Comrades, below a text (and the planned events) by the Barefoot Battalion, Ioannina, on the occasion of the 2nd trial of comrade Michalis Tolis, total objector of the army. Please upload and distribute! International solidarity!
Solidarity to the total objector of the army MICHALIS TOLIS,
It was on the morning of 20 October 2014, when A. Tsipras, then still leader of the Opposition said, stepping out of the Defence Ministry building that "there will be continuity in the State". This declaration was preceded by a long discussion during which the then Defence Minister Avramopoulos had updated Tsipras and military officials about affairs of the Ministry.
State continuity is indeed an undeniable fact. The Greek Government continues to collaborate with the dictatorship of Egypt and plans joint military exercises with the participation of Cyprus and Israel, trying to play its part in the competition for dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Greek army is still involved in all kinds of war operations abroad, as well as in geostrategic upgrading operations, building natural gas pipelines and claiming Exclusive Economic Zones. The arms purchases are flourishing, the army is still training to suppress urban insurrections and to participate actively in the management and depreciation of immigrants. The army's role in boosting nationalism is also being upgraded: the army publishes books distributed for free to all schools stating "our nation is right" as opposed to the "diabolical chancellor Merkel and other descendants of Hitler", prepares engineering education departments using the work of soldiers serving their mandatory military service, turns the already ridiculous nationalist parades into ultra-kitsch public shows, stages free-food gigs to build a charitable profile.
Let's not fool ourselves. The Independent Greeks are no "right wing dissonance" stalling the left governments' leaps forward, nor has Syriza backed down from its pre-election declarations. It is all about the importance of militarism, both at home and abroad. This safeguards the continuity of the market, of the State and of capitalism. It is about the interests of our class enemies who are still in charge.
In this context it is no surprise that there is continuity also in the unwavering stance of the Army against its objectors. The army must avoid even to consider the mere possibility of leaks in human resources, of cracks in the nationalist frenzy and of threats to the army's readiness for combat, especially now that capitalist restructuring is creating new fields of opportunities and risks.
This explains the anger and fierceness of militarists towards anti-militarists. It explains the invasion into the family home of the total objector of the army I. Nedelkopoulos, in execution of an arrest warrant for the indictable offence of not showing up for conscription (29-04-15). This explains the constant persecution of the total objector Michalis Tolis. So what if he has already been sentenced in March 2014, what if its already been fined twice with 6,000 euro for not doing his service, so what if has never given up his civilian identity card for a military one, nor ever entered the military camp, for the military authorities it doesn't matter. They want to exhaust him financially and in court, and to eventually make him shut up.
They are doing their job. Let us do ours. Not let anyone succumb to the blackmail of the khaki uniform. We are on the side of the total objector Michalis Tolis on May 14th, 2015, at the martial court of Ioannina. We deny the army, we fight militarism, we struggle for class-internationalist solidarity, we organize the war against the war.
For a world without military brutality, nationalist hatred, State repression and capitalist exploitation.
PLANNED EVENTS:
the poster of BAREFOOT BATTALION
posters-solidarity actions in other cities
WAR against WAR, edition from BAREFOOT BATTALION (english translation)
Solidarity to the total objector of the army MICHALIS TOLIS,
(who will be tried on 14th May 2015, at the martial court of Ioannina)
"STATE CONTINUITY"
It was on the morning of 20 October 2014, when A. Tsipras, then still leader of the Opposition said, stepping out of the Defence Ministry building that "there will be continuity in the State". This declaration was preceded by a long discussion during which the then Defence Minister Avramopoulos had updated Tsipras and military officials about affairs of the Ministry.
State continuity is indeed an undeniable fact. The Greek Government continues to collaborate with the dictatorship of Egypt and plans joint military exercises with the participation of Cyprus and Israel, trying to play its part in the competition for dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Greek army is still involved in all kinds of war operations abroad, as well as in geostrategic upgrading operations, building natural gas pipelines and claiming Exclusive Economic Zones. The arms purchases are flourishing, the army is still training to suppress urban insurrections and to participate actively in the management and depreciation of immigrants. The army's role in boosting nationalism is also being upgraded: the army publishes books distributed for free to all schools stating "our nation is right" as opposed to the "diabolical chancellor Merkel and other descendants of Hitler", prepares engineering education departments using the work of soldiers serving their mandatory military service, turns the already ridiculous nationalist parades into ultra-kitsch public shows, stages free-food gigs to build a charitable profile.
Let's not fool ourselves. The Independent Greeks are no "right wing dissonance" stalling the left governments' leaps forward, nor has Syriza backed down from its pre-election declarations. It is all about the importance of militarism, both at home and abroad. This safeguards the continuity of the market, of the State and of capitalism. It is about the interests of our class enemies who are still in charge.
In this context it is no surprise that there is continuity also in the unwavering stance of the Army against its objectors. The army must avoid even to consider the mere possibility of leaks in human resources, of cracks in the nationalist frenzy and of threats to the army's readiness for combat, especially now that capitalist restructuring is creating new fields of opportunities and risks.
This explains the anger and fierceness of militarists towards anti-militarists. It explains the invasion into the family home of the total objector of the army I. Nedelkopoulos, in execution of an arrest warrant for the indictable offence of not showing up for conscription (29-04-15). This explains the constant persecution of the total objector Michalis Tolis. So what if he has already been sentenced in March 2014, what if its already been fined twice with 6,000 euro for not doing his service, so what if has never given up his civilian identity card for a military one, nor ever entered the military camp, for the military authorities it doesn't matter. They want to exhaust him financially and in court, and to eventually make him shut up.
They are doing their job. Let us do ours. Not let anyone succumb to the blackmail of the khaki uniform. We are on the side of the total objector Michalis Tolis on May 14th, 2015, at the martial court of Ioannina. We deny the army, we fight militarism, we struggle for class-internationalist solidarity, we organize the war against the war.
For a world without military brutality, nationalist hatred, State repression and capitalist exploitation.
09-05-2015 22:30 soli-party, Ioannina
12-05-2015 18:00, outdoor info-event, ioannina
and international info-event and discussion, thessaloniki
THE SLAUGHTER IN YUGOSLAVIA: the roots of the Greco-Serbian friendship, anti-militarist and anarchist solidarity during the war
with the participation of comrades from Zagreb
13-05-2015 19:00 (s. above discussion, Ioannina)
14-05-2015 08:30, solidarity meeting, martial court, Ioannina