5th Statement of the Communist Organization of Greece (KOE)
11 December 2008
We shall not yield to the criminal government!
The "unholy alliance" of "law and order" cannot stop the protest!
1. On Thursday 11 December 2008 dozens of thousands of youth got again out in the streets and demonstrated their rage, marching against the police stations all over Greece. In Athens only, 21 police stations have been besieged by the youth, who replied to the police attacks with stones, turned upside down many police vehicles and burned them. These are not "rioters with masks", but school students who protest the murder of Alexis and the government policies, which kill their future. Thousands of people stand by their side: their parents, their teachers, the militants of the Left. In many cases, the people raise and stand in front of the Special Forces, protecting the youth, resisting the police attacks, even liberating from the hands of the police the arrested demonstrators.
2. Hundreds of schools, technical colleges and universities all over the country are already under occupation. The "Communist Party of Greece" (KKE), which now became openly the right hand of the criminal government, failed to stop the General Assemblies of students. The shameful and pitiful attempt of these "uncompromised communists" to forbid, during the morning of Thursday, the entrance of students in the universities, met with the anger of the youth and within hours they were obliged to retreat in panic. The youth decided to organize new central demonstrations all over Greece this Friday 12 December, rejecting the "responsible" attitude of KKE and of the "socialist" PASOK, who also made an official appeal "for calm and dignity (!), against occupations and uncontrolled demonstrations".
3. In these critical moments, the "unholy alliance" of "law and order" takes shape, the composition of the two opposite camps gets clear. On the side of the "order" stand the big bourgeoisie and the government of Karamanlis, with their employees: the mainstream Media, the police, the gangs of "angry citizens who protect their property" (composed by extreme right-wing cadres of the government party and by neonazis). Hand in hand with them goes the supposed "opposition": the "socialists" of PASOK and the "communists" of KKE, with their calls for "responsible attitude" and their open, calumniating attacks against the Radical Left. This "opposition" receives the congratulations of the government and of the establishment, who is only very happy to repeat again and again their accusations against the Coalition of Radical Left. Even the leader of the extreme right-wing party LAOS accused A. Alavanos, head of the Parliamentary Group of SYRIZA, that he "protects the rioters" adding: "It is not me who says that, Mr Alavanos. It is your kindred spirits from the KKE who affirm that".
4. On the other side, the camp of the movement is composed by the revolted youth and by the forces of the Coalition of Radical Left and other left organizations, those of the extra-parliamentarian Left. The combativity of the youth and the work of the communist current within the Coalition, represented by the Communist Organization of Greece, have until now succeeded to keep this alliance within the protest and armed it with a correct demand: "This government must go!". The position of our Organization is crystal-clear: We participate to the revolt with all our forces. We learn by the revolt and we try to develop it further and arm it with the necessary perspective.
5. The blocks of KOE in all the demonstrations were combative and did not retreat in front of the police attacks, which in many cases were targeted directly against us. KOE is in many cities the initiator of the struggle and its members play an active role in its organization. In Patra, the contribution of KOE in the uprising of the school students was decisive. In Kavala, the local organization of KOE leads the protest against the repression and the government - to the point that the mayor of this city accused KOE as "instigator of the riots". All over Creta the organizations of KOE excelled, and especially in Heraklio, where our Organization plays a leading role in the occupation of the Prefecture's building. The same goes for other cities all over Greece. Also, KOE has produced last Tuesday a 4-pages leaflet under the general slogan "It is right to rebel" and distributed it in dozens of thousands of copies in 35 cities. The Communist Organization of Greece will continue with all its forces to advance towards the escalation of the struggle, aiming at throwing down the government of criminals, the government of the rich, the government of anti-people policy and corruption.
It is right to rebel!
Down with the criminal government of Karamanlis!
Exemplary punishment of the murderers!
Disarm the police - Dissolve the special "anti-riot" forces!
*****
Communist Organization of Greece / Kommounistiki Organosi Elladas (KOE)
International Relations Department
Email: laokratia@yahoo.com * aristera@tellas.com
Web: www.koel.gr * In English: international.koel.gr