Bosses open fire on migrant workers in Greece

More than twenty migrant workers were injured when their bosses fired on them with shotguns on Wednesday.

Submitted by Thrasybulus on April 18, 2013

Bosses at a strawberry farm in Manolada, Ileia opened fire on workers demanding back pay on Wednesday afternoon. More than 20 people were wounded and taken to hospital after the attack. The majority of the workers were immigrants from Bangladesh.

After not having been paid for six months around two hundred farm workers gathered to meet with three farm supervisors. In response to the workers request that they be paid the three supervisors opened fire with shotguns. Mhe workers ran but many were injured.

Initial reports state that between 20-30 people were wounded with several still in hospital and one in a serious condition. The owner of the farm has been questioned by police but the three supervisors who fired are still at large though their identities are known.

This attack hasn't come out of the blue. There have been previous documented cases of abuse and widespread exploitation of immigrant workers on farms in the region for years. This is only the largest incident in a recent wave of racist attacks in Greece. Many immigrants from Asia and Africa live and work in Greece and are often subject to contempt, exploitation and racism from their employers. In addition they must work for below minimum wage, rarely if ever have insurance papers and are frequently harassed by police.

Whilst the government has condemned the attack we should remember that this is the same government which has labelled immigrants the 'tyrants of Greek society'. The same government which denies that the Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn is a result of racism. The same government which has been rounding up, imprisoning and deporting immigrants like those of Manolada in a systematic campaign for months. Indeed the fate of the immigrants is unclear as many of them are said to be without the legal papers to stay in Greece and so could face imprisonment and deportation under current government policy.

Comments

amarula

10 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by amarula on April 19, 2013

the world is spinning in the wrong direction...we're going backwards to where we were before human rights have been adopted....i haven't found a job in two years....and though i LOVE life...i'm dying a little by little everyday, no chance, no help...i don't even know who to turn to anymore...

NannerNannerNa…

10 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by NannerNannerNa… on April 20, 2013

I heard about this before, but every time I hear about I'm even more disgusted. This is where society is going!

Gregory A. Butler

10 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Gregory A. Butler on April 21, 2013

Why hasn't the media been calling this a terrorist attack?

Thrasybulus

10 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Thrasybulus on April 21, 2013

If you want some clue has to which way this society is going have a look at this report on a recent poll. Around a third of the Greek people who took part believe life was better under the right-wing military Junta of the 70's.

Steven.

9 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on July 31, 2014

Update: the bosses who did the shooting just got acquitted
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/31/greek-court-acquits-farmers-shot-strawberry-pickers?CMP=twt_gu