Text by Nikos Romanos about the hunger strike of political prisoners (Greece)

Inter Arma received and translated:

On March 2, Anarchists/political prisoners began a hunger strike with demands aiming at the suppressive context of the counter-terrorist crusade that goes on smoothly, despite the left governance of the traders of hope. The anarchist comrades involved in the Network of Fighting Prisoners (NFP) and comrades MaziotisKoufodinas and Gournas have put in a general framework that depicts the development of repression in recent years. That’s why each one of their demands separately deconstructs the emergency regime and its basic expression which is none other than repression.

After SY.RIZ.A was elected, many comrades -including me- believed that there was a need for provocations from anarchist perspectives in order to force SYRIZA to reveal its real face. The face of capitalism, the face of the managers of modern power, the face of the servants of Capital. Besides, to this masquerade with guests from all historical periods, viewers are forced to discover that beneath all the masks hides the face of power, which can neither be improved nor reformed, only destroyed, with continuous struggle by all means. And let all those anarchists that were dragged to the polls to cast a vote in SY.RIZ.A hear this.

But it became obvious that SY.RIZ.A made a rapid shift from being the institutional arm of any social struggles and from digestible rhetoric of the pre-election period to the government realism, as we all know it.

Because the internationalized storm of repression that sweeps everything in its path, is implicitly connected to the structural crisis of capitalism and its restructuring at all levels of social life. The royal-matte of domination to its subordinates goes on. After having bought their conscience by giving them membership cards for the capitalist paradise through bank loans, it is now trying to ensure their faith in that democracy has no dead ends. Of course, the road to hell is always paved with the best intentions. And it’s neither the first nor the last time the Left has some essential contribution to the strategic directions of world domination.

So, the last act of repressive puzzle took place with the arrest of comrade Angelikiand the pogroms of the counter-terrorism agency against relatives and friends of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire. Those who have spent a period of their lives behind the walls, can easily grasp the magnitude of emotional blackmail, of watching your loved ones who stand beside you in captivity’s everyday monotonous repetitions, behind prison bars.

A real nightmare instigated by the counter-terrorism agency and judges. And if the personal cost is to be lifted by them, the political costs would be addressed to their political superiors. And in order to pretend they have honor, let them have their fists raised when the time comes. So, the hunger strike of the imprisoned members of CCF and its victorious outcome will result in blocking the vindictive persecution of relatives of the rebels. In the same way, the victory of the comrades of NFP and of Maziotis, Koufodinas, Gournas will put a major obstacle before the attack of domination against its political opponents. So, in this context, the importance of the struggle of rebel prisoners and the solidarity movement is great. The opportunity to open cracks in the walls not only in prisons but within authority itself (and its image) is ahead of us. We understand the circumstances, we coordinate our actions, we join our views with passion against all authority, of any origin and rhetoric. Because anyone who loves freedom and hates injustice will always look for ways to destroy prison.




Nikos Romanos

E wing of Korydallos prison, 15/3/2015.