Evictions Complete
From Panayote Dimitras of GHM:
This morning the police went there again (Votanikos) and evicted the remaining Roma from 120 Iera Odos old factory. They are now out on the streets and asking us desperately where they should go, to which we have no answer and no-one cares to help give them one.
This means they will lose faith in us as well.
The media have remained silent after their coverage of the first eviction.
What a pathetic country.
100 families with children and possible illness (they are not inoculated) are out there, homeless, in various quarters of Athens.
I don’t know what to say. We are too late in our action. The minute/minor action that it was. It is hard to think of all the children in my photos being let down yet again. And now, the final insult is that they are no longer a cohesive community to campaign for. Votanikos is no longer. I don’t know what to say or do…….
Sorry is not enough.
Technorati: Greece, Roma, Votanikos, evictions
Violations of Roma Children on January 1st, 2009
Denial of Justice for Roma on September 1st, 2008
Recycling Copper at Votanikos on July 28th, 2008
Roma Discrimination Continues on July 24th, 2008
A Victory for Roma Rights on June 6th, 2008
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Reader Comments
aw man. this is so devastating to read. from my own community, i know how horrible it is for the kids to have to move like this–
i am thinking of them–i hope that your actions lead to something much bigger diva, something that can’t be stopped…
I suspect you are not familiar with the Roma issue - nor with their unique culture. Also you might be interested to find out more about the greek state’s efforts to create affordable housing units for this population - and the reaction of them to that. The BBC feature is always tragically mediocre both in depth and content.
I totally respect and admire your blog - but its kinda populist the whole “save the kids” approach.
Double standards.
Nikos, I don’t think that their “unique culture” has anything to do with this issue.
Yes, I would be VERY interested in learning about the Greek states efforts to create affordable housing for these families who were living at Votanikos.
I take it as a compliment that my blog is populist. The “save the kids’ approach is genuine because I have met them and grown attached to them. I really hope that this approach (my approach) will interest more people in the issues affecting the Roma community.
I am not sure what the double standards snipe refers to but I am glad that you are reading my blog and hope that you will continue to do so.
Hi BFP. Yes, it is devastating. I am waiting to see what I can do next. I am overwhelmed with thoughts about the kids from Votanikos (where are they ? where are they sleeping tonight ? how are they feeling ?) I am just so sorry that I couldn’t really do anything in the end. More later….
I suspect Nikos on one hand can’t distinguish Roma from Roma, and on the other hand, he may think of ‘efforts’ when Roma were (often forcibly) relocated in nice segregated settlements far from anywhere, but the ghettoised moved back to their original communities (illegal or nomadic). This nice ’social’ practice and the “we did everything but the want to live in misery and illegality” meme is rather common around the world, for example in Portugal, it hit black immigrants from the former colonies.
Nikos,
[COMMENT EDITED BY DEVIOUS DIVA. TO EVERYONE, PLEASE DO NOT INSULT OR THREATEN PEOPLE ON MY BLOG]
Moreover, please do give us some examples of successful Roma relocation proportionate to the amount of money already spent (300 mil euros give or take).
Thanking you in advance
DD,
I fail to see why you deleted that part of my comment. Are you not respecting my unique culture? Shouldnt Nikos, the proponent of unique cultures, be aware of it and comment upon it? Isnt he the only person qualified to judge upon my unique culture?
The man with no name, I completely understand the point you were making but I felt that the way you put it was unnecessarily insulting and threatening. I have seen too many discussions here disintegrate into personal attacks and insults. I would like to avoid that from now on. I have to say that I might have misunderstood your sarcasm or tongue-in-cheek humour (I am not feeling particularly amused these past few days). If I have, I apologise.
My pal lives in Koropi, and he says the Roma there have land they have purchased (or were given) and are quite happy. Is there any chance that these Roma could take the Votanikos Roma under their wings temporarily. I asked my friend to ask them but he doesn’t speak Greek.
Please see on Attiki Odos on your right hand as you go to the airport the Koropi Roma settlement, just after the second Paiania bridge. As one would read in today’s Eleftheros Typos, they too, like the ones in Faliro, are facing eviction and had we not intervened they would have been evicted already.
This is absolutely heart-breaking! To be a mother with children and literally no place to go is a nightmare I can’t even imagine I’d know how to deal with. I hope they can find some way to retain their identity as a community even though that seems doubtful/impossible now.