IFE-EFI
Initiative Féministe Européenne pour une autre Europe
European Feminist Initiative for another Europa
Iniciativa Feminista Europea para otra Europa
Feministyczyna Inicjatywa Europejska dla innej Europy
Europaische Feministische Initiative fur eine andere Europa
Europska Feministicka Inicijativa za drukciju Europu
Iniziativa Feminista Europea per un’ altra oltra Europa
Europeiskt Feministiskt Initiativ for ett annat Europa
28 /12, 2008
Acid Thrown at a Labour Union leader in Greece
Konstantina Kouneva, the general secretary of the Attica Union of Cleaners and Domestic Workers (AUCDW) in Greece, was brutally attacked on 22 December, at midnight by her home in Athens. According to the brief news released, unknown persons threw acid at her face, head and shoulder.
The workers covered by AUCDW work under very harsh conditions. The biggest employer in this branch has contract with big companies, sadly such as Hellenic Vehicles Industry known for its fraudulent activities regarding insurance stamps. AUCDW has repeatedly complained to official authorities, however, no action has been taken by the government or the public companies.
European Feminist Initiative EFE-IFE strongly and loudly condemns this act of extreme violence. Acid attacks and throwing are used all over the planet against women fighting for their rights and their freedoms! Acid attacks and throwing are acts of gender based violence causing disfigurement for life and aiming at terrorizing women physically, psychologically and socially. Konstantinova was in critical condition; doctors saved her life, but she has lost sight of one eye while there is still hope to save the other.
In the background of repeated
terrorization of the union’s leadership, AUCDW’s leadership has denounced the
employers as responsible for this attack on their general secretary. In the
light of deepening world capitalist crisis, we are witnessing more brutal
attacks on human’s rights activists. We must act swiftly and strongly against
any such crimes.
As feminists we raise our voice today and join the other progressive, women and human rights activists in the condemnation of this horrible attack and in solidarity with Konstantina and her colleagues. We send her our deepest and most sincere feminist support for her bravery in the fight for a decent life.
International solidarity movement is an appropriate response to such criminal actions!