New York Times: attacks on immigrants on the rise in Greece

Source: New York Times

By Niki Kitsantonis

ATHENS — A wave of violent attacks against immigrants by suspected right-wing extremists has put Muslims and the police on alert in rundown parts of Athens with burgeoning migrant populations.

Immigrants have been beaten and stabbed near central squares, and several makeshift mosques have been burned and vandalized. In the most grievous attack, at the end of October, the assailants locked the door of a basement prayer site and hurled firebombs through the windows, seriously wounding four worshipers.

“The attacks are constant — I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Naim Elghandour, who moved to Athens from Egypt in the 1970s and now heads the Muslim Association of Greece. “I used to be treated like an equal. Now I’m getting death threats.”

Tensions in neglected, crime-ridden parts of Athens with growing immigrant communities have been mounting over the past two years. Highlighting expanding public discontent, the extreme right-wing group Chrysi Avgi, or “Golden Dawn,” won its first ever seat on the Athens City Council in local elections three weeks ago. The group mustered strong support in working-class neighborhoods in the capital and elsewhere in Greece by describing migrants as a drain on the economy, which is reeling from a debt crisis, and calling for immediate deportations.

The Greek news media linked the group to the violence after a spray-painted cross merged with a circle — a symbol used by extreme rightists worldwide — was found on the wall of a firebombed prayer site. But the police have not confirmed a connection, saying no arrests have been made. The group did not respond to requests for comment.

Thanassis Kokkalakis, a police spokesman, said the problem was complex. He said that while “extremist elements” were believed to be behind certain attacks, there was also violence between migrants of different ethnic origins, muggings of Greeks by poverty-stricken foreigners and clashes between extreme rightists and left-wing protesters.

“All this chaos stems from a constantly growing population of immigrants in these areas,” said Mr. Kokkalakis, noting that about 150 migrants arrived in Athens daily despite the mobilization of European Union guards in early November at Greece’s land border with Turkey. “The upheaval has fueled aggravation among residents, which is being exploited by extremist groups.”

The residents of the problem areas are divided: Some want dialogue and better policing, while others are taking matters into their own hands. Elderly and middle-aged residents often sit in local squares during the daytime, shouting abusive statements at migrants when they go by. Small gangs of teenagers stalk the neighborhoods by night, but it remains unclear if they are locals or visiting extremists.

The police have stepped up patrols following reports of attacks by vigilantes who, locals say, are as young as 14. “I saw three kids bashing an Afghan man with wooden poles until blood ran down his face,” said Muhammad, the Syrian manager of a convenience store in Aghios Panteleimonas, once a lively neighborhood, now a no-go zone. Like other migrants living in the area, he would not give his surname for fear of reprisals.

The exact number of attacks remains unclear. “The victims are usually too scared to go to police,” said Thanassis Kourkoulas, a spokesman for Deport Racism, a group that offers targeted migrants advice and support.

Others say this reflects a general trend in Europe. “Hate crimes against Muslims are underreported and underrecorded,” said Taskin Soykan, who advises the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on combating racial intolerance.

The attacks in Greece mirror similar incidents in other European countries, including Switzerland, where a referendum last November led to a ban on the construction of minarets on mosques, and in France and Italy, where the authorities have deported Roma residents and immigrants.

“The difference in Italy is that most of the attacks were in the provinces, while in Greece they are in the heart of the capital, which is potentially far more explosive,” Liz Fekete of the Institute of Race Relations in London said. “The common factor is the formation of vigilante groups, egged on by the far right.”

Angry protesters, including some thought to be right-wing extremists, had to be restrained by the police last month when thousands of Muslims congregated in several Athens squares for a religious festival. At one site, officers fired tear gas to disperse a small group of demonstrators, who continued their protest from the balconies of apartment complexes, pelting worshipers with eggs and playing loud music to disturb the prayers.

The day after the protests, government officials said a stalled project to build an official mosque was back on track. Athens is the only capital of the original 15 E.U. member states to lack a state-approved mosque.

Although the country’s influential Orthodox Church has given its support to the project, opinion polls show that half of Athens’s five million residents oppose the creation of a mosque to serve the capital’s Muslim community, which numbers about 500,000.

“A large mosque with minarets in the city center will be a provocation,” said Dimitrios Pipikios, the head of a residents’ group in Aghios Panteleimonas, where Chrysi Avgi drew 20 percent of the vote in recent elections.

Mr. Pipikios said the only way to ease tensions was to deport immigrants. “There is no room for us all,” he said, adding that extreme rightists were patrolling the area “because the police are not doing their job.”

Other residents said they felt intimidated. “The situation is totally out of control,” said Maria Kanellopoulou, who wants not deportations but the better social integration of immigrants.

The local authorities are determined to tackle the problem, said a spokesman for Giorgos Kaminis, the newly elected mayor of Athens.

“Chasing immigrants away from city squares is an established technique of extreme rightists, and we are seeking advice on how to deal with it,” said the spokesman, Takis Kampilis, who has approached the municipal authorities in Germany, who have averted similar campaigns by neo-Nazis. The new mayor is also planning to improve health care and housing for migrants and organize street markets where they can legitimately sell wares rather than touting illegally on street corners.

Ms. Fekete said increasing integration would help, but to stamp out extreme violence, local and central governments must condemn it in strong terms. “If the authorities do not speak out, public tolerance of the violence will grow,” she said. “This is a wake-up call.”

Muslim prayer with tension in Athens

Source:  TVXS

Translation © Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

  

It was characterised by the great numbers of people who participated and the request for respect the rights of the immigrants. It was blemished by the attitude of a group of people who disagree with the presence of foreigners in the country. In Tuesday morning, under the occasion of one of the most important feasts of Islam, Muslim immigrants performed a public prayer in 15 points of Athens.

At Propylaia, was realised the wider participation of Muslims for the feast of Qurban Bayram, that refers to the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. At about two thousand Muslims, originating from different countries, kept their custom. After they placed sheets on the ground, in the courtyard of Athens Academy, they took of their shoes and they keeled following the Imam’s prayers, who travelled from the Islamic University of Egypt to participate in the ceremony.

The public religious performance of Muslims in Athens, symbolised as well, the need of the construction in Attica, like the administration of political asylum. Like the big red banner “We ask for political asylum”. Besides, the prayer took place next to the tents of the Iranians hunger strikers, who as being political refugees they demand asylum from the Greek authorities.

The Police was discretely present in the manifestation, in order to deter any aggressiveness by people who are not fond of the immigrants. The few aggressive incidents that happened at Propylaia were minor interest, mainly focused on the verbal protest of the passing pedestrians, who were expressing thoughts such as “in Constantinople, the Greeks cannot pray.”

In Attica square, the demonstration expanded in three additional elements: music notes, eggs and yogurts. Approximately 50 extreme rightists, who tried from the previous night to occupy the area but they were drove off by the police, they gathered early in the morning in the square and started soughing abusive slogans against the immigrants. Although they did not leave the area, they were strayed by the lined police officers.

Nevertheless, “allies” were found in a balcony of an adjacent building. Three women raised Greek flags and put on loud music, harassing the immigrants’ prayer. In addition, they were shouting abusive slogans. In the account the throw of two eggs and two yogurts towards the square is added. Clearly worried, the approximately 500 immigrants (majorly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) did note reacted. After they fulfilled the ceremony, they immediately left the area. 

Translator:  Myrto Zacharof

Eid Al Adha prayer for Muslims in Athens

Source:  City Press

Translation © Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Yesterday’s public player that was performed by at least 13.000 Muslims in twelve different points of Attica was unprecedented for what is usually happening in the capital. This public manifestation worked as triggering event for the development of a Mosque in Athens but as well as the expected social reactions.

The prayer, which was performed due to the occasion of celebrating the first day of the Muslim feast Eid-Al-Adha (equivalent to the sacrifice of Abraham) started at 7:40 in the morning and lasted approximately three hours. As the Greek Police stated, the Muslims’ manifestations were attended by 4.000 people at Aigaleo, 2.000 at Kiprou str.  at Moschato, 500 at Propilea were the prayer took place under the initiative of the Muslim Association of Greece, 600 at Attica square, 1.000 in the old Racetrack Court in Faliro, 1.000 at Karamanlis Avenue at Menidi, 300 at the in the basketball court of Elefsina, 250 at Aspropirgos and 1.000 in the court of Ierotheos at Peristeri.

All the manifestations took place peacefully, with the exception though of Attica square. There, a group of habitants attacked with eggs and with other objects against the offhand prayer site, though other habitants had placed on their balconies Greek flags, they put loud music inorder to interrupt the process of the prayer.

The Request for an Official Prayer Site

Yesterday’s prayer was the third one that took place in a public place, (previously it had been performed in Kotzia square and in Olympic stadium) but it was the most impressive. The representatives of the Muslims referred again on their claim for the development of an official prayer site. Mr. K. Aivaliotis representative of LAOS’s party stated that this is a “demonstration of power in Athens by African Muslims.”

 “In the times we live in, it is imposed, in the civilisation we claim we are having and which governs our society, and it is a duty of the Greek state, to facilitate each person who wants to perform his religious duties” the Government’s representative, G. Petalotis, highlighting that “there is a legal commitment made to create a Mosque in Athens, in order for our fellow Muslim citizens to perform with safety and liberty their religious rights.”

In Athens… by Coach

 “Athens needs many , small sized religious prayer sites for the immigrants”, the journalist Stavros Theodorakakis claimed yesterday while on air on the radio station Flash, who due to his show for the flux of immigrants in Greece through the land borders( it will be presented next Sunday) , he stayed  for a few days in Evros.

 “ The loops that originate from Turkey, meaning the slavers and the traffickers have realised that practically the Greek Authorities have no practical means to oppose against the flux of unarmed immigrants” Mr.Theodorakis stated, though Mr. Salamagkas, police officer of Orestiada , referred, participating in the same show , that the Authorities after the capture of the immigrants and their identification, they release all those who cannot be deported (such as Palestinians or  Afghanis for whom there are specific international treaties about their immunity.) They are given a piece a paper referring that they should leave the country within thirty days  and they leave them free outside the detention centres where they are temporarily located. There usually there is a coach awaiting them who transports them in Athens.

Translator:  Myrto Zacharof

Habiba Sriz – a candidate with a headscarf

Source:  Protagon.gr

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Habiba Sriz is full of controversies. She was born in Casablanca, she studied Fashion in Paris, she fell in love in Athens and she lives in Alimos for the last 20 years. Her husband is a converted Muslim. She is Muslim as well, wearing colourful hijabs and she speaks openly about them.

Religious symbols were the reason we met 3 years ago. She was participating in a theatrical play, its scenario  mostly focused on fear and ignorance of the West for the hijab (Muslim headscarf).We have spoken about women’s place in Islam, the relationships between the sexes, the identification of people in the society. So to prove to me the western clichés, she invited me to her brother’s wedding in Morocco. “Come to see how our women really are.”  I told her then that the Mediterranean Sea beautifies everything.

The tenderness in the look of people kept her here. In the beginning, her hijab was unnoticed.” I used to travel by bus from Kalamaki to go for shopping to Athens, no one was calling me a stranger and I never felt other people’s curiosity on the street. Though lately, additionally to recession, a racist, xenophobic attitude was developed within the society. I think some people in order to get in power are using us, inventing racism.”

A month ago, Habiba was chosen as a representative by the Communist party, in the municipal elections, for Alimos area. She accepted straight away. “I want to support legal immigrants, I do not want people to perceive us as threats.” The society’s structure has changed. The traditions we used to learn when we were younger, it is spread to other groups as well, is evolving. Habiba’s example, Agapi as they call her here, beyond political parties and ideologies, identifies a knowledgeable person who is confident about herself and her beliefs. Habiba did not lose her identity in the “foreign” country but she complied with its constitution and its regulations and she decided to stand out proudly, to address herself to her “own” people. Her placement in a political candidates list is a rare political move in order to weaken conservatism.

Translated by: Myrto Zacharof

Muslim Association of Greece on Kitrinos Typos Alter channel

Kitrinos Typos popular night show of Makis Triantafyllopoulos on October 25, 2010  hosting the regional candidates to confront the questions of several social groups. The Muslim Association of Greece was there.

Ο Κίτρινος Τύπος με το Μάκη Τριανταφυλλόπουλο 25 Οκτωβρίου φιλοξενεί τους υποψήφιους περιφερειάρχες και καλούνται να απαντήσουν σε ερωτήματα διαφόρων κοινωνικών ομάδων.

 

Click below to watch the video: 

Muslim Association of Greece at Kitrinos Typos Alter channel

 

Greece: the Church, the Mosque and the lost vote

Source:  Enet.gr

By Thomas Tsatsis

© Translated by the Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Ten years ago, when the issue of the identity cards and the indication of the religion was hot, the former bishop of Alexandroupolis – Anthimos was supporting the position of the official Church in an…unorthodox way.

Referring to a fact that was never clarified if it had a real existence, the bishop was saying that about 70  Muslims that were living in the wider region of Alexandroupolis had asked a “voting paper” to sign their claim to mention religion on the ID cards.

This is the same bishop that gave a battle after – out of solidarity – against the Muslim mosque at Peania, as was ordered by the law that was voted by the parliament.

And now he starts a new battle against the law that gives Hellenic nationality to the immigrants who many of them are Muslims. With a simple argument: “The Church was not asked about that. You can’t bring 700 thousands Muslims in the country and make them Greeks without even asking the Church.”

The Thessaloniki bishop (Anthimos), whatever they charge on him, one must admit that he knows about politics. The governments many times are acting according to the perception of the “lost vote” from the “side-church” that prevails inside the hierarchy. That means that the bishop will shout from the pulpit, the Christian crowd will be terrified, the MPs will feel pressures and they will transfer this to their parties to convey the message.

Thus with the populism of the opposition party and with the fear of the vote that can be lost, the government goes backwards and turns 180 degrees. The issue of the identity cards confirms the above. There were only two or three MPs and ministers of PASOK during 2000-2004 that defended the omitting of the religion from the identity cards publically. The rest had disappeared in order not to be indicated as opponents of the Church.

Four years now the governments do not take over the political cost of the construction of the Mosque at Eleonas as mentions the law of New Democracy government of 2006. But they are also scared to proceed to the construction of the Muslim cemetery in a field that the Church has bestowed! Yes, of the Church!

The government has not many choices. Either they will proceed immediately and solve the problem of the thousands of immigrants – and not only – Muslims that live in Attica and will confront a part of hierarchy in front and behind stage, or they will confront issues that cannot solve.

The scattered mosques-warehouses that are more than 100 in Attica are not under any control. Whatever is heard by “imams” that are self-announced small “prophets” many times are dangerous and cannot be confronted by the police. The legitimacy, the operation of one or more mosques with rules and conditions, official, with moderate imams and not with competing “Mujahidins”, can be a start.

Unless the government is waiting to finish first with the law for the immigrants and after that to take counsel with the Church. And just the day before yesterday the Hoy Synod stated that they believe that the law for the nationalities does not coincide totally with the immigration problem and that the government should consider the opinions of the bishops.

Bishops that “on one hand they preserve the teachings of Christ for love to everyone, on the other hand they do not know the partial national and social sensitivities, thus their opinions should be co-calculated to face such crucial matters.” This is the Holy Synod whose president is Archbishop Ieronymos.

Enet.gr: Immigrant neighorhood in Athens

The Arabs have their own corner at the Neos Cosmos neighborhood of immigrants

Source : Enet

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

A scent of aromatic spices is spread at the alleys of Neos Cosmos in Athens. Satellite dishes and men’s washed clothes coexist in the tiny balconies of the old residential buildings for the workers. Young Arabs ask for 30€ a day at construction jobs.

The Arabs settled at Neos Cosmos since the 80s looking for a new life. The central mosque of the Arabs is located at a multi-storey building on Galaxia Street.  At the entrance we met Naim Elghandour, president of the Muslim Association of Greece, “Yesterday night they attempted again to attack an Arab store of the neighborhood. It was the same group. The Arabs caught on to them and they chased them. Now they are guarding their stores”.

There is an Arabic supermarket in the building’s basement.  The owner is Mazen Rassas, vice president of the Association. He treats us mango juice saying that “around the neighborhood there are about ten Arabic mini markets. Our customers are Syrians, Egyptians and Iraqis. But Greeks also come.”

Rassas narrates, “We settled at Neos Cosmos in the 80s. It was then that the first Arabs were arriving. Then we began constructing this building. We used the underground garage as a mosque. We were asking permission from the governments to build our mosque ourselves but they did not allow it. We hope one day to achieve it”.

The shelves of the store – as in all Arab stores – are loaded with Arabic bread, dates, Arabic newspapers, rice and lentils of fine quality, spices that their smell is spread out to the street. But there are no customers, “the same situation we share with all Greek store owners. We are dancing the same dance…”

Brothers, cousins, the whole family lives on the upper floors of the building. For so many years there has never existed a single problem with the neighbors. Even when we gather every Friday more than 1000 Arabs to pray”. They squeeze, one next to the other, and they do not fit in. They fill the stairs, the pavement…

We descend with Naim Elghandour to the second basement that operates as a mosque. A blue carpet is laid down and has a ventilation system. Young Arabs are studying the Quran.

Behind a curtain at the right corner is the library. Every weekend, they say, is full of students that learn Greek and Arabic language, and are taught the Quran.

No cemetery

The vice president of the Muslim Association is pointing out the need for a cemetery. “I buried my parents at Komotini. For years and years we knock the doors of the ministries without an answer”.

N.Elghandour adds, “We pay the operating expenses from our pockets. We do not ask for funding and European programs, we want to be independent. But a program for integration of the Arabs could be launched in the local society. We also ask from the City of Athens to bestow us a place with low rent to cover the needs of the community. We closed our offices to save the rent.”

We discussed the attack at the two stores, “It was a fascist attack. Some young people attacked, but also young are the Arabs. If they chase them they will catch them. And then we will go to another situation. The state must secure the fortune of the victims of such terroristic attacks. We noted down the destruction and we will claim compensation at the courts.”

In Attica, more than 700 000 Muslims live legally. We need an imam theologist, with academic education. If they allow this we will pay from our wages his salary and his accommodation. Now every community sets an imam that is a construction worker…” he adds.

A few meters away, at Dorm Street, the workers’ residential building are located. Men’s clothes freshly washed and satellite dishes are witnessing that there lives exclusively Arab immigrants. “They repaired the face work, the apartments. They were dilapidated,” an old woman remembers.

We met her across the street at the store “Salma” that was destructed at the attack. Salle gives her a bottle of water. He says that “I am trying to replace the broken glass windows. I pay 350 euro for 9m².” His customers are the Arabs of the buildings across. “Here lives more than 200 Syrians. They all work at construction jobs. They pay rent of 250-270 euro for 30 m² at these dilapidated buildings. Three to six people live in every small apartment.

We go four floors up by the stairs. There was never an elevator. Nor central heating. From the moldy walls of the corridors old pieces of plaster are dropping. Hussein, 28, opens his door and shows us the repairs proudly. He tiled the bathroom and repaired the old window doors. He lives with an Iraqi to share the rent. He complains, “There are no jobs. A year without a wage. And I just ask for 30 euro a day. But in Syria and Iraq things are worse. It is impossible to go back”.

The Greeks

At the entrance we meet a Greek man, “Some Greeks and Arabs sub-rent rooms by person. Things get wild. It’s like we have a piece of meat, we pull from the edges like dogs”.

At the Arabic café, at Kasomouli Street, the Arabs of the neighborhood met. “Here we live 350 Arabs. Every morning we go to work, at evening we go home. We gather ten people in each apartment. We drink tea, chess, backgammon, cards. This is our life,” says Aiman Alahmat.

“Did the neighbors stand up for you?”

“One does not bother the other. We do not steal, we do not make trouble. We know each other, many of us are relatives. We need work and legal documents. Not to be attacked by the fascists and not to be disturbed by the police. We do not need them.”

At the café, before the gathering of Arabs and Greeks in order to group the “committee of Greeks and immigrant residents of Neos Cosmos,” we met Thanasis Kourkoulas from the movement ‘Deport Racism’: “Many Arabs from Neos Cosmos are attending the Sunday immigrant school. They have an organized community, they help each other to overcome the difficulties. They are angry though because suddenly fascist groups are appearing that question their peaceful coexistence.”

By Georgia Dhama

Photo by Spyros Tsakiris

How Greece welcomes its female Muslims

Source: IslamOnline.net

 

As the first step in our journey to discover the European Muslim women’s opportunities and challenges that are hindering them from integrating into Europe’s different communities, IslamOnline.net (IOL)’s European Muslims Page is quoting Anna Stamou on the status of Greek Muslim women.

Name: Anna Stamou
Profession: Anna Stamou is one of the National Board Members of Muslim Association of Greece (MAG)
Country: Greece

 

IslamOnline.net (IOL): How do you evaluate the Muslim women’s situation in Europe?

Mrs. Stamou: I believe that the Muslim women in Europe have many opportunities to succeed in their fields of interest. However, they still face more challenges since the European atmosphere is not Muslim-friendly, though Europe is a tolerant continent.

IOL: What are the major problems facing Muslim women in the West? And how do you suggest they should react to these problems?

Mrs.Stamou: In this context, I recall a Greek saying “The Muslim woman has to prove that she is not an elephant,” this means that she must change the stereotypes that perceive the Muslim women as being oppressed, hidden behind their veils, brain washed, and with no free will and no rights.

After a Muslim woman manages to prove all these stereotypes wrong, then she has to encounter all major problems that any ordinary European woman has: starting with unemployment and having less career opportunities than men.

However, with faith and high educational level, a Muslim woman is able to cope with all challenges in life and to reflect her true reality.

IOL: What is the status of Muslim women in Greece? Are there any key figures who occupy high positions in society?

Mrs. Stamou:  Greece is divided into two main Muslim communities that rarely communicate. The smaller but the older community is the Greek Muslim minority of Thrace while the bigger but newer is the Muslim immigrants’ community. The later live all over Greece. The Greek converts mingle with the immigrant and mostly with the Arabic-speaking community.

The majority of the immigrant women in Greece are not active, especially for those women who try to provide Islamic education for other women or for their children. The successful women in Thrace have (in the majority) weak religious conscience and they try to manage their lives showing up their secular face.

Though we have some Greek Muslim women working in politics, they don’t wear hijab and they have never demanded any rights for Muslims. They pursue only their local claims (which are really a lot). The active women are the Greek converts who maintain their Greek culture and practice Islam freely.

IOL: What are your contributions in favor of the Muslim women in your country?

Mrs.Stamou: Since I became a Muslim, all my focus was on providing Islamic information, material, and inspiration for fellow Muslims. I started with publishing books and an Islamic cultural newspaper then my efforts included supporting other converts.

Now my responsibilities increased since I joined the Greeks Rethink team. I’m also responsible for the marketing and public relations of the Muslim Association of Greece.
I wish I could have the opportunity to organize a supporting program only for Muslim women, but so far this is not feasible because most of the Muslim women in my area have to reach the first integration step which is to learn Greek.

The Ministry of Education and the local authorities have launched very useful programs for teaching Greek to immigrants. Definitely we support those programs and encourage every Muslim woman who does not speak Greek to go and attend one of these programs. We are looking forward for the coming steps.

In fact, my team and I have many dreams and plans for Muslims in Greece. I strongly believe that all our activities will benefit my beloved country, because we do love Greece and Islam; an irresistible combination!

Press Release: The Muslim Association of Greece

Athens, 26^th May 2009

The Muslim Association of Greece was present from the first instance the complaint of the ripped Qur’an was reported, when a policeman ripped and treaded on an immigrant’s Holy Qur’an during a police inspection. The complainant surrendered his ripped Qur’an straight to us and with this in hand we went to the police station, where we and the Colonel sent by GADA discussed the incident in detail.

We were assured by him that the name of the police officer involved in the incident will be released to us and that the police force strongly condemns actions such as those that offend the religious feelings of citizens. We stated that we will resort to legal action and that we will wait in good faith for the name of the police officer involved to be given to us before we file for a report.

We strongly condemn the incidents in Central Athens, assuring that our members did not participate in the events and   instead we had moved towards defusing the situation as we had accepted   the promise given to us by the police towards defusing the situation in good faith.

The media (MME) reported our position precisely and broadcasted the message to hundreds of thousands Muslims in the country and abroad stating that calm should prevail and we should allow the issue to be dealt by the law. We submitted to GADA the witness reports and data along with the ripped Qur’an and we continued waiting for the name of the police officer to be given to us before we officially proceed with the submission of  our complaint to the courts.

On Tuesday 25^th May 2009 we submitted to the court the complaint towards “Unknown.” We were pleased with that as we thought we are heading towards a solution of the problem even without us having the name of the police officer.

Unfortunately during the subsequent meeting between The President of The Muslim Association of Greece, Naim Elghnadour our Council Mr Francis Raghousi  along with the Brigadier in charge of the case of GADA it became obvious that the police do not wish for a solution but for a continuation of the issue.

It was explained to us that the officer’s name will not be given, at least not in the near future  and  perhaps a month or more might lapse as the police officer has right to defer and defend.

As you understand this reverses our efforts for appeasement and it could possibly trigger reactions from the entire Muslim population in Athens, who in the meantime have been accepting our urge not to protest and seek solutions through the legal channels.

For this reason the Arabs in Athens will meet with The Muslim Association of Greece on Wednesday at 8.00pm to calmly discuss and plan their next move.

Any possible new peace moves will be made known at a later press release. We repeat that we condemn the incidents in Central Athens, the theft, the damages as we also condemn the violation and attack of religious symbols and sentiments of the people. We condemn the exploitation of a part of the immigrants by political parties, heightening religious faith, multiplying their sense of injustice resulting in uncontrollable consequences. The faith of a Muslim is the most precious possession he has, and we having our faith as driver live in harmony in the society here for decades.

We believe that the police incident was just an isolate incident .We would like to end this matter with a legal solution and not to be exposed and  hanging as a result of the worrying delay by the police, and to the end issue by surrendering the personal details of the officer involved.

Thanking you

The Muslim Association of Greece

Aθηνα
26 Μαΐου 2009

Δελτίο Τύπου

Η Μουσουλμανική Ένωση Ελλάδας από την πρώτη στιγμή ήταν παρούσα στην καταγγελία του περιστατικού όπου αστυνομικός έσκισε και πάτησε το Κοράνι ενός μετανάστη κατά τη διάρκεια τυπικού ελέγχου. Το Κοράνι το παρέδωσε ο καταγγέλων στα χέρια μας και με αυτό πήγαμε στο αστυνομικό τμήμα όπου συζητήσαμε λεπτομερώς με τον συνταγματάρχη που απέστειλε η ΓΑΔΑ για αυτό το λόγο. Μας διαβεβαίωσε ότι τάχιστα θα μας δώσει το όνομα του αστυνομικού και πως η Ελληνική Αστυνομία καταδικάζει τέτοιες ενέργειες που προσβάλλουν το θρησκευτικό αίσθημα των πολιτών. Εμείς δηλώσαμε ότι θα προσφύγουμε στη δικαιοσύνη και πως καλή τη πίστει θα περιμένουμε από την αστυνομία να μας δώσει το όνομα προκειμένου να προχωρήσουμε στην κατάθεση της μήνυσης, έτσι ώστε να παρέλθει και η διαδικασία του αυτοφώρου, όλα αυτά καλόπιστα.
Καταδικάσαμε έντονα τα επεισόδια στο κέντρο της Αθήνας, τα μέλη μας δεν συμμετείχαν, αντίθετα κινηθήκαμε προς εκτόνωση του θέματος καθώς θεωρήσαμε δεδομένες τις υποσχέσεις της αστυνομίας ότι θα κινηθεί ανάλογα προκειμένου να οδηγηθούμε σε εκτόνωση. Τα ΜΜΕ κάλυψαν με ακρίβεια τις θέσεις μας και μετέδωσαν το μήνυμα στους εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες Μουσουλμάνους της χώρας αλλά και στο εξωτερικό που δηλώναμε ότι πρέπει να ηρεμήσουμε και να αφήσουμε το θέμα στα χέρια του νόμου.
Καταθέσαμε στην ΓΑΔΑ τις μαρτυρίες και τα στοιχεία μας καθώς και το σκισμένο Κοράνι, και αναμέναμε το όνομα του αστυνομικού προκειμένου να καταθέσουμε και επίσημα τη μήνυση στο δικαστήριο. Την Τρίτη 25 Μαΐου 2009 καταθέσαμε μήνυση κατ’αγνώστου και δηλώσαμε ικανοποιημένοι γιατί έτσι οδεύαμε προς λύση του ζητήματος έστω και χωρίς όνομα.
Δυστυχώς στη μετέπειτα συνάντηση του προέδρου της Μουσουλμανικής Ένωσης Ελλάδας Ναΐμ Ελγαντούρ και του συνήγορού μας κ. Φραγκίσκου Ραγκούση με τον ταξίαρχο της ΓΑΔΑ που έχει αναλάβει την υπόθεση, μας έγινε σαφές ότι η Αστυνομία δεν επιθυμεί λύση αλλά συνέχιση της παρούσας κατάστασης. Μας εξηγήθηκε πως δεν πρόκειται να μας δοθεί όνομα, σύντομα τουλάχιστον, ότι θα περάσει ίσως και ένας μήνας προκειμένου να απολογηθεί ο εν λόγω αστυνομικός καθώς έχει το δικαίωμα αναβολής.
Όπως αντιλαμβάνεστε αυτό ανατρέπει την προσπάθειά μας κατευνασμού και είναι δυνατό να πυροδοτήσει αντιδράσεις από το σύνολο του Μουσουλμανικού πληθυσμού της Αθήνας που μέχρι στιγμής δεν έχει διαδηλώσει καθώς ακολούθησε την προτροπή μας για λύση μέσω της νομικής οδού.
Για το λόγο αυτό οι Άραβες της Αθήνας θα συνεδριάσουν Τετάρτη ώρα 8μμ με τη Μουσουλμανική Ένωση Ελλάδας προκειμένου να σχεδιάσουν με ψυχραιμία τις επόμενες κινήσεις τους. Τυχόν ειρηνικές κινητοποιήσεις θα γίνουν γνωστές σε επόμενο δελτίο τύπου.
Επαναλαμβάνουμε πως καταδικάζουμε τ, τις φθορές, τις επιθέσεις, τις κλοπές, όπως καταδικάζουμε την καταπάτηση α επεισόδια στο κέντρο της Αθήναςκαι προσβολή των θρησκευτικών συμβόλων και αισθημάτων των πολιτών. Καταδικάζουμε την εκμετάλλευση μερίδας μεταναστών από πολιτικές κινήσεις εγείροντας την θρησκευτική τους πίστη πολλαπλασιάζοντας το αίσθημα αδικίας μέσα τους με ανεξέλεγκτες συνέπειες.
Η Πίστη του Μουσουλμάνου είναι ό,τι ακριβότερο διαθέτει και εμείς έχοντας οδηγό την Πίστη μας ζούμε αρμονικά στην κοινωνία εδώ και δεκαετίες. Πιστεύουμε ότι η ενέργεια του αστυνομικού ήταν ένα μεμονωμένο περιστατικό, θα θέλαμε να λήξει εκεί με τη νομική λύση και όχι να βρισκόμαστε εκτεθειμένοι και μετέωροι από την ανησυχητική καθυστέρηση της αστυνομίας να τελειώσει το ζήτημα αυτό δίνοντας επιτέλους τα στοιχεία του καταγγελόμενου αστυνομικού.

Ευχαριστούμε

Το Δ.Σ. της Μουσουλμανικής Ένωσης Ελλαδος
Επικοινωνία
Ναΐμ Ελγαντούρ
τηλ.6972 008214 – naim_elghandour@yahoo.gr

Exclusive photos: Quran indeed ripped by police in Greece

These photos below were taken as evidence that indeed pages from the Quran were ripped by a police officer in Athens, Greece.

 

 

Photo credits to to www.enet.gr and www.ethnos.gr.

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