators , away from all party, syndicalist or media conduct. Not only for our defense and our survival, not for the little and the immediate, but for the self-determination of our own lives. For the prospect of a free, self-organized society with no authority, no class divides, no social discrimination, alienation or existential dead-ends.

Fight back against the pillage of the state and the bosses

http://anarxiko-resalto.blogspot.com/

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/