The following news item made it to the back pages of Athens daily Eleftherotypia (Greek original).
Debt-related suicide in Crete
A fruit-seller ended his life with a shotgun, as he could not handle the pressure caused by the debts of his privately run business.
Two days ago the 58-year old fruit-seller from the village of Kavrochori near Heraclion had disappeared and his wife had notified the police. Today, he was found dead in his car in an isolated area. The 58-year old had shot himself with a shotgun.
According to the people close to him, the unfortunate man was riddled in debt and was under immense pressure – and so decided to put an end to his life. Financial woes have brought many people in Crete to despair, the result being that approximately 10 people, most of which petite-tradesmen, have chosen suicide.
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The panic crisis rate has been raised impressively in the population, the need for psychiatric support is also in it’s highest. This suisude is not something rare anymore, as in Crete 13 people killed themselves the last months.
It need to be pointed that suicide rates used to be vary low in Greece, one of the smallest percentages in Eupore. This situation is very extraordinary and the publication of such rates shock the people.
Like France Telecom and Foxconn in China workeras are internalising their own anger and despair, proof if there ever was that hierarchy and Capital breeds mental illness…I expect the suicide rate at Honda, Toyota and many others is far lower as workers feel the psychological benefits of empowerment through collective action. Autonomy is good for your health- But the task of cracking social isolation and atomisation is difficult without a communal focal point,a workplace,social centre or neighbourhood struggle within which people can gather and express individual needs and desires. By keeping us apart they murder us.
It’s sad when good people are brought so low by debt. Not too long ago the Cretans led a simpler life and didn’t need so much money – wold that we could retuen to times like those.
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