Arson against PPC vehicles (Thessaloniki, 23/10/2007)

Sources (in greek only): "Eleftherotipia" newspaper: http://www.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=112,id=32526536

Communique in Athens.indymedia.org: http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=786516

A group called Antiautoritarian Conscience Brigade claimed responsibility for the arson attack against two vehicles of the Public Power Corporation at Armenopoulou Str. as a response to all workers murdered and the pillage of the natural environment for 5 decades:

"The morning of 23/10/2007 we symbolically attacked at the PPC's parking lot on Armenopoulou street, in the center of Thessaloniki, as a response to the murdered workers, that died in the PPC's works and for the total pillage of the natural world, held by the PPC for the last 5 decades.

Already, as soon as the 50'es, they made their intentions clear, by introducing lignite, the worst mineral as far as it concerns the excavation/restoration ratio, and its influence on the environment. The building of mines necessitates the moving of whole villages and the leveling of forests and fields, while the filters placed 30 years after the initial construction, basically work only during the day, while they are switched off in the night when the power production is intensified.

The degradation of the atmosphere, waters and the Earth caused by the PPC power plants is total. This was made even clearer during the past arsons, where the power lines, even if they where n't the reason of the fire, made impossible every effort to put it out, because of the fear of a total black out (Parnitha).

Simultaneously, PPC has built and exploits most hydroelectric power plants, building dams in great lakes and rivers, that control the water flow, in order to produce electric power. The effect in the local ecosystems are tragic, while even after the generaL depreciation of these units efficiency by many enterprises, PPC -in a perfect partnership with the greek state- keeps even today planning and building up such dams (Aheloos).

Despite the massive problems they have created, PPC has never met with minor or any social resistance. The reason for this, has to do with the "European" and "modern" lifestyle of electricity, but mostly with the employment it has created covering the gaps created by the exodus from the post-civil war era and the entrance in a period of a "modern state" constitution.

The quality of such a work has been proven catastrophic from the beginning. It initially was linked to cancers, respiratoral and other diseases, for the workers as well as for the local populations. But the most important effect was its contribution the the death of workers that this fine boss has covered up as "accidents at work". Hundreds of workers risk their live each year inside the mines and the workplaces of PPC, no counter the fatalities and severe injuries where PPC is not "directly" responsible for. This fatal work treaty in the mines' filed works and the mis-maintained vehicles was intensified with the privatization of the PPC during the year 2000-2001. Entrepreneurs and work contracts lasting a few months joined the game of a private company with the "privileges" of a state-run company. The company's response to the fair demands of the workers was a lock-out threat under the cover of the "evolution in power plants".

The struggle for the social liberation is long and painful. Our action is a part of that struggle. As long as PPC keeps and intensifies its exploratory works against humans and nature, we will keep on our action against them.

Antiauthoritarian Conscience Brigade

Ps. We decided to attack only the 2 of the 4 vehicles parked there, as we knew that the other two had these oxygen canisters inside them, and we didn't want to pose any threat to any passerby and local people, as well as to the company's workers."