ReInform is organising an event about housing that will take place on Saturday 24th of March, at 15:00, at LAB111 (Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam).

You are invited to join our discussion about housing which is not considered a basic human right any more but rather a commodity very difficult to obtain. We will also talk about how our cities and neighbourhoods are now shaped to serve the market trends and not the needs of the society.

Our speakers will be Tonia Katerini (architect and member of Solidarity4All), Bart Stuart (activist and artist) and Menno Grootveld (publisher, writer, translator and journalist) who are both members of the group Fair City Movement, and a member of ReInform. The documentary “Ekümenopolis: City Without Limits” which focuses on the urbanization of Istanbul will be screened as well.

This event is the first of a series that ReInform will organise against the T.I.N.A. dogma (There Is No Alternative): One of the biggest weapons of modern capitalism is to promote the notion that even if things are bad, there is no better alternative, so what is left for us to do is to accept the current situation without protest. The scope of these events is to show how different and seemingly unconnected social issues are directly related to the current financial system and initiate discussions about the way we can fight towards a solution to these issues.

After the Dutch elections many commentators and citizens were pleased with the fact that Geert Wilders has failed to come first. Nevertheless the reality shows that despite this supposed fail, the ideas and practices of the far-right become more and more acceptable in Dutch politics and the main stream media. Voters of Wilders and Thierry Baudet have sent life-threatening messages to Anne Fleur Dekker, an 22-year old activist and until recently member of Groen Links (Green Left) because a day after the elections she wrote an article on Joop.nl against Thierry Baudet with the title: “Baudet is Wilders in sheep’s clothing.” The reason behind these threats is rather obvious: Intimidating everyone who dares stand up to fascist practises in society. Anne Fleur had to go into hiding to be protected from these threats becoming in this way yet another victim of far-rights just because she dared raise her voice against them.

The reaction of the main stream media was to turn against her rather than trying to stand by her.  Besides the threats by far-right voters, Anne Fleur was attacked by the TV presenter Jeroen Pauw as well during the TV show “Pauw”. During this show, she was told off that she has to be careful with her statements and tweets otherwise she might cause an attack on Wilders. What Jeroen Pauw actually did as a TV presenter was to play the role of the bodyguard of far-right politicians and turn a blind eye on the attack on Anne Fleur.

The reaction of Groen Links was even worse. Although they claim to be left, it appears that struggling against far-right is not one of their priorities. They took rather a safe distance from the attack on Anne Fleur and denied the support she really needed by simply announcing that they support the freedom of expression. It turns out that while Groen Links are busy with the negotiations about their participation in a coalition-government with neoliberal parties of the Dutch right, they are ready to sacrifice not only the few left key points of their political programme and their supposed democratic sensitivities but also their own members who fight against far-right. And this the reason why Anne Fleur has now cancelled her Groen Links membership.

With this statement we want to show our solidarity with Anne Fleur Dekker and all the victims of far-right. We want also to remind everyone that the main stream media’s tolerance and support towards the far-right in Greece ended up in the murder of Pavlos Fyssas.

Let’s fight all together against far-right and not allow them creating more victims! We invite all the democratic political parties to break their silence. We invite particularly Groen Links to stop pretending that nothing serious has happened and instead show in practice that they are really a left party that believes in democracy. We invite all the media as well to stop offering friendly services to far-right.

Let’s fight all together against fascist practices in politics and society!

ReINFORM

https://twitter.com/reinformnl

Debt increased, public assets sold. The Greek and European elites make profits.

In January 2017 the coalition government of SYRIZA and ANEL will be two years in power. During this time, in the Dutch media there has been an almost total silence about Greece, interrupted only by short references to the ongoing negotiations for the disbursement of the loan tranches. Silence covers also the new tough measures that the Greek government imposes, dramatically deteriorating the living conditions of the great majority of people in Greece.

At every critical moment of the last two years, the SYRIZA-ANEL government has proven a loyal ally of the Greek and European elites. The year of 2016 was no exception to the long succession of years through which people in Greece have suffered hard austerity measures under the pretext of the debt crisis. These Memoranda measures were never designed to rescue Greece, as the mouthpieces of the EU have been claiming so far, despite the fact that the debt has now climbed from 127,1%  in 2009 to 179.2% of GDP. Even the IMF admitted the failure of the bailout program.

More specifically: In 2012, the Memoranda rescued the creditors with the notorious PSI, which although presented as a reduction of the Greek debt, in reality it was a transfer of the Greek sovereign debt from the German, French, Dutch and Greek banks to the governments of the EU member states. In the same vein, the Memoranda measures imposed ever since have been rescuing those responsible for the crisis in Greece, i.e., the Greek economic elite, while at the same time distributing all profitable activities of the Greek economy to the European and Greek economic elites.

It is characteristic that in 2015, fourteen of the most lucrative regional airports were sold for 1.2 billion to the German Fraport AG-Slentel Ltd. The entire amount was used to repay the debt. Furthermore, despite the pre-election commitments of SYRIZA, the water companies were recently transferred to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (Greece’s privatizations fund, the so-called TAIPED). As a result, the main multinationals specializing in the water market -and actually denying access to water for large segments of the population- are getting ready to benefit from this transfer. Another characteristic example is the sale of business and housing loans to international speculative funds, which is now on the table of negotiations with the creditors.

Meanwhile, the business elites that looted and indebted the Greek state and destroyed the Greek economy during the 35 years of PASOK and ND governments, continue to enjoy privileged and scandalous contracts as well as full tax immunity even during the so-called “government of the left”.

What about the Greek society and the refugees?

The SYRIZA-ANEL government that promised to end the memoranda policies and relieve the working classes has proven to be one of their most dangerous enemies. Its climb to power by deceiving the Greek people with the supposed negotiation with the creditors ensured their tolerance and disappointment in the face of the hardest and most class-ridden measures so far. In fact, the SYRIZA-ANEL government has been the most efficient administrator of these policies and, therefore, the best option for the Greek elite and its lenders. At the same time, this government along with the creditors are condemning the Greek people to a daily deterioration of their living standards.

A homeless man sits next to a Christmas tree on a street in Athens

Soup kitchen in Athens

According to the latest Eurostat’s data, the percentage of those at risk of poverty rose from 29.1% in 2009 to 35.7% (3.8 million) in 2015. Incidents of starvation in schools are increasing. The new cuts on pensions are plunging into poverty not only the retirees but also a large number of unemployed people who are literally being fed by their parents’ pensions. According to ELSTAT’s (Hellenic Statistical Authority) latest data, only 14% of the unemployed receive the meager unemployment allowance of 360 euros per month for the first year only. At least 500.000 private employees working part-time are paid less than the unemployment benefit. Over one million working people suffer delays in their payment that can even last for 12 months. Uninsured work (without healthcare and pension rights) has reached the staggering levels of 30%. Approximately 24% of the people was obliged to make bold cuts on basic necessities (e.g. food and fuel) in order to buy medicines, while 13% delay to perform the doctor’s prescription because they cannot pay their contribution. To save on their medication, 10% of the patients take smaller doses against their doctor’s instructions. On top of this, auctions of primary residences have begun – and have been met with strong opposition from the people.

The plans of the government and the creditors for the future will further worsen the current situation. The 2017 budget includes an increase up to 26.27 billion in indirect taxes, a decrease in pension expenditure and cuts on benefits.

As far as the refugee crisis is concerned, the SYRIZA-ANEL government has shown a most awful and inhumane face. Fully in line with the right-wing and fascistic policies of the EU, it closed the borders, forcing the refugees to risk the dangerous Aegean Sea crossing, which has cost the lives of hundreds of people. At first, it let the refugees who crossed the border helpless, depending only on the solidarity of the Greek people, and later on, it practically imprisoned them in remote detention centres under appalling conditions and away from the local populations. At the same time, it provocatively allowed the development of racist and fascist groups that committed criminal actions against the refugees. It faithfully applies the shameful EU-Turkey deal, systematically redirecting refugees to the fascist Erdogan regime. As a result of this deal, around 60.000 refugees have stranded in Greece, with 16.000 of them ending up in overcrowded jail-like centres, where three times as many people are now detained as when the deal was signed. In addition, against any notion of legality, the government intervened in the asylum procedures and changed the composition of the committees in order to ensure the massive rejection of asylum claims.

Refugee camp in Thessaloniki

Refugee camp on Chios island

In exchange for remaining in power, the SYRIZA-ANEL government is trying to persuade the Greek people that there is no alternative to the Memoranda and the agreements it has signed, such as the CETA or the EU-Turkey deals. Not only do they celebrate after every unpopular measure they vote and every shameful agreement they sign, they even brutally repress every social reaction to them. With the pretext that the police is difficult to control, they use the fascist police mechanism to repress opposition to unpopular measures and solidarity to refugees. During the SYRIZA-ANEL government, the police has not stopped attacking protests with tear gas and beat protesters. Even members of SYRIZA have been attacked by the police during their participation in demonstrations.

What lessons can be drawn for the people and the left in Europe

The conversion of SYRIZA to a political administrator of the interests of the Greek and European elites should raise concern in the European left. The experience in Greece shows that overthrowing the one-way road of extreme neoliberal policies and blocking the way to racism and fascism that is now prevailing in Europe (and not only in Europe…) cannot be achieved by the climb to power of a left-wing government coalition. With SYRIZA’s conversion, the hope and vision of change seemed to have faded away not only in Greece but also in the rest of Europe. Millions of Greek and European citizens who believed that there can be a left turn in Greece and Europe sank into disappointment.

At the same time, people in Greece learned an important lesson: radical changes cannot be entrusted to a party or a governing coalition. The solution can only come from people themselves. The Memoranda in Greece, the austerity policies in the rest of Europe and the rise of the far right are not unbeatable. People can stop them through collective organization, constant struggle and class solidarity in their places of work, study and neighbourhoods. With bottom-up politics and not by assigning politics to representatives can the people of Europe discover new ways to achieve social justice, decent living conditions and peaceful coexistence.

The lessons drawn from SYRIZA’s approach to the European Union can also be very valuable to the whole of European left. SYRIZA came to power by promising it will reform the EU in a more social welfare direction. This was either wishful thinking or a way of deceiving the Greek people. The EU and the Euro are political and economic institutions that have been created to serve the interests of the European elites at the cost of people’s rights. The results of SYRIZA’s attitude towards the EU is now clear and catastrophic for the Greek people.

The workers, the unemployed and the refugees cannot expect change from a left-wing management of power. The hope for changing the current dramatic situation can only be fulfilled through a political conflict with the EU, the European governments and their policies; through an effort to build new, anti-capitalist social and economic structures. In Greece, the economy will not recover and unemployment will not be reduced by government decrees or appeals for entrepreneurial innovation to a corrupt economic elite.

Social and economic progress can only be achieved if economy is run by the people, by those who will confront the decisions of the government, the creditors and the business elites to privatize and sell off every profitable economic structure in Greece. In the Netherlands, the gradual impoverishment of large parts of the population through lay-offs, lower earnings and poorer working conditions in vital sectors such as healthcare will not stop by the participation of the left in the government, but by massive popular resistance.

Both in Greece and the Netherlands, the improvement of the quality of life for the lower classes, the reversal of the fascist tendencies and the cancellation of the refugee policies that are now treating the refugees as inferior beings and a threat, cannot be accomplished within the neoliberal and authoritarian limits of the EU and the Eurozone. The common struggle and class solidarity of the working people, the unemployed and the refugees in Greece,  the Netherlands and the rest of Europe against the EU’s policies feeding poverty, insecurity, nationalism, racism and xenophobia, are required.

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Twee jaar SYRIZA-ANEL-bewind in Griekenland: twee jaar met de ergste bezuinigingen

De schuld steeg, publieke goederen verkocht. De Griekse en de Europese elites maken winst.

In januari 2017 zal de coalitieregering van SYRIZA en ANEL twee jaar aan de macht zijn. Gedurende deze tijd heerste er in de Nederlandse media een bijna volledige stilte over Griekenland. Stilte over de nieuwe harde maatregelen en dramatische verslechtering van de levensomstandigheden van de grote meerderheid van de Griekse bevolking. Soms werd die stilte slechts onderbroken door korte verwijzingen naar de lopende onderhandelingen over de uitbetaling van de lening tranches.

Op elk cruciaal moment in de afgelopen twee jaar heeft de SYRIZA-ANEL regering bewezen een trouwe bondgenoot van de Griekse en Europese elites te zijn. Het jaar 2016 was geen uitzondering in de lange reeks van jaren waarin de mensen in Griekenland hebben geleden onder de harde bezuinigingsmaatregelen. Deze memoranda maatregelen zijn nooit bedoeld om Griekenland te redden zoals de spreekbuis van de EU tot nu toe beweert. Integendeel de schuld is nu gestegen van 127,1% in 2009 naar 179,2% van het BNP. Zelfs het IMF gaf de mislukking van het bailout-programma toe.

Meer in het bijzonder: In 2012 hebben de memoranda de schuldeisers gered met de beruchte PSI die voorgesteld was als een vermindering van de Griekse schuld. Maar de PSI was in werkelijkheid een overdracht van de Griekse staatsschuld van de Duitse, Franse, Nederlandse en de Griekse banken naar de regeringen van de EU-lidstaten. In dezelfde geest hebben de memoranda maatregelen de Griekse economische elite, degenen die verantwoordelijk zijn voor de crisis in Griekenland, gered. Tegelijkertijd werden alle winstgevende activiteiten van de Griekse economie aan de Europese en Griekse economische elites overgedragen.

Het is kenmerkend dat in 2015 veertien van de meest lucratieve regionale luchthavens werden verkocht voor 1,2 miljard euro aan de Duitse Fraport AG-Slentel Ltd. Het gehele bedrag werd gebruikt om de schuld terug te betalen. Bovendien, ondanks de pre-electorale toezeggingen van SYRIZA, zijn de waterbedrijven onlangs overgedragen aan het Helleense Republiek Asset Development Fund (het Griekse privatiseringsfonds). Als gevolg daarvan hebben de belangrijkste multinationals die gespecialiseerd zijn in de watermarkt, zich klaar gemaakt om te profiteren van deze overdracht. Een ander typisch voorbeeld is de verkoop van bedrijfsleningen en hypotheken aan internationale speculatieve fondsen die nu op de onderhandelingstafel met de schuldeisers ligt.

Ondertussen bleven de zakelijke elites die de Griekse staat geplunderd en in de schulden gestoken hadden, genieten van bevoorrechte en schandalige contracten maar ook van een volledige fiscale immuniteit. Dezelfde elites die de Griekse economie in de loop van de 35 jaar PASOK- en ND-regeringen vernietigd hadden.

Hoe zit het met de Griekse samenleving en de vluchtelingen?

De SYRIZA-ANEL-regering die beloofde het memoranda beleid te beëindigen en de situatie van de werkende klassen te verlichten, heeft bewezen een van de meest gevaarlijke vijanden van die werkende klasse te zijn. Hun greep naar de macht door het Griekse volk te bedriegen met de vermeende onderhandelingen met de schuldeisers heeft het volk ernstig teleurgesteld door de hardste en meest klasse teisterende maatregelen tot nu toe op te leggen. In feite is de SYRIZA-ANEL-regering de meest efficiënte uitvoerder van dit beleid en dus de beste optie voor de Griekse elite en zijn kredietverstrekkers geweest.

Volgens de meest recente gegevens van Eurostat is het percentage van degenen die risico lopen op armoede, gestegen van 29,1% in 2009 tot 35,7% (3,8 miljoen) in 2015. Incidenten van uithongering in scholen nemen toe. De nieuwe bezuinigingen op de pensioenen storten niet alleen de gepensioneerden in armoede maar ook een groot aantal werklozen die letterlijk worden gevoed door de pensioenen van hun ouders. Volgens de laatste gegevens van ELSTAT (het Griekse bureau voor de statistiek) ontvangt slechts 14% van de werklozen de schamele werkloosheidsuitkering van 360 euro per maand voor allen het eerste jaar. Minstens 500.000 particuliere werknemers die in deeltijd werken, krijgen minder betaald dan de werkloosheidsuitkering. Meer dan een miljoen werkende mensen krijgen hun salaris te laat uitbetaald en dit kan oplopen tot 12 maanden. Onverzekerd werk (zonder gezondheidszorg en pensioenrechten) heeft het duizelingwekkende niveau van 30% bereikt. Ongeveer 24% van de mensen moest ernstig bezuinigingen op basisbehoeften (bijvoorbeeld voedsel en brandstof) om medicijnen te kunnen kopen. Tegelijkertijd vertraagt 13% van de mensen het uitvoeren van de voorschriften van de arts omdat zij hun bijdrage niet kunnen betalen. Om te besparen op hun medicatie neemt 10% van de patiënten, tegen de instructies van hun arts, kleinere doses in. Daar komt nog bij dat men is begonnen met het veilen van primaire woningen dat gestuit is op sterke tegenstand van het volk.

De plannen van de overheid en de schuldeisers voor de toekomst zullen de huidige situatie verder verergeren. De begroting voor 2017 voorziet in een stijging tot 26,27 miljard in de indirecte belastingen, een daling van de pensioenuitgaven en bezuinigingen op de uitkeringen.

Wat betreft de vluchtelingen crisis heeft de SYRIZA-ANEL-regering een vreselijk en onmenselijk gezicht getoond. Geheel in lijn met het rechtse en fascistische beleid van de EU sloot het de grenzen waardoor het de vluchtelingen dwong om het risico te nemen de gevaarlijke Egeïsche Zee over te steken. Dat heeft het leven van honderden mensen gekost. In eerste instantie liet de regering de vluchtelingen die de grens overstaken zitten zonder hulp en geheel afhankelijk van de solidariteit van de Griekse bevolking. Later zetten ze hen praktisch gevangen in afgelegen detentiecentra onder erbarmelijke omstandigheden en uit de buurt van de lokale bevolking. Op hetzelfde moment liet het provocerend de ontwikkeling van racistische en fascistische groepen toe die misdadige acties tegen de vluchtelingen begingen. De regering voerde trouw de beschamende EU-Turkije deal uit door systematisch vluchtelingen terug te sturen naar het fascistische Erdogan regime. Als gevolg van deze deal zijn er al 60.000 vluchtelingen gestrand in Griekenland. 16.000 van hen belanden in overvolle gevangenis-achtige centra waar nu drie keer zo veel mensen worden vastgehouden als toen de overeenkomst werd ondertekend. Bovendien greep de overheid, in strijd met elk legaliteitsbeginsel, in in de asielprocedures en veranderde de samenstelling van de commissies om de massale afwijzing van de asielverzoeken te waarborgen.

Om aan de macht te blijven probeert de SYRIZA-ANEL-regering het Griekse volk ervan te overtuigen dat er geen alternatief is voor de memoranda en de overeenkomsten die het heeft ondertekend, zoals de CETA  en de EU-Turkije deal. Ze vieren niet alleen elke onpopulaire maatregel die ze goedgekeurd krijgen en iedere schandelijke overeenkomst die ze tekenen, ze onderdrukken zelfs brutaal elke sociale reactie daarop. Met het voorwendsel dat de politie moeilijk onder controle te houden is, gebruiken ze het fascistische politieapparaat om oppositie tegen impopulaire maatregelen en solidariteit met vluchtelingen te onderdrukken. Tijdens de SYRIZA-ANEL-regering is de politie niet gestopt met het aanvallen van demonstraties met traangas en het slaan van demonstranten. Zelfs leden van SYRIZA zijn aangevallen door de politie tijdens hun deelname aan demonstraties.

Welke lessen kunnen worden getrokken voor de mensen en links Europa

De verandering van SYRIZA in een politieke beschermer van de belangen van de Griekse en Europese elites moet links Europa grote zorgen baren. De ervaring in Griekenland heeft geleerd dat de omverwerping van het eenrichtingsverkeer van het extreem neoliberale beleid en het blokkeren van de weg naar racisme en fascisme die nu heerst in Europa (en niet alleen in Europa) niet kan worden bereikt door de greep naar de macht van een linkse regeringscoalitie. Met de verandering van SYRIZA leek de hoop op en de visie van de verandering niet alleen in Griekenland, maar ook in de rest van Europa te zijn vervaagd. De hoop van miljoenen Griekse en Europese burgers die geloofden dat er een weg naar links in Griekenland en Europa ingeslagen kon worden, zonk in diepe teleurstelling.

Terzelfder tijd hebben de mensen in Griekenland een belangrijke les geleerd: radicale veranderingen kunnen niet worden toevertrouwd aan een partij of een regeringscoalitie. De oplossing kan alleen komen van de mensen zelf. De memoranda in Griekenland, het bezuinigingsbeleid in de rest van Europa en de opkomst van extreemrechts zijn niet onverslaanbaar. Mensen kunnen ze stoppen door middel van collectieve organisatie, constante strijd en klasse solidariteit op hun werk, tijdens hun studie en in hun omgeving. Met bottom-up politiek en niet door het toewijzen van de politiek aan vertegenwoordigers kunnen de burgers van Europa nieuwe manieren ontdekken om sociale rechtvaardigheid, fatsoenlijke levensomstandigheden en een vreedzame samenleving te bereiken.

De getrokken lessen uit SYRIZA’s benadering van de Europese Unie kunnen ook zeer waardevol zijn voor het geheel van links Europa. SYRIZA kwam aan de macht met de belofte om de EU te hervormen in de richting van meer sociaal welzijn. Dit was ofwel “wishful thinking” of een manier om het Griekse volk te bedriegen. De EU en de Euro zijn politieke en economische instellingen die zijn opgericht om de belangen van de Europese elites te dienen ten koste van de rechten van mensen. Het resultaat van SYRIZA’s houding ten aanzien van de EU is nu duidelijk en catastrofaal voor het Griekse volk.

De arbeiders, de werklozen en de vluchtelingen kunnen geen verandering verwachten van een links machtsmanagement. De hoop op verandering in de huidige dramatische situatie kan alleen worden vervuld door middel van een politiek conflict met de EU, de Europese regeringen en hun beleid door middel van een poging om nieuwe, antikapitalistische sociale en economische structuren op te bouwen. In Griekenland zal de economie zich niet herstellen en de werkloosheid niet worden verminderd door de decreten van de overheid of door oproepen voor innovatie en ondernemerschap aan een ​​corrupte economische elite.

Sociale en economische vooruitgang kan alleen worden bereikt als de economie wordt gerund door het volk, door hen die de confrontatie aangaan met de beslissingen van de overheid, de schuldeisers en de zakelijke elites. In Nederland zal ook de geleidelijke verarming van grote delen van de bevolking door middel van ontslagen, lagere lonen en slechtere arbeidsomstandigheden in vitale sectoren zoals de gezondheidszorg niet stoppen door de deelname van links in de regering, maar door massaal volksverzet.

Zowel in Griekenland als in Nederland kan de verbetering van de kwaliteit van leven voor de lagere klassen, de omkering van de fascistische tendensen en de annulering van het vluchtelingenbeleid niet worden bereikt binnen de neoliberale en autoritaire grenzen van de EU en de eurozone. De gemeenschappelijke strijd en klasse solidariteit van de werkende bevolking, de werklozen en de vluchtelingen in Griekenland, in Nederland en de rest van Europa tegen het EU-beleid van verhoging van armoede, onveiligheid, nationalisme, racisme en vreemdelingenhaat, zijn vereist.

In July 2011, a few months after being abandoned by its owners, Vio.Me. was occupied by its workers. Since February 2013, Vio.Me., managed by the general assembly of its workers, has been producing organic soaps and cleaning products. Many solidarity groups participate in the decisions concerning Vio.Me., while its products are distributed through a dense solidarity network across Europe.

After the screening of the film “Occupy, Resist, Produce” by Dario Azzellini and Oliver Ressler (watch here with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fg2akSUvFM), a discussion was held via Skype with Kostas Charitakis on behalf of Vio.Me. Thanks to the questions posed by the audience and Charitakis’ eloquent answers, a vivid picture of the current state of Vio.Me. but also of the potential and necessity of work-ins in Greece, was formed. References to the occupied factories in Argentina were also made.

With more than 1.000 factories closed down in Greece after the outbreak of the crisis, restarting the production under workers’ control is more necessary and realist than ever, was one of the main conclusions of yesterday’s discussion. Thus, although the difficulties and challenges of self-management are great, so are its possibilities to develop. Self-management of production, the active participation of society in the decision-making process and the unmediated contact between producers and consumers, as it is the case in Vio.Me., point to a different model of production, consumption, life. Even more significantly, they point to a realist way of building an alternative against the deadlocks that the existing system poses to the survival, happiness and peaceful coexistence of people in today’s Europe and the world.

The people who attended yesterday’s event could buy Vio.Me.’s soaps and sign the solidarity appeal against the upcoming auctions of Vio.Me., the first one being on the 26th of November. The signatures were sent today to the workers of Vio.Me.

The threat of eviction that Vio.Me. is faced with on the 26th of November “inaugurates” the cycle of evictions threatening an enormous number of indebted households in Greece under the laws of the 3rd Memorandum voted by Syriza’s government last July. This is an additional reason why Vio.Me.’s first auction and the ones to follow should be blocked!

In view of this situation, Vio.Me.’s workers invite individuals and collectivities in Greece and abroad to show their solidarity with more actions of this kind.

Special thanks to the Nieuwland’s people for a very welcoming environment, a delicious dinner and their great help.

ReINFORM

]]> http://www.reinform.info/?feed=rss2&p=8176 0 http://www.reinform.info/?p=8154 http://www.reinform.info/?p=8154#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2015 14:39:23 +0000 patti http://www.reinform.nl/?p=8154 We, the students of Rethymno city on the island of Crete, have just entered the third week of our fight for free education, lower transportation costs and free food-coupons. This letter is an open appeal to the students of the world to inform them about our fight and to express our solidarity with the struggle of the students in South Africa.

In the context of the capitalist crisis in Greece, the government has decided to cut all expenses for Health Care, Education and Social Policy forcing the universities in this way either to closure or privatization. Although the latter was the “ruling’s class” goal in the last two decades, it has been opposed by the continuous struggle of the Greek student movement, and this is an attribute rather characteristic of the Greek Youth. Through various laws in the past, Greece’s ruling parties have been trying to provide universities with the legal ability to accept private investments by promoting joint ventures of universities with commercial third parties. As the Greek crisis has deepened, the ruling parties have tried to take advantage of the situation by putting through their own agenda in the Public Education. Many universities were short of public funding and were forced to seek for private subsidies. The fact that Syriza has now come to power hasn’t changed anything since the neoliberal attack to education is further intensified.

The University of Crete was hit very hard by the crisis. The budgets have been minimized to such a degree that the institution cannot even finance basic functions. Therefore many university departments face closure and are being pushed to accept the commercialization of their research. Tuition fees were introduced for many master programs and there were efforts of imposing fees for bachelor programs as well. Since Greece has never set tuition fees for its Higher Education, these changes are now considered very radical. The cut of state expenses was also reflected in transportation, housing and catering for students. The private transportation company “KTEL Chanion – Rethimnou” decided to raise the ticket price for journeys to and from the university due to reduced profitability. As far as the housing is concerned, due to the economical crisis and the growing unemployment many students can’t even afford to pay their rent. The government’s decision to stop the construction of new and free student hostels deprives students from their right to free education. In the past, Greek universities have always provided catering for students and free meals for those ones entitled to them. But now the company which has recently taken over the catering has decided to stop the free meals, to raise the prices and to lower the quality of the food.

We, the students of Rethymno, have decided to fight against the dismantling of the university and protect our right to free education. The last three weeks, through democratic procedures during our general assemblies, we have decided to occupy the rectorate and then the whole campus. These assemblies were massively-attended and as the weeks passed by our determination to continue our struggle has grown by standing decisively against the lies of the representatives of the Right (DAP-NDFK) and the neoliberal Social Democrats (PASP).

In a provocative and revengeful manner the private catering decided to close down the restaurant as long as the occupation continues in order to turn the students against the protest. The answer of the student movement was to rally in the catering offices. This action pushed the catering business to reverse its decision to close the restaurant and secured the right to free meals for 150 fellow students. We rallied also in the bus station blocking the entrance to buses, and in the town hall as well to claim our demands to the local administration.

We believe that collective action can achieve victories nowadays. The enemy is not only the ministry which plays the leading role in this attack but also and more importantly the companies which are profiting or trying to profit from it. If tuition fees are imposed to students, then this means that more money will go to the black hole of the sovereign debtors, the IMF and the bankers. The capitalists are trying to change the power relations in their own interests in order to keep their profit rates high even if that means exclusion of many students from education.

We see that the same situation exists in many countries around the world. Many students, regardless of where they come from, share the same burden due to student loans they need to take or unbearable costs related to their study. That means that the enemy has the same goal which is of course the creation of the commercial neoliberal university. In this sense we, the students of Rethymno, support the struggle of the students in South Africa for lower tuition fees and we condemn the reaction of their government which is police brutality and oppression. The students must be united based on their common class interests and not divided by their religion or the colour of their skin.

Our common targets represent the future of the society and this cannot be a future for the privileged few!

The General Assembly of the Occupied University of Rethymno

29 October 2015

The Assembly’s group on Facebook :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/683366928450287/?fref=ts

Several interventions of the students :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Lsrp241Qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hljMM1XhXq0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qGwPsJA0Dg

A considerable number of anti-fascists joined the demonstration, over 400 in particular. Such anti-fascist actions are necessary to block fascism and actively support migrants. But for the anti-fascist movement to accomplish its goals, it should overcome its limitations. To this end, some self-criticism may be useful. The dark clouds of racism and fascism gather over Europe. We must not allow this to happen again.

Of course anti-fascism is not just about opposing some lunatics who believe in blood purity and race. Anti-fascism is mainly a struggle against the political parties implementing neoliberal policies to the interests of the bourgeoisie. These policies equal to a sheer attack on working people’s rights, income, pensions and access to public healthcare and education. These parties might not have a fascist rhetoric, but they pave the way for the rise of fascist movements and ideologies by creating social instability, obscene inequality and massive poverty. In sum, by plunging people and countries into debts and despair.

From this perspective, only if anti-fascists show how fascism is linked to the capitalist system will they be effective. It is only by perceiving anti-fascism as a form of class confrontation that simplistic chauvinist arguments, such as those attributing unemployment to migrants, can be resisted and fought. In the example of the Syrian refugee crisis, anti-fascists should point out that Syrians are migrating because the interests of the European and American bourgeoisie are best served in conditions of a continuing war.

To defeat fascism in all its expressions we should be united and open to society. The success of any anti-fascist action is premised on the unity of the trade unions and the left-wing and anarchist organizations. At the same time, the anti-fascist movement should be inviting every individual or social group that wants to oppose racism and fascism to join in. However, such unity and broadness would be fake and fragile if not based on political criticism. Thus, although people who have voted for PvdA or other neoliberal political parties are welcome in anti-fascist actions, we should be clear about the responsibility that these parties have for the rise of racism and fascism and the launch of imperialist wars. Crying crocodile tears for the refugees, while voting measures against migration or harsh austerity policies should be openly criticised and condemned.

Anti-fascism is not a matter of an one-day battle. All of us, either Dutch or migrants, who want to live peacefully with one another, should work on a long-term, multifaceted plan for this common cause. Creating anti-fascist committees in every city, which will explain to society how fascist phenomena and migration are linked to political decisions and strategies imposed by the neoliberal governments, the EU and the NATO, is such a long-term anti-fascist action. The Dutch left-wing and anarchist organizations and groups should come up with such actions and back up the creation of a broad popular front against racism and fascism.

United against whom?

After the anti-fascist protest at Janskerkhof, a big part of the anti-fascists tried to reach the rally of Pegida. Their anti-rally was prohibited by the police and considered as illegal. When the anti-fascists gathered, the police tried to turn them away even resorting to physical violence and arrests. These actions prove that there cannot be any “state anti-fascism”, as some people claim. When the state and police protect Pegida, they share responsibility for Pegida’s views and deeds.

With the political decision to allow Pegida’s rally, Dutch bourgeois parties and the state give the message that fascist rhetoric and ideology are welcome. And when dealing with people who believe that migrants should either drown in the Mediterranean or die in their countries by the bombs of Europe, the US and ISIS, it is not about ensuring the right to the freedom of speech. Despite the claims about preventing episodes of violence among the protesters, the prohibition of the anti-Pegida rally resulted in the protection of Pegida from the Dutch mainstream media spotlight and public exposure. Dutch mainstream media are now focusing on the Pegida phenomenon in Germany and not on its persistent attempt to set foot in the Netherlands. In view of Pegida’s comeback to Utrecht on the 8th of November, such prohibitions by the police and the media coverage of the issue should be among the subjects addressed by the anti-fascist movement.

The enemy is not only Pegida, but also the neoliberal political parties that create the conditions for fascism to rise and the police, prohibiting and repressing anti-fascist rallies. To defend the migrants, we should struggle against all those who want the Dutch society hypnotized with lies and terrorized by the police or fascist brutality. We should struggle against capitalism and the 21^st century comeback of fascism that it gives rise to.

ReINFORM

In September 2012, while hundreds of refugees are held in inhuman conditions at the police stations of Lesbos or they are left out in the open vulnerable to any racist attacks; the “Village of all together” requests the municipality of Mitilini to allow the use of the abandoned summer camps in Neapoli to be used as a hospitality center for the refugees. With this act, the “Village of all together” defends the right of the refugees to a fair
treatment and simultaneously, it promotes the creation of open hospitality centers in support of local community.

PIKPA is a self-managed-autonomous space and has no access to any state or European funds. This self-managed space has hosted during this time more than 6.000 refugees, some for few days and others up to a year. The refugees include asylum and family unification applicants and/or vulnerable groups of newly arrived refugees e.g. people with disabilities, sick, pregnant etc. There, we offer food, clothes, medicines, hygiene, legal counseling, and medical help as well as we organize activities for children and classes of Greek and English and occasionally, we provide them transport expenses and social support.

Due to the growing number of refugees arriving in Lesbos on a daily basis, the “Village of all together” is in constant need of resources and funds to cover the increasing needs of these people as well as to maintain the human living conditions in the camp. Although the core of our activities are centred in the PIKPA summer camp, we are in continuous communication with other groups of our network to better assess the situation and the needs,
offering help where is needed, on the streets, at the port and other self-created camps.

Our main objective is to stand in solidarity with the refugees and fight against the illegal arrests and any practice of humiliation or atrocities conducted in the sea or at the borders e.g. In June 2015 and while the law was still criminalizing any altruistic acts, we, the “Village of all together” organized a convoy with over forty cars that traveled from Molivo to Mitilini in order to transport refugees to the hospitality center. Moreover, we participated
in trials against citizens who transported refugees to the cities when the respective authorities pointing the law, were leaving thousands of people walking long distances all over the island.

Currently, we act as the focal point among medical centres, social pharmacies and other medical groups all over the country in order to provide sufficient medical services to the refugees. Our aim is to create proper reception and hospitality centres for every refugee as well any Greek national who has been a victim of the economic crisis, racism and any xenophobic propaganda.

If you want to support the volunteers in Lesvos, here are the details, received from Efi Latsoudi

Village of all together

IBAN: GR7901107620000076271413353

SWIFT (BIC) ETHNGRAA

Michalis Aivaliotis

Milou 10

Pirgrelia

Mytilene / Greece

(scroll down for Greek)

On July 5^th, people in Greece are called to decide whether to agree or not with the inhuman austerity policies imposed by the Troika. Violating any written and unwritten rule of democracy, EU leaders such as Merkel, Juncker and Dijsselbloem blackmail the Greek people that by voting ΝΟ, they will face an unprecedented disaster.

With this letter, we condemn the effort of the EU officials to spread the fear among the Greek people and accept the disaster that they have prepared for them. We support the right of the people in Greece to decide themselves on their future without blackmailing and manipulation.

We also declare our support to the struggle of the people in Greece to free themselves from the deadly spiral of austerity. The 5 years of austerity have brought an unprecedented social disaster and have destroyed the economy. It is high time to seek ways to reverse austerity policies instead of imposing more of them.

We are convinced that a NO-vote in the referendum will be a vote giving hope to Europe. A vote against austerity will send the message that a different way for all European countries is possible as long as the people are determined to pursue it with determination. It will show that austerity policies all around Europe should end.

Politicians

Sadet Karabulut, Dutch Socialist Party’s Member of Parliament

Arnold Merkies, Dutch Socialist Party’s Member of Parliament

Harry van Bommel, Dutch Socialist Party’s Member of Parliament

Dennis de Jong, Dutch Socialist Party’s Member of European Parliament

Anne-Marie Mineur, Dutch Socialist Party’s Member of European Parliament

Rutger Groot Wassink, head of Groen Links in Amsterdam

Academics

Chris Lorenz, Professor UvA

Maria Boletsi, Assistant Professor, Leiden University

Dimitris Pavlopoulos, Assistant Professor, VU Amsterdam

Boris Slijper, Lecturer, UvA and VU

Rodrigo Fernandez, Postdoc KULeuven

Angela Wigger, Assistant Professor, Radboud University Nijmegen

Pepijn Brandon, Historicus, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / University of Pittsburgh)

Ellen Bal, Associate professor, VU Amsterdam

Marina de Regt, Assistant professor, VU Amsterdam

Katrin McGauran, Researcher, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations

Brian Droop, Lecturer UvA

Anne de Jong, Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam

Erik Wesselius,  Corporate Europe Observatory

Saori Shibata, Lecturer, Leiden University

Christian Scholl, Postdoc Researcher, Maastricht University

Natalie Scholz, Assistant Professor , University of Amsterdam

Dora Achourioti, Lecturer, University of Amsterdam

Kees van der Pijl, Emeritus Professor, University of Sussex

Dylan van Rijsbergen Schrijver & Publicist

Paul Mepschen, Lecturer, University of Amsterdam

Ewald Engelen, Professor, University of Amsterdam

Ida Sabelis, Associate Professor, VU University Amsterdam

Bastiaan van Apeldoorn, Associate Professor, VU University Amsterdam

Assimakis Tseronis, Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam

Sébastien Chauvin, Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam

Nicholas Vrousalis, Assistant Professor, Leiden University

Joost de Bloois, Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam

 
Trade unionists

Matthias van Rossum, member of the FNV Ledenparliament

Donya Alinejad, Lecturer and Chair of FNV Union Chapter at Amsterdam University College

Maureen van de Pligt  FNV-bond Abvakabo

Hans Lammers, FNV Members Parliament

Journalists

Ingeborg Beugel, journalist and former correspondent in Greece

Others

Dylan van Rijsbergen, writer

Willem Bos, Ander Europa

Alexandra Zoi, high-school teacher

Roos Zevenhuizen- Mavrikou, primary school teacher (IPABO)

drs Djamila Zon, MA in Contemporary History /BA in Journalism and freelance writer/historian

drs  Corien de Gier,  MA in Ancient Medicine

Diana Kretchmann – MA in Ancient Cultures, independent researcher – Professor Ancient History

ΟΧΙ στη λιτότητα! ΝΑΙ στη δημοκρατία!

Στις 5 Ιουλίου, ο ελληνικός λαός καλείται να αποφασίσει αν συμφωνεί με το απάνθρωπο πακέτο λιτότητας που θέλει να επιβάλει η Τρόικα. Hγέτες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, όπως η Μέρκελ, ο Γιούνκερ και ο Ντάιζελμπλουμ, παραβιάζουν γραπτούς και άγραφους κανόνες της δημοκρατίας και εκβιάζουν τον ελληνικό λαό λέγοντας ότι αν ψηφίσει ΟΧΙ θα έρθει η καταστροφή.

Με αυτό το γράμμα, θέλουμε να καταδικάσουμε την προσπάθεια των ηγετών της ΕΕ να σπείρουν το φόβο στον ελληνικό λαό ώστε να αποδεχθεί την καταστροφική τους πρόταση. Υποστηρίζουμε το δικαίωμα του ελληνικού λαού να αποφασίσει μόνος του για το μέλλον του χωρίς εκβιασμούς και χειραγώγηση.

Δηλώνουμε την υποστήριξή μας στον αγώνα του ελληνικού λαού να απελευθερωθεί από το καταστροφικό σπιράλ της λιτότητας. Τα 5 χρόνια της εφαρμογής των πολιτικών λιτότητας έφεραν μια κοινωνική καταστροφή χωρίς προηγούμενο και ταυτόχρονα κατέστρεψαν την οικονομία. Είναι καιρός να σταματήσουν οι πολιτικές λιτότητας και όχι να διευρυνθούν.

Πιστεύουμε ότι η υπερψήφιση του ΟΧΙ στο δημοψήφισμα θα είναι μία ψήφος που θα δώσει ελπίδα στην Ευρώπη. Η ψήφος ενάντια στη λιτότητα θα δώσει το μήνυμα ότι ένας άλλος δρόμο είναι δυνατός για όλες τις ευρωπαϊκές χώρες αρκεί οι ίδιοι οι λαοί να είναι αποφασισμένοι να τον ακολουθήσουν με αποφασιστικότητα. Αυτή η ψήφος θα στείλει το μήνυμα ότι πρέπει να σταματήσουν οι πολιτικές λιτότητας σε όλη την Ευρώπη.

Πολιτικοί

Sadet Karabulut, Bουλευτής του Ολλανδικού Σοσιαλιστικού Κόμματος

Arnold Merkies, Bουλευτής του Ολλανδικού Σοσιαλιστικού Κόμματος

Harry van Bommel, Bουλευτής του Ολλανδικού Σοσιαλιστικού Κόμματος

Dennis de Jong, Ευρωβουλευτής του Ολλανδικού Σοσιαλιστικού Κόμματος

Anne-Marie Mineur, Ευρωβουλευτής του Ολλανδικού Σοσιαλιστικού Κόμματος

Rutger Groot Wassink, Αρχηγός της παράταξης Groen Links  στο Δήμο του Άμστερνταμ

Πανεπιστημιακοί

Chris Lorenz, καθητητής Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Μαρία Μπολέτση, Επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Πανεπιστήμιο του  Leiden

Δημήτρης Παυλόπουλος, Επίκουρος καθητητής, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Boris Slijper, Λέκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ και Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Rodrigo Fernandez, μεταδιδακτορικός ερευνητής, Καθολικό Πανεπιστήμιο του Leuven (Βέλγιο)

Angela Wigger, Επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Radboud University Nijmegen

Pepijn Brandon, μεταδιδακτορικός ερευνητής, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ και Πανεπιστήμιο του Pittsburgh (ΗΠΑ)

Ellen Bal, Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Marina de Regt, Επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Katrin McGauran, Ερευνήτρια, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations

Brian Droop, Λέκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Anne de Jong, Επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Erik Wesselius,  Ερευνητής, Corporate Europe Observatory

Saori Shibata, Λέκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο του Leiden

Christian Scholl, μεταδιδακτορικός ερευνητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Maastricht

Natalie Scholz, Επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Ντόρα Αχουριώτη, Λέκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Peyman Jafari,  Λέκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Kees van der Pijl, Επίτημος καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Sussex

Ewald Engelen, Καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Ida Sabelis, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Bastiaan van Apeldoorn, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Ελεύθερο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Assimakis Tseronis, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Sébastien Chauvin, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Nicholas Vrousalis, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Leiden

Joost de Bloois, Λέκτορας στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ

Συνδικαλιστές

Matthias van Rossum, μέλος του Γενικού Συμβουλίου της εργατικής συνομοσπονδίας FNV

Donya Alinejad, Λέκτορας και Επικεφαλής του σωματείου εργαζομένων FNV Union Chapter στο Πανεπιστημιακό Κολλέγιο του Άμστερνταμ

Maureen van de Pligt  FNV-bond Abvakabo

Hans Lammers, FNV Members Parliament

Δημοσιογράφοι

Ingeborg Beugel, δημοσιογράφος και πρώην ανταποκριτής στην Ελλάδα

Υπόλοιποι

Dylan van Rijsbergen, συγγραφέας

Willem Bos, Ander Europa

Αλεξάνδρα Ζώη, καθηγήτρια μέσης εκπαίδευσης

Roos Zevenhuizen- Mavrikou, primary school teacher (IPABO)

drs Djamila Zon, MA in Contemporary History /BA in Journalism and freelance writer/historian

drs  Corien de Gier,  MA in Ancient Medicine

Diana Kretchmann – MA in Ancient Cultures, independent researcher – Professor Ancient History

It is no surprise that since the announcement of the referendum the EU, ECB, IMF and the Greek pro-Memoranda bloc have been trying to terrorize Greek people to vote “yes” to the Troika’s demands. It is likely that they will use the percentage of abstention from the referendum to delegitimize an eventual “no”. Setting off a bank panic and making terrorizing announcements are part of this plan.

The Greek people are left with no other option than to use the referendum as a means of saying a loud “no” to all the neoliberal policies of austerity and not only to this specific proposal of Troika. A “no” in the referendum should not be misinterpreted as an acceptance of other Memoranda such as the last proposal of the Greek government: it will be a “no” to the austerity policies promoted by the capitalist system, either chosen by the Troika and the international capital or by the Greek government and the Greek capital.

People in Greece should not confine their reaction to a “no” in the referendum. Only through collective social and class struggles can we stop the neoliberal attack launched by the capital in Greece and all over Europe. These struggles should aim at the total overthrow of the Memoranda policies of the capitalist system, what the Greek government has so far not attempted.

The entire Left and all the trade unions in Europe have now the obligation to show their solidarity to all people in Greece. This is why we call the Dutch Left, trade unions and political groups opposing austerity policies to put an end to their deafening silence of the last five years and take a clear stance in favour of the Greek people’s democratic right to decide on their future. In addition, it is high time that they expressed an explicit opposition to the austerity policies in Greece and Europe. Last but not least, they should actively support the necessity of a write-off of the Greek fiscal debt and urgently organize massive actions in the Netherlands to this direction.

ReINFORM