Greek migrant hunger strike highlights inhumanity of immigration system

This blog has written previously about the racism and inhumanity of anti-immigration laws.

Yesterday (Wednesday 9th March) the hunger strike of 300 migrants in Greece ended in victory after key concessions were made by the Greek government. The 300 undocumented migrants, who lived and worked in Greece for years, usually at a fraction of the minimum wage, had been on hungers strike for 44 days, after being told that, due to the economic crisis, they were no longer wanted and must either leave voluntarily or be deported.

The strikers, dozens of whom have been hospitalised in states of near organ-failure, were demanding nothing more than the basic recognition of their humanity in the face of brutal and dehumanising immigration laws - for the most minimal of labour protections and living conditions in a system that sees them as less that human simply because of who they are and where the come from.

Following the government's concessions it has now been agreed that:

• The time limit for application for permanent residence in Greece has now been dropped from twelve years to eight years.
• Work credit has been diconnected from the application for permanent residence.
• All 300 migrant hunger strikers will be allowed to apply for 6-month rolling permits until they reach the 8-year limit in order to gain permanent residence.

These reforms, while moderate, represent a major victory on the part of the hunger strikers, who have now paved the way for thousands of migrants to live in Greece without fear of being undocumented.

See also:

• Migrant hunger-strike ends in huge victory, From The Greek Streets
• These hunger-strikers are the martyrs of Greece, The Guardian