Songs of the greek resistance

Songs of the greek resistance. Political songs of the guerillas resistance against fascist and democratic imperialism (1941-1949) and not only. First recorded in vinyl at 1974

http://spirosmp3.blogspot.com/

General Assembly of Insurgent Workers - We will either determine our history ourselves or let it be determined without us

We, manual workers, employees, jobless, temporary workers, local or immigrants, are not passive tv-viewers. Since the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos on Saturday night we participate in the demonstrations, the clashes with the police, the occupations on the centre or the neighborhoods. Time and again we had to leave work and our daily obligations to take the streets with the students, the university students and the other proletarians in struggle.

WE DECIDED TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING OF GSEE
(GSEE is the greek CGT)
-To turn it into a space of free expression and a meeting point of workers.

-To disperse the media-touted myth that the workers were and are absent from the clashes, and that the rage of these days was an affair of some 500 "mask-bearers", "hooligans" or some other fairy tale, while on the tv-screens the workers were presented as victims of the clash, while the capitalist crisis in Greece and Worldwide leads to countless layoffs that the media and their managers deal as a "natural phenomenon".

-To flay and uncover the role of the trade union bureaucracy in the undermining of the insurrection -and not only there. GSEE and the entire trade union mechanism that supports it for decades and decades, undermine the struggles, bargain our labor power for crumblings, perpetuate the system of exploitation and wage slavery. The stance of GSEE last Wednesday is quite telling: GSEE cancelled the programmed strikers' demonstration, stopping short at the organization of a brief gathering in Syntagma Sq., making simultaneously sure that the people will be dispersed in a hurry from the Square, fearing that they might get infected by the virus of insurrection.

-To open up this space for the first time -as a continuation of the social opening created by the insurrection itself-, a space that has been built by our contributions, a space from which we were excluded. For all these years we trusted our fate on saviours of every kind, and we end up losing our dignity. As workers we have to start assuming our responsibilities, and to stop assigning our hopes to wise leaders or "able" representatives. We have to acquire a voice of our own, to meet up, to talk, to decide, and to act. Against the generalized attack we endure. The creation of collective "grassroot" resistances is the only way.

-To propagate the idea of self-organization and solidarity in working places, struggle committees and collective grassroot procedures, abolishing the bureaucrat trade unionists.

All these years we gulp the misery, the pandering, the violence in work. We became accustomed to counting the crippled and our dead - the so-called "labor accidents". We became accustomed to ingore the migrants -our class brothers- getting killed. We are tired living with the anxiety of securing a wage, revenue stamps, and a pension that now feels like a distant dream.

As we struggle not to abandon our life in the hands of the bosses and the trade union representatives, likewise we will not abandon no arrested insurgent in the hands of the state and the juridical mechanism.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE DETAINED
NO CHARGE TO THE ARRESTED
SELF-ORGANIZATION OF THE WORKERS
GENERAL STRIKE

General Assembly of Insurgent Workers
_______________________________________________
(the occupation of GSEE finished yesterday)
_______________________________________________


GERMAN TRANSLATION

Entweder werden wir unsere Geschichte selbst bestimmen
oder sie wird ohne uns bestimmt

Wir - Arbeiter, Angestellte, Arbeitslose, Zeitarbeiter, einheimische wie migrantische - wir sind keine passiven Fernsehzuschauer. Seit dem Mord an Alexandros Grigoropoulos Samstagnacht nehmen wir an den Demonstrationen, den Auseinandersetzungen mit der Polizei, den Besetzungen im Stadtzentrum und den anderen Vierteln teil. Immer wieder mussten wir die Arbeit und unsere anderen Verpflichtungen stehen lassen, um mit den Schülern, Studenten und den anderen kämpfenden Proletariern auf die Straße zu gehen.

WIR HABEN BESCHLOSSEN, DAS GSEE-GEBÄUDE ZU BESETZEN…

- um es in einen Raum für freie Diskussion und in einen Treffpunkt für Arbeiter zu verwandeln.

- um neben anderen Märchen den von den Medien verbreiteten Mythos aufzulösen, die Arbeiter hätten sich bis jetzt aus den Zusammenstößen stets herausgehalten und die Wut dieser Tage sei bloß die Angelegenheit einiger 500 "Vermummter" und "Hooligans" gewesen. Und während einem auf den Fernsehbildschirmen die Arbeiter als Opfer dieses Kampfes präsentiert werden, führt die kapitalistische Krise in Griechenland und weltweit zu zahllosen Entlassungen, die von Medien wie Managern als ein "Naturphänomen" behandelt werden.

- um die Rolle der Gewerkschaftsbürokratie zu entlarven, die den Aufstand - und nicht nur diesen - untergräbt. Der GSEE und der gesamte ihn unterstützende Apparat unterminieren seit Jahrzehnten die Kämpfe, verschachern unsere Arbeitskraft für Brosamen und verewigen das System der Ausbeutung und der Lohnsklaverei. Die Haltung des GSEE letzten Mittwoch sagt alles: er blies die von Streikenden geplante Demonstration ab und veranstaltete stattdessen eine kurze Versammlung auf dem Syntagmaplatz. Dabei stellte er sicher, dass die Menge sich eiligst auflöste, da er befürchtete, dass sie vom Virus des Aufstandes angesteckt werden könnte.

- um erstmalig einen Ort zu öffnen, der durch unsere Beiträge zwar gebaut wurde, von dem wir aber bislang ausgeschlossen waren. Dies in Fortsetzung der vom Aufstand selbst geschaffenen sozialen Öffnung. All die Jahre vertrauten wir unser Schicksal Erretter aller Art an um schließlich unsere Würde zu verlieren. Als Arbeiter müssen wir anfangen die Verantwortung für uns selbst zu übernehmen, statt unsere Hoffnungen auf weise Führer oder "fähige" Repräsentanten zu richten. Wir müssen unsere eigene Stimme erlangen, uns treffen, reden, entscheiden und handeln. Dem generalisierten Angriff werden wir standhalten. Die Schaffung von kollektivem "Graswurzel"-Widerstand ist der einzige Weg.

- um die Idee der Selbstorganisation und der Solidarität am Arbeitsplatz, der Streikkomitees und einer kollektiven Graswurzel-Arbeit zu verbreiten, um die Gewerkschaftsbürokraten zu entmachten.

All diese Jahre haben wir das Elend, die Zuhälterei, die Gewalt in der Arbeit geschluckt. Wir haben uns daran gewöhnt die Verkrüppelten und unsere Toten - die sogenannten "Arbeitsunfälle" zu zählen. Wir haben uns zu ignorieren gewöhnt, dass Migranten - unsere Klassenbrüder und -schwestern - getötet werden. Wir sind es müde, mit der Angst um den Lohnerwerb, die Steuerabrechnung und die Rente, die sich jetzt wie ein ferner Traum ausmacht, zu leben.

So wie wir darum kämpfen, unser Leben nicht den Händen der Bosse und der Gewerkschaftsvertreter zu überlassen, so werden wir auch keinen der inhaftierten Aufständischen den Händen des Staates und der Justizmaschine überlassen.


SOFORTIGE FREILASSUNG DER INHAFTIERTEN

KEINE ANKLAGE GEGEN DIE FESTGENOMMENEN

SELBSTORGANISATION DER ARBEITER

GENERALSTREIK



Generalversammlung der aufständischen Arbeiter, 17. Dezember 2008

FRENCH TRANSLATION

L’histoire sera écrite par nous
Ou à notre insu

Nous, les travailleurs manuels, les employés, les chômeurs, les intérimaires, nationaux et immigrés qui ne sont pas téléspectateurs mais participent depuis samedi soir, après le meurtre d’Alexandros Grigoropoulos, aux diverses manifestations, accrochages avec la police, occupations de bâtiments publiques dans le centre comme dans les différents quartiers, qui ont dû souvent abandonner leur travail et leurs obligations quotidiennes pour descendre dans la rue aux côtés des élèves, des étudiants et autres prolétaires en lutte,

Nous avons décidé d’occuper le bâtiment de la GSEE (Confédération Générale des Travailleurs de Grèce) pour le transformer en un lieu de liberté d’expression et de rencontre des travailleurs.
Pour détruire le mythe mis en avant par les médias, que les travailleurs étaient et restent absents des émeutes, que la colère exprimée ses jours-ci n’est l’affaire que de 500 « cagoulés » et « houligans », et que les travailleurs étaient par contre présents à leurs différentes émissions en tant que personnes lésées. Et cela même, au moment ou la crise capitaliste en Grèce et dans le monde entier conduit des centaines de milliers de personnes aux licenciements, ces mêmes licenciements qui sont présentés par les médias comme un « fait naturel ».
Pour dénoncer et révéler le rôle de la bureaucratie syndicaliste et son effort pour ébranler la révolte. La GSEE et tout le mécanisme syndicaliste qui la soutient depuis des décennies, compromettent nos luttes, marchandent notre force de travail pour un rien et perpétuent le régime d’exploitation et d’esclavage salarié. Prenons comme exemple leur position de mercredi dernier lorsqu’ils ont annulé la grève programmée en se limitant à l’organisation d’un rassemblement de courte durée à la place Syndagma et ont forcé les gens à quitter la place pour éviter leur éventuelle « contamination » par le virus de la révolte.
Pour rendre enfin cet espace, construit aux frais de nos contributions mais dont nous restons exclus, ouvert à tous, à l’image de l’ouverture sociale créée par les émeutes.
Cela fait des années, au point de perdre notre dignité, que nous faisons confiance à des sauveurs de tout genre.
Nous devons, en tant que travailleurs, assumer nos responsabilités et ne confier nos espoirs à aucun meneur « éclairé » ou représentant « compétant ». Nous devons acquérir notre propre voix, nous retrouver, discuter, décider et agir. Contre l’attaque généralisée dont nous faisons face. Notre seule issue : la création de résistances collectives venant de la base.
Pour promouvoir l’idée d’une organisation par nous-mêmes, l’idée de la solidarité dans le milieu du travail, des comités de lutte et des décisions prises collectivement par la base, pour supprimer les syndicalistes bureaucrates.
Des années durant nous nous résignons à la misère, à la duperie et à la violence au travail. Habitués à compter nos invalides et nos morts – événements baptisés « accidents du travail ». Habitués à compter, tout en restant indifférents au sort des immigrés –nos frères de classe- qui se font assassiner. Nous en avons marre de vivre avec l’angoisse d’un salaire non garanti, des cotisations sociales et d’une retraite qui s’avère inaccessible.
A l’instar de notre lutte pour ne pas laisser nos vies entre les mains des patrons et des représentants syndicaux, nous allons
mener la lutte pour ne laisser aucune des personnes insurgées, arrêtées par la police, entre les mains de l’Etat et de ses mécanismes répressifs.

LIBERATION IMMEDIATE DES PERSONNES ARRETEES
PAS DE PLAINTE PORTEE CONTRE ELLES
LES TRAVAILLEURS EN CHARGE DE LEUR PROPRE ORGANISATION
GREVE GENERALE

L’assemblée générale des travailleurs insurgés

ITALIAN TRANSLATION

O SAREMO NOI A SCRIVERE LA STORIA,
O LA STORIA SARÀ SCRITTA SENZA DI NOI


Noi operai, impiegati, disoccupati, lavoratori precari, greci o immigrati, che non siamo spettatori e abbiamo partecipato dal primo momento alle manifestazioni, agli scontri con la polizia, alle occupazioni nel centro e le periferie d’Atene; noi che molte volte abbiamo dovuto lasciare il nostro posto di lavoro e i nostri impegni quotidiani per scendere in piazza fianco a fianco con gli alunni, gli studenti e gli altri proletari in lotta,

abbiamo deciso di occupare la sede della Confederazione Generale dei Lavoratori della Grecia (CGLG) per:

- Trasformarla in un luogo di libera espressione e d’incontro dei lavoratori;
- Far cadere il mito creato dai media, secondo il quale i lavoratori erano e sono assenti dagli scontri e che la rabbia manifestata tutti questi giorni riguarda solo 500 “anarchici” e “hooligans” e frottole del genere, mentre negli scermi televisivi i lavoratori erano presenti come le vittime degli scontri, nello stesso momento in cui i licenziamenti di migliaia di lavoratori provocati dalla crisi capitalista in Grecia e in tutto il mondo vengono presentati come qualcosa di “naturale”.
- Denunciare e portare alla luce il ruolo della burocrazia sindacale nel minare la rivolta e non solo questa. La CGLC e tutto l’apparato burocratico che la appoggia, da decenni mina le lotte dei lavoratori; negoziano la nostra forza-lavoro, prolungando il regime dello sfruttamento e della schiavitù salariata. È esemplare il suo atteggiamento mercoledì scorso (10 dicembre) quando hanno annullato il corteo programmato per quel giorno e si è limitata ad un breve concentramento in piazza Sintagma, cercando di isolare i manifestanti dal “virus” della ribellione.
- Perché vogliamo aprire per la prima volta ai lavoratori – come conseguenza della “frattura” nel sociale che ha prodotto questa rivolta - questa sede costruita con i nostri contributi e dalla quale siamo esclusi. Per tutti questi anni abbiamo affidato il nostro destino a “salvatori” di ogni genere fino al punto di perdere ogni traccia di dignità. In quanto lavoratori dobbiamo assumere le nostre responsabilità invece di delegare le nostre speranze a leaderini “illuminati” e “abili” rappresentanti. Dobbiamo prendere la parola in prima persona, incontrarci tra di noi, parlare e decidere per agire contro l’attacco su tutti i fronti che stiamo subendo. Creare forme di “resistenza collettiva” dal basso costituisce l’unica soluzione.
- Promuovere l’idea dell’autorganizzazione e della solidarietà nei posti di lavoro; dei comitati di lotta e delle iniziative collettive dal basso, abolendo le burocrazie sindacali.

Per anni e anni abbiamo dovuto sopportare la miseria, il ruffianesimo e i soprusi nei posti di lavoro. Ci siamo abituati a contare i nostri i colleghi morti, la cui morte viene etichettata come “incidenti sul lavoro”. Ci siamo abituati a disinteressarci degli immigrati - i nostri fratelli in lotta - che vengono assassinati. Ci siamo stufati di vivere con l’ansia di come procurarci il salario, i contributi e una pensione che sta diventando sempre di più un miraggio.
Nello stesso modo in cui stiamo lottando per non abbandonare la nostra vita nelle mani dei padroni e dei burocrati, non abbandoneremo mai nelle mani dello Stato e dell’apparato giudiziario i rivoltosi arrestati.

RILASCIO IMMEDIATO DEGLI ARRESTATI E CHIUSURA DEI PROCEDIMENTI PENALI CONTRO DI LORO

AUTORGANIZZAZIONE DEI LAVORATORI

SCIOPERO GENERALE


Assemblea Generale di Operai in Rivolta

(the occupation of offices of GSEE finished yesterday)

16-year-old shot dead by policeman. Actions all over Greece

athens indymedia

On Saturday 6th of December at around 10pm, two Greek policemen were in patrol in a central street by Exarchia square, in the center of Athens. They had a verbal argument with some young people who were there. During the argument, one of the cops pulled his gun and shot a 16-year-old guy twice. The victim was moved to Evangelismos Hospital to be found dead. According to eye-witnesses, the cop had been swearing against the young man, showing his genitals, before shooting him.

In a spontaneous response, thousands of people gathered in the centers of most of Greek cities. In Athens, people gathered outside Evangelismos Hospital, in order to prevent the cops from entering the building. A little later the riot police attacked in a street in Exarchia resulting to one person being arrested. The evening in Athens evolved with a spontaneous assembly in the Polytechnic University, a lot of riots in the whole center of Athens including attacks against police departments and banks, until the early hours of the next morning. Meanwhile, a spontaneous demonstration took place, but it was confronted by the riot police with tear gas. Three more University building, the Economic, the Pantion and the Law School have been occupied.

Rallies, demonstrations, direct actions and riots took place all around the country. In Thessaloniki, a big spontaneous demonstration took place, while 2 Police Departments were attacked, several bank departments were burnt and Egnatia str., the main street, was block by burning trash bins for hours. Reports have been also posted about actions in Yannena, Iraklio [photos] Chania, Komotini, Mitilini, Xanthi, Serres, Sparta, Alexandroupolis and Volos.

PHOTOS: [1] | [2] | [3]
VIDEOS: video from the murder

5,000 prisoners on hunger strike across greece in demand for reforms!

5,000 prisoners on hunger strike across greece in demand for reforms! (libcom.org)

All 21 Greek prisons are in the grip of prisoners 3-stage campaign in demand of 45-point reform. As part of the protest, more than 5,000 inmates are now on hunger strike.

As of Monday the 3rd of November the totality of prison across greece are under a 3-stage campaign in demand of a 45-point reform, asking amongst other things for abolition of all juvenile prisons, greater freedoms, reduction of prison service and better conditions. The first stage of the prisoners struggle in which 8,000 out of 15,000 inmates took part consisted of refusing food from the prison catering. On Friday the 7, 1,000 of them upgraded to the second stage of the campaign by going on hunger strike. The number of the hunger strikers today (11/7/08) is 5,120, 17 of whom have sewn their mouths. The third stage of the campaign, general uprising, looms over the prison establishment as outside the prisons solidarity campaigns are filling the streets of the greek cities with protest marches, concerts and various forms of direct action.

The main 16 demands by the prisoners are as follows

WE DEMAND:

1. Abolition of disciplinary charges. Modification of the Penitentiary Code's articles 68, 69, 70, 71. In any case, the disciplinary charges must be removed after served, and not accumulated nor taken into consideration when it comes to days off, work, education and discharge under conditions after they are served.
2. Reduction of the sentence limit for discharge under conditions, from 3/5 to the 3/7 of the sentence time. Immediate abolishment of the anti-constitutional treaty that increased up to the 4/5 of crimes related to drugs.
3. Once and for all 3 year reduction of all prices, to make easier the relieve of over-crowding of prisons. Rejection of the new Panoptic prisons, built isolated from the urban social body.
4. Abolition of all juvenile prisons. Adoption of open structures to take care of and protect the teenagers and youth.
5. Reduction of sentence limit of 25 years of continuous detention. Reduction of the minimum detention time to be discharged under conditions to 12 years from 16 that it is today, according to european legislature.
6. Immediate and without exceptions application of days-off, suspensions, and other benefits of the law, reduction of the minimal sentence time limits. Increase the number of days-off to 60 for those that have a right to 5 days and to 96 for those with a right to 8.
7. To end the over-use of pre-trial detentions and reduce the time limit to 12 months.
8. The para-judicial racket is known for its hysteria of the last 8 years, leading to revengeful killing sentences. We as for proportionate sentences and wide application of the measure of suspension and discharge under conditions.
9. Full, permanent and 24 hour medical treatment and respect to the patients. Creation and improvement of adequate hygiene spaces (baths and toilets). Immediate integration of the Korydallos prison psychiatric and medical clinic to the National Health System, with new aisles for women and juveniles, that lack now. Immediate transportation of patients to public hospitals with ambulances and not in police vehicles, tied up with their hands behind their back.
10. To be provided the right in beneficial work payment, education, second chance schools, technical workshops and participation in diverse similar programmes, to all prisoners proportionate and without any discrimination. To be given educational days-off, for all prisoners, that meet with the criteria and terms to study outside prison and for all levels of education and technical skills learning. Substantial amplification of withdrawal projects to all prisons.
11. Abolition of the prison no-go zone. Free access for social and political institutions, Lawyers Associations, Hellenic Medical Association and EINAP, organizations for human rights, NGOs and international organizations. Free circulation of political and educative press, with no exceptions.
12. Alternative forms of detention, amplification of agricultural prisons and of the institution of semi-free sentence as well as community service.
13. Amplification of the institution of free visits in humane conditions with respect to the personality and dignity of the prisoners and the visitors. Private place to meet with our companion.
14. Work and access to creative activities for all of us. Beneficial account of days of work in the sentence.
15. Right to selection of serving the sentence in their country of origin, for the prisoners from other countries, once and if they wish.
16. Humane transport conditions with improvement of the room in the preposterous transportation means of the greek police. More stops, improvement of the detention room in the miserable "Metagogon" 'transfer prison' and faster transfer to the destination prisons.

DEMANDS OF THE WOMEN PRISONERS AT ELEONAS, THIVA PRISON:

On the occasion of the third-world life conditions inside this establishment but also our treatment by the totality of the ministry of justice services, and more precisely: Inexistent medical-pharmaceutical supply. Few, to even inexistent hygiene supply (without any right to a private purchase). Inexistent basic hygiene (no warm water). Inexistent social services and care. Preposterous food, because of luck of supplies. Even first need stuff is an unknown word here. Racist treatment of the prisoners when it comes to days-off and suspensions. Injust treatment of sentence accounts for suspension proportionate to the offence (2/5, 3/5 etc). Vast delays when it comes to bringing the case to the courthouse and especially the court of appeals. The peculiar stiffness of the persons judging us, despite the recommendations they have received. The inexistent second chance we are all waiting for and most of us have a right on it, but are never given. We decided to abstain from prison food commons from 03/11/2008 until proportionate measures are taken in regards to all the above. We expect your understanding.

Immigrants clash with maritime police and cops

As it may be known, near Patras port gather hundreds of immigrants without papers, mainly from Afghanistan, trying to find a way to Italy and western Europe. Again as it may be known, it is an every-day practice of the cops to attack verbally or physically against them. Though, after a brutal beating of three immigrants by maritime cops, other immigrants and solidarians gathered at the hospital there they were kept and marched to the port demanding the release of other immigrants arrested. Maritime cops denied, so clashes erupted, with immigrants throwing dozens of stones towards them, breaking police cars and guard-boxes, while also chased down some maritime cops, some of them later attacked once again against immigrants. After the clash, immigrants and solidarians returned to an area where immigrants area squating with tents, with a march.

More info here and here

Clashes over workers death in Perama shipyard (Greece)

8 at least workers lost their lives and several more were injured (at least 4 of them with serious respiratory problems) at an explosion inside the oil tanker "Friendship Gas" (of Magnus Carriers Corp.) where they were doing maintenance works, a little after 16:00 Thursday evening. Note that during the explosion, the regular shift was over, so there cannot be an exact number of how many workers were inside the ship (including many unknown immigrants without papers). Similar accidents happen oftenly at the shipyard, resulting to many workers disabled or losing their lives.

Once the fact got known, workers of the dockyard and relatives started approaching the site, while a three-hour sit-down strike was realised and a day strike for the next day was called by the dockyard workers associations (controlled by the PAME, a KKE-communist party front of workers associations).

On Friday morning, more than 1.500 persons demonstrated towards the ministry of mercantile marine, demanding to see the minister G. Voulgarakis. When they were turned down, told that the minister was in a meeting with the prime-minister at maximou mansion, they started to dismantle the fencing bars surrounding the ministry. Then, they were attacked by maritime cops and riot-policemen using excessive tear gas, while the protestors repelled them throwing bottles and stones. They also attacked the building of the ministry. In an announcement the ministry mentions that "5 maritime policemen and 8 policemen where slightly injured". Excessive damages were caused to government vehicles and maritime police cars parked outside the ministry. There are reports that PAME (KKE) organisers tried to shepherd the clashes, threatening demonstrators uncommited to PAME.

post from direct action news.gr

Striking workers prevent consumers from entering Jumbo stores at Cyprus

The mobilizations started after the dismissal of a manager that fired an alarm among the middle officials of the company, as they got scared they might have the same luck. So they called for a general assembly that gathered some 40 persons who decided to demand a collective agreement. Thought, the management called the middle officials and assured them they didn't face any risk and promissed them a well care fund for all employees. Meanwhile the unions started signing members and asked for the mediation of the ministry of employment that claimed this wasn't leading anywhere. The management to overcome the dead-end and avoid a strike called the employees to reach a compromise but without recognising them the right to belong to a union. So the unions took some strike measures that were though supported only by a minority among the employees. The middle officials of the company, that are some kind of supervisors, with one exeption only, denied to participate to the strike as they were assured by the management that they would have themselves covered. When the middle officials affiliated with the employeer's side, many employees were affected and hesitated to move on a strike. People from the community, eastern european workers whose housing is upon their employer's responsibility, and the cashiers decided to stay inside the workplace and get to work. 110 people work for the company, 70 in Nicosia and 40 in Limassol, all of them under individual contracts that involve only their pensionary income and work-time: 40 hours of work per week for the Cypriot citizens, 36 hours for the part-time workers (som 1/3 of the personnel) and 48 hours for the people from the community, that are offered also housing. For most of them, wages are are around the lowest level, 700-800 euros monthly. The middle officials are bulk-paid, and there are some cases who get more than 1,500 euros per month, when the management estimates there is an increased consumption in their stores. Working over-time pays usually double money during holidays and single everyday when they are registered but this happens very rarely (christmas, easter and august). Usually the employees work every day one extra hour without getting paid for it. They have no medical insurance, no registration for pension and care fund, though the management claims they get salary raises couple of times a year.

The management denies to sign a collective agreement that will resister the work places and considers that the individual contracts can play this same role. The unions disagree with the individual registrations and demand a collective agreement for all of the personnel to raise to lowest limits of hiring and bring in salary levels. The unions don't disagree if the company wants to pay someone more than the agreement, but consider the collective agreement a necessary protection for the many with low wages.

The strike goes on for more than two weeks. The store cannot function properly. The 22 strikers are mostly young Cypriot women. They prevent from entering the store and inform them on their strike and their demands. Many customers leave and wish them good luck. Some others insist on going shopping so the strikers leave them pass. One company manager hit with his car a striker woman and this incident was reported to the police. The strikers' morale seems to be high. They are chanting football slogans replacing the word "championship" with the word "right". Two days earlier their collegues that break the strike went outside the stores and took photos of them with placards against the unions and supporting the management. The mass media, maybe because of their advertisements interests supported the strike-breakers mobilization and keep a pro-management stance. The strike-breakers are mainly officials, students, middleage men and eastern europeans. The strikers have lost hope to bring their collegues on their side. Now their hope are ostly the duck workers who since their fifth day of the strike deny to carry the cargo of the company in a sign of solidarity to the strikers.

from the blog nekatomata and the direct action news

New Clashes with Riot Police at Corfu, Greece

direct action news

Massive clashes erupted outside the -under construction- illegal garbage disposal center at Lefkimmi, a village in southern Corfu, once the construction company (DOMOKAT) is now trespassing land they haven't yet expropriated and paid. Some hundreds of local residents gathered in order to reclaim the area from the police forces and block the works. The cops attacked them using excessive tear gas and rubber bullets, they even sent the police chief injured to the hospital, once he wasn't in his uniform and wasn't recognised! Another three cops were injured during the clashes. Three arrestees were tortured by the policemen and face charges.

The residents mobilization came from a popular assembly, one day before, that took place in Lefkimmi's high-school yard, also suggesting the following actions:
A whole island-wide demonstration on June 27 together with trade unions, environmental associations and others, lead by the struggle co-ordination committee.
A demonstration in Corfu city blockading the airport symbolically for two busy hours.
A sit-in at the entrance of the ring road to Missorachia and the promotion of the issue of a total management of solid wastes throughout the prefecture.

Arson Attack against Villa Amalias Squat (athens, Greece)

YOU CAN’T BRING ME DOWN
(an announcement from Villa Amalias squat)

... about the first fire, the second fire and their reasons…

On Sunday 18/5 at about 7:30 in the morning a fire bursts out at Villa Amalias squat in Aharnon street, which, before being put out, causes material damages. Immediately a lot of friends and comrades are gathered in the squat, who, later start working for the restoration of the damages. Almost 30 hours later, at about 1:00 in the afternoon of May the 19th, a parastate group, after having the area closely watched, attacks during the day at one of the most crowded streets of Athens, with inflammable materials, causing a second fire. Solidarity is again massive and people start working immediately to fix the damages in the building.

These two murderous attacks come just to upgrade the level of a series of attacks, which, for many months now, have targeted open social – political centers, squats, citizen committees and anti – hierarchical working unions. This violence doesn’t come alone. The state is its direct or indirect commander and protector. The ones who give and execute the orders are the parastate mechanisms, who, through bullying, answer to those who fight for a world without masters and slaves.

Villa Amalias, an open squatted, social – political center, which exists and acts in a self organized and collective way 18 years now, accumulates, in its own existence and action all of these characteristics which put it in the black list of those bastards.

For them, we are nothing more than the thorns in the center of this grey city. They are annoyed by what we are and what we do. Besides, it’s not the first time that – with or without uniforms – they came to our door. They are annoyed by the fact that in a world of individualized misery, we don’t only care for ourselves, but we choose to act socially and to live collectively. They are annoyed by the fact that for us, solidarity and resistance are not empty pre – election words, but genuine ways of life. They are annoyed by the fact that, instead of being owners and loan – takers, we are squatters. They are annoyed by the fact that, instead of bullying and beating immigrants, we choose to stand on their side. They are annoyed by the fact that we don’t belong to the flashy emptiness of the media and their life style, but we choose to express ourselves in an anti – commercial way. They are annoyed ….The list goes far· but we think that these will do.

If they think that they can scare, intimidate and isolate us socially and vanish us politically, well, they're just fooling themselves. No one will ever take from us what we have been creating for 18 years now. We are many, different and equal. We have the reasons, we have the ways and everything goes on!

STATE AND PARASTATE BASTARDS WE ARE HERE NOW AND WE WILL BE HERE!

PS 1: To the actual doers of these murderous attacks: There is no safe hole for no mole to hide.

PS 2: To the Greek police: your masks have fallen a long time ago.

Your Democracy must be really proud of you….

PS 3: To candidate “owners” who will be reminded of their property. As we found it deserted and almost broke down, we fixed it and brought it to life, we are going to fix it again. So dream on….

Villa Amalias squat
80 Aharnon and Heyden street

Residents clash with riot policemen against dump construction (Corfu, 29/5/2008)

A 43-old woman murdered by riot police

Major clashes erupted among local residents and riot police forces early in the morning at Lefkimmi, in southern Corfu, during the protests against the illegal construction of a garbage dump in the area. The residents built barricades to prevent construction works, and repelled the riot police with stones and fireworks.

Three residents were injured and moved to Corfu hospital, one of them being a pregnant woman seriously injured in the head, while another three residents were arrested.

The residents protest against the illegal and dangerous for the local area construction of a garbage dump. In their previous mobilizations they realised marches, an occupation of the local town hall of Lefkimmi, and they faced once again serious police violence on 11/1/2008.




from direct action news
for more info at ΧΥΤΑ ΛΕΥΚΙΜΜΗΣ

Prapopoulou squat burned in arson attack!

from athens indymedia

During the night of 24-25/3/2008, Prapopoulou Squat at Halandri, Athens was firebombed. Neighbours claim they saw three men running out of the building right before the explosion that wrecked large part of the building, the roof and the library (photos)  

 

Prapopoulou squat is managed by an open assembly, active in neighbourhood and environmental issues (for example, the protection of a local stream against privatization and constructions, activities against the sprawl arsons in Parnitha mountain, Athens etc). Visit their blog here.

This arson follows a series of similar attacks against self-managed infoshops in Athens and the rest of the country. Just a few examples:

24/12/2007: Second arson with an identical device containing mothball and bullets at Thersitis self-managed infoshop.

25/12/2007: Unknown persons broke in the offices of 4 base-syndicates, didn't steal anything, but messed stuff up.

1/1/2008: Unknown persons hurl a molotov coctail against Ypogeios at Kallidromiou social center

4/1/2008: Arson at the"Prokat" Southern Suburbs Residents Initiative self-managed infoshop.

Meanwhile, in the previous months, another two squats ("Salamandra" in Patissia and "Millerou and Germanikou"  in Kerameikos were evicted by the police.

All these action, while evidence came to light proving the police's "special attention" (investigations and surveillance) on self-managed infoshops (photos of the police reports) as well as the cooperation between nazi groups (that tend to undertake actions against infoshops and activists) and the official police (when they 're not the exact same persons, as in the case of this officer right here). Here, one can see for example the photos of cops and nazis fooling around and working together (during the February 2 antifascist riots in Athens). Finally, here is a document on nazi group leaders funding by the greek government.

The state and your boss remind you: "arbeit macht frei" (Working makes you free)

wednesday 19th of March we are on General Strike

After a long time of waiting for the new "reform" of the social insurance system, the final details were finally announced at the 6th of March.

The government, claiming that the fake negotations with the labour came to a dead end, is about to smash thousands of employees, forcing them to work until their late years, giving a tiny pension to those who will finally manage to get old enough to receive them.

The merge of the pension funds aims to stake the adverse balance of the state fund; an advert balance that has been created because of the uninsured working positions and the skipping of the social insurance fees and the tax evasion by the industrialists and the employers.

The employees will have to turn gradually to the private insurance and healthcare. The unemployment will rise, since many employess will be forced to stay in duty until they meet the new augmented age limits, while others will have to queue up for along period, being unemployed.

Those who have been targeted by the government for being financially privileged are the young mothers, the precarious workers, the entire private sector after all; all these, according to the policy-makers are being overpaid, full of privileges and working rights. All this defines nothing but the final and the worst attack of the Capital against the working rights and the income of the employees. An attack which started in 1991 with Sioufa's law, went on in 2002 with Repas' law and is about to be concluded(?) now with this unacceptable draft law including hundreds of articles, which will have to be voted urgently on Thursday the 20th of March.

Employees and students militantly react to the reforms with long strikes and occupations.

* A general strike with a big demonstration has been declared for Wednesday the 19th of March
* In the electricity company, is trying to prove the strike illegal. A lot of regional blackouts take place, since the strike is still going on.
* The workers in the Municipalities, including the garbage collection, with repeated 48hr strikes; despite the strike breaking mechanism organised by the government in Athens and in Volos.
* Dozens of university faculties have been occupied by the students

athens indymedia

This is the greek democracy...

from an article in a daily athens newspaper on 01/03/2008. The english translation...

The death of a young resident in the center of Athens after he was beaten by three police officers, was reported to the Lawyers Team for the Rights of Refugees by a lot of witnesses of the incident. As the witnesses report, for six days they were searching for any traces of the victim, who was already transfered to the hospital, but the responsible of the police department of Acropolis denied to give any information.

The savage event happened, according to the witnesses, on the 22nd of February, after 2 o'clock in midday, in the region of Omonia at the centre of Athens. Three police officers on motors, stopped Abdukarim Yahya Idris, a 25-30 years old Sudan citizen.

Afterwards, they used excessive and undue violence against him. One of the police officers struck him repeatedly with much cruelty. He kicked him so hard in the face, that he fell unconscious on the ground, while blood was running from his mouth. The witnesses shouted on the police officers to stop, saying "What are you doing? You're going to kill him!". Finally the victim was transferred by ambulance to the hospital.

Acquaintances of the victim began seeking for him tensely. Last Wednesday, they went to the police department of Acropolis with a lawyer but in vain again. In the end, on Thursday of 28th of February, they were informed by the Polyclinic of Athens that the victim had been transported dead to the hospital and that the next day, 23 February, police officers of the department of Acropolis had received the corpse!

His funeral had been programmed for yesterday. Because the victim does not have other relatives here, the Lawyers Team for the Rights of Refugees registered lawsuit to the district attorney's office, so that a forensic examination will take place in time

and in french translation...

Le décès d’un jeune étranger au centre d’Athènes, après être frappé à mort par trois policiers a été dénoncé au Groupe d’Avocats pour les droits des immigrés par des nombreux témoins. Selon eux, ils cherchaient pendant six jours les traces de la victime qui avait été transporté à l’hôpital en ambulance, mais les policiers du commissariat d’Acropole où ils se sont adressés ont refusé de donner la moindre information.

Cet incident, d’une cruauté inouïe, s’est déroulé, toujours selon les témoins, le 22 février à 14h00, dans le quartier d’Omonoia au centre d’Athènes. D’après le témoignage, trois policiers en moto ont arrêté Abdukarim Yahya Idris, citoyen soudanais, âgé de 25-30 ans.

Ils ont ensuite exercé sur lui une violence terrible et sans raison. Un des policiers l’a frappé très fort à plusieurs reprises. Il lui a mis un coup de pied au visage, si fort qu’il l’a assommé tandis que du sang coulait de sa bouche. Les passants criaient aux policiers d’arrêter. « Qu’est-ce que vous faites. Vous allez le tuer », disaient-ils. Finalement, la victime a été transportée en ambulance à l’hôpital..

Ses proches ont commencé à le chercher et mardi dernier ils se sont rendus au commissariat d’Acropole assistés par un avocat, mais ils n’ont toujours pas eu d’informations. Finalement, le jeudi 28 février la Polyclinique d’Athènes les a informé que la victime avait décédée avant son arrivée à l’hôpital et que, le lendemain, 23 février, les policiers avaient emporté le cadavre !

Son enterrement aurait lieu hier. Etant donné que la victime n’avait pas de famille en Grèce, le Groupe d’Avocats a déposé une plainte auprès du Parquet, afin qu’une autopsie médico-légale soit effectuée à temps.

Traduit du journal ELEUTHEROTYPIA - 01/03/2008

General Strike at 13/02/2008

Thousands of demonstrators marched through the major cities of Greece, responding to the call of trade unions, syndicates and workers associations for a General Strike against cutting backs on the pension system. The strike crippled all transportation, including the grounding of all airplanes, and shut down public services.
The group of workers in commercial stores "day-off", i participate and the "employees-unemployed open assembly" forced main stores in the centre of athens to shut down.Other anarchist/antiautoritarian collectives forced other major stores to shut down.
read some infos at direct action news

Rethink the Myth of Greece

Rethink the Myth of Greece
(right click, save us...)

some new photos from the antifascist demo in athens, Greece

Anti-fascist demo, London, 5/2/2008. Solidarity is our weapon

antifascist demo in london against coordinated state and fascist attacks in Athens on February 2 2008.
Καλή κίνηση παιδιά... Πάντα τέτοια...

Antifascist demo in athens, Greece

Detailed description of the events during the anti-fascist demonstration in Athens
(athens indymedia)

Since early in the morning about 50 fascists had been gathered in Kolokotroni sq, where the Neo-Nazi organisation “Chrissi Avgi” had planned a demonstration for 7pm. An anti-fascist demonstration had been scheduled for 2pm, organised by many organisations; though, since the square had been occupied since early, 400 demonstrators from the left and anarchist/anti-authoritarian space, gathered in Propylaea an Klafthmonos sq.

When the antifascists approached Kolokotroni sq, they saw a chain of cops, forming a shield for the fascists, who were standing behind the cops. At some points the cops left some space for the fascists to move in between them. This way, the fascists managed to stub two of our comrades and hit another two ones with stones. The guy who was stubbed, was moved to Evangelismos Hospital, where he stayed, after being having a surgery; his situation is not critical. A young man who had been stabbed on his leg and another one who was hit with a stone on the head, had to be treated for just a few hours. A fourth person, hit by stone, didn't need any treatment.

At about 11am, there was an attack towards the fascists, stones were thrown and the two opponent blocks came very close. The cops intervened, pushing the demonstrators back, spraying tear-gas and beating with batons. An antifascist fainted, beaten with a baton, while a video of the corporate media showed fascists, holding greek flags, flare rockets etc, to be in the lines of the policemen attacking the antifascists. Confrontations also took place in several places in Athens, as groups of individual fascists and antifascist, who were moving down-town, meet each other.

At 1 o'clock, another march, consisting of 200 people protesting against Bionova and Genetically Modified Organisms, started, since it had been planned long time ago. They finally chose to walk on Panepistimiou and join the others. The antifascists made chains and started moving to Panepistimiou to let the two marches together.

2pm: Antifascists threw stones and sticks to the fascists, at the junction of Panepistimiou and Sina str.. The cops intervened and there was tension, including tear-gas, sth that happened again later. The left antiracist organisations, which organised the demonstration, announced they have decided to leave the place. The riot police attacked with chemicals, so that they can reclaim Panepistimiou str. About 500 demonstrators, blocked in Propylaea, occupied the Prytaneum, made a plenary and called for an antifascist demonstration at 6pm.

A little later than 3pm, the Public Prosecutor announced their decision to ban the manifestation of the fascists and disperse their gathering. The fascists initially refused, but left when they saw more squads coming. MP of a left party said to radio station that he saw with his own eyes, riot policemen to be loading a van with sticks, which were given to the fascists.

7pm: evening demonstration from Propylaea:

A little after the march had started, with more than 600 people, the riot police attacked without reason, beating mercilessly with batons and throwing a big mass of chemicals and flare rockets. The batons and the chemicals resulted in many people to be beaten or stepped over, including demonstrator, passer-by civilians and TV camera operators. About 120 people were arrested and brought to the police headquarters, including some injured ones, while the more seriously injured ones went to the hospital in an ambulance. Small groups of demonstrators were isolated and blocked in several places, while 300 people managed to run to Exarchia sq; the formed roadblocks as they were surrounded by police squads.

The situation got calm at about 10pm, when all the arrestees were released with no charges. Those who were in Exarchia dispersed in small groups, after some time. Among the ones in hospital, 4-5 of them stayed there, including a female comrade who had been hit by a tear-gas shot directly on her eye and her forehead.
Solidarity demonstrations took place in Thessaloniki and Patra

Great news the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church is dead

In this foto you can watch him, when he was young with his friends, the leadership of military junta (1967-1973)

Let the ruling classes tremble

because proletarians don't have nothing to separate and with no one even if it is other animal species... They have a world to win.

Happy new year to us
and an unhappy, bad year to the bosses

The Fight of Human Against Power is the Fight Of Memory Against Oblivion

Pictures from the student's / people's revolt οf 15-17 november 1973 at Polytechnic university in the centre of athens, Greece against CIA's military junta.
(colonels regime)