Basque Info

We are back with the new year. On our latest bulletin and podcast you'll find the main news of the past weeks.

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Basque Info bulletin

• ETA announces a permanent, general and verifiable cease fire
• Huge demonstration in support of political prisoners’ rights
• Imprisoned Pro-Independence leaders face up to 10 years in jail
• Spanish policemen convicted for torture
• Massive support for official Basque national teams

 ETA announces a permanent, general and verifiable cease fire

Last Monday Basque newspaper Gara’s digital edition published an historical statement from Eta.

In it the armed organization declared a permanent, general and internationally verifiable cease fire. This is the first time in 52 years of history that ETA called a cease fire of this kind.

ETA had previously announced in September that it had already been on cease fire for some months.

ETA also said then that they were ready to respond to the Declaration of Brussels where numerous international personalities including Nobel Peace Prize Winners had asked the organization to call a permanent and verifiable cease fire. Following ETA’s September statement a further development was expected and it finally came on Monday.

This is ETA’s full statement: http://www.gara.net/agiriak/110108_declaration.pdf

While Basque pro-independence parties and trade unions welcomed the declaration and demanded a positive response from the Spanish authorities, the Madrid Government said it wasn’t enough. The ruling Spanish Socialist Party (socialdemocrat) said it was an important statement but that they were cautious about it. The Spanish right wing said there was nothing new in the statement and demanded the government continued with repressive measures until ETA is defeated.

French political parties welcomed the new step as hopeful.

The more than 50 political, union and social organizations who signed the Gernika Agreement in September to promote a democratic process in the Basque Country said ETA’s decision was a positive and very valuable step towards that goal and called upon Basque society to get involved.

International facilitator Brian Currin said that in his opinion ETA had fulfilled the demand made by the signatories of the Declaration of Brussels. He announced that those signatories who form the so called Group of Contact will be meeting in the Basque Country soon to evaluate the statement and look at new initiatives.

ETA’s announcement made headlines around the world. In fact, many expect the international community to play an important role over the next months and years to help to the resolution of the conflict.

In the meantime it is clear that the Spanish authorities won’t change their strategy. Two people were arrested by the Spanish police less than 24 hours after ETA called the new cease fire. They have been accused of providing IT training to ETA and FARC members. They are being held incommunicado and friends fear they could be subjected to torture.

Huge demonstration in support of political prisoners’s rights

Last Saturday 64,000 people attended the largest demonstration held in the Basque Country over the past years.

People from different political and social backgrounds came together to demand the repatriation of the around 750 Basque political prisoners held in 85 jails across Spain and France and the respect of their rights.

The demonstration had been called by a wide range of renowned people from all walks of life in the Basque Country. The demonstration was so big that as the tail of the march walked just a few metres, the head of the march had already arrived at its destination. Speakers sent their support and love to the prisoners and also to the thousands of exiles and OTR’s (on the run).

The march illustrated that the prisoners campaign is gaining momentum and that it will become central over the next months.

Imprisoned Pro-Independence leaders face up to 10 years in jail

Eight Basque Pro-Independence Left leaders, most of them still in jail after being arrested in November 2009, were told last week they face up to 10 years in jail. One of them is Arnaldo Otegi. When they were arrested they were acussed of reorganising the banned Batasuna.

In fact, however, they were working on the movement’s strategic internal debate.

Despite Spanish authorities’ efforts to prevent the debate, it finally took place and more than 7,000 supporters took part. The new strategy has been already been put in place and the latest developments have confirmed its initial success.

Spanish policemen convicted for torture
Four Spanish policemen were sentenced to up to four years in jail on the 30^th December for torture they inflicted upon two alleged ETA members two years ago.

The case shocked Basque society as pictures and medical tests were published in one of the few ocasions something like this has been possible to happen.

It’s also highly unusual that Spanish policemen are sentenced for torture despite the continious condemnation and reports from the United Nations and Amnesty International. The other few times policemen were convicted saw them walk free as the government gave them a special pardon.

Massive support for official Basque national teams
More than 7,000 people took part at a march in favour of official Basque national sport teams on the Wednesday 29^th December in Bilbao. The slogan was “We are a nation, officiality. We will get it.”

Later that evening 40,000 filled the San Mames stadium to support the Basque national football team in a friendly match against Venezuela. The Basque players held a banner which read “Officiality” demanding their right to compete as a national team in official FIFA competitions.

Spain and France do not allow the Basque Country to have its own national teams as they don’t allow its self-determination right, despite the massive support for it among Basques.