- ETA kills a businessman involved in the construction of the High Speed Train.
- Liberty Under Surveillance.
- The pro independence movement calls on all sectors of Basque society to look at ways of opening a new political cycle.
- Basques tortured during 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.
NEWS :
- ETA kills a businessman involved in the construction of the High Speed Train.
Inazio Uria owner of the Altuna and Uria construction company was shot dead in Azpeitia, Basque Country.
The 71 year old is one of the owners of Altuna and Uria one of the biggest construction companies in Gipuzkoa which owns many construction projects in the province, including the construction of the train tracks for the future high speed train.
The construction of the high speed train has created huge controversy in the Basque Country. This new project aims to connect France and Spain with a high speed train going through the Basque Country. Although politicians and business men believe that this would benefit the Basque Country, it would destroy the landscape, and would have huge negative socio economic implications.
This project has been rejected by a big section of Basque society and has been heavily criticized in the past by ETA. In fact the Basque armed organisation, has attacked the offices of the construction companies as well as their equipment involved in this project several times.
The killing has been condemned by politicians, trade unions and other institutions and have come out defending the high speed train project. Many protests have also taken place to condemn the killing.
Following Uria’s killing, the Spanish government has agreed to proceed to the banning of the remaining pro independence councils in the Basque Country.
Pro independence councils have refused to condemned the killing of Inazio Uria. Using this excuse, The Spanish right has been putting pressure on the government through the media to ban pro independence politicians from participating in councils in the Basque Country.
Liberty Under Surveillance.
The Spanish Council of Ministers has approved the introduction of the "Liberty Under Surveillance Bill", an extension of custody that attempts to impose up to 20 years of control and monitoring on Basque Political Prisoners once they are released. A measure that results, therefore, in a sentence of six decades, four behind bars and two more "under surveillance".
The reason given to justify the use of "Liberty Under Surveillance" is that the prison system does not fulfil the role of "reintegration". According to the new proposed bill, as with all previous steps aimed against the Basque pro-independence movement, the criteria that would govern judicial decisions depends on the "repentance" of prisoners. In fact, it introduces judicial supervision for life. This bill represents an outrageous intervention of the Spanish government into judicial matters to, once again, curtail and undermine basic civil and political rights.
The repertoire of measures imposed after release by the new bill include the prohibition to reside in certain places, the prohibition to leave his residence without permission of the judge, the obligation to appear regularly before the judge or the obligation to participate in work or training courses. As a final touch to this batch of measures, the Spanish Penal Code allows the judge to use electronic media to enable tracing and tracking of permanently released prisoners.
- The pro independence movement calls on all sectors of Basque society to look at ways of opening a new political cycle.
30 years after the Spanish Constitution was imposed upon Basques, the pro independence movement notes that it has no credibility what so ever in the Basque Country. On 6th December 1978, the Spanish Constitution was rejected by the majority of the Basques.
The pro independence movement, also acknowledges that they have a responsibility to propose an alternative and have called on all sectors of Basque society, specially the pro-independence ones, to debate and think about a common strategy to achieve a democratic scenario in the Basque Country.
- Basques tortured during 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.
A French-Spanish police operation against ETA finished with eight people arrested. Three were arrested in France and five were arrested in the south of the Basque Country. It seems as though the French police allowed five to escape from their operation in order to let the Spanish police arrest them and torture them.
All of them have been sent to prison after five days incommunicado. During those days they were brutally tortured by the Spanish police. They were blind-folded and kept naked for the whole time; they were beaten, drenched in cold water, constantly suffocated with plastic bags and threatened with electric shocks and with being raped.
All of this happened while the world celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. The Spanish government took this opportunity to launch an alleged plan to stop torture. The anti-repression organization Askatasuna denounced the hypocrisy of such a thing and accused the Spanish government of using torture as a war tool against the Basque pro-independence movement.
Askatasuna stated that at least 60 Basque citizens have been tortured this year. In fact, 44 anti-torture Spanish groups criticized the Spanish government plan against torture. In a public letter they addressed to the Spanish prime minister Zapatero, they ask the government to follow the UNO recommendations and cease the incommunicado practice.
The Spanish branch of Amnesty International asked, along with the suppression of the incommunicado practice, for the use of video recording of the whole process of detention. Hundreds of people demonstrated in support of the detainees in their home towns during the week.
17 December 2008
9 November 2008
News November 2008
- Increase of repression shows it’s time for change.
- Activities in London, October 2008.
NEWS :
Increase of repression shows it’s time for change.
The left pro-independence movement has denounced the repressive situation in the Basque province of Navarre for the last few weeks. 21 people have been arrested, 14 have claimed they were tortured, 3 political organizations have been banned, 20 demonstrations have been prohibited and attacked, 7 people have been hospitalised and the number of political prisoners has reached an all time high. This situation reflects the deteriorating situation in the Basque Country and the ongoing political conflict.
According to the left pro-independence movement these are times for change. The Spanish state is trying to stop change by using all their repressive tools. The coming months will define the next years situation. The nationalist left believes a democratic situation has to be reached where all political objectives will be able to be defended in the same conditions and in absence of violence.
The Spanish government knows that the left pro-independence movement is the engine for change. This is why they are using illegalization, detentions, tortures, and other repressive methods against political pro-independence activists and organizations.
The Basque pro-independence movement wants to reaffirm its commitment to continue the struggle in all areas to improve the political and living conditions of Basque citizens; and in favour of independence and socialism and calls upon all other sectors who believe in the need of a democratic framework to come together.
Activities in London, October 2008.
The Basque Solidarity Campaign has started its activities by a series of events organised in London.
We have received a visit from Gorka Elejabarrieta, a representative of the left pro-independence movement in Brussels and Urko Ayarza, a lawyer from Behatokia, the Basque Observatory of human rights. From the 19th to the 26th of October, Gorka and Urko have been lobbying UK politicians and speaking to a large number of organisations interested in issues related to human rights, self-determination rights and conflict resolution.
Our guests have participated in three public events:
- Communist University of Britain
- Seminar Series of the Haldane Society, Statewatch and CAMPACC.
- A public meeting on the 22/10/08 at the Union Tavern in South London organised by the Basque Solidarity Campaign.
This is a summary of the speech given by Gorka at the Communist Univeristy of Britain:
For more information about these activities contact:
askida.net@googlemail.com
londonbasquecommittees@googlemail.com
- Activities in London, October 2008.
NEWS :
Increase of repression shows it’s time for change.
The left pro-independence movement has denounced the repressive situation in the Basque province of Navarre for the last few weeks. 21 people have been arrested, 14 have claimed they were tortured, 3 political organizations have been banned, 20 demonstrations have been prohibited and attacked, 7 people have been hospitalised and the number of political prisoners has reached an all time high. This situation reflects the deteriorating situation in the Basque Country and the ongoing political conflict.
According to the left pro-independence movement these are times for change. The Spanish state is trying to stop change by using all their repressive tools. The coming months will define the next years situation. The nationalist left believes a democratic situation has to be reached where all political objectives will be able to be defended in the same conditions and in absence of violence.
The Spanish government knows that the left pro-independence movement is the engine for change. This is why they are using illegalization, detentions, tortures, and other repressive methods against political pro-independence activists and organizations.
The Basque pro-independence movement wants to reaffirm its commitment to continue the struggle in all areas to improve the political and living conditions of Basque citizens; and in favour of independence and socialism and calls upon all other sectors who believe in the need of a democratic framework to come together.
Activities in London, October 2008.
The Basque Solidarity Campaign has started its activities by a series of events organised in London.
We have received a visit from Gorka Elejabarrieta, a representative of the left pro-independence movement in Brussels and Urko Ayarza, a lawyer from Behatokia, the Basque Observatory of human rights. From the 19th to the 26th of October, Gorka and Urko have been lobbying UK politicians and speaking to a large number of organisations interested in issues related to human rights, self-determination rights and conflict resolution.
Our guests have participated in three public events:
- Communist University of Britain
- Seminar Series of the Haldane Society, Statewatch and CAMPACC.
- A public meeting on the 22/10/08 at the Union Tavern in South London organised by the Basque Solidarity Campaign.
This is a summary of the speech given by Gorka at the Communist Univeristy of Britain:
Since the end of the peace process Spanish Government has arrested all the board of Batasuna, including those members that took part in the negotiation process. It has banned two other political parties, including ANV, a party that fought against fascism in the Basque Country and in Europe in the 30s and 40s.
The analysis of the process shows that the main political issue is the recognition of the Basque Country as a country. The conflict is not the simple subsistence of an armed action, but the serious unease of the majority of the Basque citizens, as they are denied the right to decide their future.
The problem that brings the Spanish State and Euskal Herria face to face is not a security problem, it is a deep political problem, it is a problem of refusing the existence of a nation with its rights. A problem that the international community in general, and Europe in particular know that has no other solution but apolitical solution. There is no other option: sooner or later, the wishes of the Basque citizenry will have to be satisfied. With its last proposal, ETA has made clear that the problem is not the armed action.
The answer is to establish a democratic framework that allows to solve the political conflict. In that matter, Batasuna has suggested a constructive proposal that tries to fit together the various sensitivities that exist in the country, from a historical point of view. This proposal tries to integrate the various ideological tendencies and ways to feel the country that exist in south Euskal Herria. Batasuna commits itself to keep working for a political solution for the conflict, without forgetting or scorning to work for the objectives it established when it was founded: independence and social justice.
For more information about these activities contact:
askida.net@googlemail.com
londonbasquecommittees@googlemail.com
5 October 2008
Response to Judicial Abuse
- Lawyers complain that "there are pursuing ideas and political dissent" based on the interests of the State.
- Rally in Bilbao
NEWS :
Lawyers complain.
Lawyers who have participated in the procedures against the pro-amnesty movement, EHAK("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands") and EAE-ANV (Basque Nationalist Action) , have complained today that "they are prosecuting political ideas and political dissent in procedures whose sentences are handed down in advance”.
The lawyers Jone Goirizelaia, Haizea Ziluaga, Arantza Zulueta, Iñaki Goioaga, Kepa Landa and Ainhoa Baglieto gave a press conference to make a juridical reading of the latest legal rulings. All of them have participated in the proceedings against the outlawed pro-amnesty movement, EHAK or EAE-ANV.
According Kepa Landa, these recent court decisions "are not pursuing specific conducts, specific criminal conducts, nor specific attention is being given to specific groups or individual behavior." In his view, "what they are pursuing are political ideas and dissent." In all these procedures, added, "the schemes are the same" and "none of them transmits the existence of criminal behaviour of any kind, no abuse of law or legal right other than the state's interest to act in a certain way. "
Landa explained that with all this "they are trying to achieve the disappearance of a social and political space" thus avoiding "any intervention in society and politics of people who belong to that space."
"We win trials and lose sentences"
In addition, he has denounced that new cases against more than a hundred people has been announced, "which are going to come in the same parameters, criteria and the same expected results." "They announce procedures whose judgements are already written," he stressed.
The lawyer has also referred to his work as well as that of his peers in these proceedings, and says that "it is clear that doesn't matter what it is proved" in them. "No matter the proof, or legal practice, nor the laws. If necessary laws are stretched and twisted in such a way so that they can issue a court order in line with the whole orientation of the process."
It has also complained that “the Spanish state has enacted specific laws against Basque dissidence which increasingly pursue social aspects” . “In judicial practice, what is being done is to follow the guidelines set by the Police and the Civil Guard,” said adding that "everything goes through police reports." In addition, he has emphasized, "courts do not admit the evidence presented by the defence even if it is obvious, we win the trials but lose the judgements."
"To the Spanish political system doesn't matter at all to dispense with the appearance that this is a democratic state, to do without the rule of law and the most basic separation of powers," he explained.
Finally, has revealed that this is very serious and that "it is destroying an entire system of civil liberties and, in particular, those concerning many citizens of Euskal Herria".
More than 25,000 people demanding freedom in the streets of Bilbao. .
The requirement to the PSOE to put an end to the "state of exception" which has been imposed in Euskal Herria was endorsed by more than 25,000 people. The demonstration toured the streets of Bilbao in response to the call by the pro-amnesty movement two weeks ago . They reported that the Spanish government is making a political use of violence to attack political dissent and portend difficult times, but insisted on the need to continue working and struggling for the self-determination right.
Thousands of people yesterday in Bilbao responded to the call of the pro-amnesty movement to cope with the onslaught of repression with which the Madrid and Paris governments have launched a new political course. Such tactics, as reported, has known no limits and no end in recent weeks, following the same line in which the Spanish and French states have worked in recent decades with regard to Euskal Herria.
The march was led by a banner with the slogan "Salbuespen egoerari aurre eginez ... Euskal Herriak Askatasuna, which showed several familiar faces from Basque Counry politics. Some, like the case of Josu Beaumont and Jagoba Terrones, recently convicted by the Audiencia Nacional for taking part in the pro-amnesty movement; next to them, the president of EAE-ANV, Kepa Bereziartua, historical formation that has been placed outside the Spanish law a few weeks ago.
According to the census carried out by GARA, more than 26,000 people supported the call. During the march people chanted slogans against the PNV and demanded the repatriation of Basque political prisoners.
- Rally in Bilbao
NEWS :
Lawyers complain.
Lawyers who have participated in the procedures against the pro-amnesty movement, EHAK("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands") and EAE-ANV (Basque Nationalist Action) , have complained today that "they are prosecuting political ideas and political dissent in procedures whose sentences are handed down in advance”.
The lawyers Jone Goirizelaia, Haizea Ziluaga, Arantza Zulueta, Iñaki Goioaga, Kepa Landa and Ainhoa Baglieto gave a press conference to make a juridical reading of the latest legal rulings. All of them have participated in the proceedings against the outlawed pro-amnesty movement, EHAK or EAE-ANV.
According Kepa Landa, these recent court decisions "are not pursuing specific conducts, specific criminal conducts, nor specific attention is being given to specific groups or individual behavior." In his view, "what they are pursuing are political ideas and dissent." In all these procedures, added, "the schemes are the same" and "none of them transmits the existence of criminal behaviour of any kind, no abuse of law or legal right other than the state's interest to act in a certain way. "
Landa explained that with all this "they are trying to achieve the disappearance of a social and political space" thus avoiding "any intervention in society and politics of people who belong to that space."
"We win trials and lose sentences"
In addition, he has denounced that new cases against more than a hundred people has been announced, "which are going to come in the same parameters, criteria and the same expected results." "They announce procedures whose judgements are already written," he stressed.
The lawyer has also referred to his work as well as that of his peers in these proceedings, and says that "it is clear that doesn't matter what it is proved" in them. "No matter the proof, or legal practice, nor the laws. If necessary laws are stretched and twisted in such a way so that they can issue a court order in line with the whole orientation of the process."
It has also complained that “the Spanish state has enacted specific laws against Basque dissidence which increasingly pursue social aspects” . “In judicial practice, what is being done is to follow the guidelines set by the Police and the Civil Guard,” said adding that "everything goes through police reports." In addition, he has emphasized, "courts do not admit the evidence presented by the defence even if it is obvious, we win the trials but lose the judgements."
"To the Spanish political system doesn't matter at all to dispense with the appearance that this is a democratic state, to do without the rule of law and the most basic separation of powers," he explained.
Finally, has revealed that this is very serious and that "it is destroying an entire system of civil liberties and, in particular, those concerning many citizens of Euskal Herria".
More than 25,000 people demanding freedom in the streets of Bilbao. .
The requirement to the PSOE to put an end to the "state of exception" which has been imposed in Euskal Herria was endorsed by more than 25,000 people. The demonstration toured the streets of Bilbao in response to the call by the pro-amnesty movement two weeks ago . They reported that the Spanish government is making a political use of violence to attack political dissent and portend difficult times, but insisted on the need to continue working and struggling for the self-determination right.
Thousands of people yesterday in Bilbao responded to the call of the pro-amnesty movement to cope with the onslaught of repression with which the Madrid and Paris governments have launched a new political course. Such tactics, as reported, has known no limits and no end in recent weeks, following the same line in which the Spanish and French states have worked in recent decades with regard to Euskal Herria.
The march was led by a banner with the slogan "Salbuespen egoerari aurre eginez ... Euskal Herriak Askatasuna, which showed several familiar faces from Basque Counry politics. Some, like the case of Josu Beaumont and Jagoba Terrones, recently convicted by the Audiencia Nacional for taking part in the pro-amnesty movement; next to them, the president of EAE-ANV, Kepa Bereziartua, historical formation that has been placed outside the Spanish law a few weeks ago.
According to the census carried out by GARA, more than 26,000 people supported the call. During the march people chanted slogans against the PNV and demanded the repatriation of Basque political prisoners.
2 October 2008
Judicial Abuse
- Another judicial abuse against fundamental political liberties in Basque Country.
- French Government attempts to ban Batasuna in France.
- Free Torture in Spain and Basque Country!.
NEWS :
- EAE - ANV and EHAK banned.
16th of September
Spanish Supreme Tribunal confirmed by unanimous decision, the illegalisation of EAE-ANV (Basque Nationalist Action) a historical Basque pro-independence party with a strong socialist tradition. A few days later, EHAK ("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands"), another pro-independence party was also banned.
ANV was the first Basque Nationalist political party to exist that presented itself on a socialist platform, it played a crucial role during the Spanish Civil War but maintained a low key profile during transition to democracy. Together with EHAK ("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands"), they became prominent again when they decided to take up the baton in the struggle for independence from other previously banned parties such as Batasuna. The Spanish Government, using a completely submissive judicial system, has thus eradicated the possibility to fight for an independent Basque Country by peaceful and democratic means.
This only comes days after the Constitutional Tribunal banned an open consultation on the future of Basque Country and the end of violence, which was organised by the autonomous Government. We invite you to condemn the lack of judicial independence and the active role that Spanish high courts are taking in the suppression of fundamental liberties in the Basque Country.
- French Judiciary jumps on the bandwagon of banning civil liberties.
Thirteen people were arrested last month in different locations in the French Basque Country in an operation presented as a result of the investigation into an act of sabotage against the tourist resort of Alain Ducasse. However, the number and mix of detainees, as well as the registration of two venues that belong to the pro-indpendence movment, raises doubts about the reasons for this police raids. The operation seemed to have a broader objective: to punish the independence movement.
What the police sources could not explain was the direct involvement of each one of those arrested with this action, or other acts of sabotage against tourism and real estate developments in recent times. With the passage of time, official sources acknowledged that three of the arrests, of Urtzi-García, Gorka Betolaza and Oskar-Bizkaia, occurred by chance. They happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But the question that all the arrests were justified under the umbrella of the investigation into the sabotage of Ducasse was still not clear, as noted by the local radio station France Bleue, which expressed its surprise about the mix and nature the detainees, some of them known for their public political activity.
The operation led by the magistrates Laurence Le Vert and Marie-Antoinette Houyvet appeared as a punitive operation against the pro-independence movement.
- Free Torture in Spain and Basque Country!
At least 33 civil guards and policemen convicted for torture had been pardoned by the various Spanish governments since the nineties. The vast majority of them, as many as 27, had abused Basque pro-independence activists. Moreover, almost all agents convicted in related cases in the Basque Country were eventually pardoned or failed to meet their sentences.
A study published in December 2004 by Amnesty International noted that between 1980 and that year there had been some 450 rulings relating to torture, which resulted in little more than 90 convictions. In total, in that period of time, about 220 agents had been convicted. According to analysis conducted by Basque newspaper GARA, from all those convictions, only 40 agents were involved in arrests of Basque pro-independence activists which constitutes a extremely low conviction rate compared to allegations from prisoners unrelated to the Basque Independence Movement. At least 27 of them ended up being pardoned. It is not known if they came to serve their sentence, since in more than one case, we have found that officials, that should have been disqualified, were still working at another job or had even been promoted.
The Civil Guard never dispensed, for example, with the services of Captain Jose Perez Navarrete, his colleague Jose Antonio Hernandez del Barco and agents Emilio Parar Moreno, Alejandro Blanco and Julio Iglesias Saavedra Mariño. All were convicted of torture to Juana Goikoetxea in 1987 to four months imprisonment and four years' disqualification. In February 1993, were pardoned by the government of Felipe González. Justice Minister Tomas de la Quadra-Salcedo, justified the pardon granted to the civil guards on the grounds that "the discourse of rehabilitation 1" must be global. The Minister added that after almost twelve years that these agents have continued serving in the same positions (after torturing Goikoetxea), it would not make much sense to apply the penalty of disqualification from their professional activities to which they were convicted.
There are also those who had been pardoned by up to two occasions. The civil guards Jose Dominguez Tuda, Manuel Macias Ramos and Antonio Roman Rios were convicted in 1990 of torturing brothers Victor Jesus, Joxe Mari and Lucio Olarra and Iñaki Olaetxea, and pardoned in early 1991. At the years following the 22nd of September of 1992, the same Jose Dominguez Tuda, was sentenced again, this time for torture to Jokin Olano in 1983. In March 1995, a new justice minister, Juan Alberto Belloch, pardoned him again for this crime, like the agent Manuel Caballero, also condemned for the mistreatment of Olano. The then minister of Justice and Interior said that the two Civil Guards pardoned “have demonstrated in the past eleven years of service in research work of terrorism that they are effectively reintegrated”.
1
(This was a controversial policy applied to ETA members designed to divide prisoners and reject their political status)
- French Government attempts to ban Batasuna in France.
- Free Torture in Spain and Basque Country!.
NEWS :
- EAE - ANV and EHAK banned.
16th of September
Spanish Supreme Tribunal confirmed by unanimous decision, the illegalisation of EAE-ANV (Basque Nationalist Action) a historical Basque pro-independence party with a strong socialist tradition. A few days later, EHAK ("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands"), another pro-independence party was also banned.
ANV was the first Basque Nationalist political party to exist that presented itself on a socialist platform, it played a crucial role during the Spanish Civil War but maintained a low key profile during transition to democracy. Together with EHAK ("Communist Party of the Basque Homelands"), they became prominent again when they decided to take up the baton in the struggle for independence from other previously banned parties such as Batasuna. The Spanish Government, using a completely submissive judicial system, has thus eradicated the possibility to fight for an independent Basque Country by peaceful and democratic means.
This only comes days after the Constitutional Tribunal banned an open consultation on the future of Basque Country and the end of violence, which was organised by the autonomous Government. We invite you to condemn the lack of judicial independence and the active role that Spanish high courts are taking in the suppression of fundamental liberties in the Basque Country.
- French Judiciary jumps on the bandwagon of banning civil liberties.
Thirteen people were arrested last month in different locations in the French Basque Country in an operation presented as a result of the investigation into an act of sabotage against the tourist resort of Alain Ducasse. However, the number and mix of detainees, as well as the registration of two venues that belong to the pro-indpendence movment, raises doubts about the reasons for this police raids. The operation seemed to have a broader objective: to punish the independence movement.
What the police sources could not explain was the direct involvement of each one of those arrested with this action, or other acts of sabotage against tourism and real estate developments in recent times. With the passage of time, official sources acknowledged that three of the arrests, of Urtzi-García, Gorka Betolaza and Oskar-Bizkaia, occurred by chance. They happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But the question that all the arrests were justified under the umbrella of the investigation into the sabotage of Ducasse was still not clear, as noted by the local radio station France Bleue, which expressed its surprise about the mix and nature the detainees, some of them known for their public political activity.
The operation led by the magistrates Laurence Le Vert and Marie-Antoinette Houyvet appeared as a punitive operation against the pro-independence movement.
- Free Torture in Spain and Basque Country!
At least 33 civil guards and policemen convicted for torture had been pardoned by the various Spanish governments since the nineties. The vast majority of them, as many as 27, had abused Basque pro-independence activists. Moreover, almost all agents convicted in related cases in the Basque Country were eventually pardoned or failed to meet their sentences.
A study published in December 2004 by Amnesty International noted that between 1980 and that year there had been some 450 rulings relating to torture, which resulted in little more than 90 convictions. In total, in that period of time, about 220 agents had been convicted. According to analysis conducted by Basque newspaper GARA, from all those convictions, only 40 agents were involved in arrests of Basque pro-independence activists which constitutes a extremely low conviction rate compared to allegations from prisoners unrelated to the Basque Independence Movement. At least 27 of them ended up being pardoned. It is not known if they came to serve their sentence, since in more than one case, we have found that officials, that should have been disqualified, were still working at another job or had even been promoted.
The Civil Guard never dispensed, for example, with the services of Captain Jose Perez Navarrete, his colleague Jose Antonio Hernandez del Barco and agents Emilio Parar Moreno, Alejandro Blanco and Julio Iglesias Saavedra Mariño. All were convicted of torture to Juana Goikoetxea in 1987 to four months imprisonment and four years' disqualification. In February 1993, were pardoned by the government of Felipe González. Justice Minister Tomas de la Quadra-Salcedo, justified the pardon granted to the civil guards on the grounds that "the discourse of rehabilitation 1" must be global. The Minister added that after almost twelve years that these agents have continued serving in the same positions (after torturing Goikoetxea), it would not make much sense to apply the penalty of disqualification from their professional activities to which they were convicted.
There are also those who had been pardoned by up to two occasions. The civil guards Jose Dominguez Tuda, Manuel Macias Ramos and Antonio Roman Rios were convicted in 1990 of torturing brothers Victor Jesus, Joxe Mari and Lucio Olarra and Iñaki Olaetxea, and pardoned in early 1991. At the years following the 22nd of September of 1992, the same Jose Dominguez Tuda, was sentenced again, this time for torture to Jokin Olano in 1983. In March 1995, a new justice minister, Juan Alberto Belloch, pardoned him again for this crime, like the agent Manuel Caballero, also condemned for the mistreatment of Olano. The then minister of Justice and Interior said that the two Civil Guards pardoned “have demonstrated in the past eleven years of service in research work of terrorism that they are effectively reintegrated”.
1
(This was a controversial policy applied to ETA members designed to divide prisoners and reject their political status)
2 July 2008
News July 2008
- The Basque parliament of Gasteiz/Vitoria approves the proposal for a consultation on the future of the Basque Country.
-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues.
- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces.
- Lawyers ask for the reopening of the case around Spanish police massacre.
Prisoners / Repression
NEWS :
- The Basque parliament of Gasteiz/Vitoria approves the proposal for a consultation on the future of the Basque country..
34 votes in favour and 33 against the proposal. That was the result.
Next October 25th Basque citizens from the provinces of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba, will have to give their views on the way forward in the Basque country.
However the Spanish government has threatened to ban the consultation as according to the Spanish Constitution it is an illegal move.
Last May, Juan Jose Ibarretxe the president of the Basque Autonomous government announced his intention to consult Basques on their views about the future of the Basque Country.
Although most of the parties have supported the proposal the Spanish government rejected it straight away and threatened of vetoing it.
The pro independence movement has also been critical of the consultation.
The pro independence representatives in the parliament, EHAK/Communist Party of the Basque Lands, decided to give one of their votes in favour of the motion so it could be approved. The Spanish government had already made public that they would stop any kind of referendum. The pro independence movement wants to see which is the real commitment of the Basque Nationalist Party to go ahead with the referendum and that’s why they made possible for the motion to be passed. The rest of the pro independence representatives abstained at the vote to show they don’t agree with the motion. The pro independence movement has criticised the autonomous government and the Basque nationalist Party of using the consultation to their own protect their interests and to remain in power.
They see the consultation as an exercise without any value as in the last 30 years the Basque Nationalist Party has been in power into eh Basque Country and has done nothing to resolve the political conflict.
According to Batasuna this is a unilateral proposal that’s limited to 3 of the 7 provinces of the Basque Country. For Batasuna the proposal does not go further than the constrained powers already contained in the statute of autonomy and doesn’t take into account the other four Basque provinces. The pro-independence party thinks this proposal aims to be just a mere electoral platform for the Basque Nationalist Party rather than a tool to resolve the political conflict.
As previously mentioned, the Spanish government has made it clear that they will ban the consultation. In front of that the Basque Autonomous government has defended their intentions by saying that there is nothing illegal in consulting citizens on issues such as their won future.
We will have to wait and see what happens next October and there is no doubt that we will be talking about this consultation in future bulletins.
-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues..
250 people took part in a public talk during the week and hundreds more in a demonstration last Saturday in Gasteiz/Vitoria to support the 27 activists accused in the last Spanish show trial against the prisoners support organization Askatasuna/Freedom.
The banner, which was carried by most of the accused, stated that “The Basque Country needs freedom”.
At the end of the rally one of the speakers said that the pro-amnesty movement was born with the aim of disband but no one neither a thousand of sentences will make it be disbanded. The pro-amnesty movement will disappear when all Basque political prisoners and refugees are back in home, she added.
The trial just finished last week and the state prosecutor’s petitions go up to 13 years in prison.
- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces..
Last Thursday the Director of the Human Rights of the Basque government presented its findings on the Victims of Violence which have a political motive.
The document counts with 109 deaths caused by security forces and 583 injured by the police or paramilitaries or right wing groups. But the Spanish labour and conservative parties criticized the document as a humiliation for the victims of terrorism and killed police officers, creating that way a hierarchy of victims.
The Director of human rights also highlighted the fact that the document could not be fully completed due to time constraints, in particular around the victims of torture. The document counts between 5000 and 7000 people who have been victims of torture.
But the pro-Spanish parties dismissed the findings and accused the human rights Director of doing a very poor job based on newspaper articles. They also dismissed the recent findings of the United Nations about the fact that torture exists and happens regularly in Spain.
-Lawyers ask for the reopening of the case around Spanish police massacre..
30 years ago the Basque capital, Irunea/Pamplona was celebrating its worldwide famous festival, the Sanfermines. On the 8th of July, while thousands of people filled the bulls’ arena, dozens of Spanish policemen got in and attacked the public. The excuse for the attack was the exhibition of banners in support of Basque political prisoners. On the day, riots spread around the city very quickly. One young left pro-independence man was killed and hundreds injured.
30 years on no one has been charged with the killing. But that police attack is still alive in people’s minds. Last week more than 70 lawyers signed a petition to ask for the re-opening of the case and bring the people responsible for the killing to court. The lawyers said that the Spanish Justice hasn’t just been blind but deaf, dumb and useless as well.
-PRISONERS / REPRESSION.
- Critically ill, Basque prisoner Anjel Figueroa has been transferred back to prison from hospital.
Anjel suffers from serious epilepsy and has been hospitalized several times recently.
According to the Spanish law, Anjel should be released due to his illness but the Spanish authorities are refusing to free him.
Instead, Anjel was transferred from the hospital where he was last Saturday back to prison. Although this may sound like an improvement on his health, his supporters have made it clear that Anjel’s health is not improving and that putting him back in prison is actually worse as there is no proper facilities to look after him.
- Meanwhile the relatives of prisoner Nuria Antzugurai from Donostia San Sebastian suffered a car accident at the weekend when they were coming back from seeing her in Madrid. No one was injured in the accident.
Askatasuna hilghligted that it is the 8th accident this year of relatives going to see their loved one’s in prison.
Over 700 prisoners are currently scattered in a hundred prisons in France and Spain.
-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues.
- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces.
- Lawyers ask for the reopening of the case around Spanish police massacre.
Prisoners / Repression
NEWS :
- The Basque parliament of Gasteiz/Vitoria approves the proposal for a consultation on the future of the Basque country..
34 votes in favour and 33 against the proposal. That was the result.
Next October 25th Basque citizens from the provinces of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba, will have to give their views on the way forward in the Basque country.
However the Spanish government has threatened to ban the consultation as according to the Spanish Constitution it is an illegal move.
Last May, Juan Jose Ibarretxe the president of the Basque Autonomous government announced his intention to consult Basques on their views about the future of the Basque Country.
Although most of the parties have supported the proposal the Spanish government rejected it straight away and threatened of vetoing it.
The pro independence movement has also been critical of the consultation.
The pro independence representatives in the parliament, EHAK/Communist Party of the Basque Lands, decided to give one of their votes in favour of the motion so it could be approved. The Spanish government had already made public that they would stop any kind of referendum. The pro independence movement wants to see which is the real commitment of the Basque Nationalist Party to go ahead with the referendum and that’s why they made possible for the motion to be passed. The rest of the pro independence representatives abstained at the vote to show they don’t agree with the motion. The pro independence movement has criticised the autonomous government and the Basque nationalist Party of using the consultation to their own protect their interests and to remain in power.
They see the consultation as an exercise without any value as in the last 30 years the Basque Nationalist Party has been in power into eh Basque Country and has done nothing to resolve the political conflict.
According to Batasuna this is a unilateral proposal that’s limited to 3 of the 7 provinces of the Basque Country. For Batasuna the proposal does not go further than the constrained powers already contained in the statute of autonomy and doesn’t take into account the other four Basque provinces. The pro-independence party thinks this proposal aims to be just a mere electoral platform for the Basque Nationalist Party rather than a tool to resolve the political conflict.
As previously mentioned, the Spanish government has made it clear that they will ban the consultation. In front of that the Basque Autonomous government has defended their intentions by saying that there is nothing illegal in consulting citizens on issues such as their won future.
We will have to wait and see what happens next October and there is no doubt that we will be talking about this consultation in future bulletins.
-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues..
250 people took part in a public talk during the week and hundreds more in a demonstration last Saturday in Gasteiz/Vitoria to support the 27 activists accused in the last Spanish show trial against the prisoners support organization Askatasuna/Freedom.
The banner, which was carried by most of the accused, stated that “The Basque Country needs freedom”.
At the end of the rally one of the speakers said that the pro-amnesty movement was born with the aim of disband but no one neither a thousand of sentences will make it be disbanded. The pro-amnesty movement will disappear when all Basque political prisoners and refugees are back in home, she added.
The trial just finished last week and the state prosecutor’s petitions go up to 13 years in prison.
- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces..
Last Thursday the Director of the Human Rights of the Basque government presented its findings on the Victims of Violence which have a political motive.
The document counts with 109 deaths caused by security forces and 583 injured by the police or paramilitaries or right wing groups. But the Spanish labour and conservative parties criticized the document as a humiliation for the victims of terrorism and killed police officers, creating that way a hierarchy of victims.
The Director of human rights also highlighted the fact that the document could not be fully completed due to time constraints, in particular around the victims of torture. The document counts between 5000 and 7000 people who have been victims of torture.
But the pro-Spanish parties dismissed the findings and accused the human rights Director of doing a very poor job based on newspaper articles. They also dismissed the recent findings of the United Nations about the fact that torture exists and happens regularly in Spain.
-Lawyers ask for the reopening of the case around Spanish police massacre..
30 years ago the Basque capital, Irunea/Pamplona was celebrating its worldwide famous festival, the Sanfermines. On the 8th of July, while thousands of people filled the bulls’ arena, dozens of Spanish policemen got in and attacked the public. The excuse for the attack was the exhibition of banners in support of Basque political prisoners. On the day, riots spread around the city very quickly. One young left pro-independence man was killed and hundreds injured.
30 years on no one has been charged with the killing. But that police attack is still alive in people’s minds. Last week more than 70 lawyers signed a petition to ask for the re-opening of the case and bring the people responsible for the killing to court. The lawyers said that the Spanish Justice hasn’t just been blind but deaf, dumb and useless as well.
-PRISONERS / REPRESSION.
- Critically ill, Basque prisoner Anjel Figueroa has been transferred back to prison from hospital.
Anjel suffers from serious epilepsy and has been hospitalized several times recently.
According to the Spanish law, Anjel should be released due to his illness but the Spanish authorities are refusing to free him.
Instead, Anjel was transferred from the hospital where he was last Saturday back to prison. Although this may sound like an improvement on his health, his supporters have made it clear that Anjel’s health is not improving and that putting him back in prison is actually worse as there is no proper facilities to look after him.
- Meanwhile the relatives of prisoner Nuria Antzugurai from Donostia San Sebastian suffered a car accident at the weekend when they were coming back from seeing her in Madrid. No one was injured in the accident.
Askatasuna hilghligted that it is the 8th accident this year of relatives going to see their loved one’s in prison.
Over 700 prisoners are currently scattered in a hundred prisons in France and Spain.
Did Basques Support the Spanish National Team in the UEFA Euro 2008?
I was in a London pub with some Basques friends watching the football. The place was full and people were sitting by the floor at the beer garden. At our table a lonely guy sat down quietly during the hole match. He was a German, probably intimidated by the Spanish friendly crow and all the booing against Germans that took place since they came out to the pitch. We were also quiet during most of the mach. When the referee blew last whistle, we couldn't hide our disappointment. Then the German guy looked at us and said, Sprechen Sie Deutsch? -Sorry no German - Am I missing something here? - Yes, we are Basques. Then, we all laugh and found some comfort realising that destiny had placed us at the losers’ table.
British media have congratulated the Spanish on the beautiful football they played during the whole tournament. Fair enough. However, they go on to praise the coming together of regional rivalries and the new diverse make-up of Spanish cultural identity. Non-sense. We the Basques do not support Spanish National teams and it is not difficult to find statistics to back up this statement.
The Spanish official bodies are boycotting every effort to grant officialdom to Basque National teams, not only in football, but also in any other sport. Even in Basque Pelota, which is so close to our hearts, we must compete under the Spanish or the French flag. The sport laws are quite complex and designed to undermine real participation and support. In a nutshell, the law says that in the only circumstances were Basques can represented themselves is when there is no Spanish equivalent team or sports federation.
Basques were the pioneers that introduced surf to France and Spain. They created the Basque Surfing Federation and had been competing with great success for a decade but in the year 2000 they were expelled from the European Surf Federation (ESF) because the Spanish Surf Federation was created, possibly with the main intention of stopping the Basques competing internationally. In a recent court ruling the Supreme Tribunal of Spain said that this moved was illegal but we are still waiting to regain our place in the ESF. That is cheating of the worse kind, not in the pitch but in the offices of bureaucrats.
We can find similar events, barriers to entry, legal and bureaucratic obstacles in most sports. It seems that the main item of the sport and cultural agenda of Spanish authorities is to prevent Basque people representing themselves in international competitions. This unsporty behaviour prevents most Basques from supporting the team of our choice. As long as this takes place we will continue to go against Spanish national teams and we will say that, no matter how well they played, they didn’t deserve to win.
British media have congratulated the Spanish on the beautiful football they played during the whole tournament. Fair enough. However, they go on to praise the coming together of regional rivalries and the new diverse make-up of Spanish cultural identity. Non-sense. We the Basques do not support Spanish National teams and it is not difficult to find statistics to back up this statement.
The Spanish official bodies are boycotting every effort to grant officialdom to Basque National teams, not only in football, but also in any other sport. Even in Basque Pelota, which is so close to our hearts, we must compete under the Spanish or the French flag. The sport laws are quite complex and designed to undermine real participation and support. In a nutshell, the law says that in the only circumstances were Basques can represented themselves is when there is no Spanish equivalent team or sports federation.
Basques were the pioneers that introduced surf to France and Spain. They created the Basque Surfing Federation and had been competing with great success for a decade but in the year 2000 they were expelled from the European Surf Federation (ESF) because the Spanish Surf Federation was created, possibly with the main intention of stopping the Basques competing internationally. In a recent court ruling the Supreme Tribunal of Spain said that this moved was illegal but we are still waiting to regain our place in the ESF. That is cheating of the worse kind, not in the pitch but in the offices of bureaucrats.
We can find similar events, barriers to entry, legal and bureaucratic obstacles in most sports. It seems that the main item of the sport and cultural agenda of Spanish authorities is to prevent Basque people representing themselves in international competitions. This unsporty behaviour prevents most Basques from supporting the team of our choice. As long as this takes place we will continue to go against Spanish national teams and we will say that, no matter how well they played, they didn’t deserve to win.
10 April 2008
News April 2008
-Only self determination can bring real political change in the Basque Country, says ETA.
-After 27 years on the run Basque political refugee Patxi Otaegi, aged 87, died last week in the north of the Basque Country from a heart attack.
-The leadership of the largest Basque trade union ELA has criticized the so called Basque Nationalist Party/PNV’s current position.
-Arrests/Repression.
-Other
NEWS
- Only self determination can bring real political change in the Basque Country, says ETA..
In its last statement ETA takes responsibility for the last 5 actions, including the killing of the Spanish Labour Party member Isaias Carrasco, who was killed on the eve of the March elections. The armed group also takes responsibility for the car bomb attack that destroyed the Spanish police station of Calahorra, as well as the explosions against courts and broadcasting aerials.
According to ETA, as long as the right to decide and territoriality are denied to Basque people there will not be any peace in the Spanish State.
In its statement ETA accuses the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Zapatero of making a huge mistake by abandoning the negotiation process. It accuses the Spanish government of trying to weaken the pro independence movement, rather than looking for a meaningful solution to the conflict.
By imposing a state of exception against the Basque Country, the Labour government has become as bad as its predecessors Jose Maria Aznar and Felipe Gonzalez. In the name of Spanish unity, anything is valid against independence.
ETA says that, following Zapatero’s victory in the March elections, he now has to look at the conflict in the Basque Country, because ETA will stay there as long as the conflict is not resolved. ETA makes it very clear that the Spanish state will not have political stability or peace until the right to self determination and territoriality are acknowledged in the Basque Country.
-After 27 years on the run Basque political refugee Patxi Otaegi, aged 87, died last week in the north of the Basque Country from a heart attack..
On Saturday his remains were brought back to his home town in the south of the Basque Country were hundreds of people took part in a popular homage.
At a highly emotional tribute-rally he was remembered for his commitment, developing the pro-independence movement in his home village and then for his firm beliefs and comradeship while on the run in the north of the Basque Country. While in the north he was attacked by the pro-Spanish paramilitaries and saw the killings of many of his comrades in the early 80’s.
During the commemoration, the banner that was put on stage alongside his remains said “Patxi, the best homage is victory”.
He is the second Basque political escapee to die this year away from home.
Around 2,000 Basque people are currently on the run due to Spanish and French repression.
-The leadership of the largest Basque trade union ELA has criticized the so called Basque Nationalist Party/PNV’s current position..
For the last months the PNV has been trying to reach an agreement with the Spanish government ruling Labour Party in an attempt to continue in power as usual, without resolving the political conflict.
The leader of the Trade union ELA has defended the need for all Basque nationalists to stand together in favour of a self determination platform.
In a similar way Batasuna, the pro-independence party that is currently banned, has criticized the Basque Nationalist Party by saying that after 30 years in power in the local government they haven’t done anything to resolve the conflict in terms of self determination. They have added that the PNV has not even responded to the proposal put forward by the pro-independence movement which looks at a united southern Basque Country with autonomy including the self determination right.
According to Batasuna the Basque Nationalist Party is in the middle of a structural crisis and doesn’t have anything to offer to the Basque people.
Pro-independence trade union LAB’s leader has also spoken in favour of unifying forces in favour of independence. He has said that resisting is not enough. It is essential to go further, to advance and to define the steps and strategies.
LAB’s leader has asked the Spanish government to use their new four year govwernment term to solve the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.
A highly significant example of the Basque Nationalist Party’s current position came up last week. Bilbao’s PNV mayor Inaki Azkuna put up the Spanish flag outside the city hall. A move that has been heavily critiziced by many.
The pro-independence movement denounced that this didn’t happen since Franco times 33 years ago. 26 years ago the Spanish police did the same and every year since then the so called “war of flags” has provoqued huge riots.
Hundreds of people took part at a demonstration in Bilbao last Saturday to protest against the imposition of the Spanish flag.
At the end of the march representatives of the pro-independence movement said that once again it’s been showed that the so called Basque Nationalist Party is nothing else than a puppet in the hands of the Spanish government.
Pro-Spanish politicians said that the same will happen soon in Donostia/San Sebastian.
ARRESTS / REPRESSION.
-Two Basque young people stood yesterday in a trial because they refused to consent to a DNA test. The two youths were arrested in the north of the Basque country by the French police while doing a graffiti in favour of Basque political prisoners.
The anti-repression group Askatasuna denounced the fact that these kind of tests were introduced with the excuse of being used in sexual attack cases but it has now being used against political opposition.
- The Basque Spanish police arrests 3 young people in the province of Gipuzkoa for taking part in street riots last October when the Spanish fascists came to Donostia/San Sebastian.
On Saturday 3 young people were arrested in different parts of Gipuzkoa. The arrests were in connection with street riots that took place last 12th of October when the Spanish Fascists decided to come to Donostia / San Sebastian as a show of strength. Basque young people took to the streets and rioted against the fascists causing over 100.000 euro worth damages according to Donostia City Council.
The 3 arrested were brought in front of the judge who charged them with public disorder.
The anti repression group Askatasuna, denounced these arrests and accused the Basque Spanish police of protecting and defending fascists when they come to the Basque Country. Fascists who claim to be racists, xenonophobic and Franquist. The Basque Spanish police defend fascists and oppress people in favour of independence, according to Askatasuna.
- The Spanish labour party wants Basque prisoners to rot in prison.
According to the anti repressive group Askatasuna, the PSOE is doing everything in its power to prevent Basque political prisoners from being released and to extend their sentences to spend life in prison.
That’s the case of Fernando Etxegarai, who was released in January of this year after being in jail for over 20 years. The Spanish authorities have now released an arrest warrant against him as they have decided to extend his sentence by 4 more years. According to Fernando Etxeragarai that is pure judiciary cruelty. This new policy has so far been applied to 26 Basque political prisoners.
Askatasuna denounced such prison policies, which aim to destroy the collective of prisoners and physically destroy its members. To protest against such policies, Askatasuna called on Basque citizens to demonstrate and mobilise over the weekend.
On Sunday citizens from Plentzia, Fernando Etxegarai’s home town, demonstrated to demand the end of life imprisonment for Basque prisoners. They showed solidarity with Fernando.
-The pro-independence movement in Leitza, 30 kilometres from Irunea/Pamplona, denounced the last Spanish police occupation of the town last week.
About a dozen of jeeps helped by many foot-patrol took over the town for one hour, harassing and identifying citizens in the streets.
The pro-independence movement said that it is clear who uses weapons to create fear among the civil population.
- Offices of the Basque Nationalist party has been attacked with Molotov cocktails and paints.
On Saturday night in Bilbo the office of the PNV was attacked as well as a cash machine causing material damages.
In Markina a small town in Bizkaia, another PNV office got attacked when strangers threw paint against the office. The attackers also graffitied “PNV let the Basque young people alone.”
OTHER.
- The town of Durango, commemorates the dead of 1937.
71 years ago last Monday, the town centre of Durango was bombed by Italian fascist planes.
On March 31st 1937 after the Spanish fascist coup against the republicans, Italian fascist released by air 11 tonnes of explosives in Durango causing nearly 300 deaths.
In the cemetery of Durango in front of the remembrance garden, citizens of Durango, commemorated the dead last Monday. They held a minute silence and laid reiths.
The mayor of Durango, highlighted the need for peace and reconciliation. Apart from remembering the dead he thought that such events can make young generations aware of past atrocities.
-The French State discriminates against minorities.
In a report carried out by United Nation experts regarding minorities, the commission has noted that the French State does not respect the cultural and language rights of minorities. According to the report, minority communities are victims of serious racial discrimination which is ingrained in mentalities and institutions. Therefore it has demanded to the French government to study the report and to adopt appropriate measures to redress the situation.
Paul Bilbao Director of the Basque Language Rights Watchdog said that this report is a huge slap in the Face for the French government. In the name of the French core values of freedom, equality and brotherhood huge differences are created and the rights of minorities are not respected. Bilbao has seen the report as very positive.
-The last worlwide controversy around the Olympic Games in China and the repression in Tibet has shown once again that the Basque conflict is part of the international agenda.
Hein Verbruggen, the President of the International Olympic
Committee's Co-ordination Commission, compared the issue of Tibetan independence to the independence movement in the Basque Country at a conference in Beijing on Thursday.
The statement was made to illustrate the point that the International Olympic Committee should not be involved in politics, and that it could not rule out a country's application to host the games because the country had
internal problems.
Verbruggen said that "in spite of all the criticism we get, I am not afraid to tell you that we will not speak out on political issues. If we look at the candidates for 2016, would the IOC be forced or obliged to speak out because Madrid is a candidate and the requests of the Basques to be independent from Spain?
-After 27 years on the run Basque political refugee Patxi Otaegi, aged 87, died last week in the north of the Basque Country from a heart attack.
-The leadership of the largest Basque trade union ELA has criticized the so called Basque Nationalist Party/PNV’s current position.
-Arrests/Repression.
-Other
NEWS
- Only self determination can bring real political change in the Basque Country, says ETA..
In its last statement ETA takes responsibility for the last 5 actions, including the killing of the Spanish Labour Party member Isaias Carrasco, who was killed on the eve of the March elections. The armed group also takes responsibility for the car bomb attack that destroyed the Spanish police station of Calahorra, as well as the explosions against courts and broadcasting aerials.
According to ETA, as long as the right to decide and territoriality are denied to Basque people there will not be any peace in the Spanish State.
In its statement ETA accuses the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Zapatero of making a huge mistake by abandoning the negotiation process. It accuses the Spanish government of trying to weaken the pro independence movement, rather than looking for a meaningful solution to the conflict.
By imposing a state of exception against the Basque Country, the Labour government has become as bad as its predecessors Jose Maria Aznar and Felipe Gonzalez. In the name of Spanish unity, anything is valid against independence.
ETA says that, following Zapatero’s victory in the March elections, he now has to look at the conflict in the Basque Country, because ETA will stay there as long as the conflict is not resolved. ETA makes it very clear that the Spanish state will not have political stability or peace until the right to self determination and territoriality are acknowledged in the Basque Country.
-After 27 years on the run Basque political refugee Patxi Otaegi, aged 87, died last week in the north of the Basque Country from a heart attack..
On Saturday his remains were brought back to his home town in the south of the Basque Country were hundreds of people took part in a popular homage.
At a highly emotional tribute-rally he was remembered for his commitment, developing the pro-independence movement in his home village and then for his firm beliefs and comradeship while on the run in the north of the Basque Country. While in the north he was attacked by the pro-Spanish paramilitaries and saw the killings of many of his comrades in the early 80’s.
During the commemoration, the banner that was put on stage alongside his remains said “Patxi, the best homage is victory”.
He is the second Basque political escapee to die this year away from home.
Around 2,000 Basque people are currently on the run due to Spanish and French repression.
-The leadership of the largest Basque trade union ELA has criticized the so called Basque Nationalist Party/PNV’s current position..
For the last months the PNV has been trying to reach an agreement with the Spanish government ruling Labour Party in an attempt to continue in power as usual, without resolving the political conflict.
The leader of the Trade union ELA has defended the need for all Basque nationalists to stand together in favour of a self determination platform.
In a similar way Batasuna, the pro-independence party that is currently banned, has criticized the Basque Nationalist Party by saying that after 30 years in power in the local government they haven’t done anything to resolve the conflict in terms of self determination. They have added that the PNV has not even responded to the proposal put forward by the pro-independence movement which looks at a united southern Basque Country with autonomy including the self determination right.
According to Batasuna the Basque Nationalist Party is in the middle of a structural crisis and doesn’t have anything to offer to the Basque people.
Pro-independence trade union LAB’s leader has also spoken in favour of unifying forces in favour of independence. He has said that resisting is not enough. It is essential to go further, to advance and to define the steps and strategies.
LAB’s leader has asked the Spanish government to use their new four year govwernment term to solve the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.
A highly significant example of the Basque Nationalist Party’s current position came up last week. Bilbao’s PNV mayor Inaki Azkuna put up the Spanish flag outside the city hall. A move that has been heavily critiziced by many.
The pro-independence movement denounced that this didn’t happen since Franco times 33 years ago. 26 years ago the Spanish police did the same and every year since then the so called “war of flags” has provoqued huge riots.
Hundreds of people took part at a demonstration in Bilbao last Saturday to protest against the imposition of the Spanish flag.
At the end of the march representatives of the pro-independence movement said that once again it’s been showed that the so called Basque Nationalist Party is nothing else than a puppet in the hands of the Spanish government.
Pro-Spanish politicians said that the same will happen soon in Donostia/San Sebastian.
ARRESTS / REPRESSION.
-Two Basque young people stood yesterday in a trial because they refused to consent to a DNA test. The two youths were arrested in the north of the Basque country by the French police while doing a graffiti in favour of Basque political prisoners.
The anti-repression group Askatasuna denounced the fact that these kind of tests were introduced with the excuse of being used in sexual attack cases but it has now being used against political opposition.
- The Basque Spanish police arrests 3 young people in the province of Gipuzkoa for taking part in street riots last October when the Spanish fascists came to Donostia/San Sebastian.
On Saturday 3 young people were arrested in different parts of Gipuzkoa. The arrests were in connection with street riots that took place last 12th of October when the Spanish Fascists decided to come to Donostia / San Sebastian as a show of strength. Basque young people took to the streets and rioted against the fascists causing over 100.000 euro worth damages according to Donostia City Council.
The 3 arrested were brought in front of the judge who charged them with public disorder.
The anti repression group Askatasuna, denounced these arrests and accused the Basque Spanish police of protecting and defending fascists when they come to the Basque Country. Fascists who claim to be racists, xenonophobic and Franquist. The Basque Spanish police defend fascists and oppress people in favour of independence, according to Askatasuna.
- The Spanish labour party wants Basque prisoners to rot in prison.
According to the anti repressive group Askatasuna, the PSOE is doing everything in its power to prevent Basque political prisoners from being released and to extend their sentences to spend life in prison.
That’s the case of Fernando Etxegarai, who was released in January of this year after being in jail for over 20 years. The Spanish authorities have now released an arrest warrant against him as they have decided to extend his sentence by 4 more years. According to Fernando Etxeragarai that is pure judiciary cruelty. This new policy has so far been applied to 26 Basque political prisoners.
Askatasuna denounced such prison policies, which aim to destroy the collective of prisoners and physically destroy its members. To protest against such policies, Askatasuna called on Basque citizens to demonstrate and mobilise over the weekend.
On Sunday citizens from Plentzia, Fernando Etxegarai’s home town, demonstrated to demand the end of life imprisonment for Basque prisoners. They showed solidarity with Fernando.
-The pro-independence movement in Leitza, 30 kilometres from Irunea/Pamplona, denounced the last Spanish police occupation of the town last week.
About a dozen of jeeps helped by many foot-patrol took over the town for one hour, harassing and identifying citizens in the streets.
The pro-independence movement said that it is clear who uses weapons to create fear among the civil population.
- Offices of the Basque Nationalist party has been attacked with Molotov cocktails and paints.
On Saturday night in Bilbo the office of the PNV was attacked as well as a cash machine causing material damages.
In Markina a small town in Bizkaia, another PNV office got attacked when strangers threw paint against the office. The attackers also graffitied “PNV let the Basque young people alone.”
OTHER.
- The town of Durango, commemorates the dead of 1937.
71 years ago last Monday, the town centre of Durango was bombed by Italian fascist planes.
On March 31st 1937 after the Spanish fascist coup against the republicans, Italian fascist released by air 11 tonnes of explosives in Durango causing nearly 300 deaths.
In the cemetery of Durango in front of the remembrance garden, citizens of Durango, commemorated the dead last Monday. They held a minute silence and laid reiths.
The mayor of Durango, highlighted the need for peace and reconciliation. Apart from remembering the dead he thought that such events can make young generations aware of past atrocities.
-The French State discriminates against minorities.
In a report carried out by United Nation experts regarding minorities, the commission has noted that the French State does not respect the cultural and language rights of minorities. According to the report, minority communities are victims of serious racial discrimination which is ingrained in mentalities and institutions. Therefore it has demanded to the French government to study the report and to adopt appropriate measures to redress the situation.
Paul Bilbao Director of the Basque Language Rights Watchdog said that this report is a huge slap in the Face for the French government. In the name of the French core values of freedom, equality and brotherhood huge differences are created and the rights of minorities are not respected. Bilbao has seen the report as very positive.
-The last worlwide controversy around the Olympic Games in China and the repression in Tibet has shown once again that the Basque conflict is part of the international agenda.
Hein Verbruggen, the President of the International Olympic
Committee's Co-ordination Commission, compared the issue of Tibetan independence to the independence movement in the Basque Country at a conference in Beijing on Thursday.
The statement was made to illustrate the point that the International Olympic Committee should not be involved in politics, and that it could not rule out a country's application to host the games because the country had
internal problems.
Verbruggen said that "in spite of all the criticism we get, I am not afraid to tell you that we will not speak out on political issues. If we look at the candidates for 2016, would the IOC be forced or obliged to speak out because Madrid is a candidate and the requests of the Basques to be independent from Spain?
1 March 2008
News March 2008
Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon bans the two remaining pro-independence parties ANV and EHAK.
Spanish police arrested yesterday 14 prominent members of Batasuna.
II International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
6.000 signatures in favour of Arnaldo Otegi's immediate release.
Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon bans the two remaining pro-independence parties ANV and EHAK..
On the 8th February 2008, judge Garzon ordered police authorities to shut down the offices of the remaining legal parties ANV, the Basque Nationalist Action party and EHAK The Communist Party of the Basque Lands. The two parties will be banned for 3 years. Their bank accounts have been frozen. They are also banned from standing in the next general elections that will take place on the 9th of March.
Judge Baltasar Garzon of the Spanish High Court accused the two parties, the Basque Nationalist Action party and the Communist party of the Basque Country of being inked to Batasuna.
Batasuna was declared illegal in 2003 and is banned from standing candidates in elections, the judge's ruling means that no Basque left-wing pro-independence party will be represented in the March 9 election.
The Supreme Court has also been presented with separate lawsuits from Spanish prosecutors to completely outlaw these two parties.
In 2003, the Supreme Court outlawed Batasuna on the grounds that it was part of ETA. To get around it Batasuna resurrected two small parties and had candidates standing for these 2 parties.
The Communist Party of the Basque Lands, EHAK, won nine seats in the 75-member Basque regional parliament in 2005.
Basque Nationalist Action Party, took part in municipal elections last year. Though half of its candidates were banned over alleged links to Batasuna, those remaining won 437 seats in towns and villages throughout the Basque Country.
This time around the Spanish judge is making sure that no left wing pro-independence party stands in the March elections.
The majority of Basque political parties and trade unions denounced this new attack.
Batasuna said that if the Spanish state takes everything as a “terrorist” act then Spain has a big problem. Batasuna repited once again that it is impossible to ban 15-20% of the population. If there was ever any doubt about the democratic character of the Spanish State, it is now obvious that it is a complete farce according to Batasuna.
Batasuna spokesperson and former member of the European Parliament Karmelo Landa told a local newspaper, a few hours before getting arrested that the best way to overcome these attacks is by multiplying political work. He said that despite the pro-independence movement spokespeople being arrested hundreds more come up at a local level, in universities, factories, etc. Landa said that at this stage the Spanish state can’t deny the existence of the Basque Country as a nation and the right of its people to decide about their future. This is a victory they try to destroy by using repression.
Landa was just back from Brussels where he met European politicians who were astonished at the terrible political developments in the Basque Country.
Spanish police arrested yesterday 14 prominent members of Batasuna..
Among the arrested were Karmelo Landa former Member of the European Parliament and Eusebio Lasa, Batasuna’s spokesperson.
The arrests happened yesterday morning. Most of the arrests were ordered by the leading anti-terrorist Judge Baltasar Garzon.
Garzon argues that the arrested were to become the new executive of the outlawed party Batasuna. Batasuna, was outlawed by the Supreme Court in 2003 on the grounds that it is part of the armed group ETA.
Police searched the houses of Karmelo Landa and Mikel Etxaburu, arrested in Bilbao, and seized several computers. According to the Basque public media, police also searched several houses in other Basque towns.
Protests were organised inmediately in hundreds of towns all accross the Basque Country : picket lines, road blockades, protests at local council meetings, press conferences, demonstrations...etc. These are happening on a daily basis.
II International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country..
Participation in the Second International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country has been very large and crowded. Although we do not have all the data on the table, we can show a profound joy: activities have been conducted in about 25 cities, and that means double the amount of mobilizations of last year's I Week of Solidarity. This year also more people have taken part in the different acts, as over 2,000 people have participated in various rallies, lectures, video, dinners, etc. Moreover, the groups of solidarity with the Basque Country, 'Euskal Herriaren Lagunak' (EHL), have increased and so has the participation of other groups, and social and political organizations. For all these reasons, Askapena congratulates all the ones who have been working in the EHL groups, as well as all the organizations and groups who have taken part in the Second International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
Full news from Askapena at
http://www.askapena.org/berriak/men/karpeta_en/9927/ind_aska
6.000 signatures in favour of Arnaldo Otegi's immediate release..
Already a month since the www.arnaldoaskatu.org web page was presented they and more than 6.000.000 signatures have demanded Arnaldo Otegi's immediate freedom, among which can be found the support and solidarity of many international organisations and politicians.
Those signing the document emphasize both the important roll carried out by Arnaldo Otegi as main spokesman of the Basque Pro-independence Left as well as by the important paper carried out in the political process, and indicate that its imprisonment is very serious underlining that behind its imprisonment hides a political decision.
Spanish police arrested yesterday 14 prominent members of Batasuna.
II International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
6.000 signatures in favour of Arnaldo Otegi's immediate release.
Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon bans the two remaining pro-independence parties ANV and EHAK..
On the 8th February 2008, judge Garzon ordered police authorities to shut down the offices of the remaining legal parties ANV, the Basque Nationalist Action party and EHAK The Communist Party of the Basque Lands. The two parties will be banned for 3 years. Their bank accounts have been frozen. They are also banned from standing in the next general elections that will take place on the 9th of March.
Judge Baltasar Garzon of the Spanish High Court accused the two parties, the Basque Nationalist Action party and the Communist party of the Basque Country of being inked to Batasuna.
Batasuna was declared illegal in 2003 and is banned from standing candidates in elections, the judge's ruling means that no Basque left-wing pro-independence party will be represented in the March 9 election.
The Supreme Court has also been presented with separate lawsuits from Spanish prosecutors to completely outlaw these two parties.
In 2003, the Supreme Court outlawed Batasuna on the grounds that it was part of ETA. To get around it Batasuna resurrected two small parties and had candidates standing for these 2 parties.
The Communist Party of the Basque Lands, EHAK, won nine seats in the 75-member Basque regional parliament in 2005.
Basque Nationalist Action Party, took part in municipal elections last year. Though half of its candidates were banned over alleged links to Batasuna, those remaining won 437 seats in towns and villages throughout the Basque Country.
This time around the Spanish judge is making sure that no left wing pro-independence party stands in the March elections.
The majority of Basque political parties and trade unions denounced this new attack.
Batasuna said that if the Spanish state takes everything as a “terrorist” act then Spain has a big problem. Batasuna repited once again that it is impossible to ban 15-20% of the population. If there was ever any doubt about the democratic character of the Spanish State, it is now obvious that it is a complete farce according to Batasuna.
Batasuna spokesperson and former member of the European Parliament Karmelo Landa told a local newspaper, a few hours before getting arrested that the best way to overcome these attacks is by multiplying political work. He said that despite the pro-independence movement spokespeople being arrested hundreds more come up at a local level, in universities, factories, etc. Landa said that at this stage the Spanish state can’t deny the existence of the Basque Country as a nation and the right of its people to decide about their future. This is a victory they try to destroy by using repression.
Landa was just back from Brussels where he met European politicians who were astonished at the terrible political developments in the Basque Country.
Spanish police arrested yesterday 14 prominent members of Batasuna..
Among the arrested were Karmelo Landa former Member of the European Parliament and Eusebio Lasa, Batasuna’s spokesperson.
The arrests happened yesterday morning. Most of the arrests were ordered by the leading anti-terrorist Judge Baltasar Garzon.
Garzon argues that the arrested were to become the new executive of the outlawed party Batasuna. Batasuna, was outlawed by the Supreme Court in 2003 on the grounds that it is part of the armed group ETA.
Police searched the houses of Karmelo Landa and Mikel Etxaburu, arrested in Bilbao, and seized several computers. According to the Basque public media, police also searched several houses in other Basque towns.
Protests were organised inmediately in hundreds of towns all accross the Basque Country : picket lines, road blockades, protests at local council meetings, press conferences, demonstrations...etc. These are happening on a daily basis.
II International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country..
Participation in the Second International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country has been very large and crowded. Although we do not have all the data on the table, we can show a profound joy: activities have been conducted in about 25 cities, and that means double the amount of mobilizations of last year's I Week of Solidarity. This year also more people have taken part in the different acts, as over 2,000 people have participated in various rallies, lectures, video, dinners, etc. Moreover, the groups of solidarity with the Basque Country, 'Euskal Herriaren Lagunak' (EHL), have increased and so has the participation of other groups, and social and political organizations. For all these reasons, Askapena congratulates all the ones who have been working in the EHL groups, as well as all the organizations and groups who have taken part in the Second International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
Full news from Askapena at
http://www.askapena.org/berriak/men/karpeta_en/9927/ind_aska
6.000 signatures in favour of Arnaldo Otegi's immediate release..
Already a month since the www.arnaldoaskatu.org web page was presented they and more than 6.000.000 signatures have demanded Arnaldo Otegi's immediate freedom, among which can be found the support and solidarity of many international organisations and politicians.
Those signing the document emphasize both the important roll carried out by Arnaldo Otegi as main spokesman of the Basque Pro-independence Left as well as by the important paper carried out in the political process, and indicate that its imprisonment is very serious underlining that behind its imprisonment hides a political decision.
2 February 2008
news february 2008
The Basque Nationalist Action party highlights that the Basque Country is suffering from a lack of democracy.
Fraud and repression for the Basque Country. This is the evaluation of Batasuna around the 4 years of Jose Luis Zapatero's government.
A new testimony of brutal torture. Mattin Sarasola tells his 5 days of arrest under the Spanish Civil Guard.
Udalbiltza case acussed citizens get wide support.
New platform in favour of self-determination formed.
-The Basque Nationalist Action party highlights that the Basque Country is suffering from a lack of democracy.
The Basque Nationalist Action party, the remaining pro-independence party, wonders when will the repressive measures of the Spanish Labour Party PSOE stop.
ANV who fought against the Dictatorship alongisde the Spanish Party PSOE during the Second Republic period.
ANV has highlighted that the Basque Country is suffering from a lack of democracy.
One of the examples of it, is the measures the Spanish authorities will be taking against the Mayoress of the small town of Hernani. At the rally in Iruna/Pamplona two weekends ago, Marian Beitialarrangoitia expressed solidarity with Basque political prisoners and with the Basques who have recently been brutally tortured.
Following that the Spanish authorities have opened a case against her.
Over 700 prisoners, the imprisonment of members of social, political and cultural groups, tortures etc. are the proof of a lack of democracy in the Basque Country according to the ANV Party. The pro-independence party has also accused the Basque Nationalist Party PNV of cooperating with the Spanish authorties by not saying anything about the current political situation.
The Spanish General Prosecution service has also stated that it has now gathered enough evidence to illegalise the ANV party. And this is likely to take place in the near future.
Following this, the ANV party has stated clearly that no one will stop them from taking part in the next general elections on the 9th of March.
ANV has presented the 8 candidates who will stand at the Spanish Congress and Senate election next March. They said they will stand at the elections to state that the Basque Country is a nation and that it is time to break the ties with Spain.
ANV has been actually been very busy in the last couple of weeks presenting their election manifesto in towns, villages, schools, faculties, factories… all around the country. They have organised meetings, assemblies, events, press conferences, recorded videos…etc. to mobilise the grassroots of the party and to reach as many people as possible in favour of independence. The slogan of the campaign is "We, the Basque nation, independence".
- Fraud and repression for the Basque Country. This is the evaluation of Batasuna around the 4 years of Jose Luis Zapatero's government.
The pro-independence movement has made an evaluation of the four year-government of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero. At a very busy press conference last week pro-independence spokespeople Pernando Barrena and Eusebio Lasa summarized it in two words: fraude and repression for the Basque Country. They said Zapatero will be remenbered as another Spanish prime minister who destroyed a great opportunity to resolve the political conflict.
They accused the Spanish government of lying about what happened during the political negotiation process. When asked about the future, Pernando Barrena said that the Spanish government is involved in the final assault against the pro-independence movement and that even more repression will come in the near future.
-A new testimony of brutal torture. Mattin Sarasola tells his 5 days of arrest under the Spanish Civil Guard.
"They made me walk down a path, and they simulated that they were executing me. They told me that they were going to do what they did to Zabalza". This is the new testimony of torture from Mattin Sarasola.
Last week we heard Igor Portu's testimony of torture. Igor and Mattin were both arrested two weeks ago by the Spanish police. Igor ended up in the Intensive Care Unit of Donosti/San Sebastian's hospital after being brutally tortured.
This week Mattin tells what the Spanish police did to him with total impunity.
Even Spanish Judge Grande Marlasca has acknowledged that there are too many coincidences and similar stories in the two men's testimonies.
Both men reject the version of the police which says that they were arrested at a check point and that they resisted being arrested. This is what the official version says. The two men say that they were pushed down a mountain path in which they were tortured. In both cases they talk about simulating the execution of one of them. They also mention being tortured in the river.
The Spanish Civil Guard told Mattin that they would do to him what they did to Mikel Zabalza in 1985. Mikel Zabalza was a Basque citizen killed by the Spanish police through torture. Zabalza was found dead in a river
Mattin Sarasola also says that he was hit over and over again. Heavy blows in the chest, they put a bag over his head to suffocate him and forced him to do physical exercise. This provoked anxiety attacks and asthma. When transferred to Madrid, an agent who was wearing a glove kept pulling his testicles over and over again. He was also threatened with electro shocks and the bath.
The group against torture TAT, has accused the Spanish Special Court of leaking fake medical reports to the Spanish media. A doctor attached to the Special Court has released a report denying any ill treatment and torture suffered by the two Basque citizens.
Following these events, hundreds of Basques have demanded the end of torture in Irunea/Pamplona and Lesaka.
In both towns, hundreds of people gathered to protest against the brutality and the strategy of repression designed by the Spanish government.
-Udalbiltza case acussed citizens get wide support.
Those accused of being members of Udalbiltza, the first and only Basque national institution, have begun a round of meetings to gather support before their trial starts.
Udalbiltza was created in 1999 by more than 600 councillors from different political parties of the seven provinces of the Basque Country. Udalbiltza aims to develop national plans to build and defend the Basque Country in all crucial areas such as economy, culture and education.
The Spanish government arrested and imprisoned the national executive of Udalbiltza and banned it. Now it wants to judge its members in a new political trial.
National and local meeting are being held with councillors and social organizations and trade unions to organise a response to the trial and at the to boost Udalbiltza's work.
-New platform in favour of self-determination formed.
Several high profile Basque people from the cultural and social sector in the Basque Country presented on Friday a manifesto claiming the right to decide and "to open the path of peace and normalization."
The platform "Erabaki" (To Decide) aims to build the "capacity to decide our future as a society and as a nation."
The official manifesto has been presented under the name of We want to decide and we shall decide!
The platform looks for support through a web site and has called a rally in favour of the right to decide at the Kursaal Conference Centre in Donostia-San Sebastian next February 10th.
According to the manifesto "all Basques have the right to be consulted on the problems they are concerned about and have the right to decide freely of their own future".
"The Basque Country, one of the oldest countries in Europe, has the right to decide freely of its own future in accordance with the right to self-determination".
Fraud and repression for the Basque Country. This is the evaluation of Batasuna around the 4 years of Jose Luis Zapatero's government.
A new testimony of brutal torture. Mattin Sarasola tells his 5 days of arrest under the Spanish Civil Guard.
Udalbiltza case acussed citizens get wide support.
New platform in favour of self-determination formed.
-The Basque Nationalist Action party highlights that the Basque Country is suffering from a lack of democracy.
The Basque Nationalist Action party, the remaining pro-independence party, wonders when will the repressive measures of the Spanish Labour Party PSOE stop.
ANV who fought against the Dictatorship alongisde the Spanish Party PSOE during the Second Republic period.
ANV has highlighted that the Basque Country is suffering from a lack of democracy.
One of the examples of it, is the measures the Spanish authorities will be taking against the Mayoress of the small town of Hernani. At the rally in Iruna/Pamplona two weekends ago, Marian Beitialarrangoitia expressed solidarity with Basque political prisoners and with the Basques who have recently been brutally tortured.
Following that the Spanish authorities have opened a case against her.
Over 700 prisoners, the imprisonment of members of social, political and cultural groups, tortures etc. are the proof of a lack of democracy in the Basque Country according to the ANV Party. The pro-independence party has also accused the Basque Nationalist Party PNV of cooperating with the Spanish authorties by not saying anything about the current political situation.
The Spanish General Prosecution service has also stated that it has now gathered enough evidence to illegalise the ANV party. And this is likely to take place in the near future.
Following this, the ANV party has stated clearly that no one will stop them from taking part in the next general elections on the 9th of March.
ANV has presented the 8 candidates who will stand at the Spanish Congress and Senate election next March. They said they will stand at the elections to state that the Basque Country is a nation and that it is time to break the ties with Spain.
ANV has been actually been very busy in the last couple of weeks presenting their election manifesto in towns, villages, schools, faculties, factories… all around the country. They have organised meetings, assemblies, events, press conferences, recorded videos…etc. to mobilise the grassroots of the party and to reach as many people as possible in favour of independence. The slogan of the campaign is "We, the Basque nation, independence".
- Fraud and repression for the Basque Country. This is the evaluation of Batasuna around the 4 years of Jose Luis Zapatero's government.
The pro-independence movement has made an evaluation of the four year-government of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero. At a very busy press conference last week pro-independence spokespeople Pernando Barrena and Eusebio Lasa summarized it in two words: fraude and repression for the Basque Country. They said Zapatero will be remenbered as another Spanish prime minister who destroyed a great opportunity to resolve the political conflict.
They accused the Spanish government of lying about what happened during the political negotiation process. When asked about the future, Pernando Barrena said that the Spanish government is involved in the final assault against the pro-independence movement and that even more repression will come in the near future.
-A new testimony of brutal torture. Mattin Sarasola tells his 5 days of arrest under the Spanish Civil Guard.
"They made me walk down a path, and they simulated that they were executing me. They told me that they were going to do what they did to Zabalza". This is the new testimony of torture from Mattin Sarasola.
Last week we heard Igor Portu's testimony of torture. Igor and Mattin were both arrested two weeks ago by the Spanish police. Igor ended up in the Intensive Care Unit of Donosti/San Sebastian's hospital after being brutally tortured.
This week Mattin tells what the Spanish police did to him with total impunity.
Even Spanish Judge Grande Marlasca has acknowledged that there are too many coincidences and similar stories in the two men's testimonies.
Both men reject the version of the police which says that they were arrested at a check point and that they resisted being arrested. This is what the official version says. The two men say that they were pushed down a mountain path in which they were tortured. In both cases they talk about simulating the execution of one of them. They also mention being tortured in the river.
The Spanish Civil Guard told Mattin that they would do to him what they did to Mikel Zabalza in 1985. Mikel Zabalza was a Basque citizen killed by the Spanish police through torture. Zabalza was found dead in a river
Mattin Sarasola also says that he was hit over and over again. Heavy blows in the chest, they put a bag over his head to suffocate him and forced him to do physical exercise. This provoked anxiety attacks and asthma. When transferred to Madrid, an agent who was wearing a glove kept pulling his testicles over and over again. He was also threatened with electro shocks and the bath.
The group against torture TAT, has accused the Spanish Special Court of leaking fake medical reports to the Spanish media. A doctor attached to the Special Court has released a report denying any ill treatment and torture suffered by the two Basque citizens.
Following these events, hundreds of Basques have demanded the end of torture in Irunea/Pamplona and Lesaka.
In both towns, hundreds of people gathered to protest against the brutality and the strategy of repression designed by the Spanish government.
-Udalbiltza case acussed citizens get wide support.
Those accused of being members of Udalbiltza, the first and only Basque national institution, have begun a round of meetings to gather support before their trial starts.
Udalbiltza was created in 1999 by more than 600 councillors from different political parties of the seven provinces of the Basque Country. Udalbiltza aims to develop national plans to build and defend the Basque Country in all crucial areas such as economy, culture and education.
The Spanish government arrested and imprisoned the national executive of Udalbiltza and banned it. Now it wants to judge its members in a new political trial.
National and local meeting are being held with councillors and social organizations and trade unions to organise a response to the trial and at the to boost Udalbiltza's work.
-New platform in favour of self-determination formed.
Several high profile Basque people from the cultural and social sector in the Basque Country presented on Friday a manifesto claiming the right to decide and "to open the path of peace and normalization."
The platform "Erabaki" (To Decide) aims to build the "capacity to decide our future as a society and as a nation."
The official manifesto has been presented under the name of We want to decide and we shall decide!
The platform looks for support through a web site and has called a rally in favour of the right to decide at the Kursaal Conference Centre in Donostia-San Sebastian next February 10th.
According to the manifesto "all Basques have the right to be consulted on the problems they are concerned about and have the right to decide freely of their own future".
"The Basque Country, one of the oldest countries in Europe, has the right to decide freely of its own future in accordance with the right to self-determination".
26 January 2008
Hello from London
Welcome to the London Basque Committees blog. This blog contains a monthly selection of news about Basque politics.
The information in this blog has been chosen with the intention of presenting an alternative account of the political situation in the Basque Country. Over the last few years we have experienced a complete failure of all attempts to find a peaceful settlement. In addition, we are regressing towards old anti-democratic policies.
There are many worrying signs about the current political situation. Banned newspapers and political parties, claims of systematic use of torture that receive no attention by the judiciary, police brutality to suppress the right of peaceful demonstration, ad-hoc law making and the dispersal of prisoners are all clear evidence of the political repression that is taking place against the wider Basque Independence Movement.
The information in this blog has been chosen with the intention of presenting an alternative account of the political situation in the Basque Country. Over the last few years we have experienced a complete failure of all attempts to find a peaceful settlement. In addition, we are regressing towards old anti-democratic policies.
There are many worrying signs about the current political situation. Banned newspapers and political parties, claims of systematic use of torture that receive no attention by the judiciary, police brutality to suppress the right of peaceful demonstration, ad-hoc law making and the dispersal of prisoners are all clear evidence of the political repression that is taking place against the wider Basque Independence Movement.
We believe that a political settlement for the Basque Country could also contribute to the solution of other conflicts. Resolving one conflict creates positive inertia and momentum. With the new geopolitical situation created by the War on Terror, peaceful resolution of armed conflicts seems to be a distant dream but if you have reached this blog you would probably believe another world is possible. Resolving a conflict which is now one of the oldest ones, and is taking place right under our noses, should be one of the main challenges for progressive political forces in Europe. We have seen it before, Northern Ireland and South Africa peace made an important contribution to the peace capital of the whole humanity. Unfortunately, similar solutions won't be possible in the Basque Country as long as we turn a blind eye to current situation.
Please read
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