Unrest in Greece:  Regime vs. People

-DR. ABDUL RUFF

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People of Greece has been for quite  some time struggling against their regime on account of colonialist austerity measures. 

Greece is a test case for the enforcement of austerity cuts by the ruling elites run by the corporate criminal lords by bribing even the pseudo-leftist union leaders in all European countries facing economic and Euro crisis. Police chased the protesters hundreds of meters through the streets, and the entire city centre was drenched in tear gas. The brutality in Athens is only the beginning of a growing confrontation between the government and the population.

The huge general strike involving hundreds of thousands of ordinary people demonstrating their opposition to the IMF austerity policies of the government that paralyzed Greece last week was a powerful expression of collective anger of people and were the largest since the downfall of the military dictatorship in 1974.

The money is stolen from European people, workers and given to the Greek government which, in turn, passes it on directly to the big banks. In the past two years the social democratic PASOK government of George Papandreou has implemented unprecedented social cutbacks demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union. Wages have been cut for public service workers by up to 50 percent and taxes raised for the ordinary population. The ensuing recession has led to massive layoffs in the private sector.

The Greek parliament approved a painful set of austerity measures on 24^th October, defying violent protests in central Athens and a general strike which shut down much of the country.  The struggling government of “Socialist” PM George Papandreou won the parliamentary vote with 154 votes in favor and 144 against, despite the decision by one deputy in the ruling party to oppose one article in the package.

The victory should ensure the European Union and International Monetary Fund release a vital 8 billion euro (6.98 billion pound) loan tranche which the government needs to keep paying its bills past November.

The mix of deep pay and pension cuts, tax hikes and changes to collective bargaining agreements has been bitterly opposed and at least 70,000 people joined protests in Athens' Syntagma Square in front of parliament. Groups of black-clad youths clashed with rivals from PAME, a communist-affiliated labor group, and police later cleared the square.  At least 74 people were taken to hospital with injuries and one man died of a heart attack on the fringes of the protest, but officials said he had not been hurt in the incidents. This was a pre-meditated attack and the rioters served the interests of "specific mechanisms." As night fell, streets were strewn with rubbish and debris after hours of sporadic clashes but the square in front of parliament was cleared of demonstrators. The head of the Greek Communist party, Aleka Papariga condemned the violence which she said had been deliberately provoked by groups of "hood-wearers."

Greek brutality  is akin to NATO terrorist  tactics. The general strike called by unions representing around half the Greek workforce was one of the largest protests since the start of the crisis two years ago and brought more than 100,000 people to the streets on Wednesday.

Papandreou said are at a critical point, not only for us but for European history. I have never, in my memory, heard before from leaders of major European countries that there is danger of Europe coming apart. "It is time for all of us now to assume our collective responsibility." Hostility to the new austerity measures has also imposed a severe strain on the ruling PASOK party and Papandreou expelled Louka Katseli, a close family friend, after she voted against an article in the bill restricting collective wage agreements. Two other deputies who had threatened to rebel bowed to pressure from party leaders but deep unease remained at measures many feel punish the weak and will only drive the stricken economy further into the ground. "Enough is enough, society is despairing, the country is collapsing," PASOK said to applause from other deputies.

With Greece reeling from three years of recession and a mountainous public debt which has shut it out of bond markets, Papandreou's government is trapped between lenders demanding tougher action and public anger at the cuts.

There has been widespread speculation the government will fall early, forcing a election before the scheduled date in 2013, but Papandreou has repeatedly ruled out stepping down early.

People sent a message on Wednesday that they have reached their limits and can't take any more austerity. Banks, schools and government buildings were closed, transport services were hit and hospitals ran on skeleton staffing on Thursday and unions have vowed to continue their opposition with further stoppages.

Papandreou now flies to Brussels for a meeting of European leaders on Sunday to try to prevent the debt crisis spinning out of control. A second summit is also expected to be held on Wednesday.

Fierce fight between the people and their own elected regimes on scandalous misbehavior squandering the mandate given by them  clearly indicates the emerging worst crisis in capitalism directly affecting badly the future of imperialist and colonialist  western terrocratic dispensations. 

Greece is a classic example of how people begin  in open their  simmering fight against their regime the world over. Neither the unilateral USA nor fascist NATO nor the notorious UNSC has so far taken notice of of the struggle of the people of Greece and the brutality of the Greek regime to consider  noflyzone over Greece protect the people and their genuine economic interests. 

It is because Greek regime, unlike the Col. Qaddafi  government,  pursues capitlist goals of IMF and WB, crippling the routine life of the  people.