GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR

GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR (GHM)
MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP - GREECE
P.O. Box 60820, GR-15304 Glyka Nera, Greece
Tel. +30-1-347.22.59; Fax +30-1-601.87.60
e-mail: office@greekhelsinki.gr Web Page: http://www.greekhelsinki.gr

15/9/00

SUBJECT: GREEK POLICE FORMALLY CONFIRMS THE PRESENCE OF INSTITUTIONALISED RACISM AGAINST ROMA

 

The cooperating organizations Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and Minority Rights Group-Greece (MRG-G) make public today the letter sent by the Greek Police General Staff to the Greek Foreign Ministry, in which the Greek Police tries to deny all charges of racism and police apathy made in consecutive reports and releases of our NGOs. The letter was never sent to GHM and MRG-G but was published in a local newspaper. The beginning of the letter is a "textbook case" of racist stereotypes against Roma. Written by the Police General Staff, it is the most resounding confirmation that Greek police is racist towards the Roma.

 

 

 

Letter of the Ministry of Public Order (Police General Staff) to the Human Rights Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to Greek Helsinki Monitor releases and reports on anti-Roma racist incidents in Nea Kios

(as published in "Argoliki Enimerosi," 31/8/2000)

 

1. In response to the above (a) and (b) concerning the attached documents regarding this issue, we wish to inform you of the following from the aspect of police responsibility:

 

1. It is well known that Athiganoi are a traditionally nomadic people who in recent years have shown a tendency to permanently settle, without, however, overcoming their former living habits. This fact, combined with their illiteracy, moral standards, customs and occupations, creates an obstacle both to their adaptation to the native population and their acceptance by this native population.

 

A consequence of what has been briefly mentioned above is the manifestation of their unlawful behavior in such a way that is usually the expression of daily life. This behavior usually takes the form of illegal driving and other violations of the motor vehicle code, violations of the Codes of Sanitation, Building and Commerce, illicit trade, unlawful weapons possession and, often, unlawful weapons use, theft, possession and trafficking of narcotic substances, etc.

 

2. The Police Authorities, as obliged to impose and maintain the law, are often summoned to handle such situations and to restore legality.

 

3. Therefore, in order to cope with transgressions of the Athiganoi in the specific region of Nea Kios, Argolida and to anticipate any further incidents with the residents, also reported by the General Police Directorate of the Peloponnisos Region, the latter proposed on 31/5/2000 the taking of specific police measures. The Police General Staff ("Archigio") issued in accordance an order, where it was mentioned that the matter of confronting transgressions of Athiganoi is both a sensitive, delicate issue as well as a serious one, requiring the observation of the implementation and effectiveness of the measures taken by the police authority. Moreover, particular emphasis was given, in the framework of the action plans and the information of all participating Police officers, that their actions must be within the framework decreed by the Constitution and the Laws.

 

4. According to the report of the same Police Directorate (of Argolida), the everyday problems of police concern that are created by Athiganoi in their area of jurisdiction are dealt with within the framework of the increased police patrols in collaboration where required with other related Services.

 

5. In all incidents involving the assembly, protest, etc., of citizens (whether Athiganoi or not), the police took measures that were successful in avoiding any misdoing.

 

6. Concerning the harassment and insults suffered by the Journalist Mr. P. Lambrou, and mentioned therein, and according to the aforementioned [police] report, thanks to the prompt intervention on the part of the police present at the scene, no incident -beyond the noisy catcalling by the assembled residents of Nea Kios at all the members of the Committee- took place against him or any other Committee member visiting the Nea Kios City Hall at 19.30 on 8-6-2000.

 

7. During the recent period, the Police have discovered and verified the following violations by Athiganoi in the region in question:

 

1. On 25-5-2000 in a police operation on Orders of the Prosecutor and in the presence of three Judicial Officials, 16 Athiganoi were arrested for theft of electric power. Additional cases have been made against 12 others, who were absent at that time, for the same offense, and 3 against those who had 14 outstanding Judicial Decisions. During the same operation, illegal electrical installations were dismantled by Power Company (DEI) crews and a total of 1,500 meters of electric cable were confiscated.

 

2. On 8-6-2000 a case was drafted by the Police Security Department for wanton gunshots inside the settlement of Athiganoi of Nea Kios.

 

3. On 15-6-2000 a case was drafted by the aforementioned Service against an Athiganos resident of Nea Kios for violation of the "weapons" Law. This was due to the fact that a legal premise search, in the presence of a Judicial Official, of the shanty inhabited by said individual, resulted in the finding and seizure of a hunting rifle that had been stolen from the area of Crete on 15-12-1996.

 

4. On 9-6-2000 an Athiganos charged that, in the "KARAKAXA" area of Nea Kios, two residents of Nea Kios riding on a motorcycle shot him with a pistol outside the settlement, wounding him in his left arm. This allegation was not verified, since the preliminary inquiry disclosed that the injured party had been wounded inside the settlement and outside the tent in which he resided, by an unknown member of his own race. Furthermore, the legal search that took place in the presence of a Judicial Official of the interior and surroundings of his father’s tent resulted in the finding and seizure of a 9 mm spent cartridge, a 9 mm Star pistol, 132 rounds of the same diameter, and 80 grams of unprocessed Indian cannabis.

 

5. On 27-6-2000 at 09.30, in the "KARAKAXA" area of Nea Kios, the Police in the company of Power Company employees cut off the illegal supply of electric power to the shanty of an Athiganois, who was arrested caught in the act of this violation.

 

1. The incident cited in the letter of 5-6-2000 from the Greek Helsinki Monitor concerning the Athiganos woman, Mrs. Maria KALAMIOTI, has not been reported to any Police Service and cannot be verified as a fact.

 

2. From the above reports it is clear that the Police have been involved only in matters of a purely Police nature and in no instance has there been an issue of racial discrimination. Rather, they have acted in their authority to confront the characteristic problems of a society, problems similar to those that could occur in any region of our Country, and beyond. The activities of the Police were within the framework of legal and constitutional orders, as necessary.