Tariq Ali speaking in Greece

Tariq Ali speaking in Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Ali addressing an audience at the Aristotelion university of Thessaloniki, Greece. Video of his speech here in English, with Greek translation.

The truth is out there but not if you read the Greek press

Right wing students attempting to disrupt a wreath laying ceremony - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The Greek blogosphere has been full of complaints over the way the mainstream media covered yesterday's Polytechniou Day. It seems there has been a concerted effort to either play down or ignore much of what happened. For example much of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city was covered in a blanket of tear gas for hours on end as riot police fired round after round of the stuff into the university grounds to supposedly disperse a few dozen protesters.

In addition the clashes between right and left wing student groups in the morning has been less than honest. For example today's Eletherotypia newspaper reported that;

"Επεισόδια σημειώθηκαν και νωρίς το πρωί, την ώρα που άρχιζε η κατάθεση στεφάνων στο μνημείο των πεσόντων, στο προαύλιο της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του ΑΠΘ. Ομάδα φοιτητών του Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας που πρόσκεινται στη ΔΑΠ προσπάθησαν να πλησιάσουν για να καταθέσουν στεφάνι, αλλά μέλη νεολαιών της εξωκοινοβουλευτικής Αριστεράς τούς υποδέχτηκαν με πέτρες. Ακολούθησε συμπλοκή στο οδόστρωμα της Εγνατίας οδού που κράτησε περίπου 15-20 λεπτά."

They were incidents early this morning when members of DAP (the student wing of the conservative New Democracy party) attempting to lay a wreath during a ceremony for the victims of the 1973 Polytechnic uprising at the Aristotelion university of Thessaloniki were stoned by members of the student supporters of the extra parliamentary left. The clashes that followed lasted approximately 15 -20 minutes."

www.enet.gr

Well, I happened to be there at the times and as you can see from the picture above the hundred or so DAP members who gathered opposite the university were hardly dressed for a such a solemn ceremony. Nor do those who wish to pay their respects hurl paving stones, bottles and insults at people attending,

There were clashes but from what I saw many of those inside were preparing to defend the shrine set up inside the campus from attack by these hooligans.

So why the discrepancy in the accounts? I'm not sure if it is just indifference, ignorance or a worry that the newspaper's political line must be preserved irrespective of the truth.

Dean Anastasios Manthos

Dean Anastasios Manthos, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Even by the turbulent standards of Greek education the previous week has been unprecedented. Once again many of the country's major universities have been occupied by students protesting plans by the government to permit the founding of private universities and the general lack of funding for the state sector higher education. In addition university elections have been halted sometimes with violent confrontations between different political factions.


Elections for the dean of faculties in universities across Greece lead to a number of violent episodes. In the Greek port town of Patra students clashed with riot police and a number of cars were set on fire. In Thessaloniki similar clashes between riot police and students were reported. On Wednesday the dean of the Aristotelian university of Thessaloniki, Anastasios Manthos was hospitalised after heated debate with student turned violent. The following days a gang of 30 attacked and severely beat two night watchmen on the university campus.


The conservative New Democracy government is seeking to change the country's constitution in order to allow the setting up of private universities so bring Greece in line with EU law. In addition they argue that such universities could led to an improvement to Greece's chronically ailing state run higher education sector. It should be noted that just two Greek universities made the Times Higher Education QS rankings top 400 at position 248 and 356.


On the other hand opposition politicians and students argue that long term lack of funding for education in general has hampered the country's universities and that what is needed is an overhaul of the system to bring it in line with European standards.


The protests come at a time of growing dissatisfaction with the government of Kostas Karamanlis whose administration has been involved with a number of sexual and financial scandals since its re-election in 2007. In addition rising food and petrol prices have caused hardship amongst those on low incomes. Many accuse the government of negligence over its inability to curb the spiralling cost of living which has seen many basic goods rise five times greater than in other European countries.

www.nowpublic.com/world/greek-universities-turmoil

Uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ on 4 Jun 08, 3.11PM EEST.