Welsh Support For Egunkaria

The article you are about to read was published by Wales OnLine, in it you will learn about the Welsh support for the Basque people in general and those involved in the Egunkaria case in particular.

You will also learn about the disdain that conservative politicians have for human rights and true justice, in this specific case things are worst for the politicians are Welsh and they play along the line dictated from London by war monger Tony Blair.

Support for gagged Basques condemned

Mar 1 2003 Rhodri Clark Rhodri.Clark@Wme.Co.Uk, The Western Mail - The National Newspaper Of Wales

POLITICIANS and campaign groups in Wales were criticised yesterday for supporting a newspaper closed down because of alleged links to a violent terrorist organisation.

An MP and an AM from Plaid Cymru have signed a petition of support for the Basque-language newspaper Egunkaria, which was closed on February 20 on the orders of a Spanish judge. Petition organ-isers at Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, say the newspaper's closure is a blow to European democracy and minority languages.

The judge in Spain's national court who ordered the newspaper's closure maintained that the company which published Egunkaria was created, financed and directed by the Basque armed group Eta, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna.

Justice Minister Jose Maria Michavila said the newspaper had been used as a communications tool for Eta, which has killed more than 800 people since 1968 as part of its campaign for an independent Basque country in northern Spain and south-west France.

On February 20 hundreds of police officers in ski masks and bullet-proof vests searched and boarded up several Egunkaria offices, taking away documents and computers. The editor and other executives and journalists were arrested.

The newspaper had a circulation of about 15,000 and was Spain's only newspaper published exclusively in the Basque language.

Amnesty International, which highlights human-rights abuses around the world, did not condemn the newspaper's closure and said it recognised the judiciary's responsibility "to take any appropriate measures essential to the protection of life and integrity".

Caernarfon MP Hywel Williams and Ceredigion AM Elin Jones are among the 200 people who have signed the petition since it went on the internet a week ago.

Ms Jones said yesterday, "The fact that a democratic state within the European Union can arrest and, if some reports are to be believed, torture staff of an independent daily newspaper is frightening.

"Egunkaria is a reputable independent newspaper which prides itself on its journalistic independence. It seems that the notoriously right-wing Spanish government is working for a one-size-fits-all uniform Spain where freedom of speech is suppressed. I understand that the Basque government is demanding an inquiry."

Simon Brooks, of the protest group Cymuned and editor of the Welsh magazine Barn, said, "The Spanish authorities are systematically trying to target the Basques' language and culture. That's why they've targeted this newspaper. Welsh people, because we're a minority culture, have a responsibility to show support for the Basques."

Conservative AM for Monmouth David Davies said, "They should keep their noses out. We don't know enough about this newspaper. The only people who can ascertain this are the authorities in Spain."

Mr Davies said he was a member of Amnesty International, which did not support terrorist organisations but backed any people who were locked up for their political beliefs.

"If Amnesty International are merely saying that they think this investigation should be carried out speedily, that seems to be an eminently sensible position," he said.

Alun Cairns, Tory AM for South Wales West, accused Cymdeithas yr Iaith of a poor misjudgment.

"People have the right to say what they feel is right, but any link with a terrorist or unlawful organisation is unacceptable," he said. "I would approve the move made by the courts in Spain to curb that."

One more thing, the paragraph regarding the Amnesty International press release has been misquoted, here you have the link to the correct text in which the human rights organization condemns the closing of Egunkaria.

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