Humanitarian Crisis in Arta
Published by deviousdiva January 23rd, 2008 in Racism.An article by Spyros Karalis in Kathimerini looks at the humanitarian crisis in Arta for some 3000 foreign workers.
Photo by Yiannis Bardopoulos
Following the revelation in Kathimerini earlier this month of the degrading living conditions being experienced by foreign workers in Arta and their exploitation by human traffickers and some citrus farmers, as local residents and authorities appeared to be indifferent, state doctors were dispatched on Tuesday to help the immigrants, most of whom are suffering from pulmonary disease, including tuberculosis, parasitic infections, symptoms of septicemia and, above all, an absolute lack of hygiene.
The initiative followed a letter written by local priests complaining about the treatment of the migrant workers by their employers. The situation appeared to have spiraled out of control, threatening a widespread epidemic in the local population.
When Kathimerini visited the area recently, about 40 Afghans were lying on the ground in an old warehouse just outside the town surrounded by their personal belongings and covered in blankets provided by sympathetic locals.
“What you see here is luxury compared to when they first came here in November, barefoot and sleeping in the fields without any blankets or shoes,” said Father Haralambos, the priest in Grammenitsa and one of the seven clerics who penned an appeal to the Greek public.
“After the first story in Kathimerini, there was an uproar in the area,” he said. “The immigrants were told to leave for Arta or Athens, so as to move the problem away from this area. No one cared where these people were to go, or whether they died on the way, given their destitute condition. As long as the problem was removed. That is Greece,” he said
UPDATE: A mobile care unit has been dispatched to the area. Read more here.
Technorati: greece, arta, humanitarian, migrants, immigration, exploitation
8 Responses to “Humanitarian Crisis in Arta”
- 1 Trackback on Jan 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
- 2 Pingback on Jan 27th, 2008 at 1:20 am
“After the first story in Kathimerini, there was an uproar in the area,” he said. “The immigrants were told to leave for Arta or Athens, so as to move the problem away from this area. No one cared where these people were to go, or whether they died on the way, given their destitute condition. As long as the problem was removed. That is Greece,” he said.
I’m just reposting the last part of the priest’s word without comment…
“words” I meant.
It looks very much like clear exploitation of vulnerable foreign workers, in a sector of the economy which is very doing very badly. However, there is even evidence in the 2001 Census data that Arta was a bad area of Greece for immigrant workers. Instead of any research or discussion on such issues of contemporary reality in Greece, we are treated to speeches by blog contributors about how badly Greeks were allegedly treated in 1923.
This thread is not about 1923 and we are not interested in your nationalist obsessions. The link you provide cites no scholarly sources, and is therefore a political pressure group. End of discussion.
Ok Stop right there. It seems I can’t post anything about CURRENT issues without you (you know who you are) bringing up something that has NOTHING to do with the post.
Can you please stop now.
No-one is answering you here because it is OFF-TOPIC. Please try and understand.
If you want to discuss other issues other than the ones I am posting about, take them elsewhere. This is not a platform for your pet subject. I have completely had enough of you derailing my blog when I know you have your own. Do it over there.
Seeing as you have pointed out how much fairer you are at your place, legein what’s stopping you discussing your issues over there. Why are you using my blog as a platform for yourself ?
Have some respect and stick to the issues I am bringing up here.
Thank you.
If you have queries for people that are off-topic, please contact them through their own blogs if they have one or email me with queries about this blog. If you have a blog, please link your name to it so that people can find you. I do not wish to be a go-between.
Thank you.
and you still don’t get it…