Here is a translation of the claim published originally at:
http://athens.indymedia.org/In Lefkimmi, Corfu, the decision for the construction of a XYTA (hygienic garbage disposal center) found of course the residents completely opposed. In order to react to this decision, the Lefkimmians held popular assemblies, organized a struggle committe and together with some friendly institutions they tried with all legal means to block the construction of the XYTA and the transport of all the island's garbage to their living area. Though, the believe that popular will can have an effect through legal procedures was torn down the moment their application for qualificatory measures and blocking of the XYTA construction were turned down by the legal council, as well as disregarded by the local authorities that are supposed to represent their interests.
Democracy revealed its rotten face to the Lefkimmians, but they didn't confine themselves to accepting this defeat, but went on their struggle, beyond institutional and legal means. On May 29, they gathered to block the way of XYTA construction vehicles, with their bodies, barricades, stones and fire. At that time, they met with the brutality of democracy and its repression. With the cost of a human life, the state's occupation army broke the resident's block and opened the way to the workfield. The villagers claim the obvious: that for the death of the 43 year old, the main responsibles are the cops.
Despite the woman's murder, the state didn't hold back its plans at all. This cynicism was sealed upon the statements of Roussopoulos (note: goverment's spokesman) that it all has to do with "law enforcement".
On June 18 we chose to wreck a police car in the center of Heraklion as a response to the violent and brutal repression mobilized by the state to shut the mouths and sweep every loud resistance. In order to cultivate fear and a feeling of impotence to all those daring to resist, and to set an example to everyone that even thinks about it. The death of the 43 year old is part of the vast list of state's murders when people lose their lives in the altar of progress, profit, security and their law enforcement. Neither one of state's murders must pass without a response and this is our minimum response.
On the occasion of these struggles: In Lefkimmi, Corfu, at Thesprotia, at Liosia, Attiki.
For decades now, each government's plans towards the garbage management can be characterized as at least criminal to the natural environment and to human. Criminal, since, while there are technologies to manage garbage (thermal procedures, OEDA and recycling) that reduce to a minimum the effects of piles of garbage (products of an equally irresponsible over-consuming society that has its own responsibilities for the environmental problems), the greek state (allegedly for reasons of costliness), has chosen the simple way of the XADA (areas of incontrollable garbage disposal), meaning the burrying of garbage deep in the earth polluting with dioxins, toxins, heavy metals etc the aquafers, the earth, the air.
More specifically in Crete, the most outrageous examples are the garbage dumps of Kouroupitos in Chania, Makroulas in Rethimno and Pera Galina in Heraklion. There are dozens of XADA around the island, that are the reason for irreversible damages of the ecosystem. On 2006, and after lots of E.U. directives, they begun what they were supposed and paid to do: to stop the XADA and start constructing XYTAs. The vindictives of each city that has still a XADA after 2008 are up to 30.000 euros per day. Money that will of course come from the citizens. The most tragicomic in all of that isn't the typical for the greek state irresponsibility and neglect.
Nope... The most tragicomic is that according to an E.U. directive, from 2010 on, every member-state that handles its garbages at the polluting XYTAs will be called to pay an extra garbage-tax, money that in any case will come from the citizens. This mockery (because that's what it is) has a doer and a victim. On the first side, the general and blatant environmental destruction in the altar of interests, profit and the "progress" and its concequenses for human. On the other side, the state's plans, that, when the conditions demand it, use brutal force to pass.
So, we selected the buildings of the Crete Prefecture hall for our "artistic" intervention-attack on June 16 especially because of its role to reinforce state politics on any level, it comes second only to the ministry of inner afairs and before the nomarchs and mayors. Thus, it is co-responsible for the environmental crimes anywhere. Our solidarity to the community struggles that chose not to shut up is given. We wont leave the beatings, the arrests, the terrorism and state's murders without a response.
PS: We recently found out about the mobilization of the last days on what it has to do with the creation of a garbage thermal treatment unit in Crete. So, one could tell that our action was malevolent and wrong. But how it is that this units should be constructed decades ago. A delay that costed these areas damnation to pollution. The local authorities are co-responsible for this, and the Prefecture cannot claim it has nothing to do with it. Besides, this sudden interest of the E.U. for the environment is not that innocent. From the one side, it has to do with the fact that the management of the produced garbage is a field of profits for large corporations, not only through the relative units, but also through a well-paid garbage elaboration process. On the other side, state and capital have the ambition to build a supposed eco-friendly profile. Thus, while capitalist development is based on the pillage of the earth, the natural sources and humans, they try to convince us that they will rescue us from the environmental problems they create themselves.
THE CIVILIZATION OF POLLUTION CANNOT BE CLEANED UP, BUT ONLY BROUGH DOWN.
SOLIDARITY TO THE STRUGGLE OF LEFKIMMI RESIDENTS
IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF ALL ACCUSATIONS.
Anarchists, Antiauthoritarians
