Maria Karagianni, a member of Syriza’s youth wing, at breakfast meeting hosted by Communities Against Water Charges in North Dublin at Edenmore, Dublin on Saturday.
“What we have learnt from the campaign is, never give up, it can be done, don’t give in to those who will try to discourage you, build as many alliances as you can..
“Then what happens is the mainstream media will try to attack the movement. The mainstream media is generally controlled by the elites in society who fear genuine grassroots movements of working people. They will always try to undermine movements resisting austerity. In Greece, you could have a rally with 10,000 people and it will not be in the news.”
Maria Karagianni, said when mainstream media failed to cover the protests, people turned to social media and covered their protests themselves. “Social media has been very important,” she said.
The anti-water charges campaign was “inspirational” to the Greek people, she said.
“It is so impressive. It is a genuinely working class movement that challenged the narrative that everything is good in Ireland and everyone is happy.”
FIGHT!
Greeks ‘inspired’ by Irish anti-water charge campaign (Kitty Holland, Irish Times)
Meanwhile…
At the Syrzia breakfast on Saturday.
From left: Moira Murphy Community against water charges, Richard Mc Aleavey Greek solidarity, Gerard Kennark from Community against water charges, Cat Inglis from Community against water charges, Maria Karagianni and Nyoman Tzouvla Syriza acivists, Ronan Burtenshaw from Greek solidarity.
(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
… Magic beans, oh magic beans, where would we be without magic beans…
I can’t wait for Amnesty International to campaign for Paul Murphy’s release.
Perfect bedfellows.
I’ll raise a glass to the destruction of Greece, that low tax socialist haven.
“The anti-water charges campaign was “inspirational” to the Greek people, she said.”
– I’m sure it was; from one group who want everything to be paid for by someone else, to the whole nation who want everything to be paid for by everyone else.
this!
Oh why can’t the Irish be more like the Greeks….
because we love our rubbish diet and we ain’t changing for anyone
what exactly have they done so far? Greece still seems odds on for bankruptcy now, nothing has changed
“The anti-water charges campaign was “inspirational” to the Greek people, she said”….Absolute, total and utter rubbish. Over the last 18 months I have spent around 10 days a month in Athens. Every visit, apart from one, there was some kind of demonstration/protest/march in Athens city centre. The Greek people couldn’t give a toss about Ireland and the water charges, they are too busy looking out for themselves and their ridiculous demands.
Em… I don’t think anyone is taking that “inspiration” bit literally…. or are they….. maybe the diehard protesters use it to give themselves a boost, which is fair enough, but beyond that, I don’t think anyone is taking that point seriously.
I buy extra virgin olive oil and put in my porridge in solidarity with the Greeks. And sometimes I eat feta.
Old Hep’ Noonan never thought of the Olive Oil!
Can someone from the anti-water charge group provide a link to their detailed alternate engineering plan that will upgrade the potable water and sewerage system, thanks
Can someone from Irish Water provide their detailed engineering plan?
Because so far to date the only engineering going on in there is syphoning hundreds of millions more than budgeted into a company and staff costs even before cost has been attached to upgrading or beginning to upgrade the network (beyond the meter installation sideshow). If any anti-water charge group want detailed alternate engineering plans they reside with DCC, Fingal, DLRC and the department of the environment. There have been several assessments carried out of the outdated water mains, treatment and reservoir facilities already. How else could the amazing idea to not bother fixing anything because the costs and work involved are so eye wateringly high that just piping shannon water to the capital was deemed the cheaper and easier option (this ridiculous idea is still being kicked around!)
Jaysus! …so no plan then. Right.
Hello Paul
It’s not like they’re going to share that plan with you is it? After all it’s not like you paid for it for anything. Oh.
Piping some water from a very large river that flows into the sea and is prone to seasonal flooding is indeed, a very ridiculous idea. To quote one Mary O Rourke Ex TD – It’s “rape of our water”.
Look up anything that says “burn the bond holders”, they don’t have any other plan.
I don’t want no scrubs
Scrubs is the kind that can get no love from me
“Youth Wing” anything sends the shivers up me! The phrase always brings images of zealous executioners
http://www.watermainsrehab.com