Basque Info 29/09/10 from Belfast

Submitted by admin on Ig, 2010/10/03 - 21:27

 

Please find attached this week's Basque Info bulletin and last week's Basque Info podcast which includes a very interesting interview with Inaki Soto, Basque political analyst and editor of the Basque pro-independence newspaper Gara http://www.archive.org/details/BasqueInfo4WW2010-09-22

 

  • Agreement for a peace scenario and democratic resolution signed
  • New police operation against the Pro-Independence Left
  • Thousands mobilise for civil and political rights

 

Agreement for a peace scenario and democratic resolution signed

 

Last Saturday 28 Basque political parties, trade unions and social organizations met in Gernika and signed a very important agreement. After months of meetings and internal work, an agreed document to promote a peace process in the Basque Country was finally launched.

 

According to the signatories “The Basque Country is facing the opportunity to take the political conflict and the violent confronta­tion towards a scenario of peace and democratic resolution.”

 

On that direction, the signatories demanded that ETA and the Spanish Government take decisions and initiatives that would allow the creation of a scenario of this kind: a scenario of non violence with guarantees of progressive political normalisation.

 

In the same way, the endorsers believe that in the frame of a process of these characteristics, where that scenario of peace and enough political norma­lisation would be consolidated, it will become es­sential to activate spaces of political dialogue and negotiation, in order to fully address the reasons and repercussions of the conflict.

 

In an extensive interview published on Sunday by the Basque pro-independence newspaper Gara, but carried out before the agreement was signed, ETA said they were ready to give more steps in order to reach a scenario which will help with the establishment of multi-party negotiations.

 

Despite the Spanish Interior Minister once again stating that this was not enough, some high profile members of the Spanish Labour Party said the agreement signed in Gernika was a positive step.

 

New police operation against the Pro-Independence Left

 

In almost a carbon copy of what occurred two weeks ago, another seven well known Pro-Independence Left activists were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning by hundreds of masked Spanish policemen.

 

The activists have been accused of being members of Askapena, the internationalist organization which for the past 23 years has promoted solidarity with other peoples in struggle like Ireland, Venezuela, Cuba, Palestine or Kurdistan. At the same time Askapena works along groups of solidarity with the Basque Country around the world.

 

It is at this time when the international community are showing the biggest interest in promoting a peace process in the Basque Country that these arrests come, after years of criminalization of Askapena and the international work done by the Pro-Independence Left.

 

The arrests also come just two days after the agreement for a scenario of peace and democratic resolution was signed in Gernika and ETA spoke in an interview of their disposition to promote such a process.

 

The Pro-Independence Left said these new arrests are another attempt by the Spanish government to sabotage the process and has asked activists not to fall into these blatant provocations.

 

Thousands mobilise for civil and political rights

 

Last Saturday 4,000 people demonstrated in Iruñea/Pamplona to protest against repression and torture after 9 political activists were imprisoned 10 days ago and reported being brutally tortured.

 

On Sunday thousands of people took part in the day-long events organised in a new edition of the Bat Egin Eguna or Day of Solidarity with those indicted in political trials and in favour of political and civil rights.

 

There were activities for children and young people, music, culture and sport, food and drink and of course political rallies in the small town of Lakuntza.

 

Those who attended came from all over the Basque Country to show solidarity especially with the former councillors and mayor indicted in the Udalbiltza case.

 

Udalbiltza was created by hundreds of elected representatives in 1998 to promote the national building and self-determination of the Basque Country but was later banned by the Spanish authorities.

 

The 20 accused face up to 15 years in jail for their political and peaceful work. The trial will continue on the 30th of September after the summer break.