Summer 2009
This is a summary of some of the incidents that took place in Basque Country in the last two weeks of July.
Basque political prisoners in three different Spanish jails were attacked by guards and taken to solitary confinement. This situation happens often and sometimes prisoners have to go on hunger strike to denounce them and get their basic rights respected. This is the case of Sebas Lasa who entered his 9th day on hunger strike today. He’s already lost 6 kilos.
Former Basque prisoner and pro-independence activist Alain Berastegi denounced last week that he was kidnapped and tortured in a forest by ten masked men on the 17th of July.
Basque prisoner Jose Mari Sagardui "Gatza", the oldest political prisoner in Europe has already spent 29 years in Spanish jails. According to Spanish law he should have been released in 2005. He’s spent most of his life in jail. His home town has seen many demonstrations for his support and even the Basque Autonomous Region’s Parliament has asked for his release.
The Spanish flag hanging from the balcony of the local government buildings in Gernika was burnt over the weekend. It’s within the building’s gardens where the Basque liberties’ symbol, the Gernika Tree is situated. Gernika was bombed in 1937 by the Spanish fascists in the first civilian bombing of history and killed 2,000 people.
Two pro-independence youths have been arrested in the early hours of today by the Spanish Guardia Civil police. One of them is surfer champion Iker Acero. The arrested pair have been taken to the Basque youth website Gaztesarea offices in what seems to be an operation against this popular communication project.
Last week 38-year-old Basque political refugee Ekai Alkorta was arrested in the north of the Basque Country under French administration and sent to prison following an arrest warrant issued by the Spanish Special Court.
Young pro-independence activist Xan Beyrie was also imprisoned after his solicitor's appeal was refused by the French judges. He was previously arrested along with 12 pro-independence youths in the north of the Basque Country at the end of June and was released on bail.
The Basque-Spanish police continues with its campaign to make all expressions of solidarity with Basque political prisoners disappear. Prisoners' pictures and solidarity banners are being taken off walls, festivals, balconies, bars...The largest Basque trade union ELA denounced this practice and reminded people that Basque political prisoners are scattered in jails around France and Spain while many of them should be released under Spanish law after finishing their sentences or due to serious illnesses.
Last week the Spanish Supreme Court ordered the disbanding of all local pro-independence ANV/Basque Nationalist Action councillors groups. Elorrio town’s pro-independence mayor said they’ve been denied public funds and that this is yet another step in the process of banning the ANV party.
A Basque volunteers’ garden of remembrance was riddled with bullets two weeks ago and was defaced with pro-Spanish graffiti over the last weekend in Oiartzun, near Donostia/San Sebastian.
The Spanish Coordination to Prevent Torture group said last week the Spanish authorities promote torture and impunity after the Spanish government failed to comply with the implementation of the National Mechanism to Prevent Torture.
150 Basque, European and American lawyers signed a petition to ask for the immediate release of Basque political prisoners' solicitor Inaki Goioaga. Inaki was arrested one month ago and accused of helping in an attempt prison escape in 2007. The arrest has been seen as an effort to threaten the Basque political prisoners’ solicitors work.
Last Saturday hundreds of mainly young people rallied in the northern town of Donibane Lohitzune/Saint Jéan de Luz. The demonstration had been called by the pro-independence youth organization Segi to protest against the recent months French police operations. During the last protest at the end of June, 12 young people were arrested.
30 years ago Joxe Antonio Otxoantesana had to escape from Spanish repression to Mexico. For three decades he helped Basque escapees in the north American country. He died last month from a brain haemorrhage. One of his sons last Sunday brought his ashes back to the Basque Country. Hundreds of people were waiting for him at the airport. Finally, hundreds more paid a well deserved homage to Otxoantesana in his home town of Ondarru where his ashes were scattered into the sea.
1 August 2009
August 09
- -ETA destroys police barracks in Burgos and Kills two Guardia Civil in Majorca.
- -Former Basque prisoner kidnapped and tortured.
- Attacks against Basque prisoners.
- -Three months without Jon.
- Basque prisoner enters 30th year in jail.
NEWS :
-ETA destroys police barracks in Burgos and Kills two Guardia Civil in Majorca.
A strong van bomb destroyed the Spanish Guardia Civil police barracks in Burgos near the Basque Country . 47 people were injured. There were fears of an escalation of violence in Spain by Eta, after a bomb placed under a car on the island of Mallorca killed two members of the Guardia Civil only 34 hours after the first incident.
Some analysts set the 31st of July 1959 as the ETA’s creation day.
The pro-independence movement said on a statement that it’s impossible to defeat ETA through police means and that the only way to resolve the political conflict it’s through inclusive dialogue, negotiation and respect the Basque people’s rights.
-Former Basque prisoner kidnapped and tortured.
Former Basque prisoner and pro-independence activist Alain Berastegi denounced last week that he was kidnapped and tortured in a forest by ten masked men on the 17th of July.
Everything started when he was call to do a building job in Irunberri, near Irunea/Pamplona. Two men asked him to follow them to a forest where they said they had an old farm they wanted to refurbish. It was there where another ten men wearing masks and guns were waiting for him. They questioned and tortured him for 7 hours.
They beat him and asphyxiated him with a plastic bag.
The masked men, most probably Spanish policemen, asked him to collaborate with them. They offered him money and threatened him with arrest if he didn’t help him or if he denounced what happened.
Alain was released after being told to meet them again in another day in the following days. Instead the former Basque prisoner denounced what happened to him in court and in a press conference.
The organisation against repression Askatasuna said that this is the new 21st century dirty war but reminded people that it was the Spanish Socialist government which set up the GAL death squads in the 80’s. The Spanish Socialist Party is again in power in Spain.
In the last 6 months 4 former political prisoners and pro-independence activists have been kidnapped and one of them is still missing.
Askatasuna denounced the main political parties and mass media silence around these kidnappings.
-Attacks against Basque prisoners.
Basque political prisoners in three different Spanish jails were attacked by guards and taken to solitary confinement. This situation happens often and sometimes prisoners have to go on hunger strike to denounce them and get their basic rights respected. This is the case of Sebas Lasa who entered his 9th day on hunger strike today. He’s already lost 6 kilos.
A former Basque prisoner saw his parents' house attacked last week just two days after being released. The Goikoetxea family’s house was painted with threats and the entrance was burnt in broad daylight. Another son is currently in jail.
-Three months without Jon.
Basque political prisoner Jon Anza was released after 20 years in jail and then moved to the north of the Basque Country to be free from Spanish police harassment. Three months ago he went missing. His family and the Basque pro-independence movement have said the Spanish secret services and the French government are responsible for his disappearance. ETA said in a statement that Jon was a member of the organization at the time he went missing.
Other Basque political refugees were kidnapped, tortured and killed by pro-Spanish death squads in collusion with Spanish and French police in the 80’s and some of them are still missing.
In an interview carried out by the newspaper Gara over the last weekend Jon Anza’s girlfriend speaks of the hard three months herself and Jon's other relatives and friends are having not knowing what happened to him. She denounces the political parties and mass media silence surrounding the case and expresses her sorrow. Jon Anza’s girlfriend goes on to say it’s been a political kidnapping. She thanks the people for their support and campaign across the Basque Country.
Posters with Jon Anza’s face asking where is he can be seen on walls and banners around the country and protests are constantly being held.
The Basque pro-independence movement accused the Spanish government of reactivating the dirty war and pointed at the French government as an accomplice in it. At a press conference last week pro-independence spokespersons reaffirmed their commitment to continue working to achieve an democratic scenario and warned that the dirty war won’t distract them from that work.
-Basque prisoner enters 30th year in jail.
Basque prisoner Jose Mari Sagardui "Gatza", the oldest political prisoner in Europe has already spent 29 years in Spanish jails. According to Spanish law he should have been released in 2005. He’s spent most of his life in jail. His home town has seen many demonstrations for his support and even the Basque Autonomous Region’s Parliament has asked for his release.
Since his arrest on the 8th of July 1980 when he was brutally tortured, he has been in 13 different Spanish jails and in total he’s been transfered 34 times. In those 30 years he’s been in prisons in the Basque Country just twice, and only for a very short period.
He is currently being detained in Jaen’s jail, 730 kilometres from his home.
He has been a victim of the different Spanish prison policies including those of the cruel treatment in Carabanchel, the dispersal policy and currently the extreme confinement in Jaen. There is no natural light in his cell, and all his communications and movements are under strict control. He’s kept in isolation for 20 hours per day and under the hardest prison regime.
The Basque pro-amnesty movement has reiterated that despite the Spanish and French states not recognizing the political status of Basque prisoners, the measures they impose upon them are political.
Gatza has numerous obstacles to continue with his university studies and has many obstacles to get medical assistance.
Due to the relentless changes introduced by the Spanish authorities to act against the Basque political prisoners, Gatza has seen his remissions denied. He also saw his sentence modified and increased to 30 years.
- -Former Basque prisoner kidnapped and tortured.
- Attacks against Basque prisoners.
- -Three months without Jon.
- Basque prisoner enters 30th year in jail.
NEWS :
-ETA destroys police barracks in Burgos and Kills two Guardia Civil in Majorca.
A strong van bomb destroyed the Spanish Guardia Civil police barracks in Burgos near the Basque Country . 47 people were injured. There were fears of an escalation of violence in Spain by Eta, after a bomb placed under a car on the island of Mallorca killed two members of the Guardia Civil only 34 hours after the first incident.
Some analysts set the 31st of July 1959 as the ETA’s creation day.
The pro-independence movement said on a statement that it’s impossible to defeat ETA through police means and that the only way to resolve the political conflict it’s through inclusive dialogue, negotiation and respect the Basque people’s rights.
-Former Basque prisoner kidnapped and tortured.
Former Basque prisoner and pro-independence activist Alain Berastegi denounced last week that he was kidnapped and tortured in a forest by ten masked men on the 17th of July.
Everything started when he was call to do a building job in Irunberri, near Irunea/Pamplona. Two men asked him to follow them to a forest where they said they had an old farm they wanted to refurbish. It was there where another ten men wearing masks and guns were waiting for him. They questioned and tortured him for 7 hours.
They beat him and asphyxiated him with a plastic bag.
The masked men, most probably Spanish policemen, asked him to collaborate with them. They offered him money and threatened him with arrest if he didn’t help him or if he denounced what happened.
Alain was released after being told to meet them again in another day in the following days. Instead the former Basque prisoner denounced what happened to him in court and in a press conference.
The organisation against repression Askatasuna said that this is the new 21st century dirty war but reminded people that it was the Spanish Socialist government which set up the GAL death squads in the 80’s. The Spanish Socialist Party is again in power in Spain.
In the last 6 months 4 former political prisoners and pro-independence activists have been kidnapped and one of them is still missing.
Askatasuna denounced the main political parties and mass media silence around these kidnappings.
-Attacks against Basque prisoners.
Basque political prisoners in three different Spanish jails were attacked by guards and taken to solitary confinement. This situation happens often and sometimes prisoners have to go on hunger strike to denounce them and get their basic rights respected. This is the case of Sebas Lasa who entered his 9th day on hunger strike today. He’s already lost 6 kilos.
A former Basque prisoner saw his parents' house attacked last week just two days after being released. The Goikoetxea family’s house was painted with threats and the entrance was burnt in broad daylight. Another son is currently in jail.
-Three months without Jon.
Basque political prisoner Jon Anza was released after 20 years in jail and then moved to the north of the Basque Country to be free from Spanish police harassment. Three months ago he went missing. His family and the Basque pro-independence movement have said the Spanish secret services and the French government are responsible for his disappearance. ETA said in a statement that Jon was a member of the organization at the time he went missing.
Other Basque political refugees were kidnapped, tortured and killed by pro-Spanish death squads in collusion with Spanish and French police in the 80’s and some of them are still missing.
In an interview carried out by the newspaper Gara over the last weekend Jon Anza’s girlfriend speaks of the hard three months herself and Jon's other relatives and friends are having not knowing what happened to him. She denounces the political parties and mass media silence surrounding the case and expresses her sorrow. Jon Anza’s girlfriend goes on to say it’s been a political kidnapping. She thanks the people for their support and campaign across the Basque Country.
Posters with Jon Anza’s face asking where is he can be seen on walls and banners around the country and protests are constantly being held.
The Basque pro-independence movement accused the Spanish government of reactivating the dirty war and pointed at the French government as an accomplice in it. At a press conference last week pro-independence spokespersons reaffirmed their commitment to continue working to achieve an democratic scenario and warned that the dirty war won’t distract them from that work.
-Basque prisoner enters 30th year in jail.
Basque prisoner Jose Mari Sagardui "Gatza", the oldest political prisoner in Europe has already spent 29 years in Spanish jails. According to Spanish law he should have been released in 2005. He’s spent most of his life in jail. His home town has seen many demonstrations for his support and even the Basque Autonomous Region’s Parliament has asked for his release.
Since his arrest on the 8th of July 1980 when he was brutally tortured, he has been in 13 different Spanish jails and in total he’s been transfered 34 times. In those 30 years he’s been in prisons in the Basque Country just twice, and only for a very short period.
He is currently being detained in Jaen’s jail, 730 kilometres from his home.
He has been a victim of the different Spanish prison policies including those of the cruel treatment in Carabanchel, the dispersal policy and currently the extreme confinement in Jaen. There is no natural light in his cell, and all his communications and movements are under strict control. He’s kept in isolation for 20 hours per day and under the hardest prison regime.
The Basque pro-amnesty movement has reiterated that despite the Spanish and French states not recognizing the political status of Basque prisoners, the measures they impose upon them are political.
Gatza has numerous obstacles to continue with his university studies and has many obstacles to get medical assistance.
Due to the relentless changes introduced by the Spanish authorities to act against the Basque political prisoners, Gatza has seen his remissions denied. He also saw his sentence modified and increased to 30 years.
11 July 2009
July 2009
- Strasbourg’s judgement supports political apartheid.
- Basque activists still at risk of extradition.
- More arrests in France.
- European election votes still missing
NEWS :
-Strasbourg’s judgement supports political apartheid.
The European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, has made a judgement related to the Spanish "Law on Political Parties". In the judgement the Court supported the bannings of pro-independence political parties in the Basque Country.
In a press conference pro-independence spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi said that the judgement does not contribute in any way to the political settlement of the Basque conflict, but just the opposite. Otegi continued: “We believe that it is a clear step backwards for fundamental rights and freedoms in the European framework which can affect other progressive organisations in the future if they raise questions about the legal framework of the states in which they act.”
According to Otegi the Court has accepted the reasoning and arguments initiated by the former government of Mr. Aznar's Popular Party, with the consent of the PSOE, aimed at preventing solutions in the Basque Country and to put in place a situation of permanent confrontation.
Otegi recalled that the "Law on Political Parties" - which was created ad hoc in order to ban Batasuna (and later on other political organisations supported by or related to the Basque pro-independence left) - came into being under the cover of the antiterrorist offensive initiated by the Bush Government. That war against “terrorism” permitted clear violations and restrictions of fundamental rights.
It is surprising that the Spanish conservative PP, which still has not condemned the dictatorship of Franco, and the Spanish Labour Party, which organised acts of State terrorism while in government in the past, are the ones who are pleased about the judgement.
The pro-independence left reasserts before the European community that there is no other way of settling the Basque conflict apart from inclusive dialogue and political negotiation, in a situation of non-violence and goodwill, leading to an agreement that recognises the democratic right of Basque citizens to decide on their own future, just as the European citizens of Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Flanders or other countries.
-Basque activists still at risk of extradition.
Last week a hearing on the case of Basque political refugee Inaki Etxeberria was held in Caracas, Venezuela. The prosecution was in favour of dropping the case. The solidarity campaign denounced pressures from the Spanish authorities to get Inaki extradited. He’s still in jail awaiting the court’s decision.
The judge in the case of Belfast-based Basque activist Arturo “Benat” Villanueva decided last Friday to set the 25th of September as the date for the hearing on the extradition case. The hearing of Belfast-based Basque activist Inaki de Juana will also be held in September.
-More arrests in France.
Three alleged ETA members were arrested in the southern French region of Bearn last Saturday. According to the French police they seized guns, money, false ID’s and material to build weapons dumps in their car.
The other two alleged ETA members arrested last week after a road accident they had are still in hospital. Their injuries are not life threatening. Despite their condition, one of them, 20-year-old woman Oihana Mardaras, was taken in for questioning. She told her solicitors afterwards that she had been ill-treated by the French police.
-European election votes still missing
As we previously reported, the left wing pro-self-determination right platform Internationalist Iniciative (II) was subjected to a brutal criminalization campaign by the Spanish media and authorities during the last European elections. The attacks didn’t stop there. During the day of the elections there were numerous abnormalities such as lack of II ballots in the poll stations. Many more irregularities arose in the following days.
For the past ten days II members and solicitors have been denouncing these abnormalities and a campaign has been launched to expose the truth about the results. In the three western Basque provinces 1,800 votes have been recovered in favour of the platform after new vote counts. These new results have raised more suspicion about what really happened in the entire Spanish state. In Barcelona for example, the II representatives weren’t allowed to be present at the new vote count and the same happened in many other places. The counts, by law, are supposed to be public and accountable.
Surprisingly, the blank and no valid votes increased by 300% when there were 1 million less voters than at previous European elections. If we add to that the lack of transparency and explanations from the Spanish authorities, the extrangely poor results in traditionally strong pro-independence places, the systematic destruction of the invalid votes...we can understand why the II candidate Doris Benegas said that this situation shows the lack of democratic protections and standards in the Spanish state.
- Basque activists still at risk of extradition.
- More arrests in France.
- European election votes still missing
NEWS :
-Strasbourg’s judgement supports political apartheid.
The European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, has made a judgement related to the Spanish "Law on Political Parties". In the judgement the Court supported the bannings of pro-independence political parties in the Basque Country.
In a press conference pro-independence spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi said that the judgement does not contribute in any way to the political settlement of the Basque conflict, but just the opposite. Otegi continued: “We believe that it is a clear step backwards for fundamental rights and freedoms in the European framework which can affect other progressive organisations in the future if they raise questions about the legal framework of the states in which they act.”
According to Otegi the Court has accepted the reasoning and arguments initiated by the former government of Mr. Aznar's Popular Party, with the consent of the PSOE, aimed at preventing solutions in the Basque Country and to put in place a situation of permanent confrontation.
Otegi recalled that the "Law on Political Parties" - which was created ad hoc in order to ban Batasuna (and later on other political organisations supported by or related to the Basque pro-independence left) - came into being under the cover of the antiterrorist offensive initiated by the Bush Government. That war against “terrorism” permitted clear violations and restrictions of fundamental rights.
It is surprising that the Spanish conservative PP, which still has not condemned the dictatorship of Franco, and the Spanish Labour Party, which organised acts of State terrorism while in government in the past, are the ones who are pleased about the judgement.
The pro-independence left reasserts before the European community that there is no other way of settling the Basque conflict apart from inclusive dialogue and political negotiation, in a situation of non-violence and goodwill, leading to an agreement that recognises the democratic right of Basque citizens to decide on their own future, just as the European citizens of Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Flanders or other countries.
-Basque activists still at risk of extradition.
Last week a hearing on the case of Basque political refugee Inaki Etxeberria was held in Caracas, Venezuela. The prosecution was in favour of dropping the case. The solidarity campaign denounced pressures from the Spanish authorities to get Inaki extradited. He’s still in jail awaiting the court’s decision.
The judge in the case of Belfast-based Basque activist Arturo “Benat” Villanueva decided last Friday to set the 25th of September as the date for the hearing on the extradition case. The hearing of Belfast-based Basque activist Inaki de Juana will also be held in September.
-More arrests in France.
Three alleged ETA members were arrested in the southern French region of Bearn last Saturday. According to the French police they seized guns, money, false ID’s and material to build weapons dumps in their car.
The other two alleged ETA members arrested last week after a road accident they had are still in hospital. Their injuries are not life threatening. Despite their condition, one of them, 20-year-old woman Oihana Mardaras, was taken in for questioning. She told her solicitors afterwards that she had been ill-treated by the French police.
-European election votes still missing
As we previously reported, the left wing pro-self-determination right platform Internationalist Iniciative (II) was subjected to a brutal criminalization campaign by the Spanish media and authorities during the last European elections. The attacks didn’t stop there. During the day of the elections there were numerous abnormalities such as lack of II ballots in the poll stations. Many more irregularities arose in the following days.
For the past ten days II members and solicitors have been denouncing these abnormalities and a campaign has been launched to expose the truth about the results. In the three western Basque provinces 1,800 votes have been recovered in favour of the platform after new vote counts. These new results have raised more suspicion about what really happened in the entire Spanish state. In Barcelona for example, the II representatives weren’t allowed to be present at the new vote count and the same happened in many other places. The counts, by law, are supposed to be public and accountable.
Surprisingly, the blank and no valid votes increased by 300% when there were 1 million less voters than at previous European elections. If we add to that the lack of transparency and explanations from the Spanish authorities, the extrangely poor results in traditionally strong pro-independence places, the systematic destruction of the invalid votes...we can understand why the II candidate Doris Benegas said that this situation shows the lack of democratic protections and standards in the Spanish state.
June 2006
- Great results for the pro-independence left in the European elections.
- Thousands against dirty war.
NEWS :
-Great results for the pro-independence left in the European elections.
Despite the criminalization campaign and the initial banning, the Basque pro-independence left supported electoral platform, Internationalist Initiative received 13.5% of the vote (10% in 2004 for the banned Herritarren Zerrenda/The People’s List). In the north, the pro-independence left organised under the Euskal Herriaren Alde (In Favour of the Basque Country) name and achieved a great success with 6% of the vote. Other left pro-independence parties in the north supported Europe Ecologie lead by the French ecologist farmer José Bové and received 15% of the vote.
On Sunday there were numerous complaints about Internationalist Initiative ballots being missing in many polling stations. Others arrived after 5pm. In the early hours of Monday dozens of reports from across the Spanish state emerged with very suspicious news. Thousands of votes for Internationalist Initiative were missing or allocated to other parties. In the Basque Country votes disappeared in 24 towns. In the Catalan Countries the blank and no valid vote’s numbers increased dramatically, in some cases by three to six times. As more and more reports and allegations emerge, there are serious concerns of a historical fraude.
-Thousands against dirty war.
4,000 people rallied in Donostia/San Sebastian last Saturday to ask “Where is Jon?”. Anger and frustration were the feelings among the thousands of people who attended the demonstration to denounce the disappeareance of former Basque political prisoner refugee Jon Anza two months ago.
Speakers at the end of the rally pointed at the Spanish and French governments responsabilities behind the disappearance. They remembered those who were tortured and killed by the Spanish dirty war during the 80’s and 90’s.
150 people gathered on Sunday to remember the 29th anniversary of the disappearance of another Basque militant, Naparra, whose body was never found and expressed their anger and sadness at Jon Anza’s disappearance.
After the election results were released on Sunday night, Basque pro-independence left spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi congratulated the movement for the results obtained and said that there can’t be a solution to the conflict without the pro-independence left. He went on to say that the great result will be used to create movement towards a scenario of democracy in the Basque Country and to get the European bodies and mediators involved in a new process of negotiation and dialogue.
- Thousands against dirty war.
NEWS :
-Great results for the pro-independence left in the European elections.
Despite the criminalization campaign and the initial banning, the Basque pro-independence left supported electoral platform, Internationalist Initiative received 13.5% of the vote (10% in 2004 for the banned Herritarren Zerrenda/The People’s List). In the north, the pro-independence left organised under the Euskal Herriaren Alde (In Favour of the Basque Country) name and achieved a great success with 6% of the vote. Other left pro-independence parties in the north supported Europe Ecologie lead by the French ecologist farmer José Bové and received 15% of the vote.
On Sunday there were numerous complaints about Internationalist Initiative ballots being missing in many polling stations. Others arrived after 5pm. In the early hours of Monday dozens of reports from across the Spanish state emerged with very suspicious news. Thousands of votes for Internationalist Initiative were missing or allocated to other parties. In the Basque Country votes disappeared in 24 towns. In the Catalan Countries the blank and no valid vote’s numbers increased dramatically, in some cases by three to six times. As more and more reports and allegations emerge, there are serious concerns of a historical fraude.
-Thousands against dirty war.
4,000 people rallied in Donostia/San Sebastian last Saturday to ask “Where is Jon?”. Anger and frustration were the feelings among the thousands of people who attended the demonstration to denounce the disappeareance of former Basque political prisoner refugee Jon Anza two months ago.
Speakers at the end of the rally pointed at the Spanish and French governments responsabilities behind the disappearance. They remembered those who were tortured and killed by the Spanish dirty war during the 80’s and 90’s.
150 people gathered on Sunday to remember the 29th anniversary of the disappearance of another Basque militant, Naparra, whose body was never found and expressed their anger and sadness at Jon Anza’s disappearance.
After the election results were released on Sunday night, Basque pro-independence left spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi congratulated the movement for the results obtained and said that there can’t be a solution to the conflict without the pro-independence left. He went on to say that the great result will be used to create movement towards a scenario of democracy in the Basque Country and to get the European bodies and mediators involved in a new process of negotiation and dialogue.
17 June 2009
Two Seminars in London organised by LBSC
The Basque Country and Northern Ireland:
Self-Determination, Proscription and Human Rights in the EU
Seminar 1
The Right to Self Determination and Conflict Resolution in the EU
Thursday 25 June, 6.30-8.30pm
Room SGO1, College of Law, 14 Store Street WC1 (Goodge St.station)
Speakers:
Bill Bowring (Professor or Law, Birkbeck College )
Urko Aiartza (Attorney and a member of Eskubideak, the Basque Lawyers Association)
Séanna Walsh (Head of Cultural Department, Sinn Fein)
Seminar 2
Proscription and Human Rights in the EU
Thursday 9 July, 6.30-8.30pm
Birkbeck College, Clore Building, Torrington Square, WC1 (Russell Square station)
Ben Hayes (Associate Director, Statewatch)
Julen Arzuaga (Behatokia Human Rights Observatory, Basque Country)
Alex Fitch (Peace in Kurdistan Campaign & CAMPACC)
The Basque Country (Euskal Herria) is located on both sides of the border between Spain and France. The majority of the 3 million Basques live within the Spanish state. The Basque people have waged a centuries-long struggle for self-determination from Spanish rule. On 15 February 1990, by an absolute majority of 38 votes, the Basque Parliament proclaimed the right of the Basque People to self-determination, including the lawful authority of its citizens to take decisions, freely and democratically.
Some years later, the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, overwhelmingly endorsed by the people of Ireland, North and South, in referenda, enshrined the right to self-determination of the people of Ireland alone. Recognition of this right by the UK government had been a key demand of Sinn Fein. The UK Government never banned or proscribed Sinn Fein, and the Agreement was the result of negotiations with its leaders.
This is a progressive trend, repeated throughout the EU – but not in Spain.
Batasuna, the Basque pro-independence political party, was outlawed in 2003. The most recent elections, held on 1 March 2009, were far from free or democratic. Some 20% of the Basque electorate were disenfranchised when the Supreme Court banned two more parties, Democracy 3 Million and Askatasuna (Freedom), from standing candidates. On March 23 2009, the Spanish investigating judge Baltasar Garzon, who is waging a crusade against Basque nationalism, filed “terrorism”' charges against 44 pro-independence activists. The activists are alleged to be members of banned parties, including Batasuna, the Communist Party of the Basque Lands (PCTV) and Basque Nationalist Action (ANV). Among those charged is the Mayor of the famous town of Mondragon in Gipuzkoa province, Maria Inocencia Galparsoro.
Martin Scheinin, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said in his Report of 16 December 2008 that he was “troubled” by Spain’s Law of Political Parties, which provides the legislative basis to ban political organisations. He said it defined “terrorism” so vaguely that it “might be interpreted to include any political party which through peaceful political means seeks similar political objectives” as those pursued by armed organisations.
These two seminars will explore the issues of self-determination, proscription and violations of human rights, especially the right to democratic elections, throughout the EU including Kurdistan, with a special comparative focus on the Northern Irish and Basque experiences.
Entrance is free! All welcome!
Further information: www.campacc.org.uk estella24@tiscali.co.uk
Tel 020 7586 5892 www.haldane.org / www.statewatch.org
Basque Solidarity Campaign askida.net@googlemail.com
CAMPACC, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Statewatch, Basque Solidarity Campaign
Self-Determination, Proscription and Human Rights in the EU
Seminar 1
The Right to Self Determination and Conflict Resolution in the EU
Thursday 25 June, 6.30-8.30pm
Room SGO1, College of Law, 14 Store Street WC1 (Goodge St.station)
Speakers:
Bill Bowring (Professor or Law, Birkbeck College )
Urko Aiartza (Attorney and a member of Eskubideak, the Basque Lawyers Association)
Séanna Walsh (Head of Cultural Department, Sinn Fein)
Seminar 2
Proscription and Human Rights in the EU
Thursday 9 July, 6.30-8.30pm
Birkbeck College, Clore Building, Torrington Square, WC1 (Russell Square station)
Ben Hayes (Associate Director, Statewatch)
Julen Arzuaga (Behatokia Human Rights Observatory, Basque Country)
Alex Fitch (Peace in Kurdistan Campaign & CAMPACC)
The Basque Country (Euskal Herria) is located on both sides of the border between Spain and France. The majority of the 3 million Basques live within the Spanish state. The Basque people have waged a centuries-long struggle for self-determination from Spanish rule. On 15 February 1990, by an absolute majority of 38 votes, the Basque Parliament proclaimed the right of the Basque People to self-determination, including the lawful authority of its citizens to take decisions, freely and democratically.
Some years later, the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, overwhelmingly endorsed by the people of Ireland, North and South, in referenda, enshrined the right to self-determination of the people of Ireland alone. Recognition of this right by the UK government had been a key demand of Sinn Fein. The UK Government never banned or proscribed Sinn Fein, and the Agreement was the result of negotiations with its leaders.
This is a progressive trend, repeated throughout the EU – but not in Spain.
Batasuna, the Basque pro-independence political party, was outlawed in 2003. The most recent elections, held on 1 March 2009, were far from free or democratic. Some 20% of the Basque electorate were disenfranchised when the Supreme Court banned two more parties, Democracy 3 Million and Askatasuna (Freedom), from standing candidates. On March 23 2009, the Spanish investigating judge Baltasar Garzon, who is waging a crusade against Basque nationalism, filed “terrorism”' charges against 44 pro-independence activists. The activists are alleged to be members of banned parties, including Batasuna, the Communist Party of the Basque Lands (PCTV) and Basque Nationalist Action (ANV). Among those charged is the Mayor of the famous town of Mondragon in Gipuzkoa province, Maria Inocencia Galparsoro.
Martin Scheinin, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, said in his Report of 16 December 2008 that he was “troubled” by Spain’s Law of Political Parties, which provides the legislative basis to ban political organisations. He said it defined “terrorism” so vaguely that it “might be interpreted to include any political party which through peaceful political means seeks similar political objectives” as those pursued by armed organisations.
These two seminars will explore the issues of self-determination, proscription and violations of human rights, especially the right to democratic elections, throughout the EU including Kurdistan, with a special comparative focus on the Northern Irish and Basque experiences.
Entrance is free! All welcome!
Further information: www.campacc.org.uk estella24@tiscali.co.uk
Tel 020 7586 5892 www.haldane.org / www.statewatch.org
Basque Solidarity Campaign askida.net@googlemail.com
CAMPACC, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Statewatch, Basque Solidarity Campaign
4 June 2009
Iniciativa Internacionalista and the Cynisism of Spanish Judges
We have been experiencing the proscription of all pro-independence political parties and many years of repressive policies agaisnt social movements in the Basque Country for a long time. After all these years, a new initiative, Internationalist Initiatiative, has been allowed to take part in this European Elections by the Constitutional Tribunal. Basque newspaper Gara provides some interesting views about the cynicism of the behaviour of the Spanish Judiciary.
2009/05/23
Cynicism as a legal doctrine
The positive consequences from a democratic point of view that comes from the new ruling by the Spanish Constitutional Tribunal - the possibility that Internationalist Initiative (II-SP) can be presented to the European Parliament elections and those who support their ideology and/or programme can legally vote for that option - can not disguise the cynicism that characterised this decision. The defence of "political pluralism" and the discourse of legitimacy of an abstract pro-independentist left coming from a the very same judges that have endorsed the banning of hundreds of candidates with “laughable” evidence and based on fascist concepts such as the “contamination of candidates”, are either an act of deep judicial revocation or a little trick to save the credibility of the Spanish legal system in front of international bodies.
Despite guaranteeing rhetoric of this ruling, there is no indication that a structural change of this dimension has taken place. Also, the threatening tone that the Spanish Executive maintained yesterday, which should first explain its position and then accept the political consequences of the political pressure that it has enforce on the courts, does not show any signs of remorse, far from it.
The Political Parties Act violates from the onset one of the pillars of law, that is, not to produce ad hoc legislation or to create laws that apply solely to a particular group or a single manifestation of a phenomenon and by definition not applicable to others. The verdict, paradoxically, shows how this law is aimed only at outlawing the Basque pro-independence left movement as a tradition and political expression. And there can be found a political miscalculation, even anthropological one could say, of their promoters. It was designed with the perspective that the outlawing of Batasuna would be the final push into hiding for the Basque pro-independence left . But this idea just shows a profound ignorance of the Basque situation. From this ignorance, the Spanish courts have had to enforce their own doctrine. A doctrine based on political cynicism, not the law.
3 June 2009
may 2009
- Extensive interview with ETA.
- Dirty war behind Jon Anza’s disappearence.
- Successful general strike.
- Internationalist Iniciative will stand in elections.
- Spanish Supreme Court rules against newspaper's closure.
NEWS :
Click here to watch the more serious program: THE SPANISH INQUISTION
-Extensive interview with ETA.
During an interview published by the Basque newspaper Gara on Monday ETA says that “our weapons will be laid down when all political projects will have the opportunity to become reality, including independence.”
According to ETA, the Spanish and French states attack the Basque pro-independence movement in order to stop the engine for political change and sovereignty.
ETA says that a new negotiation process depends on the will of the states to respect equal opportunities and civil and political rights in the Basque Country. Before sitting at the negotiation table ETA believes that all those who are in favour of the Basque Country’s democratic rights should reach a basic agreement.
ETA calls once again upon these forces to come together and put in practice an efficient strategy to achieve a democratic scenario. ETA goes on to state that the current standstill situation can only be overcome in this way.
-Dirty war behind Jon Anza’s disappearence.
500 people gathered on Saturday in Biarritz demanding that the French Defence Minister disclose the whereabouts of the Basque militant Jon Anza’s. He went missing on the 18th of April and two weeks later ETA claimed the Spanish and French secret services were responsible for his disappearance. The protesters were attacked with gas and batons by the police.
On Friday hundreds of people asked “Where is Jon?” at the 70 vigils for Basque political prisoners that take place around the country every week.
Last January a Basque political refugee was kidnapped and threatened by a group comprised of French and Spanish individuals just to be released a few hours later.
The former Basque political prisoner stated at a press conference last week that several individuals kidnapped him on May 19th in Bilbo. After threatening his life, they asked him to become an informer. Next day he noticed he was under surveillance by the same people. Last Wednesday these individuals approached him and identified themselves as Basque-Spanish police. They threatened him again and then violently assaulted him, as a result of which he required hospital medical attention.
Another protest was held in Irunea/Pamplona last week to denounce several “dirty war” attacks that happened recently in the province of Navarre. Death threats on walls, paint and petrol bomb attacks against independence movement bars ...The latest one happened on Tuesday when the car belonging to the spokesperson of several campaigns against repression in the province, was broken into and destroyed.
Basque political refugee and former prisoner Jon Anza remains missing since the 18th of April. In a statement released last week ETA claims Jon Anza is a member of the armed organization and accuses the Spanish and French police of being involved in his disappearance. ETA says he was on his way to a meeting with other militants but he never arrived. According to ETA the police knew he was an ETA member after they discovered his finger prints on some computers seized in January.
Last Saturday 1,300 people took to the streets in the northern town of Baiona/Bayonne to protest against Jon’s kidnapping and asking for his release.
- Successful general strike.
Despite the bosses and governments’ threats, police repression and media boycott thousands upon thousands of workers took part in the general strike in the southern Basque Country last Thursday. The general strike had been called by the mayority of Basque trade unions. These trade unions are working-class minded, against social partnership and for self-determination.
Large demonstrations were held in the main cities at mid-day and in dozens of towns across the country in the evening. The day’s main slogans were in favour of a fair social and economic model and against the bosses blackmailing. According to the trade unions the capitalist crisis should be paid by those who created it and not by the workers, unemployed, pensioners, women, students, inmigrants...
The general strike was branded as a success by the trade unions and as a first step in a series of fights for different economy policies.
- Internationalist Iniciative will stand in elections.
Despite the Spanish government’s bids to ban the left wing electoral platform Internationalist Initiative late on Thursday night the Constitutional Court ruled against the previous Supreme Court decission and allowed them to take part in the next European elections.
The latter decission came as a surprise move although many pointed out at the lack of evidence against the platform and the possibility the first decission being rejected by the European Court.
The pro-independence left called upon those who want a democratic resolution to the Basque conflict and a socialist Europe to vote for Internationalist Initiative-The solidarity of the peoples.
- Spanish Supreme Court rules against newspaper's closure.
In July 1998 the Spanish authorities closed down the Basque pro-independence newspaper Egin and radio station Egin Irratia. Last week the Spanish Supreme Court accepted the appeal in favour of the defence when it declared the closures were in breach of the law. It was also the case not just of the mentioned media, but also of other several companies.
On the same judgement the Supreme Court halved the sentences against 38 Basque pro-independence political activists who were tried on the 18/98 case. They will still have to spend an average of 10 years in jail for their peaceful and public political and cultural work.
Many political activists judged in several political trials held a press conference last week to denounce the attacks against the civil and political rights in the Basque Country and to ask for the construction of an effective people’s wall to stop them.
- Dirty war behind Jon Anza’s disappearence.
- Successful general strike.
- Internationalist Iniciative will stand in elections.
- Spanish Supreme Court rules against newspaper's closure.
NEWS :
"THE SPANISH INQUISITION"
Click here to watch the more serious program: THE SPANISH INQUISTION
-Extensive interview with ETA.
During an interview published by the Basque newspaper Gara on Monday ETA says that “our weapons will be laid down when all political projects will have the opportunity to become reality, including independence.”
According to ETA, the Spanish and French states attack the Basque pro-independence movement in order to stop the engine for political change and sovereignty.
ETA says that a new negotiation process depends on the will of the states to respect equal opportunities and civil and political rights in the Basque Country. Before sitting at the negotiation table ETA believes that all those who are in favour of the Basque Country’s democratic rights should reach a basic agreement.
ETA calls once again upon these forces to come together and put in practice an efficient strategy to achieve a democratic scenario. ETA goes on to state that the current standstill situation can only be overcome in this way.
-Dirty war behind Jon Anza’s disappearence.
500 people gathered on Saturday in Biarritz demanding that the French Defence Minister disclose the whereabouts of the Basque militant Jon Anza’s. He went missing on the 18th of April and two weeks later ETA claimed the Spanish and French secret services were responsible for his disappearance. The protesters were attacked with gas and batons by the police.
On Friday hundreds of people asked “Where is Jon?” at the 70 vigils for Basque political prisoners that take place around the country every week.
Last January a Basque political refugee was kidnapped and threatened by a group comprised of French and Spanish individuals just to be released a few hours later.
The former Basque political prisoner stated at a press conference last week that several individuals kidnapped him on May 19th in Bilbo. After threatening his life, they asked him to become an informer. Next day he noticed he was under surveillance by the same people. Last Wednesday these individuals approached him and identified themselves as Basque-Spanish police. They threatened him again and then violently assaulted him, as a result of which he required hospital medical attention.
Another protest was held in Irunea/Pamplona last week to denounce several “dirty war” attacks that happened recently in the province of Navarre. Death threats on walls, paint and petrol bomb attacks against independence movement bars ...The latest one happened on Tuesday when the car belonging to the spokesperson of several campaigns against repression in the province, was broken into and destroyed.
Basque political refugee and former prisoner Jon Anza remains missing since the 18th of April. In a statement released last week ETA claims Jon Anza is a member of the armed organization and accuses the Spanish and French police of being involved in his disappearance. ETA says he was on his way to a meeting with other militants but he never arrived. According to ETA the police knew he was an ETA member after they discovered his finger prints on some computers seized in January.
Last Saturday 1,300 people took to the streets in the northern town of Baiona/Bayonne to protest against Jon’s kidnapping and asking for his release.
- Successful general strike.
Despite the bosses and governments’ threats, police repression and media boycott thousands upon thousands of workers took part in the general strike in the southern Basque Country last Thursday. The general strike had been called by the mayority of Basque trade unions. These trade unions are working-class minded, against social partnership and for self-determination.
Large demonstrations were held in the main cities at mid-day and in dozens of towns across the country in the evening. The day’s main slogans were in favour of a fair social and economic model and against the bosses blackmailing. According to the trade unions the capitalist crisis should be paid by those who created it and not by the workers, unemployed, pensioners, women, students, inmigrants...
The general strike was branded as a success by the trade unions and as a first step in a series of fights for different economy policies.
- Internationalist Iniciative will stand in elections.
Despite the Spanish government’s bids to ban the left wing electoral platform Internationalist Initiative late on Thursday night the Constitutional Court ruled against the previous Supreme Court decission and allowed them to take part in the next European elections.
The latter decission came as a surprise move although many pointed out at the lack of evidence against the platform and the possibility the first decission being rejected by the European Court.
The pro-independence left called upon those who want a democratic resolution to the Basque conflict and a socialist Europe to vote for Internationalist Initiative-The solidarity of the peoples.
- Spanish Supreme Court rules against newspaper's closure.
In July 1998 the Spanish authorities closed down the Basque pro-independence newspaper Egin and radio station Egin Irratia. Last week the Spanish Supreme Court accepted the appeal in favour of the defence when it declared the closures were in breach of the law. It was also the case not just of the mentioned media, but also of other several companies.
On the same judgement the Supreme Court halved the sentences against 38 Basque pro-independence political activists who were tried on the 18/98 case. They will still have to spend an average of 10 years in jail for their peaceful and public political and cultural work.
Many political activists judged in several political trials held a press conference last week to denounce the attacks against the civil and political rights in the Basque Country and to ask for the construction of an effective people’s wall to stop them.
21 March 2009
News March 2009
- The political apartheid imposes a pro-Spanish parliament and excludes 100,000 voters.
- Our Response to the Guardian
- Group Against Torture highlights that Spain continues to torture.
- Solidarity with the Basque Country spreads around the world.
- Belfast Judge decides to start proceedings for extradition case against Inaki de Juana.
NEWS :
-The political apartheid imposes a pro-Spanish parliament and excludes 100,000 voters.
Last Sunday elections took place in the Basque provinces of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba to elect a new local parliament. The pro independence platform Demokrazia 3 Miloi/Democracy 3 Million being banned from standing in elections saw the equivalent of a South African Apartheid in the Basque Country.
Despite this 100,000 people voted with the "illegal" ballots. Many people went to poll stations with their mouth covered with Spanish flags as a protest gesture. These results are some incredible results, probably one of the biggest civil disobedience actions in Europe in recent years and a clear result of resistance which will make others think of the failure of the repression strategies.
All in all the pro-self determination votes are still a clear majority in the three provinces (600,000 against 400,000 pro-Spanish votes). The paradox is that now the Basque Nationalist Party/PNV are claiming that the pro-independence platforms being banned played in favour of the pro-Spanish parties when that was always said by the pro-independence movement. They accused the PNV of doing nothing against it. Furthermore they were happily collaborating implementing the Parties' Law. Their political police, Ertzaintza, attacked events and arrested activists during the campaign and their media, EITB, ignored and censored the pro-independence candidates.
Now they'll have to confront the reality which is that they have a non democratic three provinces Spanish parliament and what it'll be harder for them, they'll loose power.
These fraudulent elections saw many contradictions. The PNV /Basque Nationalist Party who has been in government for the last 30 years won the election and got 30 seats out of the 75 that conform the local parliament. However, it's about to loose the government to the Spanish parties. The Spanish Socialist Party who made serious gains took 24 seats but the Spanish right wing PP lost votes managing to get 13 seats. The most probable option is a coalition government made up of PSE (Partido Socialista de Euskadi, the local branch of the social democrats in power in Madrid), and PP (Partido Popular).
Reactions :
The pro independence representatives have denounced that the new parliament will be anti democratic and illegitimate because the rules have been bent to suit Spanish unionism.
They have also accused the Spanish Labour Party of completing the cycle of banning started by the right wing Popular Party, and have denounced the political apartheid and continuous persecution of pro independence Basques. But despite the banning with such a successful result the pro independence movement has said to be ready to open a new political offensive which will lead to a democratic change.
The Basque Nationalist Party, seemed to concentrate on the fact that they received the biggest amount of votes of all the parties but did not want to talk about the fact that they may be loosing their historical position in government.
Talks to form new government show no support for nationalist prime minister.
For the first time since the creation of local autonomy 30 years ago the elections held ten days ago in the western Basque Country left the Basque Nationalist Party without enough seats to form a government. The local branch of the Spanish Labour Party came second and has already received the support of the pro-Spanish right wing Popular Party in order to conform a new unionist government. Talks have been held for the last 7 days among the elected parties and they will continue during coming months until a clear majority is achieved to elect a new lehendakari or Prime Minister.
Meanwhile the pro-independence movement which fought the elections under the most undemocratic conditions ever (candidates banned and imprisoned, offices closed down, police attacks on propaganda distribution and events, dozens of arrests, media censorship...) said the 101,000 votes they got will be used to open a new political offensive for a peaceful and democratic scenario. The pro-independence movement went on to say that this western Basque parliament is not legitimate as it doesn’t represent the democratic will of the people. Despite all of this the election results proved that a majority of 640,000 people still voted for pro-self determination parties and 482,000 for unionist parties.
- Our Response to the Guardian.
Giles Tremlett, foreign correspondent for the Guardian in Madrid wrote an article about the elections.
This article offered a distorted view biased towards the interests of Spanish Unionism . We send a response to The Guardian that was not published.
-Group Against Torture highlights that Spain continues to torture.
Sixty two complaints were recorded by the Group Against Torture in 2008. According to the group, despite new measures taken to prevent torture, despite, international organisations condemning Madrid’s actions, the Spanish states continues to torture. Throughout the years 7,000 Basques have been tortured by the Spanish police and according to the Group Against Torture it does not seem that they’ll be any changes.
Last month 20 young people from the province of Gipuzkoa have accused the Spanish Judge Grande Marlaska of using torture. The Basque activists appeared in front of Judge Grande Marlaska. They are all accused of being members of Segi, the Basque youth pro-independence movement. The Judge has now decided that they’ll all be tried for being members of an armed organisation. These 20 young people appeared in court following arrests made last year. Some other young people were arrested in 2008 and were heavily tortured. Taking advantage of torture another 20 people were arrested and will now be tried with complete impunity.
Another three people were arrested last week by the Basque-Spanish police Ertzaintza accused of being members of ETA. They tried to arrest another three young people without success. After being held incommunicado for 5 days Manex Castro, the first one to be arrested, denounced the hell he went through: beatings, deprivation of sleep and food, constant threats of every kind: sexual, against his mother and friends, about being handed over to the feared Spanish police Guardia Civil...
Protests and press conferences were held in the home towns of the detainees and a council meeting denounced the detentions and the treatment received by the detainees.
Another famous torture case against two alleged ETA members last year has seen a Spanish judge progressing measures to bring to trial 15 Spanish policemen last week. Igor Portu and Mattin Sarasola were seriously beaten, drawn into a river, suffocated with plastic bags and guns were discharged close beside them. Portu had to be taken to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
-Solidarity with the Basque Country spreads around the world.
From the 6th to the 15th of February fourteen countries around the world have seen different events organised within the 3rd International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country. This year’s slogan was “The Basque Country doesn’t walk alone towards democracy and self-determination”. In Ireland talks were organised in Dublin, Derry and Belfast by the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees. On Saturday 14th solidarity protests were held in Cork, Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Omagh, Strabane, Newcastle and Lurgan. Some spectacular actions were organised in Glasgow where Celtic supporters displayed a massive banner reading the week’s slogan in the stadium during the match against Rangers. In Milan local Basque supporters occupied the Italian state owned TV station RAI’s offices to denounce the treatment they give to the Basque conflict related news.
In the Basque Country, a demonstration against the criminalization of those who develop internationalist work in the Basque Country was organised by Askapena last Saturday in Bilbao. Askapena is the pro-independence movement’s the internationalist organization and has been campaigning to gather solidarity to other liberation struggles around the world in the Basque Country for the last 20 years.
Nowadays Askapena is heavily involved in the boycott to Israel campaign and is taking part at the World’s Social Forum in Brazil. At the same time Askapena works in conjunction with the Basque solidarity committees around the world to raise awareness about the Basque struggle for independence and socialism.
All of that has been enough reason for the Spanish state to target Askapena through a criminalization campaign in the Spanish media.
-Belfast Judge decides to start proceedings for extradition case against Inaki de Juana.
Former Basque political prisoner and hunger-striker Inaki de Juana attended a hearing at the Belfast Courts yesterday. Members of the Belfast branch of the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees and supporters stood outside displaying a banner and flags.
After months of discussion on the matter Judge Burgess decided today that the alleged offence of “glorifying terrorism” claimed by the Spanish Special Court has its equivalent in British law. This decision means that Inaki de Juana could eventually be extradited to Spain. However the decision is not final yet as his defence team will appeal against it.
Belfast-based Basque pro-independence activist Inaki de Juana spent 22 years in prison completing not only his sentence to the full but also three extra years for writing a newspaper article where he criticised the prison system. Now, the Spanish authorities want him because of a letter allegedly written by him and read out at his welcoming-home event. The letter ended with a popular Basque saying which can be translated as “forward with the ball” and it’s been interpreted by Spanish judges as “keep on with the armed struggle”. Inaki never attended the welcoming party and denies writing the letter. Even the Spanish police say they don’t have such a letter.
Such a ridiculous case has to be understood in a context of harassment and brutal repression against Inaki, the Basque political prisoners and the pro-independence movement.
- Our Response to the Guardian
- Group Against Torture highlights that Spain continues to torture.
- Solidarity with the Basque Country spreads around the world.
- Belfast Judge decides to start proceedings for extradition case against Inaki de Juana.
NEWS :
-The political apartheid imposes a pro-Spanish parliament and excludes 100,000 voters.
Last Sunday elections took place in the Basque provinces of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba to elect a new local parliament. The pro independence platform Demokrazia 3 Miloi/Democracy 3 Million being banned from standing in elections saw the equivalent of a South African Apartheid in the Basque Country.
Despite this 100,000 people voted with the "illegal" ballots. Many people went to poll stations with their mouth covered with Spanish flags as a protest gesture. These results are some incredible results, probably one of the biggest civil disobedience actions in Europe in recent years and a clear result of resistance which will make others think of the failure of the repression strategies.
All in all the pro-self determination votes are still a clear majority in the three provinces (600,000 against 400,000 pro-Spanish votes). The paradox is that now the Basque Nationalist Party/PNV are claiming that the pro-independence platforms being banned played in favour of the pro-Spanish parties when that was always said by the pro-independence movement. They accused the PNV of doing nothing against it. Furthermore they were happily collaborating implementing the Parties' Law. Their political police, Ertzaintza, attacked events and arrested activists during the campaign and their media, EITB, ignored and censored the pro-independence candidates.
Now they'll have to confront the reality which is that they have a non democratic three provinces Spanish parliament and what it'll be harder for them, they'll loose power.
These fraudulent elections saw many contradictions. The PNV /Basque Nationalist Party who has been in government for the last 30 years won the election and got 30 seats out of the 75 that conform the local parliament. However, it's about to loose the government to the Spanish parties. The Spanish Socialist Party who made serious gains took 24 seats but the Spanish right wing PP lost votes managing to get 13 seats. The most probable option is a coalition government made up of PSE (Partido Socialista de Euskadi, the local branch of the social democrats in power in Madrid), and PP (Partido Popular).
Reactions :
The pro independence representatives have denounced that the new parliament will be anti democratic and illegitimate because the rules have been bent to suit Spanish unionism.
They have also accused the Spanish Labour Party of completing the cycle of banning started by the right wing Popular Party, and have denounced the political apartheid and continuous persecution of pro independence Basques. But despite the banning with such a successful result the pro independence movement has said to be ready to open a new political offensive which will lead to a democratic change.
The Basque Nationalist Party, seemed to concentrate on the fact that they received the biggest amount of votes of all the parties but did not want to talk about the fact that they may be loosing their historical position in government.
Talks to form new government show no support for nationalist prime minister.
For the first time since the creation of local autonomy 30 years ago the elections held ten days ago in the western Basque Country left the Basque Nationalist Party without enough seats to form a government. The local branch of the Spanish Labour Party came second and has already received the support of the pro-Spanish right wing Popular Party in order to conform a new unionist government. Talks have been held for the last 7 days among the elected parties and they will continue during coming months until a clear majority is achieved to elect a new lehendakari or Prime Minister.
Meanwhile the pro-independence movement which fought the elections under the most undemocratic conditions ever (candidates banned and imprisoned, offices closed down, police attacks on propaganda distribution and events, dozens of arrests, media censorship...) said the 101,000 votes they got will be used to open a new political offensive for a peaceful and democratic scenario. The pro-independence movement went on to say that this western Basque parliament is not legitimate as it doesn’t represent the democratic will of the people. Despite all of this the election results proved that a majority of 640,000 people still voted for pro-self determination parties and 482,000 for unionist parties.
- Our Response to the Guardian.
Giles Tremlett, foreign correspondent for the Guardian in Madrid wrote an article about the elections.
This article offered a distorted view biased towards the interests of Spanish Unionism . We send a response to The Guardian that was not published.
I was concerned to read Giles Tremlett’s article “Spain's Basque country voters end nationalist grip on power” published in The Guardian(29/02/2009). The author has given a partial and inaccurate account ofthe political situation and the last elections in Basque Country.
Contrary to what Giles suggests, the winner of the elections was the Basque Nationalist Party and this is not the first time that Basque Nationalists fail to obtain the overall majority. In fact, most governments have been coalitions of one sort or another, including Basque and non-Basque nationalist parties.
However, there has been a more important factor in deciding the outcome of this election which has been largely ignored in Giles' account of the results. A significant proportion of the Basque people has been banned from voting freely and from any other form of political activity. We have arrived to this election with a huge democratic deficit. Many of our political representatives are in jail and there is a significant sector of the population suffering political persecution where, for example, the use of torture in police stations is not only used against suspects of terrorism. It is also used against civil liberties activists to deter political dissent.
The majority of analysts think that the process of forming a government coalition will be long and complex. Your foreign correspondent seems to have good insights and contacts in Madrid so he can probably foresee a coalition between the Popular Party and the Socialists. If he is right, this is not the end, but the consolidation of Madrid's nationalist grip on power. Power obtained against the will of the majority of the Basque People using dirty tricks.
-Group Against Torture highlights that Spain continues to torture.
Sixty two complaints were recorded by the Group Against Torture in 2008. According to the group, despite new measures taken to prevent torture, despite, international organisations condemning Madrid’s actions, the Spanish states continues to torture. Throughout the years 7,000 Basques have been tortured by the Spanish police and according to the Group Against Torture it does not seem that they’ll be any changes.
Last month 20 young people from the province of Gipuzkoa have accused the Spanish Judge Grande Marlaska of using torture. The Basque activists appeared in front of Judge Grande Marlaska. They are all accused of being members of Segi, the Basque youth pro-independence movement. The Judge has now decided that they’ll all be tried for being members of an armed organisation. These 20 young people appeared in court following arrests made last year. Some other young people were arrested in 2008 and were heavily tortured. Taking advantage of torture another 20 people were arrested and will now be tried with complete impunity.
Another three people were arrested last week by the Basque-Spanish police Ertzaintza accused of being members of ETA. They tried to arrest another three young people without success. After being held incommunicado for 5 days Manex Castro, the first one to be arrested, denounced the hell he went through: beatings, deprivation of sleep and food, constant threats of every kind: sexual, against his mother and friends, about being handed over to the feared Spanish police Guardia Civil...
Protests and press conferences were held in the home towns of the detainees and a council meeting denounced the detentions and the treatment received by the detainees.
Another famous torture case against two alleged ETA members last year has seen a Spanish judge progressing measures to bring to trial 15 Spanish policemen last week. Igor Portu and Mattin Sarasola were seriously beaten, drawn into a river, suffocated with plastic bags and guns were discharged close beside them. Portu had to be taken to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
-Solidarity with the Basque Country spreads around the world.
From the 6th to the 15th of February fourteen countries around the world have seen different events organised within the 3rd International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country. This year’s slogan was “The Basque Country doesn’t walk alone towards democracy and self-determination”. In Ireland talks were organised in Dublin, Derry and Belfast by the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees. On Saturday 14th solidarity protests were held in Cork, Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Omagh, Strabane, Newcastle and Lurgan. Some spectacular actions were organised in Glasgow where Celtic supporters displayed a massive banner reading the week’s slogan in the stadium during the match against Rangers. In Milan local Basque supporters occupied the Italian state owned TV station RAI’s offices to denounce the treatment they give to the Basque conflict related news.
In the Basque Country, a demonstration against the criminalization of those who develop internationalist work in the Basque Country was organised by Askapena last Saturday in Bilbao. Askapena is the pro-independence movement’s the internationalist organization and has been campaigning to gather solidarity to other liberation struggles around the world in the Basque Country for the last 20 years.
Nowadays Askapena is heavily involved in the boycott to Israel campaign and is taking part at the World’s Social Forum in Brazil. At the same time Askapena works in conjunction with the Basque solidarity committees around the world to raise awareness about the Basque struggle for independence and socialism.
All of that has been enough reason for the Spanish state to target Askapena through a criminalization campaign in the Spanish media.
-Belfast Judge decides to start proceedings for extradition case against Inaki de Juana.
Former Basque political prisoner and hunger-striker Inaki de Juana attended a hearing at the Belfast Courts yesterday. Members of the Belfast branch of the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees and supporters stood outside displaying a banner and flags.
After months of discussion on the matter Judge Burgess decided today that the alleged offence of “glorifying terrorism” claimed by the Spanish Special Court has its equivalent in British law. This decision means that Inaki de Juana could eventually be extradited to Spain. However the decision is not final yet as his defence team will appeal against it.
Belfast-based Basque pro-independence activist Inaki de Juana spent 22 years in prison completing not only his sentence to the full but also three extra years for writing a newspaper article where he criticised the prison system. Now, the Spanish authorities want him because of a letter allegedly written by him and read out at his welcoming-home event. The letter ended with a popular Basque saying which can be translated as “forward with the ball” and it’s been interpreted by Spanish judges as “keep on with the armed struggle”. Inaki never attended the welcoming party and denies writing the letter. Even the Spanish police say they don’t have such a letter.
Such a ridiculous case has to be understood in a context of harassment and brutal repression against Inaki, the Basque political prisoners and the pro-independence movement.
15 February 2009
News February 2009
- International Solidarity Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
- UN blasts Spain's repression of Basque political parties.
- Spain defies UN and bans two more pro-independence parties
- ETA bombs Madrid’s financial district.
- Thousands support Democracy 3 Million platform.
NEWS :
-International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
A public meeting in support of the International Week of Solidarity with Basque Country has held in London. The meeting started with the projection of the film The Spanish Inquisition, United Nations Association Media Peace Award ( 2006) winner by David O'Shea.
David O'Shea traveled to the Basque Country and studied the roots of the conflict. He listened to torture allegations and the UN damaging reports, questioning the democratic credentials of the Spanish State.
It followed by a debate introduced by Saleh Mamon. Saleh is a human rights activist supporting the work of CAMPACC (Campaign Against Criminalising Communities). He is also engaged in campaigning against the occupation of Iraq and Palestine.
-UN blasts Spain's repression of Basque political parties.
A United Nations official said last Thursday that Spain's Law of Political Parties violates fundamental freedoms in the name of countering terrorism. According to Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the law criminalizes as "support of terrorism" conducts that do not relate to any kind of violent activity.
In a 26-page report based on a fact-finding mission to Spain last year, Scheinin finds that the Law of Political Parties might be interpreted to include any political party which through peaceful political means seeks similar political objectives to those pursued by the armed group ETA. The report reiterates that all limitations on the right to political participation must meet strict criteria in order to be compatible with international standards of freedom of speech.
The Special Rapporteur also calls upon the Spanish government to consider placing terrorism cases under the jurisdiction of ordinary district courts, instead of a single central specialized court, the Special National Court, with exclusive jurisdiction over so-called “terrorist crimes”. The report finds that judgements issued by the Special National Court are only subject to review by the Supreme Court.
The report also recommends the "complete eradication of the institution of incommunicado detention" and assurance of "prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations are conducted in any case where there is reason to believe ill-treatment may have occurred."
Download the report
-Spain defies UN and bans two more pro-independence parties
Just days after the UN report criticizing the practice, Spain's Supreme Court barred two more parties from running in the next regional elections on grounds of supposed links to ETA. Following a request by Spanish prosecutors and repeated calls from Spanish parties and media, the Supreme Court barred Askatasuna (Freedom) and Democracy 3 Million, both left-wing Basque nationalist parties. According to the ruling, the two parties are successors to Batasuna, which was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in 2003. The election for the 75-seat Basque three western provinces’ parliament is set for 1st of March.
D3M’s lawyer expressed her anger at what she called lack of evidences and legal basis. She went on to say that police social control is scary. Candidates’ privates lifes have been tracked as far as 1983 in order to prove that they have some sort of link with the pro-independence movement. Despite such a thing is not an offence the judges take spurious and perfectly legal acts like writing a letter to a prisoner to criminalize the candidates.
-ETA bombs Madrid’s financial district.
A car bomb exploded yesterday in a business district of Madrid, following a telephone warning claiming to be from ETA, the Basque armed organization. No one was hurt in the blast, which destroyed about 30 cars and blew out windows at nearby offices, leaving a crater in the ground about one metre deep.
The Spanish Red Cross received the warning call 90 minutes prior to the blast, allowing police to cordon off the area before the device exploded at around 9am. The incident came a day after Spain's supreme court banned Demokrazia 3 Miloi and Askatasuna, two Basque nationalist parties, from participating in March's regional elections in the Basque Country, because of what the court said were their links to ETA.
The explosion occurred near the offices of Ferrovial, a construction company which has been involved in a high-speed rail project linking the capital to the Basque Country.
In December, ETA warned contractors working on the project they would become targets if they continued to work on the train line.
The controversial High Speed Train project has been confronted by a wide alliance of left wing parties, trade unions and environmentalists for many years now. They say this train will destroy the Basque Country and compromise seriously its future. They demand a public and open democratic debate around it so the Basque people can decide whether is needed or not. The pro-Spanish and local elite reaffirmed their intentions to impose the High Speed Train at any price.
-Thousands support Democracy 3 Million platform.
Thousands of people filled the Kursaal conference hall in Donostia/San Sebastian last Saturday during the first public event organised by the electoral platform Democracy 3 Million. The platform was launched less than a month ago and in just two weeks collected 47,000 legal signatures in order to be able to stand in the 1st of March local elections.
On the 23rd of January 8 of the D3M members were arrested by Spanish police and sent to prison. They were accused of trying to organise the platform and trying to take part in the elections. Today another 13 people have been officially called by Spanish judge Garzon to appear in court this coming Friday accused of terrorist organization membership. Their alleged crime is to be the legal representatives of the electoral platform.
Speaking at last Saturday’s event election candidate Itziar Lopategi said they want to achieve a democratic scenario where all citizens' rights will be respected and all different political options will have place.
The most emotional moments of the evening were when the pictures of those arrested and later those of the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians where shown on the screen.
- UN blasts Spain's repression of Basque political parties.
- Spain defies UN and bans two more pro-independence parties
- ETA bombs Madrid’s financial district.
- Thousands support Democracy 3 Million platform.
NEWS :
-International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.
A public meeting in support of the International Week of Solidarity with Basque Country has held in London. The meeting started with the projection of the film The Spanish Inquisition, United Nations Association Media Peace Award ( 2006) winner by David O'Shea.
David O'Shea traveled to the Basque Country and studied the roots of the conflict. He listened to torture allegations and the UN damaging reports, questioning the democratic credentials of the Spanish State.
It followed by a debate introduced by Saleh Mamon. Saleh is a human rights activist supporting the work of CAMPACC (Campaign Against Criminalising Communities). He is also engaged in campaigning against the occupation of Iraq and Palestine.
-UN blasts Spain's repression of Basque political parties.
A United Nations official said last Thursday that Spain's Law of Political Parties violates fundamental freedoms in the name of countering terrorism. According to Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the law criminalizes as "support of terrorism" conducts that do not relate to any kind of violent activity.
In a 26-page report based on a fact-finding mission to Spain last year, Scheinin finds that the Law of Political Parties might be interpreted to include any political party which through peaceful political means seeks similar political objectives to those pursued by the armed group ETA. The report reiterates that all limitations on the right to political participation must meet strict criteria in order to be compatible with international standards of freedom of speech.
The Special Rapporteur also calls upon the Spanish government to consider placing terrorism cases under the jurisdiction of ordinary district courts, instead of a single central specialized court, the Special National Court, with exclusive jurisdiction over so-called “terrorist crimes”. The report finds that judgements issued by the Special National Court are only subject to review by the Supreme Court.
The report also recommends the "complete eradication of the institution of incommunicado detention" and assurance of "prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations are conducted in any case where there is reason to believe ill-treatment may have occurred."
Download the report
-Spain defies UN and bans two more pro-independence parties
Just days after the UN report criticizing the practice, Spain's Supreme Court barred two more parties from running in the next regional elections on grounds of supposed links to ETA. Following a request by Spanish prosecutors and repeated calls from Spanish parties and media, the Supreme Court barred Askatasuna (Freedom) and Democracy 3 Million, both left-wing Basque nationalist parties. According to the ruling, the two parties are successors to Batasuna, which was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in 2003. The election for the 75-seat Basque three western provinces’ parliament is set for 1st of March.
D3M’s lawyer expressed her anger at what she called lack of evidences and legal basis. She went on to say that police social control is scary. Candidates’ privates lifes have been tracked as far as 1983 in order to prove that they have some sort of link with the pro-independence movement. Despite such a thing is not an offence the judges take spurious and perfectly legal acts like writing a letter to a prisoner to criminalize the candidates.
-ETA bombs Madrid’s financial district.
A car bomb exploded yesterday in a business district of Madrid, following a telephone warning claiming to be from ETA, the Basque armed organization. No one was hurt in the blast, which destroyed about 30 cars and blew out windows at nearby offices, leaving a crater in the ground about one metre deep.
The Spanish Red Cross received the warning call 90 minutes prior to the blast, allowing police to cordon off the area before the device exploded at around 9am. The incident came a day after Spain's supreme court banned Demokrazia 3 Miloi and Askatasuna, two Basque nationalist parties, from participating in March's regional elections in the Basque Country, because of what the court said were their links to ETA.
The explosion occurred near the offices of Ferrovial, a construction company which has been involved in a high-speed rail project linking the capital to the Basque Country.
In December, ETA warned contractors working on the project they would become targets if they continued to work on the train line.
The controversial High Speed Train project has been confronted by a wide alliance of left wing parties, trade unions and environmentalists for many years now. They say this train will destroy the Basque Country and compromise seriously its future. They demand a public and open democratic debate around it so the Basque people can decide whether is needed or not. The pro-Spanish and local elite reaffirmed their intentions to impose the High Speed Train at any price.
-Thousands support Democracy 3 Million platform.
Thousands of people filled the Kursaal conference hall in Donostia/San Sebastian last Saturday during the first public event organised by the electoral platform Democracy 3 Million. The platform was launched less than a month ago and in just two weeks collected 47,000 legal signatures in order to be able to stand in the 1st of March local elections.
On the 23rd of January 8 of the D3M members were arrested by Spanish police and sent to prison. They were accused of trying to organise the platform and trying to take part in the elections. Today another 13 people have been officially called by Spanish judge Garzon to appear in court this coming Friday accused of terrorist organization membership. Their alleged crime is to be the legal representatives of the electoral platform.
Speaking at last Saturday’s event election candidate Itziar Lopategi said they want to achieve a democratic scenario where all citizens' rights will be respected and all different political options will have place.
The most emotional moments of the evening were when the pictures of those arrested and later those of the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians where shown on the screen.
24 January 2009
January 2009
- International Solidarity with the Basque Country.
- New Spanish Attack against the Basque Country.
- Peace dialogue criminalised.
- Support for Basque political prisoners.
- Spanish-Basque police brutally attacks march against High Speed Train.
NEWS :
International Solidarity with the Basque Country.
ASKAPENA, Basque internationalist organisation, calls for action in the International Solidarity With the Basque Country Week which will take place from the 6th to the 15th February 2009.
New Spanish Attack against the Basque Country.
Nine well known pro-independence political activists have been arrested on the early hours of today in the four provinces of the southern Basque Country. The Spanish police searched the houses of another three but couldn't arrest them.
In October 2007, 23 members of the leadership of Batasuna, the banned pro-independence party, were arrested and currently still are in jail for their political work. Two weeks ago four of them along with spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi, Basque region prime minister Ibarretxe and two leader of the Spanish Labour Party local regional branch sat appeared in court accused of holding peace talks. Recently created Democracy 3 Million (D3M) platform is expected to be also banned and prevented from taking part in next local elections of 1st of March.
Today's arrests have to be understood within the context of a wider strategy of criminalization and repression against the pro-independence movement. These arrests are directed to stop the pro-independence movement's work to achieve a new scenario of peace, democracy and self-determination for the Basque Country.
Peace dialogue criminalized.
Last Thursday 8 Basque politicians sat at the Basque region’s Spanish High Tribunal to be tried for holding political peace talks in 2006. At that time ETA was observing a ceasefire after an agreement was reached with the Spanish government. 5 of the accused are members of the banned pro-independence party Batasuna, another one is the nationalist prime minister of the three western Basque provinces and the other two are the local leaders of the Spanish Labour Party.
Four of the Batasuna accused were brought from Spanish prisons where they have been kept since October 2007 after the entire leadership of the party was arrested by the Spanish police. The only one of them who remains free, Arnaldo Otegi, was released last August after serving a one year sentence. Otegi said this new trial has been set to criminalize political dialogue and that it shows the anti democratic character of the Spanish state. Alex Maskey from Sinn Féin, who was at court to show support to the Batasuna accused, said that this is a terrible mistake and that there are just two ways to follow: the Gaza’s one or the South Africa’s one.
The case, which has created huge controversy, has been the main news of the week not just in the Basque Country and Spain but even has attracted the attention of the international media.
Finally on Monday 12th the court ruled that the two groups taking the case did not constitute a legitimate prosecution and dropped the charges.
Support for Basque political prisoners.
Hundreds of people gathered throughout the week in over 100 towns across the Basque Country to demand proper and humane treatment of the 765 Basque political prisoners. Etxerat, the relatives association, congratulated the Basque people for their ongoing support and especially for the 37,000 strong demonstration on the 3rd of January.
Precisely due to this rally the Spanish Home Minister declared last week his intention of investigating it to see if it can considered an offence and consequently prosecute the organisers - the Basque political prisoners’ relatives association.
Basque former prisoner Xabier Irastorza was arrested by French police in the north of the Basque Country last Thursday and sent to prison due to a European arrest warrant issued by the Spanish Special Court. Basque political refugees Lorea Zeziaga and Alejo Moreno were arrested in the north by French police on Tuesday 13th. Meanwhile, Basque prisoner Jon Lizarribar started a hunger strike against being expelled from the French state and placed in the hands of the Spanish police after serving his sentence in French jails.
Basque political prisoner Jon Bilbao has entered his 27th year in prison becoming the longest prisoner serving in Europe. The number of prisoners who spend 10, 15 or more than 20 years in prison is on the increase. Meanwhile prisoner Jose Angel Biguri has seen his sentence extended last week. He has been in prison for 21 years. He was supposed to be released next year but the Spanish Special Court has extended his sentence till 2019.
Spanish-Basque police brutally attacks march against High Speed Train.
Thousands of people gathered in the small town of Urbina in the province of Araba last Saturday to see the damages that the construction of the tracks for the High Speed Train has already been doing. At the end of the march the Spanish-Basque police attacked the protesters and tens of demonstrators were injured. 8 people were also arrested and at first, accused of “terrorism”. Check points were placed before and after the march.
There is currently a huge campaign against the construction of the tracks for a High Speed Train which will link the French and Spanish states through the Basque Country. This train will jeopardise seriously the future of the Basque Country due to its negative social and economic impact.
- New Spanish Attack against the Basque Country.
- Peace dialogue criminalised.
- Support for Basque political prisoners.
- Spanish-Basque police brutally attacks march against High Speed Train.
NEWS :
International Solidarity with the Basque Country.
ASKAPENA, Basque internationalist organisation, calls for action in the International Solidarity With the Basque Country Week which will take place from the 6th to the 15th February 2009.
New Spanish Attack against the Basque Country.
Nine well known pro-independence political activists have been arrested on the early hours of today in the four provinces of the southern Basque Country. The Spanish police searched the houses of another three but couldn't arrest them.
In October 2007, 23 members of the leadership of Batasuna, the banned pro-independence party, were arrested and currently still are in jail for their political work. Two weeks ago four of them along with spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi, Basque region prime minister Ibarretxe and two leader of the Spanish Labour Party local regional branch sat appeared in court accused of holding peace talks. Recently created Democracy 3 Million (D3M) platform is expected to be also banned and prevented from taking part in next local elections of 1st of March.
Today's arrests have to be understood within the context of a wider strategy of criminalization and repression against the pro-independence movement. These arrests are directed to stop the pro-independence movement's work to achieve a new scenario of peace, democracy and self-determination for the Basque Country.
Peace dialogue criminalized.
Last Thursday 8 Basque politicians sat at the Basque region’s Spanish High Tribunal to be tried for holding political peace talks in 2006. At that time ETA was observing a ceasefire after an agreement was reached with the Spanish government. 5 of the accused are members of the banned pro-independence party Batasuna, another one is the nationalist prime minister of the three western Basque provinces and the other two are the local leaders of the Spanish Labour Party.
Four of the Batasuna accused were brought from Spanish prisons where they have been kept since October 2007 after the entire leadership of the party was arrested by the Spanish police. The only one of them who remains free, Arnaldo Otegi, was released last August after serving a one year sentence. Otegi said this new trial has been set to criminalize political dialogue and that it shows the anti democratic character of the Spanish state. Alex Maskey from Sinn Féin, who was at court to show support to the Batasuna accused, said that this is a terrible mistake and that there are just two ways to follow: the Gaza’s one or the South Africa’s one.
The case, which has created huge controversy, has been the main news of the week not just in the Basque Country and Spain but even has attracted the attention of the international media.
Finally on Monday 12th the court ruled that the two groups taking the case did not constitute a legitimate prosecution and dropped the charges.
Support for Basque political prisoners.
Hundreds of people gathered throughout the week in over 100 towns across the Basque Country to demand proper and humane treatment of the 765 Basque political prisoners. Etxerat, the relatives association, congratulated the Basque people for their ongoing support and especially for the 37,000 strong demonstration on the 3rd of January.
Precisely due to this rally the Spanish Home Minister declared last week his intention of investigating it to see if it can considered an offence and consequently prosecute the organisers - the Basque political prisoners’ relatives association.
Basque former prisoner Xabier Irastorza was arrested by French police in the north of the Basque Country last Thursday and sent to prison due to a European arrest warrant issued by the Spanish Special Court. Basque political refugees Lorea Zeziaga and Alejo Moreno were arrested in the north by French police on Tuesday 13th. Meanwhile, Basque prisoner Jon Lizarribar started a hunger strike against being expelled from the French state and placed in the hands of the Spanish police after serving his sentence in French jails.
Basque political prisoner Jon Bilbao has entered his 27th year in prison becoming the longest prisoner serving in Europe. The number of prisoners who spend 10, 15 or more than 20 years in prison is on the increase. Meanwhile prisoner Jose Angel Biguri has seen his sentence extended last week. He has been in prison for 21 years. He was supposed to be released next year but the Spanish Special Court has extended his sentence till 2019.
Spanish-Basque police brutally attacks march against High Speed Train.
Thousands of people gathered in the small town of Urbina in the province of Araba last Saturday to see the damages that the construction of the tracks for the High Speed Train has already been doing. At the end of the march the Spanish-Basque police attacked the protesters and tens of demonstrators were injured. 8 people were also arrested and at first, accused of “terrorism”. Check points were placed before and after the march.
There is currently a huge campaign against the construction of the tracks for a High Speed Train which will link the French and Spanish states through the Basque Country. This train will jeopardise seriously the future of the Basque Country due to its negative social and economic impact.
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