Anastasia Balezdrova
After 22 days of hunger strike the condition of immigrants who are in Ipatiya building in downtown Athens is quite serious. One of the doctors who monitors their health reported that they lost over 10 kg and even 12 kg in some cases. "Their muscles atrophied and are painful. They are unable to stand for long and faint.
Some immigrants have been hospitalized. One young man has a serious cardiac problem and is in the Evangelizmos hospital. 7-8 immigrants stopped the hunger strike because of serious health problems. This break is temporary; they could start the hunger strike again after the treatment of tonsillitis and cystitis they suffered from."
Two of the starving immigrants in Thessaloniki were hospitalized after having lost consciousness.
According to Thanasis Karambelis, it is expected the condition of immigrants to get worse. "I declare openly that a humanitarian disaster will face the health ministry and the government if timely measures to satisfy the request of immigrants are not taken."
At the same time, the doctor stressed that none of the immigrants were suffering from an infectious disease and that none of them had temperature. "I have to say on behalf of the medical support group that there was not, nor is there now suspected case of swine flu among the striking immigrants since the first day of the strike."
The doctor’s statements aimed to disperse the doubts that were raised by the Minister of Health Andreas Loverdos’ words that starving immigrants were an "infection bomb." Activists who support the strikers refused to allow the team of the infectious diseases prevention centre in the building because they submitted neither doctors’ cards, nor an official note on the purpose of their visit. "I define this act of the Ministry as complete hypocrisy and mockery towards immigrants. It can not be helpful and committed after the government policy has forced immigrants to go on a hunger strike at the peril of their lives," said the doctor.
A press conference was held in the yard of Ipatiya where artists expressed their solidarity to the starving immigrants. In their speeches they stressed that immigrants came to Greece, because they fled their home countries, where there were wars and authoritarian regimes dominated thanks to the intervention of the "civilized West". Most of them disagreed with the statement of the Minister of Health that immigrants were infectious. They characterized that assessment as "very dangerous" and "racist" and rejected the wide spread statements that immigrants were forced to start a hunger strike by others.
During the press conference held outdoors in the yard three immigrants came, supported on both sides by other strikers. Their serious condition was more than apparent, since they have maintained their vital functions only with water and sugar at least for ten days. These products were symbolically placed on the table in front of the artists.
Artists accused the media that provide a platform for far-right elements, according to which immigrants were Greece’s serious problem and should be blamed for its today's state. "They are the people who took part in the construction of the sports facilities for the Olympic Games in 2004, with which Greece was so proud. They all have been in the country for years, some more and others less. And because they are unemployed due to the crisis, they can not submit the required number of workdays to renew their documents.” Some even wondered where the Church and its love for people were.
One of the immigrants, visibly weak and pale, but still in better shape than the others thanked for the support and said the strike would continue. He appealed Minister Andreas Loverdos to apologize in public to the strikers.
There were many Greek actors, directors, writers and artists. Stelios Mainas who plays a major role in the popular series "The Island" was there too. It is interesting in his case that he was attacked by strangers near his home on Victoria Square where thousands of immigrants live. Two swarthy men tried to take his cell phone from his hands but he resisted. Then a whole gang of immigrants suddenly appeared and attacked him and began to throw bottles of beer at him. Some of them had knives. Two Greeks, exposing their lives to danger, helped the actor escape.
Stelios Mainas lodged a complaint at a nearby police station, but did not put all the blame on immigrants. "Naturally, people who live crowded are inclined to vent their wrath on someone else. After what happened I am even more convinced that we should not persecute the expelled and make the poor more miserable but to help them. Because only in times of barbarism, every one of us proves who he is and what he does in this world."
According to activists, international support for strikers is also very high. Among them are the French philosopher and writer Alain Badiou, the American linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky and a number of university professors from France, Canada and the USA.
The discussion about the immigrants stay in the building owned by Konstantinos Rudzunis, the manager of one of the largest agencies for social research in Greece – Kappa Research – intensified in recent days. The period of 15 days which was determined expired last Friday, but it was not met. This fact did not surprise anyone. A week ago one of the immigrants’ supporters told GRReporter, that only immigrants would decide when to leave the building.
"If they refuse to cooperate we will ask their removal from the building," warned yesterday the Secretary of Health Ministry Antonis Dimopoulos. According to him, the premises "are occupied by many people living in poor hygiene and ventilation conditions." Experts in infectious diseases said that "these conditions are favourable for the spreading of infectious diseases such as miningit, tuberculosis and influenza."
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