Thread: Destitute Illegal Aliens Take Over Greek Courthouse

Destitute Immigrants Take Over Athens Courthouse

AP foreign, Saturday May 9 2009
ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press Writer

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Hundreds of destitute illegal immigrants have taken over an old courthouse steps away from central Athens' tourist hotels, living for months amid piles of fetid rubbish and human waste in an eight-story building without electricity, running water or sanitation.

Aid workers warned on Saturday that the situation has been allowed to spiral out of control and turn into a public health hazard, while police were bracing for pro- and anti-immigrant demonstrations in nearby Omonoia Square later in the day.

One was called by a far-right group to demand immigrants be thrown out of Greece, and another by human rights and left-wing groups in support of immigrant rights. Similar demonstrations last year led to clashes between rival protesters that left three people hurt.

Greece is on one of the main smuggling routes for immigrants heading to Europe, with tens of thousands sneaking into the country each year. Authorities say the country's location at Europe's eastern frontier means Greece needs assistance to cope with the influx.

Thousands of the new arrivals head to the cities in search of work. But with the global financial crisis beginning to bite in Greece, both immigrants and aid groups say jobs are becoming scarcer, leaving many unable to pay for even basic necessities. Although Greece has not yet faced major layoffs, the economy is slowing and unemployment jumped to 9.4 percent in January.

"It's a lot worst now," said Maurice, a 22-year-old Algerian living in the old Appeals Court building. "We live in misery." He, like all the other squatters willing to speak, would only give his first name for fear of trouble from the authorities.

Maurice is one of about 500 illegal immigrants, mostly men from Morocco and Algeria, living in squalor in the eight story former Appeals Court building without electricity, running water or sewage.

"It is an epidemiological time bomb in the center of Athens," said Nikitas Kanakis, head of the Greek section of the medical aid group Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), which set up a mobile medical unit outside the building Friday.

The immigrants live amid piles of fetid rubbish and human waste in former judges' offices. Several men share a room, with most using cardboard covered with the occasional blanket to sleep on. With no sanitation, they use empty offices, the roof and even the corridors as toilets. The old spiral staircase, its bannister delicately curved, is slick with dirt.

Some have made the best of what they have, sticking posters on the wall, laying threadbare rugs over the grimy floor. One has even started up his own business, running a basic cafeteria. But the stench emanating from the building is so strong that it wafts across the street, a few hundred yards (meters) away from tourist hotels.

It is unclear when the first immigrants broke in, but many say they have been there for months. Medecins du Monde said the situation came to their attention in the last few days. They believe diseases such as hepatitis are rife, while many of those seeking their help were suffering from skin complaints such as scabies.

"We will be here all the time, but it's clear that we don't have the means to cover the massive health issues that this place has," said Yiannis Mouzalas of Medecins du Monde. He said authorities must help to sanitize and clean the building, and that they had been irresponsible in allowing the situation to become so severe.

"We consider it's not possible for this situation to have been created without (their) knowledge," he said. "We are afraid that they have chosen irresponsibility so that the problem is solved by the police and through racism."

Athens City Hall had no immediate comment.

Anti-racist and aid groups fear the increasing anger of nearby residents over the conditions in and around the building could be co-opted by far-right groups and lead to violence.

The building had been vacant since 2000 when the appeals court moved to a new location, and there are reportedly plans for the building to be repaired and rented out.

But the immigrants insist they have nowhere else to go.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8498652

Related:
Migrants flood into Greece - then try to sneak out
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-155391-athens.html

from Morocco and Algeria

But the immigrants insist they have nowhere else to go.

The heck they don't

"It's a lot worst now," said Maurice, a 22-year-old Algerian living in the old Appeals Court building. "We live in misery." He, like all the other squatters willing to speak, would only give his first name for fear of trouble from the authorities.

Maurice is one of about 500 illegal immigrants, mostly men from Morocco and Algeria, living in squalor in the eight story former Appeals Court building without electricity, running water or sewage.

Worse than home? When will they understand all these countries can't handle all these people, let alone live up to what their fantasy of what life is like there.

They should be rounded up put on helicopters and line dropped back into their own countries with a back-back of provisions and wished God's Speed in their homeland of citizenship.

Nasty, just nasty, nasty, nasty! Why does any country put up with this?! It's insanity.

It's pretty clear that they have nothing to offer the country they are squatting in so they might as well be sent home so they can squat there.

Legalize them and they will jump on the welfare system.

Dixie