About the hunger strike of the migrants in Paranesti camp (Drama)

On Wednesday, April 8 the last of the 23 migrants stopped the hunger strike (except for one who still continues), that they had started 18 days ago, on Monday, 23 of March and that had chosen this ultimate means of struggle to demand their freedom and the demolish of the detention camps.

The hunger strikers stopped since, already suffering from their months-long detention, they had reached the limits of their strength, while the jailers wore the mask of “humanity”, assuring the hunger strikers that they will be immediately released as soon as the 6 months pass or as soon as they apply for asylum. Six hunger strikers have already been released.

At the beginning of the hunger strike, the cops had resorted to terror and intimidation, by refusing to give the hunger strikers tea and coffee and threatening to disperse them in detention camps throughout the country. This was averted thanks to the determination of the strikers but also thanks to the solidarity people who were found from the early days by the side of the hunger strikers (unlike the tragic deficit of the movement in major hunger strikes of the imprisoned migrants in the summer / autumn 2013).

The authorities, in an attempt to prevent the spread of the hunger strike, they isolated the strikers in separate wings and then proceeded to “improve” the conditions of the detention and released about a dozen migrants who faced physical and psychological problems and who had not even visited a doctor before the hunger strike. Then they released about ten more migrants detained well over 6 months and about 40 minors, when the latters threatened to begin hunger strike.

We should note that several of the minors had held a hunger strike (which had not been known then) on 19 and 20 March 2015 when they were imprisoned in the ‘Section of Prosecution of Illegal Immigration “in Liti Thessaloníki. This hell is one of the worst detention centers and the juveniles were transferred there from Amygdaleza camp, in the context of the media “evacuation” of the latter. After a two-day hunger strike in Liti the minors were transferred to Paranesti, from where they were finally released. According to the assurances of the cops, in Easter 20 more minors will be released. It is noteworthy that the liberation of the minors means the transport of them in open spaces of “hospitality” when there is enough room in them, because the existing ones are overcrowded. That is when minors are allowed to go away from there for some reason or they run away, and there are cases where child migrants disappeared having fallen victims of trafficking or organ trafficking circuits. This report is not of course to show that their imprisonment in concentration camps is a protective measure, as every government proclaims. The imprisonment in the detention centers is contrariwise a part in the vicious cycle of the multifaceted exploitation of migrant minors, ranging from concentration camps to the various NGOs and other organizations that undertake to “protect” them.

All the while a key concern of the authorities was the hunger strike to remain invisible, invisible just like the migrants prisoners. However, comrades from various assemblies in Thessaloniki, Drama, Patra, Athens, etc. supported and publicized the hunger strike of the migrants in Paranesti. We should note the deafening silence of the left (governing or not)  for the hunger strike, but also of a big part of the greek society which “hopes”, tolerates but also applauds the choices of the Government of “national salvation”.

The ties of solidarity that were made through the hunger strike in Paranesti, as well as the constant communication with the imprisoned migrants that has been established, bind us to continue the struggle until the liberation of the last migrant.

Along with the imprisoned migrants to demolish detention camps!

Papers to migrants – kicks to the racists!

Assembly No Lager in Thessaloniki

April 2015