ΚΚΕ: land policy responsible for fires

The General Secretary of the KKE Aleka Papariga, during a press conference on Monday 27 of August, rejected the view that the destructive fires that have engulfed Greece and claimed 63 lives till now constitute an "asymmetrical threat" and pinned the blame on land policy. Aleka Papariga presenting a communiqué of the Political Bureau of the CC of KKE, underscored that that the government's attempt to present the tragedy in terms of "new order imperialist dogma of asymmetrical threats" sought to "intimidate the people so as to divert their reaction in the wrong direction, both during the electoral contest and afterward" The KKE called the people to contribute in the combating of the fires sweeping the country, and repeated that its members and organizations are be completely at the disposal to the service of the local authorities, agencies and officials, to participate in the fire-fighting efforts, support the inhabitants and contribute to any problems they can.

Regarding the cause of the fires, Aleka Papariga said that these had not arisen suddenly but were created over many years by a series of reactionary laws and measures taken by the successive governments of the ruling New Democracy and main opposition PASOK parties. KKE notes that since 1991, only one-eleventh of burned forests were reforested in Attica and one-ninth in Greece.

KKE underlines that, the road to the present inferno was opened by a policy that commercialised land and forests, rewarded land grabbers, undermined prevention and created huge deficits in equipment, infrastructure and facilities for fire-fighting and forest protection services, culminating in the revision of the Constitution and especially article 24 for the protection of forests.

"We are faced with an organised plan, whether this existed beforehand or arose on the way," She noted, adding that the profits from arsons primarily benefited large economic interests whose "appetite is opened by land commercialisation and privatization".

According to KKE the government bears huge responsibilities for failing to put up an effective, organised response that might have mitigated the repercussions of the disaster, through prevention and forest protection measures.

Aleka Papariga also said that PASOK seeks only to cover up its own responsibilities and to benefit from the justified popular unrest at the polls. At the same time, she noted that the Coalition of the Radical Left failed to display political autonomy in face of this evident incendiary plan that is related with the land property and use and opted to align with PASOK and support it.

Listing KKE's proposals for the aftermath of the fires, Aleka Papariga called for a full and in-depth listing of the destruction wrought and the areas burnt, without any changes in land use, full compensation to farmers for lost crops and livestock, one year's exemption from insurance contributions and taxes and a freeze on loan payments, full compensation for burnt homes and farm infrastructure, detailed and binding plans for reforestation, free housing for fire victims in nearby hotels, immediate hiring for vacant positions in the fire brigade, forestry services and national health service with permanent rather than seasonal staff and work to limit subsequent damage from erosion, flooding etc.

KKE also calls for the adoption of urgent political measures:

• To stop the constitutional revision, especially as far as it regards the negative change of clauses related to forests
• To turn into public property the big private property on mountains and forests
• To revoke all anti-forest laws and regulations, especially the law 997/79 of the ND government that de-characterized 2,5 millions hectares of forests and the law 1734/87 of the PASOK government that de-characterized 4,5 millions hectare of forests.