Police raids in Patras

On Wednesday august 10, Patras police conducted another operation around the port in order to arrest sans-papiers immigrants.

The search focused on the makeshift camps set up by the migrants arriving in Patras, where many live in inhumane conditions as they wait for an opportunity to enter a boat to Italy.
Police detained a total of 49 immigrants and arrested 47 of them because they didn’t possess legal documents.
This is the third such operation by Patras police in the last few days. The two previous searches were conducted in the railway depot at Agios Andreas near the port, where dozens of immigrants were caught.
After the operations were complete, the Greek Railway Organisation (OSE) removed the old, empty carriages that immigrants had been using as shelters.

BIG VICTORY AFTER STRUGGLE FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM

We, the Afghan political refugees, trying to escape from a country plagued for decades by the dictatorial and terrorist regime of the Taliban, but also by the alleged supporters of peace (the NATO forces, who for years now trying to occupation troops impose their own "peace"), escaping death through war crowd, we were in Greece.Considering the inalienable right of all people to equal life, have requested our full recognition as refugees and political asylum seekers. After mocking our political actors in place and despite international conventions and protocols have been passed on the status of refugees, we decided unanimously to assert the natural right of decent life.Thus, 87 of us descended on 22/11/10 at Propylaea University of Athens in race protest. On 29/12/10, watching not meet our demands, so we had to gone on hunger strike duration, during which 9 people sewed their mouths and in the process led to many health problems in hospitals in the city.At the same time, we managed to collect over 10,000 signatures in favor of fair struggle.The hunger strike of 60 days, the gatherings, events and activities of solidarity from students, unions, political movements, organizations and partners, finally, after many delays, began to meet at the Asylum Committee in Byronslowly brought the first performances of asylum. Today, 10/8/11, having before us the answers as: political asylum, subsidiary protection, humanitarian selection and minimum aporipseis taking assurance from the State that the remaining 9 applications for asylum will go through the Asylum Committee from 5 to on 14/9/11, decided the solution to strike us and we left from the entrance of the University.We welcome any individual, association, organization, movement around the pitch that was on our side and stand in solidarity with those still struggling for their rights for granted.The road to freedom is long and rocky, but if we walk hand in hand and no discounts on our dreams someday all our children will live in a world without borders!We invite you to the concert we are organizing Afghans to political refugees 02/09/2011 / 7:00 pm at the propylon meglali our victory algae for giorti of Ramadan.

athens

ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΝΙΚΗ ΜΕΤΑ ΑΠΟ ΠΟΛΥΜΙΝΟ ΑΓΩΝΑ ΓΙΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΟ ΑΣΥΛΟ

Εμείς, οι Αφγανοί πολιτικοί πρόσφυγες, στην προσπάθειά μας να διαφύγουμε από μια χώρα που εδώ και δεκαετίες μαστίζεται από το δικτατορικό και τρομοκρατικό καθεστώς των Ταλιμπάν, αλλά και από τους δήθεν υποστηρικτές της ειρήνης (τις ΝΑΤΟϊκές δυνάμεις, που επί χρόνια τώρα προσπαθούν με στρατεύματα κατοχής να επιβάλουν τη δική τους «ειρήνη»), διαφεύγοντας το θάνατο μέσα από πλήθος πολεμικών συρράξεων, βρεθήκαμε στην Ελλάδα.
Θεωρώντας αναφαίρετο το δικαίωμα όλων των ανθρώπων για ισότιμη ζωή, αιτηθήκαμε την πλήρη αναγνώρισή μας ως προσφύγων και την παροχή πολιτικού ασύλου. Μετά τον εμπαιγμό μας από τους πολιτικούς παράγοντες του τόπου και παρά τις διεθνείς συμβάσεις και τα πρωτόκολλα που έχουν ψηφιστεί για το καθεστώς των προσφύγων, αποφασίσαμε ομόφωνα να διεκδικήσουμε το αυτονόητο δικαίωμα της αξιοπρεπούς ζωής.
Έτσι, 87 από μας, στις 22/11/10 κατεβήκαμε στα Προπύλαια του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών σε αγώνα διαμαρτυρίας. Στις 29/12/10, βλέποντας να μην ικανοποιούνται τα αιτήματά μας, έτσι αναγκαστήκαμε να προχωρήσαμε σε απεργία πείνας διαρκείας, κατά την οποία 9 άτομα έραψαν το στόμα τους και στην πορεία οδηγήθηκαν με πολλά προβλήματα υγείας σε νοσοκομεία της πόλης.
Ταυτόχρονα, καταφέραμε να συλλέξουμε πάνω από 10.000 υπογραφές υπέρ του δίκαιου αγώνα μας.
Η απεργία πείνας των 60 ημερών, οι συγκεντρώσεις, οι εκδηλώσεις και δραστηριότητες αλληλεγγύης από φοιτητές, σωματεία βάσης, πολιτικά κινήματα, οργανώσεις και συντρόφους, Τελικά, μετά από πολλές καθυστερήσεις, ξεκίνησαν να συνεδριάζουν οι Επιτροπές Ασύλου στο Βύρωνα και
σιγά σιγά έφεραν τις πρώτες αποδόσεις ασύλου. Σήμερα, 10/8/11, έχοντας στα χέρια μας τις απαντήσεις όπως: πολιτικό άσυλο,επικουρική προστασία, ανθρωπιστική λόγη και ελάχιστες απορήψεις, λαμβάνοντας τη διαβεβαίωση από την Πολιτεία ότι οι εναπομείνασες 9 αιτήσεις ασύλου θα περάσουν από την Επιτροπή Ασύλου από τις 5 έως τις 14/9/11, αποφασίσαμε τη λύση της απεργίας μας και την αποχώρησή μας από τα Προπύλαια του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών.
Χαιρετίζουμε κάθε άτομο, σωματείο, οργάνωση, όλο το αγωνιστικό κίνημα που βρέθηκε στο πλευρό μας και στεκόμαστε αλληλέγγυοι σε όσους ακόμα αγωνίζονται για τα αυτονόητα δικαιώματά τους.
Ο δρόμος για την ελευθερία είναι μακρύς και κακοτράχαλος, αλλά εάν τον βαδίζουμε χέρι χέρι και χωρίς εκπτώσεις στα όνειρά μας κάποια μέρα τα παιδιά όλων μας θα ζήσουν σε έναν πλανήτη χωρίς σύνορα!
Σας καλούμε στην συναυλία που οργανώνουμε έμεις οι Αφγανοί πολιτικοί πρόσφυγες στις 2/9/2011/ 7:00 μμ στα προπύλια για την μεγλάλη μας νίκη κια για την γιωρτή του ραμαζάνι

Greece builds trench in Evros

Greece builds trench in Evros

Reportedly, Greece has begun work on a moat along its border with
Turkey in a further bid to deter irregular migrants from entering the
country. The water-filled trench will be 30 meters wide and 7 meters
deep, with part of the press reporting that the moat will be 120 km long
and other media sources that its length will be only 20 km. The first
14.5 km section has just been completed near the town of Orestiada in
northeastern Greece.The trench in Evros is absurd, said a spokesperson
of the German Human Rights Group Pro Asyl to Spiegel-online, adding that
"such actions increase the death toll of refugees crossing the border.

Meanwhile, the Citizen Protection Ministry has opened up its plans to
construct a 10-kilometer fence along the Greek-Turkish border to public
consultation until 20 August. The 5.5-millio-euro project is aimed at
deterring irregular migrants and traffickers.

(spiegelonline.de, tovima.gr, inews.gr, 4 August/ Kathimerini, Avgi,
dw-world.de, onalert.gr, prionokordela.gr, 5 August)


UN High Commissioner for Refugees:  No to hatred

An Op-Ed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres on
the tragedy in Norway was published in the Greek largest daily TA NEA
today (5/8). Guterres notes the cruel irony of such an utterly brutal
attack taking place in a country renowned for its generosity and
devotion to peace. He also reflects on the need for tolerance. I believe
that multiculturalism is a good thing, as well as an inevitability. All
societies tend to be multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious.  The
opposite encourages conflict, stresses Guterres.

(TA NEA, 5 August)

13 migrants aboard dinghy rescued off Corfu

A dinghy carrying 13 irregular migrants- believed to be of Afghan
origin- was spotted west off Corfuon Tuesday (2/8) by an Italian
fisherman. Italian authorities informed the Greek Coast Guard that
launched an air-sea rescue operation as the dinghy was reportedly at
distress. All 13 migrants were safely transferred to the General
Hospital of Corfu.

(newsit.gr, 2 August / newsbeast.gr, thebest.gr, 3 August / Adesmeftos
Typos, 4 August)

The remains of Patras

A photo spread by Giorgos Moutafis featuring the harsh reality of
irregular migrants -from Afghanistan, Sudan, Algeria and Morocco-who
still remain in Patras following several 'sweep' operations held in
recent weeks, was published in the newspaper To Vima. Those who were not
arrested for deportation or held in custody have been left forgotten,
living at the margins of the brand new port of Patras, in abandoned
boats, parks and derelict buildings.

(tovima.gr, 4 August)

New immigration bill in Parliament

Interior Minister Haris Kastanidis launched an immigration bill in
Parliament on Thursday (4/8) introducing, i.a., the reduction from 12 to
10 of the number of years migrants have to be living in Greecebefore
they can apply for a residence permit. The government supports the
change because the frequent tinkering with immigration laws in the past
resulted in many migrants not having been able to gain resident permits
although they have a genuine connection with Greece. A MP of the
opposition party New Democracy has voiced his concern against the
proposed change and accused the government of preparing a mass
legalization of illegal immigrants in Greece.

(Kathimerini, Vradyni, Demokratia, Adesmeftos Typos, 5 August)


Irregular migrants arrested in northeastern Greece

Police in Rodopi, northeast Greece, arrested 20 irregular migrants (12
Palestinians, an Iraqi and 7 Kuwaitis) and 2 migrant smugglers. Another
11 undocumented migrants were arrested in Feres near Alexandroupolis
also in the northeast.

In a separate incident, police arrested 11 irregular migrants (10
Iraqis and an Iranian) they had been spotted in a rural region in Feres
where they were waiting for a truck to transport them to Athen
s.
Authorities also arrested an Iraqi smuggler while two others managed to
flee.

(Naftemporiki, Makedonia, Angelioforos, 5 August)


Please note that UNHCR bears no responsibility for the accuracy and
content of the press summary, which is based on external news services
and does not necessarily reflect the views of UNHCR.

Greek army is digging a second Evros!

43.41% decrease of sans-papiers entering Greece arrests during first half of 2011
According to data publicized by the Greek police on July 21 2011, the number of sans-papiers immigrants arrested during the first half of 2011 showed a significant decrease of 43.41% compared to the same period in 2010.
An increase of sans-papiers entries (+22.13%) took place in the Greek-Turkish land border. Arrests in the area of Alexandroupoli had an increase of 237,8%.
According to Greek police and port police, from January to June 2011 were arrested 8.154 Afghans, 5.583 Pakistanis, 4.978 Albanians, 2.126 Bangladeshis, 2.006 Algerians, 2.006 Moroccans, 1.002 Iraqis etc.
Arrests were largely decreased in the Aegean: Lesvos -92,52%, Samos -92,00%, Chios -52,85%, Dodekanisa -99,91%, Cyclades -78,62%, Crete -34,54%. In the rest of the country, number of arrests was decreased by 48,06%.

Greek army is digging a second Evros!
In the photo you see the ditch that the Greek army is creating in Evros.


Greek army is digging the ditch right on the border of Turkey. The ditch’s official initial aim was to serve as an anti-tank project and it was supposed to extend 20 km along the Greek-Turkish Border.

According to newspaper “TA NEA” the ditch will be 120 km long, 7 meters deep and 30 meters wide and it will serve “as a natural barrier to illegal immigrants”.

Libyan migrant boat arrives in Italy with 25 dead

ROME (Reuters) - Twenty-five dead bodies were found on a boat carrying 296 African migrants that set sail from Libya and arrived on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa on Monday, Italian port authorities said.
Migrants on board said the adult men were packed inside the hold and killed by motor fumes, the Ansa news agency reported.
Port officials said the cause of death was not immediately clear and medical tests were being conducted.
The boat, carrying mainly migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, left Libya three days ago, a port official said.
Thousands of people fleeing turmoil in North Africa have sailed to Italy in rickety boats in recent months.
The United Nations refugee agency has said one in 10 migrants fleeing conflict in Libya by sea is likely to drown or die from hunger or exhaustion in appalling conditions during the crossing.

After the eviction of the mountain settlement in Igoumenitsa now refugees are threatened by police raids in Patras

Following the huge eviction of the jungles of Igoumenitsa at the 9th of June, Patras became the second war region in the governments cruel fight against the sans-papiers who are trying to leave the country. The government seems to set a clear sign that the ports of exit towards Italy are now a no-go for refugees and migrants. Will the Apartheid ruling Igoumenitsa come to Patras now? It seems so. The eviction of the informal settlement of refugees in the marshalling-yard of St. Andreas is another example of the cruelness of Greek authorities. Dozens of African, Asian and Arabic sans-papiers used to live there in provisory huts, inside and under the old trains under miserable conditions just in order to survive until they would reach the day of their successful departure from Greece. Many others lived in Patras just because they had nowhere else to go, no support and no money. Among the many sans-papiers are also asylum seekers. Just like in Igoumenitsa the government has made itself clear that nobody of them is wanted in Patras. Newly issued Pink Cards (asylum seeker temporary residence permit) include the order that they are not allowed to stay neither in Igoumenitsa nor in Patras – a restriction that is already included in all deportation orders (paper valid for 30 days for sans-papiers). Asylum seekers also cannot get anymore a renewal of their cards in the two port cities.
The police raids in Patras show the same brutality and cruelness as the one in Igoumenitsa. The sans-papiers have not only been beaten, not only their belongings and plastic huts were destroyed, not only have they no access to their basic rights and needs and suffer from homelessness and mere hunger but they have been deprived of the last thing they had – their dignity. In these days the clear message of the government that they are illegal and not wanted is showing once again its ugliest face.
Hundreds thousands of asylum seekers are waiting since many years for their cases to be proceeded. The Greek government has to deal with a backlog of 47.000 open asylum procedures – the appeals procedure usually takes place after more than 8-10 years. Meanwhile, the very limited 850 places of reception centres can not answer the needs of thousands of homeless refugees. There is no welfare support and no integration procedure neither for asylum seekers nor for recognised refugees. More than ever refugees are stuck in Greece without any support and confronting daily violence of the authorities or right wing extremists. For this reason most newcomers to Greece do not want to stay but try to leave in places like Patras and Igoumenitsa. The ones who live there are the poorest, the ones lacking other resources to leave the country. They live from the rubbish, from the support of solidarity groups, from looking for 50 Cents at the shopping-trolleys outside of supermarkets. The police raids take them even this small existence they managed to have. They get beaten, the police takes their money and mobile phones and destroys their blankets, clothes and huts, cuty off the water supply, they are arrested and transferred to prisons in Athens or elsewhere in order to brake their will and their struggle for a better and safe life. The result: Hundreds of sans-papiers walking back to Patras from the prisons where they were released; people without a blanket, without clothes, without food, without even one Cent in their pocket.
In 2009 police had proceeded a similar eviction of the informal settlement of Afghan refugees in Patras. The consequence: illegal push-backs (forced deportations over the land borders to Turkey) of hundreds of refugees. Among them also asylum seekers and other highly vulnerable persons! This raises the question: What happens to the masses of arrested now?
This point of desperation is where the Greek government wants to have the sans-papiers and then they will promote their new programmes for voluntary return funded by the European Union. This is protection a la Grece!
We demand from the Greek government to stop the police raids and the ongoing brutality and instead invest in the construction of a functioning protection system!
NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!
NO BORDERS!
RIGHTS FOR EVERYBODY!
Chronic of a wave of police raids in Patras
1. 8th of June until 20th: Police raids in the trains in St. Dyonisios and in St. Andreas marshalling-yards: more than 300 arrests! Some refugees were released others transferred to prisons in the region of Achaia prefecture or to Athens; destruction of baracks and belongings; cutting of water, beatings, police burned some personal belongings.
210611: PR Solidarity group of Patras (in greek)
2. 26th-27th of July: At least 150 arrests daily. Only the ones with Pink cards were released, most others transferred to Athens. The arrests continued also in the jungles where the Afghan refugees live.
pr solidarity group patras 29th July 2011 (in Greek)
see also: PR by Doctors of the World 28th of July 2011
Short summary:
The Doctor of the World have declared their strong concerns about the ongoing use of violence against migrants – independently from their status – who are stuck in Patra trying desperately to leave Greece. They have been hit with clubs even on their arms, legs, heads and their genital organs are only some examples of the violence by authorities that have been registered by the doctors of the organisation. The use of violence without any declaration about the reasons for the arrest are illegal and inhuman misuses of power.
The Doctors of the World also report the technical exclusion of the refugees and others in need from the medical support of the organization, which constitutes a violation of the right on medical support. Thus, bodies of the government undermine programmes that are being paid by the Greek state.
Press Release in Greek:
http://www.mdmgreece.gr/Δελτία-Τύπου/Βία-κατά-μεταναστών-στην-Πάτρα

French Soldier Shoots Afghan Civilians in Kapisa سرباز فرانسه یی با شلیک گلوله ۳ غیرنظامی را درکاپیسا ازپا درآورد

A French soldier has opened fire on a civilian car in northern Kapisa, killing three Afghan civilians including a woman and a child.
The French military says the soldier started shooting when a driver failed to stop near an army convoy on Tuesday night.
Three other civilians were also wounded in the incident.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai has repeatedly warned international troops to take greater care and reduce the number of civilian casualties.
The French ambassador has visited the presidential palace in Kabul to formally apologise for the incident, President's Office said in a statement.
President Karzai has condemned the incident and said that the apology does not return the lives of people, added the statement.
French defence minister Gerard Longuet said the soldier acted in self-defence when he opened fire on the car, and voiced "deep sorrow" over the deaths.
France has around 4,000 troops in the country most of them based in Kapisa province.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his visit to Afghanistan on 13 July announced that 1,000 French troops would leave by the end of 2012.
French soldiers have been part of the Nato-led forces in Afghanistan since 2001.

در نتیجۀ گلوله باری یک سرباز فرانسه یی شام سه شنبه در ولایت کاپیسا ۳ تن به شمول یک زن و یک کودک کشته شدند.

نیروهای فرانسه یی گفته اند که این رویداد پس از آن رخ داد که رانندۀ موترغیرنظامیان در نزدیک موتر این نیروها توقف نکرده است.

دراین رویداد ۳ غیرنظامی دیگر نیز زخم برداشته اند.

ریاست جمهوری با پخش خبرنامه یی گفته است که این رویداد روز گذشته درولسوالی السای کاپیسا هنگامی رخ داد که نیروهای فرانسه یی بر یک موتر که به سوی شان در حرکت بود و به گمان این که وی حمله کنندۀ انتحاری است، شلیک کردند.

رییس جمهوری کرزی بارها به نیروهای خارجی هشدار داده است که از کشته شدن غیرنظامیان جلوگیری کنند.

خبرنامه می افزاید که سفیر فرانسه در کابل این خبر این رویداد راتأیید کرده است و از وقوع آن رسمأ پوزش خواهی کرده است.

در خبرنامه آمده است که رییس جمهور کرزی این رویداد را شدیدأ نکوهش می کند و می گوید که هیچ معذرت خواهیی زنده گی مردم را دو باره بر نمی گرداند.

گراد لنگیت، وزیردفاع فرانسه ازاین رویداد «اندوه عمیق» خود را ابراز کرده و گفته است که این سرباز دردفاع ازخود براین موتر تیراندازی کرده است.

فرانسه درحدود ۴ هزار سرباز درافغانستان دارد که بیشتر این سربازان درولایت کاپیسا جا به جا اند.

نیکولس سرکوزی، رییس جمهوری فرانسه درسفر اخیرش به افغانستان اعلام کرد که یک هزار سرباز آنان تا پایان ۲۰۱۲ میلادی افغانستان را ترک خواهند کرد.

سربازان فرانسه از سال ۲۰۰۱ بدین سو درچهار چوب ناتو در افغانستان فعال اند.