Greek human rights activist accused of high treason

Panayotis Dimitras, head of the human rights organisation, Greek Helsiniki Monitor is facing possible charges of high treason and if convicted a life sentence for speaking out about minority rights in Greece.

See here for the rest of the story on NowPublic.com. Thanks to Devious Diva for putting out the word.

Devious Diva

One of the blogs that I have been following for as long as I have been blogging is Devious Diva's This Is Not My Country which has to be one of the best ones on Greece around. It deals mainly which human rights issues here in Greece and it always informed, accurate and passionate. I know that writing about subjects like this is not always easy, especially as a foreigner and Diva has had more than her fair share of trolls threats and insult from far right wingbats and other nationalist nutcases. However, she still keeps on writing about the kind of stuff that many would quite happily see swept under the carpet.

In addition to being a passionate blogger she is also a very good photographer (click here to see her pictures) and her work is currently being exhibited in Athens. It shows the conditions in which many Rom are forced to live in the capital.

In support

One of my favourite bloggers is Devious Diva who writes about issues of race, prejudice and the like. Her posts have been an inspiration to me on so many levels and she is one of the reasons that I consider blogging a noble calling. Unfortunately, her no nonsense, "call it as it is" writing has drawn the ire of the chauvanist, racist element in the Greek blogosphere. Some of these loathsome pond spittle have outed her. i.e circulated her real name and other personal details. Words cannot describe the anger I feel at such a low blow, such a cowardly gesture. They shriek about honour and courage behind pseudonyms. They make me sick.

There are times when you have to stand up and be counted. This is indeed one of the those times.

Teacher Dude goes public

I've decided to join the 2000 Bloggers project for no better reason than it seems a cool ideal. I'd like to thank Devious Diva for putting me onto it. However, there are two rules about joining;

1 You must have a photo of yourself on the blog.

2 Your blog must have been created prior to January 1st 2007.

So, here's the Dude in all his faded glory.

A plea for help

I saw this on Devious Diva's blog and decided I had to post it here. It concerns that appalling treatment dished out to refugees living in containers in the middle of winter on the Greek island of Chios.

"I received a copy of the letter, via the Greek Helsinki Monitor, from the people detained at the camp in Chios. They are pleading for help from anyone who can do something. I am not sure who the letter was originally given or sent to but it has found its way out of that place. It is heartbreaking… Please post this on your blogs or websites. Get the word out. They need our help.

(I typed the letter in full, exactly as written, below the pictures)

To whom it concerned,

We as refugees in this camp have lost the hope even in complaining, so we take you as our only hope.

After many screams and complains about our conditions here, no-one has paid any attention. We are about 225 people in this camp for two weeks and about 190 for one month, and we know this camp can shelter only 108 people; about 21 people in each shelter sleeping over each other; about 90 without shoes, shampoo and blankets; toilets are damaged and many rooms are filled with dirty water which prevent many people sleeping; diseases are increasing and sick persons are ignored and the police is satisfied in giving just “Panadol”; two meals is not enough, bread like stones and some food is damaged; the increasing number of people creates trouble unwillingly.

We feel that we are in an isolated prison, no one talks to us and when we inform the police he says that it is not his responsibility. So we pledge you to inform any power or institution to save us because things have become unbearable and our situations turn to be under zero.

We don’t know what crime that we have committed to take this punishment and harsh treatment; we escaped war, poverty, oppression and genocidal attacks and came here to find shelter in this peaceful land.

We call all committees, Red Crescent, Human Rights, UN and every power. We call the Greek nation and the civilised Europe.

The Camp"

Και η μετάφραση από το histologion-gr.blogspot.com :

"Προς οπιονδήποτε ενδιαφερόμενο


Εμείς οι πρόσφυγες σ’ αυτό το στρατόπεδο (του Μερσυνιδίου) χάσαμε κάθε ελπίδα ακόμη και για να μπορούμε να παραπονιόμαστε, γι’ αυτό απευθυνόμαστε σε σας, σαν την τελευταία μας ελπίδα.

Μετά από πολλές κραυγές και διαμαρτυρίες για τις συνθήκες και την κατάσταση μας εδώ, κανείς δεν έχει ενδιαφερθεί. Είμαστε σχεδόν 225 άνθρωποι σ’ αυτό το στρατόπεδο εδώ και δύο εβδομάδες, και 190 εδώ και ένα μήνα, και ξέρουμε ότι στο στρατόπεδο αυτό μπορούν να παραμείνουν μόνον 108 άτομα. Σχεδόν 21 άνθρωποι μένουν σε κάθε οικίσκο και κοιμούνται ο ένας πάνω στον άλλο. Σχεδόν 90 δεν έχουν παντόφλες, ρούχα, φλιτζάνια, σαπούνι και κουβέρτες.

Οι τουαλέτες είναι κατεστραμμένες και πολλά δωμάτια είναι γεμάτα με βρώμικα νερά που μας εμποδίζουν ακόμη και να κοιμηθούμε. Οι ασθένειες πολλαπλασιάζονται και για τους αρρώστους κανείς δεν νοιάζεται ενώ η αστυνομία μας δίνει « panadol». Δύο γεύματα δεν αρκούν. Το ψωμί είναι σαν πέτρα και κάποιες φορές το φαγητό είναι χαλασμένο. Ο αυξανόμενος αριθμός των κρατουμένων δημιουργεί περισσότερα προβλήματα άθελα μας.

Αισθανόμαστε ότι είμαστε σε μία απομονωμένη φυλακή, κανείς δεν μας μιλά, και όταν ενημερώνουμε την αστυνομία, λένε ότι δεν είναι δική τους αρμοδιότητα. Γι’ αυτό σας παρακαλούμε να ενημερώσετε οποιαδήποτε Αρχή ή Οργανισμό για να μας σώσει, γιατί οι συνθήκες έχουν γίνει αβάσταχτες και η κατάσταση μας είναι απάνθρωπη.
Δεν ξέρουμε ποιο είναι το έγκλημα που διαπράξαμε για να μας αξίζει τέτοια τιμωρία και σκληρή αντιμετώπιση. Ξεφύγαμε από τον πόλεμο τη φτώχεια την καταπίεση και επιθέσεις γενοκτονίας και ήρθαμε εδώ για να βρούμε καταφύγιο σε γη ειρήνης.

*Απευθύνουμε έκκληση σε κάθε Επιτροπή, τον Ερυθρό Σταυρό, των Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων, τα Ηνωμένα Έθνη και κάθε Αρχή.

*Απευθύνουμε έκκληση στην Ελλάδα και την πολιτισμένη Ευρώπη.

Οι κρατούμενοι στο Μερσυνίδι"