En avril dernier, j’étais en Grèce, plus précisément à Thessalonique, afin de présenter un ouvrage traduit en grec par des camarades libertaires athéniens.
Les organisateurs de la conférence, sur La peste monothéiste, à l’université, étaient les camarades anarcho-syndicalistes de l’ESE.
J’ai réalisé alors l’interview de Donia, institutrice et syndicaliste sur la situation dans le pays où les prières sont obligatoires à l’école, où l’église est subventionnée par l’état et omniprésente dans la rue.
Les anarchistes, pour la plupart, n’osent pas s’attaquer frontalement aux orthodoxes, ceci pour garder la sympathie qu’ils ont actuellement de la part du peuple (selon différents sondages 10 à 15 % des grecs sont sensibles aux idées libertaires). D’un autre côté ils n’osent pas non plus s’attaquer à l’Islam car pour certains ce serait s’attaquer aux immigrés.
Le débat à donc été vif après la présentation du livre, et du concept de laïcité. Affrontement classique mais ici très marqué, entre relativistes et universalistes.
Cyrille Gallion
– Cyrille : At first very great thanks for your warm welcome.
Why did you organize such a presentation ? About a book criticizing religion ?
Donia :It is important for us to promote a libertarian way of thinking, not just to have syndicalistic action
– Cyrille : you said, you did a very big job to publicise the presentation. Many posters and flyers. How did you find the answers of the participants ? Does this stuff reflect some things about Greece situation with religion ?
Donia :we were expecting more people to come. i am not sure that the problem is just the fact that we are a religius soceity. maybe the day (general strike) was not really suitable or maybe people don’t really read books !
– Cyrille : The presentation was on a day of strike in Greece. In the morning we were at the demonstration. We walked behind the banner of ESE, a black and red banner, colors of anarcho-syndicalism. I guess you’re a member of ESE.
What is this organization ?
Donia : ESE is an anarchosyndicalistic organisation, which is not an official union, because of the greek syndicalistic law. we act as a union in many cases, based on direct action. we also promote the idea of creating base-unions in several sectors and the anarchosyndicalistic idea about the organisation of community in general.
– Cyrille : why can’t it be a real trade-union ?
Donia :the law recognises only one official union in each sector.
– Cyrille : Do you think the situation is better in France for trade- unionism ? why and/or why not ?
Donia :i believe the movement is more plurallistic
– Cyrille : What are the professions of the members of ESE ?
Donia : waiters, cooks, unemploied, teachers, precarians etc
– Cyrille : In which towns are you ?
Donia : in athens, thessaloniki and ioannina
– Cyrille : Have you got a plan of growth ?
Donia : in thessaloniki we are about to fount a social center. also we are prepairing some campaigns in the three cities
– Cyrille : Do you know CGT and CNT unions in Spain and CNT and Solidaires in France ? What do you think about those organisations. Have you heard something about the CNT-Solidarité Ouvrières union ?
Donia : i know some things about spain but the french division is not familiar to me
– Cyrille : Can you talk about your feelings on the Greek situation of the anarchist movement in its largest meaning ?
Donia : after december 2008 the anarchist movement has become larger but not wiser. i believe it is not mature enough
– Cyrille : Finally through the French media the Greek situation is terrible, very near chaos. I’m here for a week staying with you. I feel it’s a bit hard but for example I saw less homeless people begging in your town of one million people than in mine of only 100,000 people. What do you think about this ? What does the crisis mean for you in your everyday life ?
Donia : the situation is really bad for too many people. the fact that there are not too many homeless people is a result of a strong feeling of family solidarity. it is often that eldery people live in a flat with the family of the unemployed children, maybe 5 people living by a 500 euros pension, without, for example, heating or medical care. also there used to be a law until now that didnt allow to the banks to take houses because of dept. so, many people, who whould be homeless in spain or USA, still live in houses that they cannot pay for their lawns
– Cyrille : Do you want to talk about other things ?
Donia : its difficult for me to express myself in english. i hope you understand the spirit (!) of the answers