Η κίνηση πολιτών Αλληλέγγυοι Πολίτες, της Μεραμπέλλου Λασιθίου-Κρήτης, ετοίμασε ένα κείμενο στα αγγλικά (ετοιμάζεται και σε άλλες γλώσσες) σχετικά με την κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα τα τελευταία δύο χρόνια και τις αντιστάσεις των Ελλήνων προκειμένου να μοιράζεται στους τουρίστες που θα έρθουν στη χώρα μας για διακοπές. Μπορείτε να το εκτυπώσετε και να το μοιράζετε σε περιοχές με τουρισμό, συνδυάζοντάς αν θέλετε και τις δικές σας διακοπές με μια απλή κινηματική δράση.
Κατεβάστε όλο το κείμενο εδώ.
Merabello Citizens
In Solidarity
Visitor – Foreigner – Friend Welcome to Greece
You have heard many things regarding what has been happening in our country lately. Protests, riots, elections. Greece has been in turmoil for the past two years. Why are Greeks shouting? What are they fighting for? Is it that they wish not to let got of their “wellbeing” or are they fighting for a better future for them and their families? Are the worries of the Greek people unrelated to those of the other European people? We will try to give some short answers to these questions and wish you pleasant vacations and prosperous struggles in your own country!
A country – a lab rat
In autumn 2009, PASOK (social-democrats) rise to power with “There is Money” as their main campaign motto in order to deceive Greeks and beat Nea Dimokratia (conservatives) , which had enraged the society after a series of scandals, financial fraud and unjust measures, in the elections. Until then, we thought that Nea Dimokratia was the worst government of the last 30 years…
In these last two years, our country is being subjected to an unprecedented neo-liberal experiment. On the 5th of May 2010, Greek parliament voted for the Memorandum ( A memorandum of economical and lending policy and understanding on specific policy). Through this legislation, the corrupt political system of Greece hand over the governance of the country the IMF, the European Central Bank and the EU. As a result, democracy is overthrown in its birthplace.
What was the goal of the memorandum? According to the corrupt government and the mainstream media, it was to “put the economy of Greece in order and to help repay the massive debts of the Greek economy.”
However, the memorandum caused a social breakdown of such a scale that the likes of it had not been witnessed since 1940 when the Greek population was (again) under German occupation. Vertical cuts of salaries in the public and private sector, the destruction of social security, of hospitals and the schools of the country, privatization (sell-off) of public assets, a horizontal rise of unemployment, poverty, undernourished children, homeless people, suicides and increases in the taxation of the poor. Greek economy sunk into depression and the debt kept on growing more and more. In contrast, the rich became richer and the profits of the banks and multinational corporations grew….
The people rise!
From the first moment, the Greek people refused to become guinea-pigs. The people rise, organise and form their demands through successive waves of resistance!
– May 2010:
Mass demonstrations take place all over Greece against the voting of the Memorandum. The people gather for the first time at Syntagma square outside the parliament and the political system is denounced. However, a shocking event, changes the situation. Three young people die in a burning bank. The propaganda of the memorandum causes numbness within the society.
Despite all this, many civil movements develop throughout the summer. Most important are the strikes and the mass assemblies of workers from the urban transport system of Athens and health services, the mass civil disobedience, and the “I don’t pay” movement against toll-booths of large highways and the expensive tickets of the Athenian subway, the heroic resistance of the entire population of Keratea (a village in Attica) against the plans for a rubbish dump in the area (the environmental destruction of the village) which was organised by the citizens themselves in a exemplary fashion and became an example of resistance for the whole of Greece.
– May – June 2011:
Following the up rise of Tahrir square in Egypt and that of thousands of Spaniards in Puerta Del Sol square in Madrid, the “Square Movement” spontaneously broke out on the 25th May 2011 in Greece as well. The “Indignant Movement” was organised through the internet and gave the people the opportunity to express their anger democratically for 40 days in all the squares of the country.
This movement had huge participation, a leaderless character and peaceful orientation. It targeted the rotten political system (“thieves”, “traitors”), it denounced the dictatorship “which didn’t end in 73” (the dictatorship didn’t end in 1973), highlighted the demands for national dignity, real democracy and gave life to a new means of organization of the people, public assemblies. At this moment, there are public assemblies in every city and neighbourhood of the country.
This movement attempted to block the “Midterm Austerity Plan”, a series of laws for the further sell-off of public property and cropping of civil rights. For an afternoon the country was left without a prime-minister. The “Indignants” were the first big blow.
– October 2011
For the first time since decades, a two-day general workers’ strike is organised and as a result mass demonstrations take place all over Greece. Prior to the strike, many ministries and public buildings are occupied by workers. The main motto of the people in struggle was: “Take the Memorandum and leave”.
Following that, the people rose on occasion of the parades of the 28th of October in all corners of Greece, during the anniversary of the resistance against the Italian and German invaders during the 2nd World War. The people, with “NO to the new occupation” as their slogan, literally chased after the representatives of the political system, denouncing the agreement of the EU on the 26th of October for the new loan agreement (see below for new loan agreement).
This unprecedented event had a catalytic role in political developments. The political system, afraid of the popular up-rise and following the orders of Merkel and Sarkozy, took refuge in the solution of a “co-government”. Without holding elections and without the consent of the people, a government was formed with the participation of PASOK, Nea Dimocratia (the conservative party which was in power till 2009 and had since then played the role of the main opposition and LAOS (a party of the far right). A banker was sworn in as prime-minister.
Till the end of the year, comities of citizens developed all over Greece against an unjust tax which was gathered through the electricity bill. At the same time, through the initiative of ordinary citizens, solidarity networks aiming to deal with poverty and hunger sprung up in all major cities. We are one such committee.
– Winter 2012
Workers’ struggles break out in factories as well as in the mainstream media. For the first time are the struggles of the workers so enduring and full of fighting spirit. The strike of the Greek Steel Company becomes a point of reference, it has never before seen popular public support (food and clothes from the whole of Greece are sent there) and it still ongoing as of this day.
On the 12th of February, the new Loan Agreement is ratified in parliament. This treaty hands over the country to its lenders completely. This event becomes the spark for 3 days of massive demonstrations all over the country. Citizens who till that moment had never taken part in a demonstration, join all the rest of the protesters and create a wave of hope and resistance that sweeps the nation. The suppression from the MAT (riot police) is huge (chemicals, arrests, beatings of the protesters) as all the other instances but the people now resist with a stubbornness not witnessed before.
– May 2012
Elections take place. PASOK and Nea Dimokratia, which had ruled in succession for the past 35 years, lose 50% of their electoral influence! The people flatten the political system which led the country to bankruptcy through their vote and favour political forces which are against the memorandum with SYRIZA as its peak climbing to the second position. Now, Greece sends a message of hope to Europe and the planet.
Some of the people’s demands
ü Real democracy, national independence, public sovereignty. We do not want the politicians deciding for us without us anymore. We do not want Merkel and Lagarde as prime-ministers.
ü That those responsible for the bankruptcy and extermination of the people are brought to justice.
ü A decent life and work for all the people. Pensions for the elderly, schools for our children. Social security and hospitals for all.
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