Syntagma Square manifesto: nationalization, direct democracy, bankruptcy... revolution

Resolutions of the Popular Assembly (Syntagma Square, Athens) June-16-2011:

1. A full year has passed with the country under the Memorandum [IMF imposed rules]. They told us that the Memorandum was the only way to reduce debt. They told us that cuts, austerity and new taxes were necessary sacrifices to get the country out of the crisis. 

Every day new measures are adopted, salaries are cut, taxes increased. Simultaneously debt grows, unemployment is rampant, youth takes the path of emigration. The new loans are dedicated to pay the interests of previous loans, and the deficit of Greece and other countries becomes the surplus of Germany and other wealthy countries of the North. And all because it is not true that the main of the debt is because of the salaries and pensions as they claim. The culprit are the great tax evasion and the subsidies given to capital, it is the orgy of weaponry and medicines bought. Enough already! The People will take the solution in their hands to break this vicious circle. We are already bankrupt even if they don't tell us. Meanwhile they keep adopting new exhaustive measures and cuts, they get rid of whatever Greek bonds they own and they sell at the lowest possible price all public land and property that exists. 

Faced with their only possible ways, we declare:

Let them take away their memorandums, let us be again owners of our lives!

Let them not dare to approve the new package of short term measures!

Let them go away! We do not want the IMF government nor the Troika!

No privatization, no sale of land or public property at all!

We owe nothing, we sell not and we pay not. Negation and elimination of the debt. This debt is not ours. Let measures be taken for the small part of the debt related to social security. Let banks be nationalized. The state with its aid has already paid the banks much above their real value, only for them to keep speculating. 

Let the people be shown the accounts of the debt, so it knows where the money went to. Radical redistribution of income and change of the tax law for the benefit of the workers. Let those who have money pay: the ship owners, the bankers, the Capital and the Church. We want a popular control of the economy and production. 

We know that the path we have chosen is difficult and that we will have to face many threats and blackmails. They will talk of bankruptcy, isolation of the country, risk of derailing. We know that we are going to go through tough times but the path proposed by the repeated memorandums is the worst one. Our People has said many times NO!, let us say it once again!

With self-organization and direct democracy everywhere: in the squares, the work and study places, and knowing that we can, we will gain our future. 

If impossible is to live your life as you want

at least put as much effort

on it as you can; do not let it become vile.

Constantinos Kafavis

2. We accuse the mass media, public and private, of giving false information to the citizens and of hiding the homicidal attacks of the repressive forces. 

3. We support that the demonstration by Syrian immigrants against the genocide in their country ends in Syntagma square and we approve their participation in our activities.

4. We will translate all the banners in our plazas to other languages so our cry becomes international.

5. Let there be a workshop against xenophobia and racism.

6. Let there be an informative workshop on alternative trade and exchange, on exchange networks and communities (on Tuesday 21 or Wednesday 22).

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Translated not directly from Greek but from Spanish by me. If you know of a better translation let me know. 

Source: La Haine[es] (includes another declaration from June 15th).