Living hell on the streets and in the camps

Attacks by nazis against immigrants are an everyday phenomenon in the neighbourhoods of Athens.

Police’s practices inside and outside detention centres and concentration camps embolden nazis who often do not hesitate to kill their victims.

Racist attacks by nazis against unsuspecting immigrants are turning into an everyday phenomenon in Greece and especially in the neighbourhoods of Athens. It was just last Sunday that Mohamed Zamat, immigrant from Pakistan, became the victim of a racist attack carried out by around ten overly masculine Greek nationalists while he was on his way to work. As KEERFA and the Pakistani Community report, the perpetrators punched and kicked him repeatedly and they disappeared when the police arrived. Mohamed was taken to “Pammakaristos” hospital with injuries and a broken nose. As always, the police deployed a large-scale operation in search for the perpetrators, while they do not chase immigrants for “Xenios Zeus”. When the police becomes such a role model going against the weak inside or outside detention centres, concentration camps, and settlements, the nazis become emboldened attacking and often killing their victims.

A timed visit!

We spoke with Yanus Mahamadi from the immigrants’ forum who was only yesterday informed about the health status of the 19-year-old Afghan, who three days ago jumped from the first floor of Corinth’s camp. They were allowed to visit him only for five minutes and the doctors informed them that he had broken his knees and had problems with his lower back. The young man has been detained in Corinth for nine months and during this period he has asked to be seen by a doctor more than 10 times because of experiencing severe abdominal pain. He had protested one more time the day he jumped from the window, but as a response he was hit hard with a baton by a  policeman (the sign of the strike is clearly visible). In his desperation he decided to jump from the window, which resulted in heany injury. His crime: he is poor, a foreigner, and without papers. And he is only 19 years old.

We should let citizens and readers judge whether there are any differences between the protagonists of these two stories of ‘the rule of law’. As for the prosecutors, the victims are powerless and therefore can only wait for the punishment even of a single racist crime commited by racists either wearing uniforms or dressed in black.

Translated from ‘Efimerida ton Syntakton’ newspaper, 28/08/2013. Online at: http://www.efsyn.gr/?p=100181