February 26 2016

Two Pakistani refugee have tried to commit suicide in a central square of Athens, as a desperate attempt in reaction to the terrible catch-22 that the EU wants them to put into and its "plan for refugees" when there is no other alternative

Open the borders! Full rights for refugees!
For a unified plan across Europe and the Mediterranean against the counter-revolution
of imperialism and their servants!

Europe is again closed to the refugees. Those who have come to the continent looking to continue their lives escaping from counter-revolutionary wars and unprecedented misery caused by the imperialist plundering, face the tough battle to stay and survive in European territory. The EU authorities have designed a "plan for refugees" in which they declared that all efforts will be directed to avoid their arriving and in expelling them from Europe.

The closing of borders is already complete in all the countries of Europe, and refugees who reached the Greek shores looking for going to Germany find themselves stranded in Greece. Many Algerian, Moroccan, Iranian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi refugees are suffering this situation more than others, because for these nationalities borders to leave Greece and cross into Macedonia - their next step - have been closed for two months now.

During all this time they have tried several times to cross the border. But they were detained either by the army or the police already in Macedonia when they have been able to dodge the border patrol. And for a disposition of the EU, they were deported back to Athens, the Greek capital.

The situation worsens every day. On Monday a regulation was approved that now the border is also closed to Afghans and even to Syrians and Iraqis who do not possess a passport or permit of stay in Turkey. Even considering these requirements, it can happen that some days the authorities decide to close the border or only let a very limited number of refugees, which has generated thousands to camp at the border for days. At this time there are 3000 refugees awaiting passage, but it happens that if after a few days they cannot pass, the Greek police stops them and brings them back to Athens.

Before this situation -stranded since a month ago in Greece and not seeing any breakthrough; on the contrary, with their condition worsening, two Pakistanis have attempted suicide in a central square of Athens, which is one of the places where the refugees in the Greek capital are grouped. It was a desperate attempt to do something in a no-win situation.

But the 'plan for refugees" in Europe does not end there. Within Turkey, there are 4 million Syrian refugee doing the worst jobs for a fourth of the wages they should be earning (compared to what the Turkish workers earn), without any rights and fully exposed to abuse by employers and the police. Many of them are and were months and even years saving to go to Europe. But this road is interrupted. As now, not only the Frontex has increased their patrols but also NATO has sent warships to prevent the boats from coming to the Greek Islands. Approximately 4000 refugees are intercepted daily and returned to Turkish coasts.
A few boats have made it despite this military control and despite the perilous journey that has already claimed thousands and thousands of dead. Even they must withstand low temperatures where they are at risk of dying of hypothermia, as it has already happened. And arriving, the Greek State awaits them, under the direct command of the officers of the army, in a 'registration center' where refugees are categorized, given a number and they are even marked with armbands to by means of identification. Enough to see the families who must even live in those places many days which the registration can take and even the refugees with the number marked on their wrists to know that we are in the presence of actual concentration camp as in the time of the Nazis.

In these places a "refugee-meter" operates with the Greek authorities to evaluate what they would do with each refugee who arrives and is recorded. Therefore, when getting there the latter are at risk of being deported, jailed or left to their fate with the rest of Europe borders closed.
Bulgaria has increased the maximum military control of its borders. Macedonia has put two lines of barbed wire all along its border with Greece. The rest of the Balkan countries have increased controls. These countries have also gathered together with Austria and Hungary to agree on common patrols. And in Northern Europe - as in Belgium, Denmark or Sweden – they began to reject requests for asylum from refugees who had already arrived months ago and the deportations began. In Switzerland, Denmark and some states of Germany all few goods that refugees have are seized to "recover the costs". Also justice in France yesterday approved the night evacuation and deportation of at least 3000 refugees who were in a camp in Calais trying to cross to England.

This reaction against the refugees is part of the continuity in Europe of the counter-revolutionary advance on Syria and the Middle East.

While in Syria the rebel areas are still encircled and the genocide continues, they are announcing an agreement on a "cease-fire" that does not include the cessation of shelling to the rebel areas and the end of the siege to cities like Aleppo, under the excuse of "confronting terrorism". It is a true plan to make the resistance and the rebel people surrender as part of a counter-revolutionary attack to finish with the revolution.

Though families, women, children who see their lives threatened and attempt to escape to neighboring countries such as Turkey, find borders closed and heavily guarded. Today they are still in tents at the border, surrounded by barbed wire and the Turkish armed forces.

All the imperialist powers and their servants have launched the "final battle". We need to unify our forces and carry out a plan at the level of these counter-revolutionary actions. Saturday February 27 actions of protest will be carried out in several European countries calling for the opening of borders and safe passage for the refugees. It is a step forward; we must take advantage of it to coordinate future actions for all the rights of refugees and to stop the genocide in Syria.

Open the borders! Out with Frontex, NATO and all the armies!
Full rights, legal papers and equal working conditions and wages for refugees! They are our class brothers and sisters and as such they should have a place of honor in all labor and fight organizations!
Let’s stop the genocide in Syria by defeating Dog Bashar and his partners Putin and the Iranian ayatollahs!
It is necessary to defeat the counter-revolution of imperialism and its henchmen!
They gather together and concentrate their forces in various international conferences. We need to put up an International counter-Conference to carry out a unified plan to stop them!
A single fight one and the other side of the Mediterranean!