Calais Jungle situation and Transnational Social Strike

004Calais Jungle situation and Transnational Social Strike

Tuesday 1st of March 2016

@ W23 Kulturzentrum, Wipplingerstrasse 23, 1010 Vienna (down some stairs – not wheelchair accessible per se but please get in touch if we can help with access!)
Precarity Office: www.precarityoffice.wordpress.com 

18h – doors open: mutual advice, food, drinks
20h – presentation and discussion: Calais Jungle : An European migration camp.
21h – Transnational Social Strike discussion
23h – doors close

en:
Since year 2000, in France, thousands of migrants and refugees from various nationalities must stay and live in Calais Jungle, in improvised camps in the woods, waiting to find a way to make it to the United Kingdom through the tunnel. Because of the difficulty of the task, migrants have to stay in Calais for months, or even more, and they survive there in a very precarious situation. Neglected and sometimes oppressed by the authorities, mainly receiving help from volunteers. Surrounded by fences and police, a sort of town emerged there, with shops and wooden shacks, with inhabitants filled with hopes for better tomorrows.
We will talk about the history of the Calais Jungle, as well as the current situation in which around 800-1.000 people living there face eviction from their homes and shelters, because part of the camp will be razed. At the same time a recent court decision has confirmed that adults and minors, who have family members living in the UK, have the right to join their relatives and should not have to risk their lives, attempting to cross the borders illegally.
This will be followed by a discussion about the Transnational Social Strike taking place this 1st of March.
More info: http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/

de:
Seit dem Jahr 2000 sind in Frankreich Tausende migrierte und geflüchtete Personen verschiedener Nationalitäten dazugezwungen, sich im Wald von Calais, in improvisierten Lagerstätten, aufzuhalten und sie verbringen dort ihre Zeit, darauf zu warten, einen Weg durch den Tunnel nach Großbritannien finden zu können. Nachdem durchzukommen sehr schwierig ist, bleiben sie in Calais über Monate oder auch über Jahre, und müssen unter sehr prekären Bedingungen überleben. Unversorgt und Repressionen der Behörden ausgesetzt, erhalten sie hauptsächlich Unterstützung von freiwilligen HelferInnen. Umgeben von Mauern und Polizei entwickelte sich eine Art Stadt, mit Geschäften und Holzhütten, bewohnt von Menschen mit großen Hoffnungen auf eine bessere Zukunft.
Wir werden über die Geschichte des Waldes von Calais sprechen wie auch über die gegenwärtige Situation ihrer 800 bis 1000 BewohnerInnen, die unter der ständigen Drohung der Delogierung aus ihren Zufluchtsstätten leben, da ein großer Teil des Lagers niedergerissen werden soll. Zugleich bestätigte jüngst eine juridische Entscheidung, dass Erwachsene und Minderjährige, deren Familienmitglieder in Großbritannien leben, das Recht haben, zu ihren Familienangehörigen ziehen zu können und nicht durch illegale Überquerung der Grenze ihr Leben riskieren zu müssen.
In der Folge gibt es eine Diskussion über den transnationalen Streik, der am 1. März, dem Tag der Veranstaltung, stattfinden wird.

es:
Desde el año 2000, en Francia, miles de personas migrantes y refugiadas de varias nacionalidades se ven forzadas a permanecer y a vivir en la Jungla de Calais, en campamentos improvisados en los bosques, esperando a encontrar una manera de acceder al Reino Unido a través del túnel. Dada la dificultad de la tarea, las personas migrantes han de permanecer en Calais durante meses o incluso más, y sobreviven en condiciones muy precarias. Destatendidas y en ocasiones reprimidas por las autoridades, pricipalmente reciben la ayuda de voluntarias y voluntarios. Rodeada de vallas y de policía, una especie de ciudad emerge, con tiendas y cabañas de madera, con habitantes llenas y llenos de esperanza de un futuro mejor.
Hablaremos de la historia de la Jungla de Calais, así como de la presente situación en la cual sus entre 800 y 1000 habitantes encaran un desalojo de sus hogares y refugios, dado que parte del campamento va a ser arrasado. Al mismo tiempo una reciente decisión judicial ha confirmado que las personas adultas y menores de edad que tienen miembros de sus familias viviendo en el Reino Unido, tienen derecho a unirse con sus parientes y no deberían tener que arriesgar sus vidas al intentar cruzar las fronteras ilegalmente.
A continuación tendremos una discusión sobre la Huelga Social Transnacional que tiene lugar este mismo día 1 de Marzo.

fr:
Depuis 2000, en France, des milliers de migrants et réfugiés de multiples nationalités doivent rester et vivre dans la « Jungle » de Calais, dans des camps improvisés dans les bois, espérant trouver un moyen d´entrer en Angleterre par le tunnel ou autres routes. Devant l´extreme difficulté de la tache, les migrants doivent rester sur place pendant des mois ou bien plus. Ils vivent dans des conditions hautement précaires, régulièrement opprimés par les autorités, ils reçoivent malgré tout une aide de la part d´association et de volontaires. Au milieu de ce tumulte s´organise une sorte de ville avec ces magasins. Et même une école et des lieux de cultes, pour les habitants aussi aspirent à de meilleurs lendemains.
Nous parleront de l´histoire de la Jungle de Calais, ainsi que la situation présente, où, entre 800 et 1000 personnes risquent une éviction de leurs habitats de fortune, parce qu´une partie du camp va être rasée.Au même moment, une décision de justice a confirmé que les adultes et mineurs qui ont des membres de leur famille qui vivent en Grande Bretagne, pourront désormais les rejoindre , et ne devraient pas risquer leurs vies á traverser les frontières illégalement.
Cette presentation sera suivie par uns discussion portant sur « La Grève Transnationnale » (Transnational Strike) qui a lieu ce 1er Mars.

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The Impossible “Honorable Compromise”

For Syriza, embracing an “honorable compromise” means abandoning the platform that brought them to power.

by Stathis Kouvelakis

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/05/greece-syriza-european-union-austerity-troika/

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Why Greece’s Syriza party is not sticking to the script on an IMF deal, by Paul Mason

Scenarios by Paul Mason are always welcome:

http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/greeces-syriza-party-sticking-script-imf-deal/3717

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Crisis and reform: obstacles and possibilities for Greece and Europe

“Clearly, the broader economic and social reforms inside Greece that the SYRIZA government has in mind cannot happen under such circumstances. The partners essentially dictate that the government continues pushing the weakest segments of the population towards more austerity and poverty, rather than providing the opportunity to work towards generating income from other sources through reform. The first time that a Greek government is really interested in a reform agenda, it is suffocated by its international institutional partners and given very small room for actually making reform possible. ”

Read Article : https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/dimitris-boucas/crisis-and-reform-obstacles-and-possibilities-for-greece-and-europe

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Spira Graz

Spira Graz A new collective of Greeks that immigrated to Austria due to the crisis has emerged. We wish our comrades and friends lots of strength and courage and look forward to our common struggles and endeavors. In solidarity we stand and we will prevail! Go Graz!

https://www.facebook.com/spira.graz

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The role of Jean-Claude Trichet (former ECB President) in the restructuring of the Greek debt back in 2010, as revealed in a new paper:

http://uk.businessinsider.com/cigi-paper-says-ecb-president-trichet-blocked-imf-debt-relief-to-greece-2015-4?r=US

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Greek Parliament Video Spots on Greek Debt: “Erase it” (English Subtitles)

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IMF made a €2.5billion profit from loans to Greece

“With an interest rate of 3.6% the International Monetary Fund has made a 2.5 billion euro profit from the loans to Greece since 2010… Out of its lending to all countries in debt crisis between 2010 and 2014 the IMF has made a total profit of €8.4 billion, over a quarter of which is effectively from Greece. All of this money has been added to the Fund’s reserves, which now total €19 billion.”

Full Article: http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2015/04/08/imf-made-a-e2-5billion-profit-from-loans-to-greece/

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Why should the Greek debt be audited? by Eric Toussaint

The first parliamentary meeting of the Greek Debt Audit Commission, initiated by the President of the Greek Parliament Zoe Konstantopoulou and coordinated by the Belgian professor and President of the Committee for the Abolition of Third World Debt, Eric Toussaint, took place today. The aim of this Commission, in which the citizens’ participation is crucial, is to find out whether part of the Greek public debt is odious, illegal or illegitimate. Zoe Konstantopoulou declared: “’People have a right to demand that the portion of the debt that the commission finds to be illegal be cancelled’”.

Read full article : http://cadtm.org/Why-should-the-Greek-debt-be

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Alain Badiou and Stathis Kouvelakis in conversation on Syriza and whether a radical break from the eurozone is possible.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/04/greece-syriza-euro-austerity/

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