Basque Info

• The abertzale left gets a hundred mayors
• Thousands for the rights of prisoners
• Gazte 1+ EZ
• Brief news

The abertzale left gets a hundred mayors

A Bildu mayor has been elected in 123 municipalities. The coalition of Eusko Alkartasuna, Alternatiba and left independents obtained on May 22 the support of over 315,000 votes. As a result, on Saturday Bildu was elected to rule most of the municipal institutions of South Euskal Herria with the largest number of municipal representatives.

This puts an end to two terms marked by political apartheid resulting from the Abertzale left’s outlawing. A new stage opens in the political arena of Euskal Herria. Political parties will have to change their strategies faced with the new political scenario after the elections of 22 May and the victory of abertzale forces. As a Bildu candidate said in a press conference: "A new time will be installed in the municipalities of the four provinces, to reflect the abertzale and left social majority, that holding a key position, will take a central place for the coming 4 years".

According to its representatives the coalition's first work-area will be driven towards the search of political normalisation for Euskal Herria. In his words "We are firmly committed for peace, for the legalisation of all political parties, for the coming back home of the prisoners, so that all violence disappears and all rights are respected."
A second work-area will be aimed to launch a project of progressive social and economic change. With this aim they will implement policies for the distribution of fiscal and social wealth. The cultural, linguistic and institutional dimensions, among others, will be rebuilt.

The most significant of the municipalities won by Bildu is Donostia-San Sebastian, a city of more than 180 thousand inhabitants and the capital of Gipuzkoa. On Saturday, Donostia became the first Basque capital that has an abertzale and left mayor. Juan Carlos Izaguirre was received at the end of the constitution meeting by many residents who welcomed and encouraged him.

As well as Donostia, Bildu has obtained 59 other municipalities in Gipuzkoa, thirty in Bizkaia, 12 in Araba and other 17 in Navarre. Municipalities of different sizes, on which Bildu will work with enthusiasm to bring change and progress towards a democratic scenario for the Basque Country.

Thousands for the rights of prisoners

Called by the popular initiative “Egin dezagun bidea!” thousands took part on Sunday in a demonstration for the rights of Basque political prisoners and exiles.
The demonstration was large and very colourful. Anonymous citizens, politicians and people of the world of culture and sport took part in it. The representative of the Abertzale Left Marian Beitialarrangoitia said: "The prison policy that is applied against the collective of Basque political prisoners is one of the clearest and most hurtful examples of the policy of blockade and repression that both Madrid and Paris practice."

Reflecting this diversity and colourfulness, many surfers and canoeists followed the event from the river Ibaizabal. At the end of the demonstration many balloons carrying banners in support of repatriation of prisoners were released.

Among the carriers of the banner was Jose Mari Sagardui "Gatza" a former Basque political prisoner, he is the one who has been longer in prison. The theme of it: "Eskubide guztiekin, Euskal presoak Euskal Herrira" (with all its rights, Basque prisoners to Euskal Herria)

At the end of the demonstration the floor was taken by the spokespersons of the initiative. They stated that "the prisoners and political refugees should be an active part, along with the other actors in the conflict’s resolution."

Finally they announced that the initiative will establish working groups in villages and neighbourhoods of Euskal Herria to continue taking steps for the rights of those who have suffered political repression. After the rally a number of protest festive events took place and the day continued in a good atmosphere.

Gazte 1+ EZ

The platform Gazte 1 + ez (no more young) has conducted a closure last week to denounce "the brutal repression suffered by young people of this country and get people to respond to the criminalization."

The platform was created earlier this year by young people concerned about the situation of lack of defence they suffered. As they recalled at the press conference "since 2007 more than 250 young people have been arrested, most of us have been tortured and have been imprisoned."

Last Saturday as the culmination of the closure thousands of young people gathered in Usurbil to claim that neither the police nor the repressive operations have succeeded in destroying the Basque youth and its desire to fight.

Tasio Erkizia, member of the Abertzale Left present at the ceremony showed his solidarity to all the young Basques and stated that "after 50 years of struggle, hundreds of detainees and tortured, Basque youth continue organising. There is no judge or policeman who will silence them. "

Brief news:

Representatives of the Bloody Sunday Trust Commission in Euskal Herria

Representatives of the Bloody Sunday Trust have been in Euskal Herria to tell about their experience and encourage the creation of a truth commission for the San Fermin 78. They believe that the current political moment is a new opportunity to bring forward a truth commission in Iruñea or about the massacre of March 3 in Gasteiz.

The Coordination for the prevention of torture stressed the link between incommunicado arrest and torture: The report on torture in the Spanish State 2010 found that there was an increase in complaints of Basque citizens. The spokesman for the Coordinator for the Prevention of Torture noted the direct relationship between the incommunicado arrest of detainees and allegations of abuse.

basquepeaceprocess.info