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77y old retired pharmacist suicide at Syntagma Square, Athens GR

another unemployed in London | 04.04.2012 17:52 | Social Struggles | World

Today a 77 year old retired man committed suicide in Syntagma square, Greece. He left a letter before he shot himself. Bellow is the link with the picture and a rough translation of the letter.

Today a 77 year old retired man committed suicide in Syntagma square, Greece. He left a letter before he shot himself. Bellow is the link with the picture and a rough translation of the letter.

 http://athens.indymedia.org/​local/webcast/uploads/​002z9sxec.jpg

"The Tsolakoglou* occupation government literally
nullified my ability to survive with a decent pension,
which I had to pay (without government aid) for 35 years.

Since I am of an age that prevents me from giving a substantial response
(without of course ruling out the possibility of following a kalashnikov-wielding Greek),
I cannot find any choice other than a dignified end, before I would have to resort
to rooting through the garbage for my nutritional needs.

I believe that the youth without a future will one day take up arms and hang the
national traitors upside down at the syntagma square, as the Italians did in 1945
with Mussolini (Piazzale Loreto of Milan)"

[*Georgios Tsolakoglou was a Greek military officer who became the first
Prime Minister of the Greek collaborationist government during the Axis Occupation
in 1941-1942.]

another unemployed in London

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Additional and more analytical info

04.04.2012 18:36

77 year old Greek pensioner commits suicide due to economic crisis
A Greek pensioner walked right in front of the Parliament and shot himself. On him, they found a note where he explained that this was mainly due to the economic crisis and the austerity measures


The latest victim of the Greek crisis is a 77 year old retired pharmacist who ended his life by shooting himself in the head, because of his inability to cover his debts with his pension being his only income.
The tragic incident took place early this morning, in rush hour and in the "heart" of Athens, at Syntagma Square right in front of the Greek Parliament.
He came down the stairs leading to the subway station and chose a spot, where he could hide himself behind trees before pulling the trigger.
His death was instantaneous.
Police officers who rushed at the place of tragedy, searched into his pockets to find official documents that could lead to his identification.
Among others they found a handwritten note, in which he explained the reasons behind his desicion.

"The occupying goverment has annihilated every trace of my survival. As I find no other way to react, they only leave me the choise of a decent end, before I start searching into the trash for food", he wrote.
Witnesses said that moments before pulling the trigger, the 77 year old man said "I' m leaving because I don' t want my children to live burdened by my debts".

Soon after, it became known that the 77 year old man was married with one daughter and lived with his wife in the area of Ambelokipi, Athens.
He had been a member of Pharmaceutical Society until 1994, when he sold his pharmacy.
According to unconfirmed information, he suffered from a serious illness.
Greeks have already started gathering into Syntagma square to protest and there are fears that this could yet escalate.
The economic crisis and the austerity measures decided by Greek governments have pushed the country's citizens to their limits. During the last two years, 1.800 people have committed suicide.



After the incident, hundrends of people gathered at Syntagma Square, to mourn and leave a few flowers at the place of tragedy.


source:  http://news247.gr/english/77_year_old_greek_pensioner_commits_suicide_due_to_economic_crisis.1720353.html

The same unemployed in London


Related flyer going round Athens

04.04.2012 20:24


Translated Text ‘Scumbags, one suicide per day because of you, but the day is coming when the desperate ones will choose to take the law into their own hands: you shall pay’

T


UK and US inteference in Greece

05.04.2012 07:42

An interesting programme on Greek history currently on Radio 4 including a quote from a British soldier " thought we were here to liberate them - not shoot them"

So- Fucked over by Turkey then Germany,the UK, the US, the EU/IMF

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01dtdcb/Archive_on_4_Greece_An_Unquiet_History/

1986 banned UK documentary about British Govt political manipulation under Churchill:-

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tXb5YkQeDM&feature=related

some other stuff


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Alchoholic

05.04.2012 13:59

This poor man was an alcoholic with serious depression, his son has been asking that media organisations do not attempt to link his suicide to the Greek financial crisis as his father was in fact rich after selling his pharmacy business.

Show some respect


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This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Stupid

05.04.2012 19:10

There are plenty of people who are worse off than this guy but don't go around shooting themselves. Check out any 3rd world country and he would of found what real poverty meant. Stupid western behaviour, total waste and selfish to this family.

Clarkson


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This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

the above commenter

05.04.2012 19:30

can inhale maggots.

There is always the one person who compares a single situation and then total strips the credibility of it by comparing it to another worse situation, another side of the world. Go and die quietly in a corner or something if you wish, but when others kick up a fuss and resist, shut you're mouth, you slaaaag.

you slaaaaaaaag


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