A bullet and mayhem

 

 

The forensic report of the death of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos, who was shot down by a policeman in the Exarhia district on December 6, 2008, fortifies that he was killed by a direct shot and not otherwise. And the rest is still 'not' history. Within the first one-and-a-half-hour, the Greeks were on the roads of Athens, protesting and burning Greece. Later, all cities of Greece were engulfed in demonstrations and riots (similar to one in 1985). The noteworthy point is that this riot was just not confined to Greece and its vicinity, but spread across the whole of Europe (Paris, Rome, Berlin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, Copenhagen et al).

The three-week long riot was not the result of a shootout, but it actually acted as a catalyst for the youth to raise their voice and gave them a chance to showcase their frustration against the government's lousy policies and bad governance. The Greek youths are suffering because of mass unemployment (unemployment rate in age group 15-24 stands at 22 per cent, as per OECD) and highly competitive exams that eventually and sadly do not promise a promosing future in the job market. The education system does not promote free thinking and civil participation. Even after Athens being the 29th most expensive city the salary levels (only for those who manage to get a job) is far too low as compared to other similar economies. The riot not only echoes the stagnant political system and weak economic condition of Greece but also the weak police force. After the fall of dictatorship the Greek Police never underwent any reform or received any kind of support from the politicos and are still deprived of professionalism and modern training (suffer from corruption and are trust deficit). The police are not even allowed to enter the campus of any educational institute, making them incapable of stopping protestors (who take advantage of this loophole).

These youths flooded the whole of virtual world with their messages against the government, eventually resulting in small riots all over Europe. The rioters, comprising anarchists and extremists, do not represent the entire population of Greece. The rioters, this time, are attacking banks and public institutions, instead of proposing alternative plan for the government.

Instead of burning their own country, wouldn't it be better if the youth participates in governance and politics to improve the conditions? These riots are actually acting as an opportunity for criminal gangs as they are busy looting banks and wealthy institutes. It's now time for not just Greece but many other European nations too to embrace the change the way India and China have. Or else thanks to Asia, jobs would continue to dry up and Europe might just turn out to be the next burning Africa in the making.