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Greece: Information about the anti-imperialist protest
Information about the anti-imperialist protest
in Greece on the occasion of Clinton´s visit
20 November 1999
The visit of Clinton in Greece was eventful. Three elements are
indicative of this:
1. The visit was reported for one week, and it was cut down to one
day from the initial planning of a three days' visit. This
"rearrangement" of the program was due to the following reasons:
(a) There is a sound anti-imperialist and anti-yankee sentiment
among the Greek people. This anti-USA sentiment had been
increased by the provokative attitude and humiliating demands of
the US administration before Clinton's visit, and by the submissive
response of the Greek government and state services. The
"security measures" that were taken under the direct orders of
US agents were a pure negation of any sense of national
sovereignty.
(b) The antagonism between US and European imperialists has
been clearly expressed in Greece before the visit through the
quarrels that broke out between their local representatives in the
political, financial and media world.
(c) The USA were asking too much from the Greek government.
They were asking an unconditional compromise with the demands
of the regime of Ankara as far as the problems of Cyprus and of the
Aegean Sea are concerned.
2. The days before the visit of Clinton the anti-imperialist climate
developed further. On 13 November, the day that Clinton should
come in Greece according to the initial plan, a big anti-imperialist
demonstration took place in Athens, as well as in other cities of
Greece. Four days later, on 17 November (anniversary of the 1973
anti-fascist anti-imperialist revolt), a huge march traversed the city
of Athens and arrived in the US embassy. It was the biggest and
most militant demonstration of the last years, with the
participation of tens of thousands of people. Similar
demonstrations, with equally strong anti-imperialist orientation,
took place the same day in most Greek cities. Fearing a further
increase of the combativity and anger of the masses, the
government decided to forbid for 24 hours all mobilizations in
Athens, during the visit of Clinton.
3. Despite the interdiction, the manifestation took place in Athens,
as well as in all big cities of Greece. On 19 and 20 November, all
over Greece tens of thousands of people manifested against
imperialism. Of course, the most important protest took place in
Athens, the time that Clinton was arriving in the airport. Thousands
of demonstrators marched against the special forces which
blocked the way to the US embassy. The government gave to the
special forces the order to attack the protesters. The anti-riot police
and the secret services agents tranformed the whole city in a battle
field. They used thousands of tear gas and chemicals in order to
disperse the protesters, they wounded hundreds of them, and they
arrested 30 militants. Among them are four members of our
organization and of the Anti-war Anti-imperialist Movement (an anti-
imperialist front constructed this year by the Revolutionary Marxist
Organization A/synechia, the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of
Greece, the Workers Anti-imperialist Front and independent
militants of the left). Three of our comrades, together with seven
members of the youth of the "Communist Party of Greece" and
three members of the New Left Current, are under heavy charges,
accused as "terrorists" - while it is known to everybody that they
had nothing to do with the destructions perpetrated by provocators
and agents in order to defame the anti-imperialist movement. The
arrests and the heavy charges against the young militants are part
of the government's plan to terrorize the people, and especially the
youth.
Our organization and the Anti-war Anti-imperialist Movement (AAM)
played an important part in the mobilizations against Clinton. Since
October, they prepared in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra and many
other cities to "welcome" Clinton. Tens of thousands of posters and
leaflets distributed by the AAM called the people to demonstrate
against imperialism and the Greek government. Many preparatory
public meetings were organized by the AAM all over Greece. The
blocs of the AAM rallied hundreds of militants in Athens,
Thessaloniki and Patra during all the manifestations. Now Clinton
left - but our struggle continues. Actually we are fighting against
the attempt of the government and the media to terrorize the
people. As the demonstrators are scanding all over Greece:
The terrorism will not pass - the struggle of the people will smash it!
Imperialists, murderers of the peoples, out of Greece!
Clinton-fascist-murderer!
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Follows a Communiqué of the Revolutionary Marxist Organization
A/synechia:
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE REVOLUTIONARY MARXIST
ORGANIZATION A/SYNECHIA
20 November 1999
The Revolutionary Marxist Organization A/synechia salutes the
great anti-imperialist demonstrations against Clinton and his lical
supporters, which took place in tens of cities all over Greece.
During the recent days the anti-imperialist, anti-yankee morale of
the Greek people, of the working masses and of the youth, has
been expressed in a multitude of ways. This anti-imperialist stand
of our people obliged the government to change the date of the visit
of the murderer Clinton, and at the same time to apply an extensive
plan of terrorization of the people.
The Revolutionary Marxist Organization A/synechia salutes the
determined attitude of the people, who defied the state terror and
the interdiction to demonstrate. We salute the resolute stand of the
people, who teared the sickening propaganda of the government
and the media to tatters, and gave a sound and militant answer
through the protests which took place in Athens and all the big
Greek cities. The government is accountable in the eyes of
all progressive people for the terrorist pogrom it launched under the
direct order of the USA, showing once more its subjugation to
imperialism. The government transformed the centre of Athens in
an arena for the special repressive forces, which thrashed
thousands of demonstrators and sent tens of them in the hospitals.
The Revolutionary Marxist Organization A/synechia condemns the
government of Simitis: This government confirmed once more that it
is an unscrupulous one. This government dared to bring in effect
"laws" dating from the years of the fascist dictatorship in order to
forbid the demonstration to the US embassy. It steeped in blood a
peaceful march of thousands of people in the centre of Athens.
Once more, it is confirmed that the policy of dependance by the
imperialism goes along with the most cynical terrorism and the
violation of the most elementary democratic rights. This policy of
dependance transforms our country in a huge military base used
by the NATO imperialists in order to conduct their aggressions in
the Balkans and elsewhere. This policy of dependance leads to the
partition of Cyprus. This policy of dependance brings to the people
the unemployment, the poverty, the sordidness, and increases the
marginalization of the youth. The government, having the alliance of
the media barons, is attempting to reverse the negative disposition
of the people for its policy, by overpromoting the damages provoked
by the "anarchists" and by hiding the orgy of violence and terror of
the special forces, which dominated for hours in a huge area of
Athens. The anti-riot police and the special forces during hours
tried to disperse any gathering of protesters, even in the streets
where the demonstration was finally permitted. The reality is that
the government has the whole responability for the events - and this
government must realize that: The terrorism will not pass - the
struggle of the people will smash it!
The Revolutionary Marxist Organization A/synechia denounces the
arrest of tens of protesters and their committal to trial with heavy
accusations. Between them are four members of our organization
and of the Anti-war Anti-imperialist Movement. It is known to
everybody that the anti-imperialist movement and its organizations
have nothing to do with the accusations attributed to them by the
black propaganda of the media and the government. We demand
the immediate release of the arrested militants and the cessation
of all prosecutions against them.
DOWN WITH THE POLICY OF DEPENDANCE, SUBJUGATION
AND SERVITUDE - STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE! THE
TERRORISM WILL NOT PASS - THE STRUGGLE OF THE
PEOPLE WILL SMASH IT!
Revolutionary Marxist Organization A/synechia
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