Basque Info 2/02/11

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• Basque workers confront Spanish neo-liberal agenda
• Pro-Spanish government newspaper interview Basque pro-independence leader
• Association Basque Political Prisoners ready to play important role in the process

Basque workers confront Spanish neo-liberal agenda

Last Thursday the Basque nationalist trade unions (supported by the World Federation of Trade Unions, the Trade Union Internationals and more than 60 trade unions from all over the world), which hold the majority of representatives in local workers councils, called a general strike (the third in less than a year) against the latest labour market reform by the Spanish government. This reform is focused on pensions and among other restrictive measures will set the retirement age at 67. The reform will also further privatise the pension funds system.

It was also a protest for soverignty. The trade unions demanded the right of the Basque people to decide upon their future including taking their own decisions on economic issues.

According to the trade unions 80% of education workers, 76% of those who work in industry and 40% of civil servants took part in the general strike. Many towns were completely shut down. 100% of workers in the Basque public radio television walked out. The same happened in Bilbao’s underground and ports.

There were as usual informative groups organised by workers walking the streets and industrial estates from early hours in the morning although the main demonstrations took place at noon in the four provincial capitals of the southern Basque Country with more than 55,000 people in attendance in total. In the evening 60 towns across the country saw workers marches and rallies.

The trade unions condemned the police attacks, arrests and intimidation that happened throughout the day. They also strongly criticised the Spanish trade unions who, the very same day the Basque workers went on strike, accepted the pension system reform and signed in Madrid an agreement with the government.

Pro-Spanish government newspaper interview Basque pro-independence leader

Last Sunday the daily newspaper El Pais, closely allied to the Spanish Government and usually defender of its official line, published an interview with Rufi Etxeberria, member of the Abertzale Left.

In that interview, the Abertzale leader very clearly states that “in the new Abertzale Left strategy there is no room for any strategy other than the political and democratic ways.” He goes on to highlight that the conflict is of a political nature and that the Abertzale Left has always approached it from a perspective of finding an agreement through dialogue.

When asked about ETA’s most recent statement and, according to the interviewer, its “insufficiency” he responds reiterating what the Abertzale Left has said on many ocasions: “This decision by ETA is historic, as the statement calls a permanent, verifiable, general and unilateral cease fire.”

Asked about rumours and malicious speculation by various media around alleged decisions taken by ETA in one or another direction, he clarifies that “the Abertzale Left holds to ETA’s resolutions of 5th September and 10th January, where it has taken a clear commitment to overcome the armed conflict.” Moreover the Abertzale Left has given a commitment to Basque society and to Spanish and International public opinion to reach a decisive solution.

With regard to the new political organization which the Abertzale Left is going to launch in the next few days, it doesn’t address a scenario of illegalisation. He affirms ”that the Abertzale Left must be legal because our current principles are as demoratic as the rest and state an unambiguous position on violence.” He clarifies that the creation of a new political organisation is not a maneouvre or trick to be present in the institutions but a step to change the situation and one that conforms to a thorough-going analysis. “The new political platform is linked to the new political phase.”

Finally, responding to questions about which, in his opinion, should be the route map to resolve the conflict he affirms that it is already drawn in the Gernika Agreement signed by the Abertzale Left, Aralar and Eusko Alkartasuna in September. It contains a demand presented to ETA and another one to the Spanish State. A scenario of peace and democratic normalization in the absence of all violence and including guarantees must exist. One of the demands is legalisation and another, changes in the prison policies.

Association Basque Political Prisoners ready to play important role in the process

The Association of Basque Political Prisoners (EPPK in Basque) sent a press release to the newspaper Gara where it sets out its position with regard to the current political situation in the Basque Country.

The Association begins by reminding all that “We have already spent more than 30 years in Spanish and French jails -- 30 years of struggle for the recognition of our people and for respect for the Basque people’s right to decide upon its future.”

The press release recalls the cruelty of the attacks they suffer in prison for which the only objective is using the prisoners as a bargaining cheap to influence the eventual outcome of the conflict.

Despite that, the Association highlights its commitment to the Basque Country’s struggle and its own determination to add a little to the liberation process. As it clearly stated in the previous communication, the group is ready to act as an active political stakeholder in the resolution of the conflict.

The group considers the Gernika Agreement as an important step. The Agreement refers to an amnesty for the prisoners as one of the pillars which will make possible the building of the Basque Country in a democratic manner.

Finally and taking into account that these topics directly affect its members, it asks the signatories of the Gernika Agreement to get in touch with the official representatives of the Association.

-- www.friendsofthebasquecountry.org

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