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
17 June 2009
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.
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