Basque Info

 

ETA continues its summer offensive. On the 29^th of July ETA destroyed the Spanish police headquarters in Burgos. Just 34 hours later ETA killed two Spanish Guardia Civil policemen in Majorca. Finally ETA planted four small bombs in tourist resorts across Majorca. ETA had called previously to warn the police and the public. Nobody was injured and the damage was very little. 

Immediately after the killings of the two policemen the Spanish police launched Operation Cage. They set check points and closed the airports to try to arrest the ETA members. The Spanish Interior Minister had to recognise that they didn’t know whether the ETA militants were still on the island or not. 

In a statement released last Sunday ETA claimed responsibility for the recent actions and highlighted that repression didn’t work in the past and won’t work in the future. ETA says they don’t won’t to imposse any political project but much to the contrary open the way to a democratic scenario in the Basque Country where Basque citizens will be able to decide their future in a free way throught self-determination. 

 

 

-Solidarity with the Basque political prisoners.

 

The Basque political prisoners’ relatives’ association Etxerat organised last Saturday the annual vigil along the coast. Hundreds of people took part in picket lines in all main beaches along the Basque coast. The slogan chosen this year was: “Solidarity doesn't take a rest even in the summer”. Hundreds more took part in the weekly Friday vigils across the country. 

On Thursday a general strike took place in Villabona to protest against the death of local deputy mayor Remi Aiestaran, who was 27 years old. Remi died from a heart attack the previous week as a direct consequence of the Basque-Spanish police harassment against him. Everything started when the police arrived to the town’s main square while celebrating the traditional annual Basque prisoners solidarity vigil during the local festivals. The deputy mayor asked them to leave and the situation escalated until Remi collapsed and died. 

The general strike was a complete success and hundreds of people took part in demonstrations during the day. In the same county a one hour walk out was also organised. 

 

 

-Repression at home and abroad.

 

Basque political refugee Inaki Etxeberria was arrested three months ago in Venezuela following an extradition request from the Spanish authorities. Finally the Venezuelan judge in charge at the request of the prosecution decided to let Inaki free and reject the extradition as the charges against him had already expired under Venezuelan law. The Spanish government’s pressure didn’t get Inaki extradited but the same pressures worked in Mexico and the very next day Basque political refugee Juan Manuel Intziarte was arrested there and immediately extradited and imprisoned in Madrid. It’s understood he had been living in Mexico for the last 13 years. 

The Spanish police harassment campaign against solidarity towards the Basque political prisoners continues and several local festivals were disrupted by police, who injured and arrested several people. Publicans were charged with accusations of supporting terrorism for not taking down the prisoners’ pictures hanging on their pubs’ walls. 

Two demonstrations were attacked in Donostia/San Sebastian on Friday and Saturday evening. The first one was organised to protest against the closure of Gaztesarea, the youth movement website and the arrest of three activists, and the second one was called in favour of self-determination for the Basque Country. Many people were injured and three were arrested. Riots followed the attacks and went on for hours in the city centre. 

 

 

 

Under the slogan “The Basque Country is not for sale” four attacks against golf resorts in the Basque Country took place between May and July in the north of the Basque Country. These actions have been now claimed. In a statement sent to a local radio station “The Basque Country is not for sale” campaign speaks against the brutal touristification of the northern Basque Country and calls on all organisations to intensify the campaign against it. For a long time the French government has aimed to turn the northern Basque Country into a new Cote d’Azur.