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| • On the black list |
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| • An athlete star has disappeared |
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| • Close to Passover |
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| • Rebellion of the cooks |
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| On the black list |
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| Accompanied by Iranian resistance fighters, French and English judges and also lawyers, I went to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. This Court was called to give a ruling on the withdrawal of the Organization of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) from the list of terrorists. Founded in 1965 with the objective of overthrowing the Shah's Regime, and later the Islamic Regime, the People's Mujahedin, banned from Iran, has been considered as a terrorist movement by the European Union and the United States after September 11, 2001 attack. |
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The PMOI appears as the most important organization to oppose Teheran's Regime. |
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The European Union has put the PMOI on the black list as an accommodating attitude towards Teheran. The label of terrorist, stuck on this organization, has been politically motivated and has served to favour the trade relations with Iran.
In fact, it is very difficult to withdraw a name from the black list. But the legal fight has been going on for many years and jurists and lawyers who don't give in lead it.
Abbé Pierre has always been a friend and a defender of the Mujahedin. He had written to the president of the European Council : « How is it possible to let this organization, respectful of the Human Rights, be treated on the same level as terrorists organizations ? » |
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| At the European Court, the pleas of the lawyers and the pertinent questions of the judge have given me hope. Let us wait the decision of the Court. |
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| An athlete star has disappeared |
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| John was a 19 years old young man , a native of Kenya. He had seeked political asylum to stay in France. This request was rejected. He made an appeal. The National Court for political asylum rejected his appeal. When John heard the news, his world collapsed. Knowing he had no future, he hung himself in his bedroom. |
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A letter found next to him explained his desperate gesture : better to die in France than to return to Kenya where death was waiting for him. A star has disppeared. |
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About fifty people gathered in front of the building where the tragedy happened.
The photo of John was put on the fence with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. A number of people spoke one after the other with great emotion.
John was a high-ranking athlete, a member of an athletic club. His colleagues made a press release that I found full of dignity : « What have we done or not done that a young man of 19 years old, enthusiastic and in the prime of life, discrete, motivated, with whom we ran many times every week, came to the point of committing such an act? |
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We want to put a question to the representatives and guarantors of our institutions. We do not want to forget John, our friend. We do not want that he has died for nothing. »
200 people went to the National Court for political asylum. A delegation was received by the president. A disappointing meeting. |
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| Close to Passover |
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Myriam and Marc have come to share the community's meal. Their presence brings me happiness. I am very fond of them. Living in the streets for them is not uncommon; they had slept there, like all those that have no housing and often no work. But after a long obstacle course, they have succeeded in getting out of this situation.
Today, with a third associate, they have become actors. They portray in their show how they have lived, on a daily basis, without cheating, in their own words. We discover the discrepancy between how they have lived and the questions put to them by those who come to see them! How to understand that those who sleep on the streets are human like us?
I was amazed by their play, so very true and poignant! Every time it is played, the audience is moved. |
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Myriam andMarc serve as an example that we should not loose faith in those that live on the streets. No one is beyond changing his way of life. One can get out of it, but one should never stay alone. Solidarity is essential.
We are so close to Passover. By their sole presence, Myriam and Marc show me that Passover has arrived, without waiting. They are liberated from their shackles. Love opens them to others. They stretch out a hand to the excluded of our society. They cannot succeed in life without helping the most needy in the society. For them living is fighting. |
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| Their example recalls to me this famous word from John the apostle: « we know that we have passed from death to life when we love our brothers.» |
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| Rebellion of the cooks |
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They were nine people working in a famous Parisian restaurant: cooks, dishwashers, barmen, people in charge of the cleaning. Eight were from Mali, one from Ivory Coast. These workers had no official documents and knew that they had been taken advantage of for years. Without them, the restaurant would not be running well and not be making a substantial profit!
These unknown workers took the risk of going on strike to obtain their regularization and not to be considered as outcasts. |
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At 11 o'clock in the morning, the 9 men had stopped working and sat on some of the restaurant seats still wearing their white uniforms and caps, while trade union representatives and demonstrators, warned in advance, invaded the place. Outside, banners covered the front of this prestigious restaurant.
It was a huge surprise and the restaurant had to close. Members of the medias were all over the place and had their eyes all turned towards the illegal.
« I have worked 11 hours per day, during 4 months with no break and no day off. »
« If you take your month's annual leave pay, you have to resign. If you return to the restaurant, the salary is reduced for two to three months and you have to sign a new employment contract. »
« During the shift, there is no coffee break. »
« The workers have to pay for their uniforms and cleaning. »
« Workers have pay slips, pay taxes and health insurances »
« I have been working here for seven years and I still have no official documents. We want to be regularized. For us it is a question of justice. »
Management arrived on the place. They did not dare to call the police because they were illegally hiring people with no documents. They could go on trial. A tussle began. |
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Everyday, I take pleasure in meeting the « 9 » that sleep in the restaurant. Their solidarity is iron-willed. They were getting a lot of support. They knew that if they were to succeed, many other workers with no documents would be able to win in their turn.
And that's what happened. They have been regularized. It is great! |
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