ATHENS, Greece Migrants — Immigrants living in Greece have been targeted in at least 300 violent attacks in the last three months, local anti-racism campaigners said Thursday, calling for better police protection against a surge in hate crimes.
Greece, which is suffering a fifth year of recession, is the European Union’s busiest transit point for illegal immigration. In Athens, many immigrants live crammed in small apartments in squalid conditions in central neighborhoods that have seen a sharp rise in crime since the financial crisis began in late 2009.
Activists have linked the surge in attacks against immigrants to the political rise of the far-right Golden Dawn party, which uses aggressive rhetoric against immigrants and has been described by political opponents as neo-Nazi. Golden Dawn members are accused of being behind several of the attacks, though the party denies any role.
The anti-racism campaigners said five Indian and Pakistani immigrants were injured Tuesday when they were attacked by some 20 masked men in their homes in Menidi, 10 kilometers (six miles) north of Athens. One alleged victim, Indian immigrant Vije Kumar, had extensive cuts and bruises and said he was beaten with clubs and metal bars.
“It was 10 o’clock at night and I was sitting outside eating because it was really hot … Suddenly about 20 men appeared, maybe more. They were all wearing hoods. They started hitting us,” Kumar, a 40-year-old frame maker who has lived in Greece for 12 years, told the Associated Press.
“We didn’t realize what was happening in the beginning. They really beat us badly. It was like they were trying to kill us.”
Javied Aslam, who heads a Pakistani immigrant group in Greece, said the attackers forced their way into seven homes, assaulting occupants and smashing property.
“These are fascist gangs and someone has to stop them,” Aslam said. “They smashed everything – TV sets, refrigerators, doors and windows. Four of the homes were inhabited by Pakistanis and the other three by Indians.”
In a report issued last week, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said it had documented recent gang attacks on dozens of immigrants living in Greece, including children and pregnant women, and also warned of a surge in xenophobic violence.
Greek police do not keep statistics on racially-motivated crimes, arguing that the motive for violent offenses is often unclear.
Aslam, whose organization is part of the Athens-based Campaign Against Racism, said anti-immigrant violence had surged before general elections were held on May 6 and June 17. The votes eventually led to the election of 18 members of parliament from Golden Dawn.
Since early April, and during the time the election campaigns were in full swing, Aslam said his and other groups had received 300 reports of assaults on immigrants.
“The number is probably higher,” he said, alleging that attackers often said they were from Golden Dawn.
While denying any role in such attacks, the party has argued that the violence is far less significant than a surge in crime caused by illegal immigrants.
The Campaign Against Racism’s Petros Constantinou said the new government should give priority to stopping violent street gangs who pick their targets by skin color. He also accused the police of often turning a blind eye to crimes against immigrants – an accusation the police have denied in the past.
New World Nigeria at Nigeria House kicks off with 30 Nigeria House project in collaboration with Theatre Royal Stratford East, and a series of public concerts featuring top Nigerian performers
Theatre Royal Stratford East in collaboration with New World Nigeria are delighted to announce the 30 artists selected to take part in 30 Nigeria House, a search for original creative work from young artists of Nigerian heritage. The project is part of the London 2012 Festival, the spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration running from 21 June until 9 September 2012 bringing together leading artists from across the world with the very best from the UK.
Some of Nigeria’s most acclaimed musicians will be performing as Nigeria House opens this weekend including King Sunny Ade, Seun Kuti, Asa, Wande Cole, Tiwa Savage and Choc Boiz. The opening concert on Saturday 21 July features Wizboyy, Waje and Tuface.
This groundbreaking and exciting new project is one of the outcomes of Nigeria’s Hospitality House (Nigeria House) hosted by Theatre Royal Stratford East, during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Nigeria House is the platform for a sport and cultural exchange, an integral part of the New World Nigeria outreach programme, which aims to promote Nigerian investment, business and cultural dialogue with international counterparts. Key performances across a range of musical artists, theatrical plays, poetry and cultural development programmes are being showcased. For more information visit www.nigeriahouse2012.com.
30 Nigeria House is a legacy project and the 30 artists have been awarded up to £3,000 to develop their work, providing significant investment in emerging talents.
The winners reflect an eclectic mix of emerging and established artists including Holby City and Rev (BBC) television star Jimmy Akingbola; Nkechi Anenyeonu, a 35 year old dancer who has worked with Hugh Masakela and Femi Kuti (Son of the legendary Fela); O-T and Oladapo Fagbenle – two brothers known for directing music videos, acting and writing in the UK, Nigeria and the USA. . O-T is best known for starring in the BBC’s Material Girl and their family also includes a sister who is currently making a bid to represent the UK in basketball during London 2012; Martina Isibor who recently starred in the West End hit Thriller; Chioma Onyenwe is one to watch as an emerging film maker; Soji Ogunnaike, who has edited and technically directed several reality television shows in Nigeria including Big Brother and last year won Best Landscape Picture at the Nigeria Photography Awards. And Lizzy Dijeh, a former member of the Royal Court Youth Writer’s Programme, her play High Life debuted at Hampstead Theatre.
In the final selection there are 23 applicants from the UK and 7 from Nigeria with an age range of 18-35 and include: Africa Ukoh, Andy Amadi, Ann Akin, Annabel Sowemimo, Christina Adeola Oshunniyi, Damilola Fashola, Debo Amon, Elizabeth Adeola Ayoola, Femi Amogunla, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Irenosen Okajie, Jacklyn Adeniji-Williams, Joy Gharoro-Akpojutor, Nikky Norton, Nwando Ebizie, Ola Masha, Olorufemi Fagunwa, Olu Yomi Ososany, Stella Odunlami, Tosin Otudeko and Ubong Anyang. All the award-winning entries can be seen at www.stratfordeast.com/30-nigeria-house and a full souvenir programme will be available.
Artistic Director Kerry Michael says: ‘we have been excited by the incredibly high standard of talent we received from emerging artists across the UK and Nigeria and we are committed to supporting these artists in the long-term development of their work.’
The prestigious judges who were part of the selection process comprised Femi Elufowojo Jnr, Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and founder of Tiata Fahodzi;Ifeoma Fafunwa, a highly-respected theatre director in the US and Nigeria (Engagement, Not My Affair and Vagina Monologues) and active in the developing young Nigerian female writers; Nike Jonah, Project Manager at Arts Council England for decibel, named as one of the top 50 female leaders by the Cultural Leadership Programme; Olu Jacobs, an acclaimed actor, writer, director and producer and an alumnus of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Tokunbo Chiedu, CEO of Compass Consulting, an organisation specialising in developing and managing public-private sector partnerships; Tosan Edremoda-Ugbeye an actress whose credits include Wetin Dey and Story Story for the BBC;and Award winning director, Kerry Michael, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East who created this initiative.
The judges looked across various art forms including theatre, dance, film animation, poetry, spoken word and music and focused on new, emerging and existing artists and their work.
This ground-breaking and exciting new project is one of the outcomes of Theatre Royal Stratford East hosting Nigeria’s Hospitality House (Nigeria House) during the London 2012 Olympic Games.30 Nigeria House also reflects Nigeria’s recognition of its talented people and aspirations to develop the Creative Industries in Nigeria, which are strongly emerging sectors. The Federal Government of Nigeria therefore, through one of its key development agencies, has developed an artistic collaboration with Theatre Royal Stratford East.
This new project aims to assist 30 artists in developing a new piece of work through an award of £3,000 each; an example of continued commitment to new writing and new artists by Theatre Royal Stratford East and Nigeria. The 30 artists will attend the launch of the Nigeria Hospitality House (Nigeria House) for the London 2012 Olympic Games and 8 of these artists will participate in an event to share their work as part of Nigeria House, which is located at the theatre in August.
Mr Waheed Olagunju, spokesman for New World Nigeria, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Theatre Royal Stratford East to realise our vision of bringing Nigerian culture to the world. Nigeria has a proud cultural history and we are thrilled to have found the next generation’s most promising artists.’
A Dutch specialist is calling for the introduction in the Netherlands of a pill that can dramatically lower the risk of infection with the HIV virus.
According to Michiel van Agtmael, a consultant in infectious diseases at Amsterdam’s VU hospital, the drug Truvada, is “a breakthrough in the fight against HIV”. The medicine is already available in the United States and can cut the risk of infection by up to 73 percent.
Van Agtmael believes the anti-HIV pill should be made available to high-risk groups such as prostitutes and HIV-negative gay men whose partners are infected with the virus. However, he warns that users of the drug need to be carefully monitored for side effects. Longterm use of Truvada can damage the kidneys and bone structure.
Speaking to the Dutch daily free newspaper Metro, Van Agtmael also warned of the danger that, “people could have a false sense of security. Just because the danger of infection is halved doesn’t mean you can make love without a condom.”
Another disadvantage is the price: Truvada costs around 20 euros per pill.
Take a look at these beautiful floral print styles. You’ll surely love them as all kinds of prints are in vogue at the moment. Whether it’s ankara African print, floral prints and other types of colourful ones, the print is enjoying a great love at the moment.
Take advantage of it and get some inspiration for a style that will look good on you and fits your own personal style. Whether you’ll looking to buy some floral prints styles by top designers, on the high street, or let your tailor make it for you – these styles will give you some great ideas.
The pieces in this post are the autumn/winter collection from from Giles.
Morgan Freeman, the Oscar-winning star, says black British actors often have to leave the country in order to find work.
Britain is often said to be a more racially harmonious country than America, but Morgan Freeman claims that black actors are denied chances in this country.
“I know at least three actors who left Britain for the States because opportunities for them here in the UK were limited,” the American actor tells Mandrake at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises at the BFI Imax in London.
“The British film industry definitely has more work to do on that front. It needs to catch up with the times; it has much more progress to make.”
The Oscar-winning actor, whose roles have included American presidents and Nelson Mandela in Invictus, adds: “I think Hollywood is pulling it off quite well for young black actors. There’s a lot of opportunities over in the US.”
Freeman’s comments echo complaints by black British actors, including David Harewood, who starred in the hit American drama seriesHomeland. In February, Harewood said he was forced to go to America to win a starring role. “Unfortunately, there really aren’t that many roles for authoritative, strong, black characters in this country,” he said.
Patrick Robinson, who has appeared in television series such asCasualty, claimed that he was ostracised by one of the BBC’s executives for almost a decade after he spoke out about the lack of opportunities for black actors.
“Ask any lay person to name five British black actors and they wouldn’t be able to,” he said. “Idris Elba had to go to America to make it in The Wire before they asked him back here.
“There are some white actors who hardly ever seem to be out of work. Look at the guys from Life On Mars and Mad Dogs, like Philip Glenister, Marc Warren and John Simm – they never stop. But we just don’t get those chances.”
Rocking a new hair style of golden-brown braids and a colorful, graphic-print romper, Queen Beyonce cradled her bundle of joy, Baby Blue Ivy as she scanned the high-budget fashions on Wednesday afternoon.
The celebrity who known from shielding her daughter from the flashing cameras of paparazzis was captured with an uncovered baby Blue Ivy Carter. A customer was able to to a close face snap of baby Blue.
Another excited fan confirmed the in-store sighting, tweeting, “It’s cool. Just shopping next to Beyonce at Bergdorf, baby on her hip. No entourage. She winked at me, no s**t.”
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Hello, ladies, do you want to learn some tricks on how to look gorgeous and flawless this summer? Today, we present you with Bobbi Brown’s 10 steps of pretty powerful makeup lesson, from cleansing and moisturising through to foundation application, Blush, Eyeliner and much more. This video lesson will teach you some special makeup application tips and tricks that will enable you to have a better, natural and elegant look. You really don’t have to be a makeup artist to get that professional look.
Iroko Partners, an online distributor of African movies and music, has raised another $2 million in its latest round of funding from a Swedish venture capital group as it seeks to take the service to cable and satellite TV partners in the U.S. and Europe.
The Lagos, Nigeria-based company raised the funds from Sweden’s Kinnevik, an early investor in Groupon Inc. Iroko previously raised $8 million from U.S.-based hedge fund Tiger Global in April as investors in emerging markets seek to tap into one of the fastest growing movie businesses in the world.
Kinnevik investments head, Henrik Persson, said his firm, which has invested in African telecoms, sees tremendous opportunity in African media and online services. “It has very low penetration and we see a really strong growth trend. He added: “A part of our investment philosophy is that we think that the perceived risk is higher than the real risk in this market..what people see as a lack of opportunity is a lack of supply.”
Iroko has focused on forming partnerships with most of Nigeria’s leading filmmakers for distribution on its own platform as well as with major partners like Google Inc’s YouTube.
Though the majority of Iroko’s operations are based in Lagos, it also has set up offices in London and New York.
Founder Jason Njoku said the majority of the company’s revenues come from users across the African Diaspora in the United States, Britain and Canada and other countries outside the continent.
The Nigerian movie industry is now widely acknowledged as the third largest after Hollywood and India’s Bollywood in terms of the number of movies produced.
While so-called Nollywood movies are typically distributed within Nigeria and around the world on DVD or Video-CD discs, Njoku spotted a gap in the market to digitize the movies for online distribution. Most of the Web viewers have been in developed countries with fast-enough Internet traffic speeds to enable video streaming.
The company’s revenues are predominantly generated through advertising around the movies. But in July it launched a monthly subscription with the promise of earlier windows for fans to catch new films without advertising.
Since launching two weeks ago the subscription service Iroko TV has signed up just under 5,000 paying subscribers according to Njoku. It already had 560,000 registered users since the Iroko TV service launched in January.
“Our users have such an intense relationship with the content, they spend hours watching.”
Njoku said the new funding will focus primarily on helping expand operations outside Nigeria. He said the next stage for the company is to find ways of licensing its partners’ content to cable, satellite TV companies and international airlines.
“The Internet is one of the most poorly monetized platforms for content,” said Njoku. “Since we’re platform-agnostic it would be mad for us not to try and form relationships with TV.”
Iroko sees itself as a global business with pan-African roots so it is also looking to license more movies and other content from around Africa from countries like Ghana and Kenya among others.
Girl brain power: It’s official – multi-tasking women are more clever than mesmerised men. Women have overtaken men in IQ Test scores for the first time in a century after scoring as much as five points lower than men for the past 100 years.
The findings represent a dramatic twist in the battle of the sexes, as in the past 100 years of IQ testing, women have lagged behind men by as much as five points.
But now the gap has closed and females have stolen the lead.
The results have been published by James Flynn, a world-renowned expert in IQ testing, who believes the demands of the modern age are raising standards of intelligence.
He said: “In the last 100 years the IQ scores of both men and women have risen, but women’s have risen faster.
“This is a consequence of modernity. The complexity of the modern world is making our brains adapt and raising our IQ.”
One theory for the result is that the demands of juggling family life and building a career have made women more intelligent.
Another theory is those women have always had the potential for higher results, but are only now realising it.
Flynn, who will publish the findings in a new book, added: “The brains of modern people are growing differently and showing increased cognitive complexity which we measure as increases in IQ.
“This improvement is more marked for women than for men because they were disadvantaged in the past.”
But he said more data was needed to explain the trend.
Supporting the notion that women are more than capable of taking on the stereotypically-male hunter-gatherer role, is Helena Jamieson, 33, a consultant who studied English literature at Cambridge.
On her marriage to stay-at home father Luke, 37, she said: “We have done the role reversal. I’m definitely the more intellectual person in the relationship and I’m at work full time while he is raising our daughter.
“I think women probably always knew deep down that they were the more intelligent ones – but as the gentler sex we were quiet about it and let men continue to believe they ruled the world.”
“One of my lawyers threatened me that I would see because here is Austria ”
“My current lawyer called me a slave and deceptively offered to buy my flats”
“My two life insurances and bank account were closed without my consent”
“The accident I had was turned against me that I wanted to commit suicide and when I told my lawyer to appeal she said that the decision was final”
“The money my company paid me through my former lawyer for wrongful dismissal after my accident he refused to pay it to me”
“Please help I am losing all I laboured in life”
My heart bleeds and I am in heavy pains. It is so, so sad and unfortunate to see my fellow black man and a Nigerian in the state I saw Nosa Igbinoba toddled like a child as his waist trembled to dance while he moved his legs with extreme difficulty and painfully struggled to support himself with a crutch. As we walked, we stopped intermittently for a rest as he interwove his crutch from right to left and without minding who was watching us on the street his tears rolled uncontrollably as he narrated the good, the bad and the ugly side of his life story in Austria . I fought back to hold my own tears to avoid breaking him down the more, tried as much as I did, but nature still took its course and failed me at the end of our approximately 100 metres walk that took us more than 28 minutes.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel. Please take your time to read through the unbelievable story of Nosa.
The genesis of his problem
“I am Nosa Igbinoba, a Nigerian from Edo State , who came to Austria in 1992 and was working as a lorry driver till I had an accident in May 2010. I bought two flats worth of €80,000 in Graz with a loan from ‘Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkassen’. While I used my €25.000 SUPERFUND (share) investment in the same bank as collateral, we had the agreement that I would be paying €630 every month for 24 years and of which I had already paid 6 � years before my accident in 2010.
“Things were also fine between me and my girlfriend who was also my insurance adviser but our relationship nosedived as she became jealous when my two children joined us from Nigeria . Thus, every day new trouble became the experience in our home and I was forced to rent another apartment. Yet the problem persisted as this lady had called over 25 times the police for me and when it became unbearable and was taking dangerous dimension I decided to relocate completely out of Graz to Vienna . I painfully took the decision to leave Graz because she was capable of framing me up and if she had done so nobody would have believed me as a black man and as a Nigerian. As if I knew, on the day we were packing out to Vienna she called the police and lied that I had threatened to kill her and our son. This was the genesis of my sorrows and tears that made my bank, my insurance, the judges and my lawyers to work in cooperation in making sure that I lose all I had worked for.
“I got a lawyer that was supposed to have defended me on this wicked allegation of threat to life but who unfortunately turned out to be more of a begging lawyer. The lawyer begged me to accept that I had threatened to kill my former girlfriend and our son and that if I could do so that I might only get €50 or €100 penalty because the judge was a good judge. I bluntly refused such evil and queried him if he had been a begging lawyer or a lawyer I had hired to defend me. The lawyer picked offence that I had insulted him, went into the court room and told the judge that he was sorry that he would not continue with the case because I had refused to cooperate. He told the court that my case for him was “scheißegal, es interessiert mich nicht mehr” (shit, it does not matter and does not interest me anymore) and that his contract with my case was over because he was sure that I did what my ex-girlfriend accused me of. He packed his documents and left the court room. As no lawyer in Graz accepted to defend me on this case again I went to court alone and defended myself and luckily was discharged and acquitted.
“But surprisingly after one or two weeks I got a letter from the same lawyer that had abandoned me in court demanding €1300. I told him that I would not pay such money because even though that I was not a lawyer but what he had done with me had been a breach of contract. He threatened me that ‘Wie werden sehen, hier ist Österreich’ (We will see, here is Austria ).”
The accident and the manipulations that became the conduit of losing all he has got in life including humiliation, intimidation and brutality
“I loaded my lorry in Vienna going to Salzburg and I was having some loads to offload in St. Pölten. When I got to St. Pölten and parked a colleague who was driving out after offloading was not happy with my parking. He exchanged words with me because he had said that my parking had narrowed the exit. As I watched him struggling to drive out without success, I came down from my lorry to help him drive out. I stood at his front and started to direct him and when he saw that he was almost out he suddenly decided to knock me down, climbed me and speed up for a distance and stopped before I lost consciousness. This happened on May 19th 2010 around 12 am but I was in coma till around 8 pm when I woke up in the hospital. According to people, after he had parked his lorry he went to a nearby coffee bar and announced that he had knocked down a nigger before people rushed out and called the ambulance and the police. But with the situation of things he had claimed that he had not seen me and my lawyer and the court had sustained that by ruling that I had wanted to commit suicide. I told my lawyer to appeal against the judgement but she had painfully told me that it had been over and as such cannot be appealed.
“Then in hospital and in pains, my company knowing very well that I could not come to work quickly they sacked me. As they sacked me, they also refused to pay me my benefits until I had to take them to ‘Arbeiterkammer’ (the Chamber of Labour). When my lawyer got to know that I had taken my company to the Chamber of Labour he told me to withdraw the case from them and give it to him since I had got a ‘Rechtschutzversicherung’ (legal protection insurance) and that he was now my lawyer that he could handle the case in such a way that I would get paid more unlike how it would be under the Chamber of Labour. I took his advice but could not do anything at that time because I was still lying in the hospital. I was at the hospital for about 5 – 6 months but immediately I came out I took the case and handed it over to him thinking that he wanted to help me. He actually took the company to court and they paid about €3200 or €3300 which I cannot say exactly now until I check my records but he seized the money and refused to pay me. When I contacted him to know why he had refused to pay me my money he told me that I still had to balance him some money because he had been the one handling my accident case, I asked him; did my legal protection insurance not pay you? He did not say anything. I went to my legal protection insurance to know what had happened. When I got there they told me that they had paid him every bill he had brought to them and I now requested for copies which they gave to me. When I got home I checked the total amount of money they had paid him and found out that it was nearly €23.000 or €24.000 but yet he was still demanding about €3000 from me. I reported him to “Rechtsanwaltskammer” (Bar Association) October last year and left him for another lawyer. And since then, each time I call the Bar Association to know if they have collected my money, they always tell me that they are still investigating. This my present lawyer added to my troubles after probably having discussed with him and perhaps with my former lawyer who had abandoned me in court but had threatened me that if I did not pay him that I would see that here was Austria .”
At this point he paused and suddenly burst into tears as I tried to calm him down. After few moments he started again.
“Under such heavy pains in the hospital I lost my sister. Crying bitterly that I could not see the corpse of my sister because I was helplessly lying on the hospital bed, another tragedy struck, that was, my father died. The loads were too heavy and unbearable and as if that was not enough my children were thrown out from the house under winter cold. While all these things were happening, I was still lying on the hospital bed and bills that I never knew before my accident kept on coming. I did not know anybody here in Vienna to turn to for help. A woman I thought that was helping me in sorting out these bills did not actually help me in this direction as my financial crises worsened as a result of bills that probably could have been avoided if I had negotiated with the authorities and also some bills that I am not supposed to pay but only needed to explain things to them, they have all now formed forces that may lead me to jail.
“The first thing I did while in the hospital as soon as I was able to make calls was to call my bank and we agreed that my monthly credit in the bank would be suspended for 1 year. When I came out from the hospital I went to them and told them that I would start the payment of my monthly credit again on February 20th, 2011 which they agreed and I left. But surprisingly after a few days, I got a bank statement showing that my old bank account had been closed and a new one opened for me for the same credit. I called the man in charge and told him that the new arrangement was unacceptable for me because my life insurance had been attached to the credit he had just closed. In the new arrangement the money had now been increased with about €30.000 more without any explanation. He had tried to persuade me to accept the new offer which I refused and took the issue to my lawyer who now took the case to court.
“And because the bank had now closed my account the disengagement money my company was supposed to pay me as ordered by the court for wrongful dismissal was paid through my lawyer’s account which he refused to pay me. Because of this I took another lawyer who now started where her colleagues had stopped and finished me.
“[…] in one of the courts cases with my bank, the judge brought out a letter which claimed that they had informed him about their intention and showed me and asked if I had received such letter from my bank. I took a look at the letter and told him that I had not. The judge said ‘yoyo’ that I could easily say that. I told the judge that he should ask the bank to bring the registered number of such letter they claimed that they had sent to me because if the police was sending somebody a penalty bill of only €35 they usually would register it; how much more a bill of almost €90.000? The judge now asked my lawyer to ask me if I was ready to pay about €88,962.98 the bank was requesting from me or he would order for the forceful auctioning of my flats and the seizure of my collateral. I told my lawyer that I was not the slave of the bank to work for them till I die. Shockingly even though I was not too surprised at the response of my supposed to be lawyer to my statement but I had never expected such assertion from her in an official court sitting. When I said that I was not their slave she replied immediately and said “of course you are their slave. What did you think you were before?” She went ahead and told me to take the offer from the judge as she was ready to pay me €78.000 for the apartment. After the court I went to her office and asked her to pay me the money she had offered in the court and take the apartment. She told me that she had been of course not serious as she had only used that in court.
“As we speak now, the court has ordered that either I pay the €88,962.98 as claimed by the bank before Tuesday next week (24/07/2012) or I lose the flats and my €25.000 cash share investment to the bank. The €620 that I was paying monthly for 6 ½ years which also totalled up to €48,360.00 will also go. They will also put me into prison because of accumulated and some questionable bills they have hindered me from paying and they will make sure also as their slave that cannot get any help from anybody that I pay them any allegedly amount as breach of contract just simply because the bank wanted to change my initial contract that had included a life insurance after I came out from hospital and I refused. And for that reason, all that I have laboured all my life must vanish.
“While in the hospital, one of the bills that came was a €800 penalty I had got for wrong parking. I went to the concerned authority when I came out from the hospital and we agreed that I should be paying €100 every month till the bill was over which I did not fail. But startlingly, on May 22nd, 2012 a group of policemen came to my house. When I heard a knock on my door around 11 pm on this day, I was wondering who that could be at that hour because I did not have any appointment with anybody. As I opened my door I saw these hefty policemen numbering about 7. They told me that I was under arrest. I asked them for what reason? They said for ‘Strafe’ (penalty). I asked; how much was the penalty? They said that they did not know. I asked again which penalty? They also said that they did not know but that I would get to know when I get to their station. At this point I now know that they were in my house for something else. So I told them to wait at the door because I had never heard this kind of thing before. I turned my back and was trying to make a call, they rushed in immediately and twisted my left and right hand at my back, kicked me down and started to beat me. Oh my brother! They brutalised me, they dealt with me and it was really very painful especially with my accident wound on my leg that was yet to heal properly but they did not show any mercy as they were heating it and boxing me in front of my children for doing nothing than being a black man and a Nigerian. It was too humiliating and inhuman. As they were manhandling me in my house they called more policemen as one could count up to 20 of them downstairs.
“When we got to their station they brought the bill which happened to be the €800 bill of which I had already paid €400. I now told them that this bill was a bill that I had an agreement of paying €100 monthly, so why must I be brutalised and treated like a common criminal because of it. They said that they were instructed that it was either I pay the money or I go to prison.
“For over one week I could not stand up with my legs and could not sleep well because of pains. The doctor’s reports are here to show the cruelty they meted on me. I cannot sue them because which court will I take them to? Which lawyer will defend me? Where will I get money to pay such lawyer since they decided without my consent to stop my monthly legal protection insurance? This people are making fun of me.
“My lawyer has been my greatest problem. In one of the court cases, I had told her that it should not hold because my doctor’s report that was supposed to be part of my evidence in that court sitting was not ready. She said okay. But after consultation with a friend I decided to go to the court that day to see if they had planned to hold the court at my back. When I got to the court, luckily for me I met the judge in charge of the case and inquired to know if my case would still hold. He told me that the case was already over and I checked my time, it was around 2:56 pm, I looked for a clock around and it was almost the same time with my watch, I left in pains gazing their next line of action. Two weeks later I got a letter from my lawyer saying that the court had been held as scheduled, had closed by 3:05 pm and had lasted for 30 minutes. I took the letter and went to her. I told her that she sent me an invitation to the court sitting which I had told her that it should not hold. She said but the court held. I then told her that if the court had ended by 3:05 pm as stated that would mean it had lasted for only 5 minutes. She said no that it had lasted for 30 minutes. I then told her that the court had not been held because the invitation she had sent to me indicated that the court had been scheduled to start by 3 pm and that I had been there shortly before 3 pm and had met the judge, and if she still insisted that the court had lasted for 30 minutes there was no way it could have ended 3:05pm. She became very angry and told me that the court had been held and whatever that I was saying did not interest her. This person is supposed to be my lawyer. I have lost hope.
“I am appealing to everybody with a human heart to help me. They have made eventually everything about my life complicated that I am even myself confused. The lawyers that are supposed to defend me are making sure that I lose every case. I did not work while in Nigeria and all that I have laboured for all these years, I am just helplessly watching as it slips to destruction without any reasonable reason. I did not have any pending bill to pay except the €650 monthly credit before my accident, but since this past one to two years, whether wrong or right, I have over €14.000 accumulated bills to pay.”
How cruel could this world be? Under 2 years, Nosa Igbinoba might sadly end up losing all he had laboured all these years including his €73.360 cash that summed up from his €25.000 share investment and the €620 monthly payment for 6 ½ years and perhaps still go to jail for a fault of not his. Can you help Nosa in any form? It could be advice, financial, legal or even moral support. A Nigerian concerned UK based lawyer has volunteered to take the case to the European Court . Would you like to be part of the legal team irrespective of your base? I appeal to the general public especially Nigerian communities in Austria to please get in contact with Nosa and advise him properly and also help him and go to some offices and sort out some of these bills because they are still increasing every day. Remember, solidarity against injustice is a moral imperative to all because silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Edit to suit your column sites and help him to publicise his ordeal.
The anti-racism campaigners said five Indian and Pakistani immigrants were injured Tuesday when they were attacked by some 20 masked men in their homes in Menidi, 10 kilometers (six miles) north of Athens. One alleged victim, Indian immigrant Vije Kumar, had extensive cuts and bruises and said he was beaten with clubs and metal bars.
