The Chania hunger strikers have been granted residence permits!

On Friday, the 5th of December 2008, or the 25th day of the hunger strike, the Ministry of Interior Affairs promised that the hunger strikers be granted residence permits on "exceptional grounds".

The migrants are still on hunger strike, until this is officially confirmed. For the ministry's masterminds, this might be a maneuver to avoid the pressure the strike stood for; for us, it is a great victory of the strikers' determination and the solidarity movement's efforts.

The strikers did not fight for their cases only, but for everyone in their condition. A change in the law was not achieved, yet their decision is a sober one and one that should be respected: a very strong message of courageous struggle has been sent and now it is up to migrants and non-migrants, in Greece as in everywhere, to keep the flame alive - as with every flame set up against Fortress Europe across countries and borders...

...the course of the hunge strike...

Since 11 November migrants in Chania, Crete, Greece, active members of the Crete Forum of Migrants, had been on hunger strike, demanding the legal status they are eligible for, fighting for dignity and equal rights, for them and their families, for all migrants within Fortress Europe. 10 Hunger Strikers had been in hospital since the 29th of November... They continued the hunger strike from the hospital wards...


You can read more about this in :: clandestinenglish.wordpress.com

Full information in Greek in :: clandestina.org and the :: Athens Indymedia.