Basque Info

Please find in this email our latest Basque Info bulletin and audio-podcast after our summer break. In this issue:

• ETA calls off “offensive armed actions”
• ETA’s statement welcomed internationally
• Spanish state responds to new situation by banning broad national demonstration for civil and political rights 

ETA calls off “offensive armed actions”.

On Sunday 5^th ETA sent a video to the BBC announcing that "several months ago we took the decision not to carry out offensive armed actions".

ETA confirms “its commitment to finding a democratic solution to the conflict" the statement says.

"In its commitment to decide our future to a democratic process freely and democratically, through dialogue and negotiations, ETA is prepared today as yesterday to agree to the minimum democratic conditions necessary to put a democratic process in motion, if the Spanish government is willing" it says.

The statement ends: "We call on all Basque citizens to continue in the struggle, each in their own field, with whatever degree of commitment they have, so that we can all knock down the wall of denial and make irreversible moves forward on the road to freedom."

This is the first unilateral ceasefire ever announced by ETA.

The announcement comes after a internal debate on strategy was carried out at the beginning of the year by the Basque Pro-Independence Left. The new strategy focuses on mass struggle through peaceful and political means and alliances with other progressive and nationalist forces. Several agreements have already been signed in this way over the past few months and negotiations with other forces continue at present. ETA’s latest decision comes to support those steps for the creation of a broad pro-independence movement.

Nationalist politicians in the Basque Country welcomed the announcement and called on the Spanish government and the international community to respond positively.

One of the main editors of the Basque pro-independence newspaper Gara said the Basque people had been hoping for this declaration.

"I think it's a big and a positive step" Inaki Soto told the BBC. "I think that's it's something that the majority of Basque society was waiting for or expecting and in that sense I think that no-one can say that it's negative."

"It will be a long road but it's something that can bring peace and justice to the Basque country" he said.

ETA’s statement welcomed internationally

Sinn Féin’s leader Gerry Adams also welcomed ETA’s statement as “a significant development and a genuine attempt to contribute to a resolution of the conflict. I believe it has the potential to bring about a permanent end to the conflict with the Spanish state” he said.

International mediator and South African lawyer Brian Currin welcomed ETA’s decision “as a further move towards the irreversibility of this new political phase of exclusively non-violent and democratic means in the Basque country.”

The prestigious Financial Times called, in an editorial, for the lifting of the Spanish ban on Basque pro-independence party Batasuna and the repatriation of the hundreds of Basque political prisoners.

Spanish state responds to new situation by banning broad national demonstration for civil and political rights

The Spanish authorities responded that ETA’s decision was insufficient and that they would continue with their repressive strategy.

It didn’t take long to see that proven.  Last Saturday a national demonstration was banned.  The demonstration had been called before the summer and dozens of thousands of people were expected to attend. The rally had been organised by Adierazi EH! (Basque Country – Express Yourself!), a broad civil and political rights platform created at the begining of the year.

After the banning well-known politicians from different nationalist parties called a new demonstration which was also banned.  In order not to allow themselves to be provoked into riots which would then be reported widely in the Spanish press, the demonstration was cancelled at the last minute and a mass press conference was organised to denounce the attack against freedom of speech and assembly and to announce the birth of a new broad movement for human, civil and political rights in the Basque Country.

Many understood the banning as a show of nervousness by the Spanish authorities after ETA’s announcement and warned of new repressive Spanish state operations.

In the early hours of Tuesday nine Basque Pro-Independence Left activists known for their public political work in culture, language, youth movement and feminism, among other areas, were arrested and held incommunicado by the Spanish paramilitary police force Guardia Civil. The Spanish authorities accused them of being the national leadership of Ekin, a group that works within the Basque Pro-Independence Left in favour of nation- building and mass struggle.