Dear Friends and Comrades,
I am very impressed by your struggle for full ‘legalisation’ status and equal rights. I was told of your protest hunger by comrades from Xekinima, the Greek section of the Committee for a Workers’ International. I’m a member of Sozialistische Alternative, the German section of the CWI, and also of the German teachers and education workers union, GEW.
The situation in Germany for immigrants without “legal” documents is a bit similar to Greece. Immigrants like you have to stay in one county, have to live on food rations instead of getting a decent amount of money, and even after living and working in Germany for many years, they dont get a permanent permission to stay and work.
Also likewise to Greece, the German government, most of the political parties and the capitalist media are blaming immigrants, especially arabic and muslim people, for the economical problems which in reality are caused by the crisis of their market-driven system. But we must understand that in doing so, they are trying to ‘divide and rule’ working people.
Your refusal to accept the inhumane treatment by the Greek authorities and to resist outrageous intimidation – including forcing hunger striking protesters out of the Athens University Law Department buildings – is also an inspiration for the “sans-papiers” in Germany and elsewhere.
I also salute the solidarity actions of Greek working people, which I am told has led to five Greeks from the Solidarity Committee threatened with legal charges for practically aiding your struggle. The full might of the Greek trade unions and other workers’, social and youth organisations need to be brought to bear against the government on this critical issue. The workers’ movement in Greece and everywhere need to fight for workers’ unity and jobs, homes, decent pay, education and health for all.
Yours,
Johannes von Simons
spokesperson, young teachers’ union, Berlin branch