Saturday, January 31, 2004

Freemuse and IBO

The International Basque Organization has issued a press release in defense of the Basque artists being persecuted by the Spanish Government, fake human rights organizations and far-right fascist groups. It appeared at the Freemuse site.

You can go and visit Freemuse, you will find the press release at the "News" section. To make it easier for you I also post the article hear, hopefully Freemuse will print it on their newsletter.

SPAIN

CASES/NEWS

CENSORSHIP IN SPAIN

Article from International Basque Organization For Human Rights
January 2004
"When we think of musical censorship in these modern times, it is usually totalitarian governments that come to mind as the instigators. Censorship of music and film rarely occurs in modern day Europe, right? Wrong. It is alive and well in Spain. Not since the days of the Franco dictatorship have Basque musicians, filmmakers and media been subjected to such censorship.

Censorship of Basque musicians has occurred infrequently over the past ten years or so. One well-known case was against the rock group Negu Gorriak, who performed a song called "Ustelkeria" (Corruption). This song was about the accusation of the then chief of police of San Sebastian being involved with drug smuggling. The band members were prosecuted for this song and made to pay 15 million pesetas. The chief of police was subsequently found to be guilty of the drug charges. 8 years later, Negu Gorriak was declared innocent of their previous charges.

Over the past two years, censorship of Basque musicians in Spain has steadily increased. Groups such as Association for the Victims of Terrorism, a human rights group that receives grants from various ministries of the Spanish government, and the ultra-right wing group Espana2000 campaign relentlessly to cancel concerts. These groups use lawsuits and threats of uncontrollable demonstrations to forcefully pressure venue operators to cancel shows. Local government officials of Spain's Popular Party have jumped into the fray, taking it upon themselves to call for concert cancellations in their own towns.

The reasons given for censorship by the AVT are that "many of these words humiliate the victims". The AVT also takes issue with the bands using the term "political prisoner" in their songs, saying, "The only thing we are trying to point out is that freedom of expression has a limit". Some of the lines that the AVT takes offense with are:

"We close Egin with this system, Una, Grande y Libre. The police and all that crap are the cancer of this #$@% nation." - Berri Txarrak

"Like every week, she looks in the mailbox for a card from her son who is a prisoner in Spain, but instead she receives a cold call 'your son is dead with a rope around his neck' - Berri Txarrak from the song "Nation of Open Wounds"

The most recent bands to have their concerts cancelled due pressure by AVT, Espana2000 and the Spanish government's Popular Party are Su Ta Gar, Sociedad Alcoholico, Fermin Muguruza and Manu Chao, Berri Txarrak and Leihotikan.

Fermin has even been taken to court by AVT who claim that one of his most well known songs, "Sarri, Sarri" is pro-ETA and therefore illegal. This song has been performed for nineteen years, and tells about one of the Basque Country's most famous poets, Joseba Sarrionandia. Sarrionandia was in prison, accused of being a member of ETA, when he and a fellow prisoner escaped in the large speakers of a group who had just given a concert at the prison.

Berri Txarrak and Leihotikans latest concerts were cancelled in Madrid and Valencia, with the Madrid venue's proprietor stating"Due to the rarified situation created by the recent campaign of right extremist groups and various mass media against the Berri Txarrak and Leihotikan concert planned for January 10, 2004 in Madrid, and due to their arguments that the public, the artists and the organizers may be in physical danger, the people in charge of the Caracol Room have decided to cancel this musical concert. The group laments the situation that has been created, and hopes to offer its music soon to the Madrid public."

It is not just musicians being censored. Two of the directors of EITB, the Basque regional television station, are being charged as accessories to terrorism. The station aired a videotaped interview of two ETA members making a statement. There are also the cases of Basque language newspapers and radio stations being shut down, charged with aiding terrorists, then years later the cases being dropped. Too late for these media outlets; they are closed.

There was also the case of the documentary, The Basque Ball, Skin Against Stone. This documentary was created by one of Spain's most famous directors, Julio Medem, who is originally from the Basque Region. This documentary attempts to show the problems of the Basque conflict from all points of view and tries to find ways of reaching a middle ground. It debuted at the San Sebastian Film Festival amid much anticipation, and also howls of protest from the government of Spain and AVT. The Minister of Culture, Pilar Del Castillo, suggested that the film festival drop the documentary. This did not happen and the film opened to wide acclaim. Soon after, the documentary appeared at the London Film Festival. Representatives from the Spanish Embassy asked that the film be dropped from the festival. When the organizers refused, the Spanish government withdrew their traditional stipend that is given for the expenses of Spanish festival participants.

This is a dangerous road being traveled down in Europe. Whether or not one agrees with the message, in a democracy, all are supposed to have the right to be heard without the threat of violence and censorship. This is part of the duties of a democratic government."

For more info: www.euskojustice.org


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Behatokia

Ok, lets start by posting the links to a few organizations working within Euskal Herria towards peace and democracy, the first one I want to point out is Behatokia, they are a group that is trying to bring attention upon the violations of civil and human rights in Euskal Herria. As usual the link to the site has been embedded on the list to the left of this page.

Here is the link to their site and how do they describe themselves:

Behatokia: Basque Observatory of Human Rights is an initiative launched by several Basque organizations in defense of the Human Rights. BEHATOKIA driving forces are: TAT (Group Against Torture), ETXERAT (Association of Relatives of the Politically Repressed), ESKUBIDEAK (Basque Solicitors Association) and GURASOAK (Association of Parents of Young Victims of the Repression).

The objective of these groups when launching BEHATOKIA, was to start up a center of intercommunication with international bodies, non-governmental organizations and groups who work in the defense of Human Rights in order to reveal the violation these rights both, generally and specifically.

Additionally, BEHATOKIA will work before courts and international tribunals interposing imputations where fundamental rights have been violated and confronting the pertinent Spanish and French institutions who have not corrected such situations. On top of it, a substantial part of BEHATOKIA's work will be based on the spreading of information regarding the violations of fundamental rights by the institutions.


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Friday, January 30, 2004

A Mexican With Dignity

Marcela Briseño, director of the Reclusorio Norte refused to allow Garzon and his sidekick Molina to enter the premises, and when the PGR (Mexican version of the FBI) ushered them in she ordered them to be stamped on the hand which offended Garzon who decided to leave.

The hearing took place but the two Basques that were interrogated used the rights given to them by the Mexican constitution and did not answer any of the questions prepared by Garzon, a foreign judge. By the time the third Basque was summoned the head of the Organized Crime unit in Mexico, Mario Arzabe decided to cancel the proceedings.

Arzabe is a Mexican with no dignity, good thing there is a few left like Marcela Briseño.

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Anti-Torture Demo

Today at Berria English:

Anti-torture demo organised for February 14

In the last 25 years torture has been “adorned and refined” say those calling the demo, “but it has not disappeared”

Iban Iza – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)
A group of citizens who have endured torture during the last 25 years have organised a demonstration against it for February 14 in Donostia. In their appearance before the media in Donostia yesterday those calling the demo said they wanted to draw attention to the fact that the practice of torture has not disappeared during the last 25 years.

“They have refined and improved torture, but it has not disappeared; and 25 years later they carry on the same way,” said Maite Golmaio, the mother of Xabier Kalparsoro, who died at the police station of Indautxu, Bilbo in September 1993. Golmaio recalled, “It is 25 years since the Spanish Constitution was passed. 25 years to consolidate a situation of continuity in the Spanish State, 25 years to adorn, refine and improve the torture of the Franco era cells. But we knew that the situation would not be solved,” she went on. “Back in November 1979 the then Spanish Interior Minister Ibañez Freire said that the tortures were lies.” Since then, said Golmaio, the attitude of the Spanish Governments and autonomous administrations towards torture has been “the same”. She explained: “They have aimed to cover up the misery and corruption of their system by means of the courts and by using constitutional anti-terrorist laws, by seeking out obscure places to carry out their savage interrogations, by using nice codes of conduct for police activities. But torture is being committed today with ever increasing impunity.”

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Thursday, January 29, 2004

Garzon Stomps Mexico's Sovereignty

On a serious note, to read La Jornada (newspaper from Mexico) is to weep for a country that was once proud of its sovereignty, its stance regarding political asylum.

Yesterday the Clown Judge Baltasar Garzon took part on an arraignment date against the three Mexicans that had been previously exonerated by the Mexican government for lack of evidence as being part of a money laundering operation in behalf of ETA. They are now being accused of the same crime which in Mexico is unconstitutional, Garzon claims that he has now more evidence, too bad, he was supposed to produce during the 60 to 90 days that the Mexicans were held in house arrest. In Mexico you can not be accused of the same crime twice, new evidence or not.

The Mexicans received a court order, a day before to their surprise they were informed that the proceedings would take place at the head quarters of the Organized Crime Unit instead of the previous location at a court. Once there they had one more surprise, no one else than Baltasar Garzon along with an Spanish Magistrate and four police officers were in the room along with the Mexican police chief in charge of the Organized Crime Unit. In Mexico only the prosecution, the accused, the witnesses and the defense attorneys can be present at a hearing. Barbara Zamora demanded that the Spaniards would leave the room, the Mexican police chief had the four Spanish agents removed from the room but allowed Garzon and the Spanish Magistrate to remain which is a constitutional violation of the civil rights of the accused.

Today Baltasar Garzon and his entourage will visit the Reclusorio Norte to be present at a hearing for the five Basques and the Mexican detained there even after they won an appeal on Friday, once again Garzon will violate the Mexican constitution.

What does President Fox is doing about all this? The former central defender for the Centro Vasco soccer team is nowhere to be seen, I'm just wondering what his donostiarra ama (mother) things about all this.

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Doctor Supports Otamendi's Claims

Somehow Aznar is going to get away with murder (and torture in this case) despite the mounting evidence that his government (like all the previous governments since 1936) has practiced torture regularly as a method to punish the Basques.

Check out this note published today at Berria English:

Court-appointed doctor’s report coincides with Otamendi’s complaint

The doctor who saw the “Egunkaria” Chief Editor during the time he was being held incommunicado in the hands of the Spanish Civil Guard has testified as a witness before the judge and has confirmed that he received complaints of tortures

Imanol Murua Uria – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

The report of the court-appointed doctor who saw Martxelo Otamendi, the Chief Editor of Egunkaria, every day during the time he was being held incommunicado at the Spanish Civil Guard Headquarters in Madrid coincides with the declarations Otamendi made regarding the bad treatment he had endured; the declarations were made shortly after the incommunicado period was over before Juan Del Olmo, the Spanish National Criminal Court judge. Juan Monge, the court-appointed doctor, testified as a witness the day before yesterday before the Provincial Court of Madrid in the Otamendi torture complaints case and confirmed what had been stated in his reports.

According to the National Criminal Court doctor’s reports of February 21 and 22 on his visits to him on very premises of the Civil Guard, Otamendi told him that the Civil Guards had made him do squats and press-ups, had stripped him and had not allowed him sleep, among other things. In the report dated February 23, in contrast, the Court Doctor Monge records that Otamendi had told him that he was “fine” and that he had seemed to be “unforthcoming”. According to the minutes of the declarations that Otamendi made before Judge Juan Del Olmo on the morning of February 25, the civil guards had dragged him out of his cell and threatened to shoot him right there, if he complained to the court-appointed doctor again. This took place after he had told the doctor on February 22 about the bad treatment. Otamendi explained to Del Olmo that this was why he had said “fine” to the doctor the following day, even though the previous day they had subjected him to the same bad treatment including the bag.


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Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Maragall and Carod-Rovira

Today at Berria English:

Maragall sacks Carod-Rovira but does not expel him from Government

He has complied with the PSOE’s orders and has asked the ERC leader to apologise for having met with ETA

Edu Lartzaguren

Yesterday Pasqual Maragall, the President of Catalonia, did not take long to read the statement announcing that he had dismissed his first minister and that he was making him a minister without portfolio. Maragall faithfully complied with the demands the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party) had made the day before and went a step further: he has asked Josep Lluis Carod-Rovira, the former Catalan “Conseller en cap” or second-ranking Catalan official, to “apologise” for having met with ETA (the armed, pro-Basque independence organisation), without the prior knowledge of the “Generalitat” or Catalan Government.

Carod-Rovira said he had offered his resignation to the President on Monday night. After it was disclosed that he had met with ETA representatives at the beginning of January, there was a torrent of declarations in Spanish and Catalan political circles and in the media. In all this the first words uttered by Maragall were those in yesterday’s statement. Maragall said that, as Carod-Rovira was prepared to assume political responsibility for his initiative, he had accepted “his offer to step down from his position as ‘conseller en cap’”. Maragall announced that Carod-Rovira would be a “minister without portfolio”. He added that he was accepting Carod-Rovira’s resignation “to preserve his government’s credibility”. The president said he would be assuming the responsibilities in the government of the leader of the ERC –Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia) – until the work of the Catalan Government could be reorganised.

Strange that in Spain one has to apologize for seeking peace.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Carod-Rovira Resigns

The worst of the worst in Spanish politics came down on Carod-Rovira for daring to find new ways to end the Basque conflict. There are those who do not like peace and will crucify anyone that works towards dialog and understanding.

This note appears today at Yahoo News:

Senior Spanish regional official resigns over ETA meeting
Tue Jan 27,12:49 PM ET Add World - AFP to My Yahoo!

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) - The deputy leader of the government of Spain's Catalonia region resigned under heavy pressure after admitting having met members of the banned Basque separatist group ETA.

Catalan president Pasqual Maragall accepted the resignation of his deputy, Josep Lluis Carod Rovira, who sparked a political row after admitting meeting in France three weeks ago leaders of ETA, blamed for the deaths of 816 people in the past 35 years in its campaign for an independent Basque country.

According to ABC newspaper, he met Mikel Albizu, also known as Mikel Antza, the head of ETA's political wing, and Jose Antonio Urrutikoetxea Bengoetxea, also known as Josu Ternera, on January 3 and 4 in the south of France.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and the head of the Socialist opposition, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, had both demanded the resignation of Carod Rovira.

"I understand perfectly the indignation of all political groups," said Maragall in allusion to Carod Rovira's overture to ETA.

Maragall said that pending the appointment of a new 'conseller en cap' -- the de facto position of regional prime minister in the autonomous Catalan parliament -- Carod Rovira would remain in the government but without portfolio.

The man at the centre of the storm was meanwhile unrepentent.

"I do not want more victims of ETA, nor assassinations or deaths -- that's why I spoke with ETA," Carod Rovira said.

"I am not backing down, nor am I asking forgiveness for my convictions favouring peace and dialogue," he said, insisting he would lead the ERC party into Spain's general election on March 14.

Carod Rovira's leftist and pro-Catalan independence Republican Left (ERC) party only one month ago joined forces with Maragall's Catalan Socialist Party and a hard left ecologist grouping to form a new Catalan government.

Maragall said he had to censure his erstwhile number two.

"He made a serious mistake, and this has prejudiced the credibility of the Catalan government," said Maragall, who in last November's regional election became Catalonia's first left-wing president since the restoration of Spanish democracy in 1975 and the first regional elections in 1980.

But Maragall, who said Carod Rovira would have to answer for his actions before the Catalan parliament, also blasted Aznar's conservative government for in his view "manipulating the press for its own electoral benefit."

It was the pro-government ABC which revealed the ETA meeting in its Monday edition.

In the Basque region itself Carod Rovira's stance was well received in some quarters.

Miren Azkarate, spokesman for the moderate nationalist Basque regional government, said he saw the meeting as "legitimate" while Arnaldo Otegi, spokesman for ETA's banned political wing Batasuna, praised Carod Rovira for having the "political courage to dare to tell the truth instead of hiding it."

Aznar's Popular Party (PP) is currently leading the Socialists in the polls as it seeks a third straight general election victory in just six weeks time.

The PP is being led into the election by Mariano Rajoy, the handpicked successor of Aznar, who has decided to not stand for a third term in office.


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Carod-Rovira Admits Meeting

Today at Berria English:

Carod-Rovira admits he met with ETA "to help towards achieving a cease-fire"

He said the ETA leaders had requested the meeting and stressed that he had attended in his capacity as the general secretary of the ERC, and not as a representative of the Catalan Government

Editoria Staff – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

Josep Lluis Carod-Rovira, the "Conseller en cap" or second-ranking official of the "Generalitat" or Government of Catalonia and General Secretary of the ERC –Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia)– said yesterday that he had held a meeting with ETA (the armed, pro-Basque independence organisation) and confirmed the information disclosed by the Spanish newspaper ABC. Carod-Rovira pointed out that the meeting with the leaders of the armed organisation had been requested by the organisation and had taken place when he was already a member of the Catalan Government. He stressed, however, that he had gone in his capacity as the ERC General Secretary with the aim of "achieving a cease-fire and to contributing towards getting ETA to give up its armed activity".

Carod-Rovira’s appearance aroused a lot of media curiosity. The ERC general secretary did not take any questions and when he appeared before the media was accompanied by four people: Jordi Carbonell, the Chairman of the ERC, Cassia Just, the former priest of Montserrat, August Gil-Matamala, a lawyer, and Salvador Cardus, a sociologist. The four supported Carod-Rovira’s position.

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Saturday, January 24, 2004

Etxerat and Catalan Parliament

This was published today at Gara:


The president of the Catalan Parliament receives Etxerat

In Geneva they also had a meeting with the Human Rights Commission of the U.N.

Etxerat ended the tour it has been carrying out through Milan, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Barcelona and Geneva. Eyes have been fixed on happenings in the latter two cities, where they had meetings with the President of the Catalan Parliament and with representatives of the U.N Human Rights Commission.

GARA

DONOSTIA

Barcelona and Geneva were the centre of attention on the last day of the tour that relatives of Basque political prisoners have been carrying out through different European cities. For the duration of this informative tour they have been fasting.

The meeting held by Josu Cerrato and Miren Olaskoaga, representing prisoners' relatives, with the President of the Catalan parliament Ernest Benach (ERC), provoked a flood of criticism from the PP, the Collective of Victims of Terrorism (Covite), the Association of victims of Terrorism (AVT) and the Catalan Association of Victims of Terrorist Organisations (ACVOT).

After the meeting, Benach committed himself to bringing what is known as the Virreina Manifesto to the attention of the political groups that make up the chamber. This manifesto has been signed by 65 different groups and demands “the end to the policy of prisoner dispersal, distancing and isolation of Basque prisoners”.

However, outside these postures, Etxerat completed their agenda which was full of interviews and met with representatives of the UGT and CCOO trade unions; with Joan Herrera, parliamentarian for Initiative for Catalunya- and head of the list for the Spanish elections- Unió Democratica de Catalunya as well as Jordi Miralles of IU, and with members of Nunca Mais. Before the fast ended 500 people came together in the La Virreina square behind the banner “Basque prisoners to the Basque Country”.


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Friday, January 23, 2004

Ruiz Piñeiro : No Need for Euskara

Today at Berria English:

A judge has no need to know Basque, according to Ruiz Piñeiro

He says judges need to know about justice and that knowing a co-official language can be regarded as an advantage

Eider Goenaga – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

Fernando Ruiz Piñeiro, the new President of the High Court of Justice of the BAC [Basque Autonomous Community of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa], does not think that it is necessary to know Basque to be a judge in Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. “For a judge to carry out his or her work, there is no need for him or her to know a co-official language. The only thing which is essential and which has priority in a judge’s work is a knowledge of justice and knowing how to apply it,” declared the former judge of the Spanish National High Court during the “El Punto” programme of the ETB2 channel (of the BAC television corporation).

According to Ruiz Piñeiro it is “essential” to stress this. Furthermore, the President of the BAC High Court pointed out that this is also stated in the current regulations and that Basque can be regarded as an advantage, but not as an indispensable obligation. “What the current regulations establish is that knowledge of a co-official language can be considered an advantage for certain specific posts; which is the case in regional law,” he explained. Ruiz Piñeiro was recently appointed to take over from Manuel Maria Zorrilla in the BAC High Court of Justice after competing for the post with another two judges, Jaime Tapia and Concepcion Marco Cacho; he will be taking up his post in February. In yesterday’s ETB2 television interview he spoke not only about Basque, but also on a range of other subjects, including the BAC Government’s Proposal to Reform the Statute [of Autonomy], the latest reform of the Criminal Code and the legal proceedings against Juan Maria Atutxa, Gorka Knörr and Kontxi Bilbao in the court he will be presiding.

The thing is, does he know about justice?

Because so far judges in Spain are nothing but repressive tools in the hands of the political class in Madrid.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Navarre Versus Ibarretxe

This plays right into the hands of those who insist that Navarre and the Basque Country are two different entities.

It was published today at Berria English:

Navarrese Government lodges two appeals against Ibarretxe’s Plan

Arguing that “it infringes on the powers of Navarre and the Spanish Constitution” they have lodged an appeal with the Constitutional Court and will shortly be filing another one with the High Court of Justice of the Basque Autonomous Community

Irene Arrizurieta – IRUNEA (Pamplona)

The Navarrese Government lodged an appeal yesterday morning with the Spanish Constitutional Court against Ibarretxe’s Proposal, arguing that it “infringes on the powers of Navarre and the Spanish Constitution”. They will soon be lodging another administrative one with the High Court of Justice of the BAC (Basque Autonomous Community of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa). In each one the Government of the UPN and the CDN has requested that Ibarretxe’s plan be dropped.

The Government of the Navarrese President, Miguel Sanz, has presented a substantive power conflict before the Constitutional Court. Yesterday Alberto Catalan, the Navarrese Government spokesman, explained the reason: “The powers and legal system of Navarre have been infringed upon and a mockery has been made of the people of Navarre.” In Catalan’s view the references made to Navarre in the preface and in Article 6 of Ibarretxe’s proposal inflict “serious damage” on the Charter or Regional Community [of Navarre]. He criticised the fact that “When the BAC Government refers to Navarre without having the legitimacy to do so, it is taking the representation of Navarre and its institutions upon itself.” The Navarrese Government spokesman held that the BAC Government did not “have the power to say that the people of Navarre have the right to decide their own future”. Another reason for taking the issue to court is that the Proposal contravenes Article 145 of the Spanish Constitution. The Proposal states: “The institutions of both Navarre and the BAC shall decide on the links between them.” Catalan, however, when referring to the Constitution, said that “these decisions” require “Spanish Government approval”.

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Tuesday, January 20, 2004

EBLUL Defends Euskara

Today at Berria English:

EBLUL says curbs on Basque language "totally unacceptable"

The situation in Navarre is "extremely worrying" for the European Bureau of Little Used Languages. It will be submitting its report to the European Council today; yesterday it was at the Parliament and Education Department of Navarre

Alberto Barandiaran – IRUNEA (Pamplona)

According to the report of the EBLUL, the European Bureau of Little Used Languages, presented in the Navarrese Parliament and Education Department yesterday, the status of the Basque language (Euskara) in Navarre could be comparable with that of a ghetto. The advisory body to the United Nations Organisation and the European Council believes that the situation of the language in the territory is "extremely worrying" and that the steps backwards taken in the last few years are "totally unacceptable" in Europe.

The EBLUL completed its report after analysing the situation in Navarre, and the organisation’s representative, Aureli Argemi, is scheduled to submit it today to the European Council itself. A group of experts from the Council will in fact be visiting Navarre next month to gather information and then put together its own report. The report will decide whether the Spanish State is complying with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which the country ratified in 2001.
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Sunday, January 18, 2004

Imaz is Elected

Berria English:

EAJ elects Imaz as leader and sets collaboration among Basque nationalists as objective

The manifesto unanimously adopted by the General Assembly gives priority to cooperation among those who recognise the Basque Country’s right to decide; the condition is the disappearance or renunciation of violence

Aitziber Laskibar – BILBO

In an event held at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbo yesterday morning and afternoon the 4th General Assembly of the EAJ (Basque Nationalist Party) elected Josu Jon Imaz as chairman of the EBB (Party National Executive Committee). It also unanimously passed the political manifesto that gives priority to the setting out of a national strategy for the whole of the Basque Country and to the achieving of broad consensus among Basque nationalists. The former spokesman for the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community [of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa] is set to take over from Xabier Arzalluz today in an open political event to take place at midday.


And this could be bad news.

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Friday, January 16, 2004

City of Baiona Fines Demo

Today at Berria English:
Baiona court imposes 33,000 euro fine on Demo members

The Demo members have explained that they do not accept the judgement and that they will be filing an appeal with the court of Pau. They are denouncing the fact that through this judgement the Court has expressed its approval of the economic war begun by the French railways

Aitor Renteria – BAIONA (Bayonne)

Yesterday the Baiona Court announced its judgement in the case against the Demo (1) members heard on January 8. Those convicted will have to pay nearly 33,000 euros. The Magistrate has imposed two kinds of fine on the pro-Basque language activists: 400 euros for those in work and 300 euros for the students and unemployed. On top of that those convicted will have to pay the SNCF, the company that runs the French Railways, 9,300 euros in compensation for five trains which had difficulties. The Magistrate has explained that they will have to pay the compensation through joint liability, in other words, if one of the convicted is unable to pay, the rest will be responsible for payment. They will also have to pay court costs: 1,200 euros.

The Magistrate has imposed an additional penalty on the people who have already been tried for acting against the SNCF. So Gorka Torre, Pascal Mulet and Jokin Zaldunbide have had their driving licenses taken away from them for three months. Jean Francois Blanco, the Demo lawyer, explained that the Magistrate can take the decision to take away driving licenses when the fines are imposed. Gorka Torre is a Seaska (2) school teacher and yesterday he did not know how he was going to get to school today. As soon as the Magistrate’s judgement was made known, the Demo members said that they would be filing an appeal. If they do so, the Court of Pau will handle the affair.

Yesterday Demo’s Jean Noel Etxeberri said, “With the violence meted out by the police the Court of Baiona has taken a qualitative leap with this judgement.” He stressed the fact that the penalty imposed was very harsh and explained that the court agreed with the SNCF’s strategy. “The SNCF wants to take advantage of the economic war to stifle our movement, but it has to realise that we will inflict greater losses and that we are not going to give in. If they want continue this way, the cost they will incur will be two hundred times higher than that involved in putting a bilingual policy into effect in all the stations in the Northern Basque Country.”

(1) Demoak: a movement using active, non-violent means created in the Northern Basque Country (under French jurisdiction) in 2000. It demands DEMOcracy for the Basque Country, an effective Basque language policy, a Basque département and respect for the rights of Basque political prisoners.

(2) Seaska: the Association of Ikastolas or Basque-medium schools in the Northern Basque Country (under French jurisdiction).
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Thursday, January 15, 2004

Spaniard Brags About Assasination

Just so you understand how twisted things are in Spain, a Spaniard is bragging about being behind the murder of the Basque activist known as Argala.

Argala is credited with being the master mind of the operation that targeted Admiral Carrero Blanco, Francisco Franco's successor. Many historians claim that the dismissal of Carrero Blanco was the reason why the Francoist regime was unable to perpetuate itself giving way to a softer dictatorship under Juan Carlos Borbon who was designated as the king of Spain by no other than Francisco Franco.

Here you have the article about this issue:

Spain: Ex-Army official claims responsibility for killing leading Basque separatist

By Vicky Short
15 January 2004

Under the headline "I killed Carrero Blanco's assassin," the December 21 El Mundo published an interview with an ex-army official. Referred to as "Leonidas," the 55-year-old confesses to being part of a commando unit that killed the leading Basque separatist, José Miguel Bañaran Ordeñana, alias Argala, on December 21, 1978, in France.

According to Leonidas, Argala was targeted because he was the leader of the team and activated the explosive charge that blew up the car containing the fascist dictator General Franco's handpicked president and successor, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, in 1973. Blanco's assassination was the biggest coup for the separatist organisation ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna—Basque Homeland and Freedom), and was considered as the last nail in the coffin of the crumbling fascist regime.

Carrero Blanco had been made vice admiral in 1963 and an admiral in 1966. He came to control government affairs as vice premier (1967- 73). In June 1973, when Franco separated the duties of head of state and head of government, Carrero Blanco became premier. Since he had been influential in developing contacts with monarchist groups, his appointment was generally regarded as a step toward Franco's planned restoration of the monarchy under King Juan Carlos, under conditions in which the dictatorship remained in place.

While Carrero's assassination was attributed to ETA, there were rumours that other forces were operating behind the scenes, forces that saw Carrero Blanco as an obstacle to the liberalisation of the Spanish economy and government. One of those who adhered to this theory was the general secretary of the Communist Party, Santiago Carrillo, who in his memoirs writes:

"It was clear to anyone with a minimum of experience in clandestine work that without important and very high level protection, the ETA members would have been arrested long before realising their target. The death of Carrero Blanco is one of those mysteries...that have not been explained and I don't know if they ever will."

Carrillo adds, "It is very likely, however, that even without the knowledge of the perpetrators, behind them hid the real brains of this resounding success." Some of his contacts were surprised that the police had not closed the roads on the day of the outrage or the days that followed. At the time, Carrillo was deep in negotiations with sections of the ruling elite, including Franco's nephew Nicolás Franco Pascual de Pobil.

During the period of Carrero's premiership, a revolutionary situation was developing. Old regimes such as the Greek junta and the Portuguese dictatorship of Salazar were being brought down. These developments had an enormous impact on the people of Spain, who had for 34 years suffered under the yoke of the Franco dictatorship.

Sections within the Franco regime itself, the so-called "aperturistas," mindful of the social turbulence that was occurring among the Spanish working class and conscious of the parlous state and isolation of the country's economy under Franco's autocratic rule, had begun discussions with leaders of the workers' organisations on the possibility of transforming the regime while at the same time stifling the threatening social revolution.

After the death of Franco in 1975, as part of a general amnesty intended to smooth the path towards the class compromise that led to the so-called "peaceful transition" from dictatorship to bourgeois democracy, imprisoned ETA members suspected of killing Carrero Blanco had been freed. "Leonidas" declares in the interview, "We never understood that the government would give amnesty to the people whoattacked don Luis Carrero, so after we killed Argala we felt happy, we had done our duty and had carried out justice for our Admiral... We all considered that we had done a great service to our country."

The assassination squad was composed of eight people: three marines, one air force official, one civilian, one official of the notorious Civil Guard and two army officers. "Leonidas" says that the idea for the revenge attack on Argala was initiated by Carrero Blanco's mates, the marines, all of whom came from the spy service. For more than seven months, they had prepared and directed the fatal attempt against Argala, who had by that time become one of the leading ETA military figures. The commando unit also included an ex-member of the French secret service, Jean Pierre Cherid; a member of the Argentine "triple A" (Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista), Jose Maria Boccardo; and an Italian fascist, Mario Ricci.

When asked about the role of the last three, "Leonidas" explains that because they had such experience (in counter-insurgency, death squads, etc.), they were in charge of spotting, watching and controlling Argala and finding safe houses for the team.

The commando unit watched Argala for about six months. "Leonidas" says that they could have killed him before, but they wanted to do it on the anniversary of the death of Carrero Blanco, on December 20. (As it happened, Argala did not leave his house on that day and was murdered the following day instead.)

"Leonidas" says that the explosives that killed Argala came from an American base, Torrejon or Rota: "I know that the Americans did not know what they were to be used for. It was a personal favour to Pedro, the marine."

After the explosion and the death of Argala, "each member of the group left the scene and returned to Spain by different means. The majority went through Paris, although others went via Nantes and Bordeaux. Some stayed in France waiting for things to calm down before returning to Spain." Asked about the financing of the operation, "Leonidas" replies that it came mainly from a bank loan applied for on "a personal basis." The weapons were bought in Belgium.

He then describes how, after they had all returned to Spain, they met in a restaurant to celebrate the success of their action and the fact that don Luis had been avenged.

Asked if he would act in the same way today, 25 years later, "Leonidas" says that they were young at the time, but "I also want to say that I am not sorry for what I did."

He then goes on to deny any comparison between the BVE (Batallón Vasco Español)—to which he obviously belonged—and the GAL (Grupos Armados de Liberación)—the rightist terror squad that was in fact funded secretly by the Socialist Party government of Felipe Gonzalez. "We were not backed by anybody and we acted as patriots. The [socialist] government was behind the actions of the GAL and also they all acted for money."

Despite protestations by "Leonidas" against any suggestion that the regime or the armed forces and intelligence services were behind their crime, the newspaper adds a note at the end of the interview showing that quite the opposite was the case. The consequent evolution in the career of some of those involved in the assassination also points to the affinity between the BVE and the GAL.

The naval captain, Pedro Martinez, better known as Pedro El Marino, was the leading light of the entire operation, obtaining the people and the explosives utilised. After the assassination of Carrero Blanco and Franco's death in 1975, Pedro El Marino became the coordinator of all the small groups that wanted to take revenge on ETA. He began the dirty war against ETA.

According to the newspaper, Pedro el Marino was a member of the naval intelligence and gathered around him a group of mercenaries and ultra-rightists that included Cherid and Ricci. Cherid later became one of the most active mercenaries in the dirty war against ETA. He died in 1984 when explosives he was going to place near an ETA leader exploded. Among the remains of his car and body, the French gendarmerie found a telephone list that included the numbers of the Centre of Special Operation of the Ministry of the Interior and a Civil Guard official. They also found a membership card of the General Office of the Civil Guards with his photograph and a false name. After his death, his wife claimed her widow's pension from the Ministry.

Noticed that he is such a coward than even today he goes by an alias?

This guy should be in jail, but no, since he is a Spaniard he walks free.

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Arzalluz Bids Farewell

Today at Berria English:

Expressing confidence in new leadership Arzalluz bids farewell to Party National Executive Committee

Set to retire as Chairman of the EAJ National Executive Committee at the weekend he says that from then onwards he will just be an EAJ member; “I shall be leading my own life”

Aitziber Laskibar – BILBO

On the eve of the EAJ (Basque Nationalist Party) General Assembly Xabier Arzallus gave his last press conference yesterday as chairman of the EBB (National Executive Committee). At the coming weekend’s general assembly Josu Jon Imaz is set to take over from Arzalluz officially; from that moment onwards Arzallus says he will be retiring from politics and leading a life of his own choosing.

“My first plan is to do nothing; I have a lot of papers to sort out and many things to read and write,” he said. Moreover, when asked what his role in the party would be, he said he would have none at all; “I’m going to make a clean break and lead my own life,” he added happily.

Indeed, he recalled that he had expressed his wish to retire from the party leadership four years ago and the person who had been the EBB Chairman for over twenty years admitted that for a long time he had been counting the days left. “This work is not very gratifying, because you don’t see the results immediately,” he explained. Moreover, the time spent in the leadership “was like a tunnel until it finished.”

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Wednesday, January 14, 2004

IBO : Due Process

Here you have a press release by the International Basque Organization for Human Rights regarding the shady process endured by the six Basque refugees in Mexico:

Why are Basques not receiving Due Process in Mexican Courts?

The International Basque Organization For Human Rights calls upon Mexican authorities, and the Mexican Attorney General, to refuse extradition of six Mexican Basques to Spain and to provide the six legal counsel and a full and fair opportunity in a public proceeding to present testimony and evidence in opposition to the extradition requests by the country of Spain. The traditional due process standards for international judicial proceedings adhered to by the rest of the free world must be followed in these cases and the six must be allowed to present any and all defenses they may have to extradition with the assistance of counsel competent in international law.

These six, José María Urquijo Borde, Ernesto Alberdi Alejalde, Asier Arronategi Duralde, Félix Salustiano García, Juan Artola Díaz y María Asunción Gorrotxategi,have been accused by Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon of being a part of ETA. Garzon claims they were laundering cash and that some of the accused had incriminating videotapes and computer documents in their homes. Attorneys for the defendants claim these charges are ludicrous, that, in fact, the incriminating tape was a documentary about the Basque Country, and money laundering charges stem from relatives wiring funds to each other after the sale of personal property. In fact, one of the accused had been wiring funds to the Basque Country because he and his family were preparing to move back, and had even purchased their airline tickets.

Mexican law places the burden of showing sufficient cause to extradite the accused squarely upon the party or parties seeking extradition. Yet, none of the evidence supposedly gathered against the accused has been shown in court. Under these circumstances, the extradition requests cannot be granted pursuant to Mexican law. In spite of all this, Garzon is pushing hard for Mexico to extradite the accused to Spain.

Why this sudden, hard push for Mexico to send Mexican-Basques back to Spain, after having lived, worked and raised families for years, decades even? Many human rights organizations such as the Mexican group "Fideicomiso para la Infancia " claim that these prisoners are being used as currency. In other words, if Mexico likes doing
business with Spain, they had better do what Spain wants. After Spain and Mexico crafted their extradition treaty, Mexican-Basque refugees were quickly charged with terrorism by Spain, and their extraditions were requested. At the same time, Spanish business increased within Mexico.

In one recent extradition case, the accused, Lorenzo Llona, spent months in prison awaiting extradition to Spain on 20 year old charges, before his lawyers proved that he had actually been sitting in a Mexican government office processing legal paperwork the very same day that Spanish authorities accused him of committing a terrorist act. Even so, Spain continued the extradition request, until Mexican authorities freed Llona with no charges.

On top of the total outrageousness of the extradition process is the disturbing fact that if these accused are extradited to Spain, they will be taken to the Guardia Civil headquarters in Madrid and will be held incommunicado for 5 days. No lawyers, no access to the outside world and access to court-appointed physicians only, who indeed, are a part of the system. Many prisoners in Spain held under these conditions routinely complain of torture. Human rights organizations world-wide, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and European Committee for the Prevention of Torture have complained about torture in Spain and the conditions which lead to it.

It would seem for the best, given these facts, for the six accused to remain in Mexico until the charges are sorted out. They are certainly entitled to no less due process than the former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, enjoyed when Garzon attempted to subject Kissinger to the jurisdiction of the Spanish courts to depose him concerning crimes in South America. Perhaps for political reasons, that ill-advised attempt by Garzon utterly failed.

IBO urges readers to voice their concerns about the Mexican extradition process to:

Ambassador Juan José Bremer
Embassy of Mexico in the United States
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Fax: (202) 728-1615

and

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
1889 F St., NW, Washington, D.C., USA 20006.
Telephone: (202)458-6002
Fax: (202)458-3992.

For more information, please contact:

International Basque Organization For Human Rights
P.O. Box 225
Corte Madera, CA 94976
www.euskojustice.org

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The Rights of a Language

Today at Berria Englsih:

Call for commitment in favour of citizens’ language rights

Yesterday the “Kontseilua” of the Basque language presented the initiative: “Language rights. Everyone’s commitment”

Amagoia Iban – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

Six years ago “Kontseilua”, the Council of Social Groups in Favour of the Basque Language, launched the “Bai Euskarari” (Yes to the Basque Language) campaign in favour of the normalisation of the Basque language. The closing event took place on December 26, 1998 when five sports stadiums filled with people who defended their position with respect to the language. Yesterday, “Kontseilua” members recalled that event and said that in recent times many “serious” attacks had been carried out on the Basque language; they highlighted the “weakening” of the Basque language normalisation process.

As a result of the 1998 campaign many social organisations signed the “Bai Euskarari” agreement and the initiative begun at that time is still ongoing. Xabier Mendiguren Bereziartu, the organisation’s general secretary, pointed out yesterday, “Through the ‘Bai Euskarari’ agreement many social organisations have said ‘yes’ to the Basque language, they have made a commitment and implemented steps to bring about the normalisation of the language. What ‘Kontseilua’ aims to do now is to intensify those commitments.” This is why they have launched the campaign: “Hizkuntza eskubideak! Denon konpromisoa” (Language rights. Everyone’s commitment).


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Tuesday, January 13, 2004

Nafarroa Bai

Today at Berria English:

“Nafarroa Bai” aims to usher in “a new era” in Navarrese politics

Five independents make up the joint list of candidates backed by Aralar, EA, the EAJ and Batzarre. They said during the presentation that they wanted to take “the voice of a Basque-speaking, progressive Navarre” to Madrid

Irene Arrizurieta – IRUÑEA (Pamplona)

The Basque nationalist list of candidates “Nafarroa Bai” (Navarre, Yes) backed by Aralar, EA, the EAJ and Batzarre was presented in Iruñea yesterday. The first two on the list of candidates for Congress (lower chamber of the Spanish parliament) are Uxue Barkos, a journalist with the ETB (the Basque television corporation), and Paula Kasares, the former director of the “Hizkuntza Eskubideen Behatokia” (Language Rights Watchdog Committee). The list of candidates for the Senate (upper chamber) is made up of Jose Luis Mendoza, the Chairman of the “Euskara Kultur Elkargoa” (Basque Language Cultural Association), Pablo Lorente, sales representative, and Bixente Serrano Izko, writer and teacher. In yesterday’s appearance they announced that their aim was to take the “voice of a Basque-speaking, progressive Navarre” to Madrid.

Representatives of the parties making up the “Nafarroa Bai” list of candidates were also there to support the list of independent candidates: Jose Antonio Urbiola (EAJ), Koldo Amezketa (EA), Patxi Zabaleta (Aralar) and Joseba Ezeolaza (Batzarre). Carlos Garaikoetxea, the founder of EA and the former Lehendakari or President of the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community (of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa), was also present. The candidates said that with the “Nafarroa Bai” coalition “a new era has begun in Navarrese politics that will doubtlessly be more democratic and will better reflect the pluralism and coexistence of Navarrese politics than previously.” Uxue Barkos, the candidate for Congress, explained: “The aim is for all the voices of Navarre to be present in Madrid. When you look at the representatives in the Spanish Parliament, it looks as if the society of Navarre is of one colour only, but that is not the case”.
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Monday, January 12, 2004

Conseu Meeting Sets Out 'Rights' Road Map

I just ran into this information on the web, I wanted to share it with you:

A meeting in Nantes, Brittany, of the CONSEU (Conference of European Nations without State) on the 9th and 10th of January which brought together delegations from Catalonia, Sardinia, the Canary Islands, Galicia, the Basque country, Flanders, Brittany and the Celtic League has been scathing in its condemnation of disregard for Human Rights conventions by leading European States. Prime offenders identified were France and Spain for their brutal campaigns against the Basque and Breton peoples.

The problem of the political states passing legislation to exempt them from Human Rights conventions on¨"so called anti-terrorist" laws in the wake of September 11th 2001 was also expressly condemned.

There are currently 11 Bretons in Parisian jails, some who have been detained WITHOUT CHARGES for over four years. Their cases are due to come to court between the 1st and 26th of March and all are expected to be released without charges of any form being brought.

The CONSEU have also agreed to set up a monitoring network to gather and disseminate reliable information on the repression of minorities and nations without state in Europe.

The Celtic League will play a key role in helping to establish this network which will put the information on a public access web-site as well as lobbying political bodies and MEPs.

The Celtic League has been participating in the CONSEU since 1996.


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Sunday, January 11, 2004

Good American Name

I was told by a customer yesterday that a person with my accent shouldn't have a good American name like "Alex".

Just for the record, the name "Alex" is not an American name, the name "Alex" is actually a Greek name, as in Alexander the Great, famous Greek-Macedonian general that conquered most of the Middle East and swats of land in Northern Africa and Asia. The city Alexandria in Egypt was named, you guessed it, after him.

Now, the original Greek name is Alexandros, which is why no matter in which language the name is, the nick name is always Alex, with exceptions like the common Russian variation of Sasha, or Calichio in Sicily. Here is a list of variations to the name:

Alesander (Euskara)
Alessandro (Italian)
Alejandro (Spanish)
Alexander (English)
Alexandre (French)
Aleksander (German, Russian)
Iksander (Turkish)

Just one more thing, the name Alexandros has been around for over 3,000 years whereas the United States of America have been around for less than 300 years, how can a name like "Alex" be an American (a good one on top of it) name then?

Wouldn't Pocahontas or Uncas be American names?

Spanish and Basque settlers were the first ones to colonize what is today known as the United States of America, wouldn't then the Euskara and Spanish versions be more American than the English version since they've been around for 500 years?

Never understimate the stupidity of people.

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Friday, January 09, 2004

Powell's Kurdish Pickle

One of the main strategies by those who oppose the self determination of the nations without statehood is to deny they have their own identity. We hear it from the French and the Spaniards in regards of the Basques and the Catalonians, from the French in regards of the Corsicans and the Bretons, from the English in regards of the Welsh and the Scottish, from the Israelis in regards of the Palestinians (fascist Golda Mair and her infamous "a land with no people for a people without land) and so on and so forth.

On the other hand, whenever it is convenient for them, the main stream media applies the label "ethnic" when Washington dictates it, that is the way we get to hear about ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, ethnic Tibetans in China or ethnic Chechens in Russia.

Well, one of Aznar's buddies just acknowledged the ethnic identity of a people that has been denied everything, the Kurds. Here you have the note from Berria:
Powell wants to maintain Kurds' "historical identity"

United States Secretary of State said it was up to the "Iraqis" to sort out the Kurdistan situation

Juanma Sarasola

According to an old Kurdish saying the Kurds have no other friends apart from the mountains. The country divided up among five states (Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Armenia) has over the years seen many promises broken and the support of many they believed to be their allies blown to the winds. Washington is one of those who have promised them help and who have turned their back on them many times after eating their words. Now it seems that the Iraqi Kurds have the United States of America on their side once again. Indeed, the day before yesterday Colin Powell, the White House Secretary of State, supported "their right to maintain their historical identity." Nevertheless, he made it clear that he would not support the "breaking up" of Iraq.

"The Kurds want to preserve their historical identity… but I think it is absolutely clear that that part of Iraq must remain a part of Iraq," said Powell. He explained that Washington's policy was that it was up to the "Iraqis" to find a solution in the future for the situation of the Kurds in the northern region of Iraq. The New York Times had said the day before that the decision of the United States had been to give the Iraqi Kurds a special statute to enable them to maintain their current semi-autonomy. The White House received many warnings against the decision both from Iraq and from the countries of the Middle East. In fact, many have requested that Iraq not be divided up along ethnic lines. Turkey has voiced the greatest concern
regarding an autonomous Kurdistan. As an ally of Washington and a NATO member Ankara does not view the consolidating of the Iraqi Kurds with a proper organisation favourably. Ankara feels that if this happened, the Kurds under Turkish domination might resume their armed struggle through the outlawed and actively persecuted KADEK, the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress. The Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, is scheduled to meet with American President George W. Bush at the end of this month and the Kurdistan conflict will be one of the main items on their agenda.


Very well Colin, what about the "historical identity" of the Basques, you know, like the ones murdered during an air strike represented on a certain tapestry that was concealed behind a blue curtain when you were lying to the world about some inexistent WMD?

I guess Syria, Iran, Armenia and Turkey are not as important as Spain when it comes to getting support for a genocidal war.

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Hearing for Demo

Berria English:

Hearing takes place after courtroom cleared and Demo members injured

Those on trial were kicked out of Court and tear gas was used on them

N. Arbelbide / A. Renteria – BAIONA

There were more than ever in court. 63 accused. The youngest was 16, the oldest 71. They appeared before the magistrate yesterday charged with having obstructed a railway line last November 8. But even if the courtroom was full at the beginning, there was no one left by the time the hearing was over.

The accused were in fact kicked out and tear gas was used on them halfway through the hearing. Half an hour later at 18.25 hours after the courtroom had been emptied, the door had been damaged and the cushions on the seats had been slashed the magistrate resumed the trial that had been adjourned. The Demo members were not present, but the lawyers representing the two sides were. While the lights of the fire fighters were still visible outside, the SNCF lawyer explained what the Demo members were standing accused of. He demanded a total of 14,323.01 euros. The Public Prosecutor for his part requested fines of between 300 and 600 euros each. 600 for those who were in work and who had previous convictions. 300 for the students. There were many students among them. Two of them did not show up, because they were sitting exams. The magistrate said the final sentence would be pronounced on January 15 and that is how the day ended yesterday. It was nearly 19.00 hours and the hearing had lasted five hours. Yesterday’s magistrate explained that the person aged 16 would have a different trial, because she did not have the power to try him or her.


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Wednesday, January 07, 2004

Solidarity

Today at Berria English:

Seeking solidarity in Europe

Basque prisoners’ relatives are staging a hunger strike and undertaking a number of initiatives in Geneva, Milan, Brussels, Paris and Berlin

Gurutze Izagirre – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

Over a hundred people are on hunger strike in European cities to denounce the situation of the Basque prisoners and to ask for solidarity. They set off from the Basque Country on Sunday and will be away until the weekend. The hunger strikers told BERRIA that the best way to ward off the cold has been the warmth and solidarity they have been receiving in Geneva, Berlin, Milan and Brussels, although in some of the cities it has not been easy to cope with the cold. One of the hunger strikers in Berlin said, “Last night [Monday night] it was 18 degrees below zero in Berlin.” But this person admitted that the local people were looking after them well. There was in fact a reception committee in each city waiting for the hunger strikers.

In Berlin the associations forging international solidarity have organised a reception committee. When the hunger strikers arrived at midday on Monday the reception committee was waiting for them in front of the building where they are now staging the protest. 23 people from the Basque Country have gone to Berlin. When they arrived they divided themselves up into working groups and set up three committees. One to produce campaign literature, another to work on relations with the media and the third to be in charge of resources. In Berlin they have been mostly holding rallies and giving talks.

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Tuesday, January 06, 2004

Europe: Hunger Strike

Today at Berria English:

Basque prisoners’ relatives in Europe on hunger strike to denounce situation of loved ones

They are set to stage hunger strikes and hold meetings with social organisations in Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Brussels, Milan and Barcelona

Editorial Staff – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

Relatives of Basque prisoners have begun their protest scheduled to take place in a number of European cities. Over a hundred people showed up at the Amara bus station in Donostia (San Sebastian) on Sunday morning. Basque prisoners’ relatives and friends set out from there on their way to a number of European cities to denounce the situation of the prisoners. This will be their objective: to inform the organisations of Europe about the situation the Basque prisoners are facing in the prisons of France and Spain, and to ask for support and assistance. With this purpose two coaches and a van set out from Donostia at 10.30 hours in the morning.

They will be holding the series of protests in the following cities: Paris, Brussels, Geneva, Berlin, Milan and Barcelona. They are heading for Barcelona today. The prisoners’ relatives and friends will be in these cities to draw attention to the rights of their loved ones. The protests will go on until this weekend and the participants will be on hunger strike in the meantime. While the protests are being made in each city, the relatives will be meeting with local social, trade union and political organisations. The aim of these meetings is to transmit direct information on the situation of the Basque prisoners.

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Monday, January 05, 2004

Basque Prisoners to Euskal Herria!

Today at Berria English

Thousands in Bilbo call for transfer of prisoners to Basque Country

In the rain they proclaimed the right of the Basque prisoners to participate in the political process

Aitziber Laskibar – BILBO

In Bilbao yesterday thousands of people demanded the transfer of Basque political prisoners to the Basque Country in response to the demonstration called by the “Amnistiaren Aldeko Mugimendua” (Pro-Amnesty Movement). Numerous people put up with the rain and appeared on the streets of Bilbo in support of the slogan: “Euskal Herriaren alde eraginez euskal presoak Euskal Herrira” (Basque prisoners to the Basque Country in favour of the Basque Country).

Carrying a huge version of the symbol demanding the transfer of Basque prisoners to the Basque Country (*) dancers opened the way for the marchers just after five in the afternoon from the Aita Donostia square. Behind the symbol came the logo of the “Euskal Preso Politikoen Kolektiboa” (Basque Political Prisoners’ Group) followed by photos of 700 political prisoners held by as many prisoners’ relatives. Then came the banner with the slogan of the demonstration. This was carried by members of the Pro-Amnesty Movement, relatives of Basque political prisoners, lawyers and former prisoners. Behind came thousands of people in the rain taking refuge under umbrellas and repeating the demands being given out over the public address system. Shouts mainly in favour of amnesty could be heard, there were also some in favour of the return of Basque political refugees and against the dispersion of prisoners. There were also shouts in memory of Sara Fernandez, who was killed in a car accident last November while on her way to visit the Irunea (Pamplona)-born prisoner Inaki Etxeberria. As is customary, the photographers took most of the photos in the Zabalburu square, where the big rallies held in Bilbo tend to be measured; in the photo of this protest it was not possible to make out the back of the demonstration. The organisers were therefore happy with the number of people who had turned out.

(*) The symbol consists of a number of red arrows converging on a map of the Basque Country.




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Sunday, January 04, 2004

New Year Resolutions

What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself into the sunset.

~ Crowfoot


2004 is here. The author of this blog vows to continue to publish his thoughts and his findings through this vehicle.

What can you expect for this year?

Well, I am not sure, I usually go with the flow. One thing is for sure, the title "Searching for Peace and Democracy for the Basque Country" will continue to be the driving force behind this project. What I am trying to create here is awareness and why not, a little bit of curiosity about who the Basques are and our place in both history and current events.

I will continue to shed light on the history and cultural expressions of my people, expect to see essays, photos, links and all kinds of information revolving or somehow connected to the Basque quest for self determination.

Now, that is not all what this blog will be about, expect a few personal essays targeted at my own soul-searching thoughts, one that will be brought up to pretty soon is my thought about age and the social conventions around something that happens to all of us, about the hypocrisy in which some people approaches the matter and the consequences of a bias that erodes our society, one that not too many want to accept exists, the opening thought for this post has to do with that.

If you are ready for the 12 months roller coaster, hop in, we are ready to go!

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Friday, January 02, 2004

From the Selva Lacandona

Berria English:

Zapatistas reaffirm commitment to struggle

In the town of Oventic they have condemned the Government’s attitude and have called for the work to be continued

Editorial Staff
Yesterday and the day before yesterday the Zapatistas reaffirmed their commitment to carry on the struggle in favour of autonomy and indigenous rights during a number of jamborees held in the autonomous towns of Chiapas (“Caracoles” or Snails) to mark the 10th anniversary of the EZLN, the Zapatista National Liberation Army. “Only by rising up and hanging on to this can we build up our autonomy as an indigenous people,” declared Alvaro, member of the Oventic Good Government Committee.

The Zapatistas reviewed their work over the last ten years and called on the people present to carry on. “To be able to live freely we have to carry on our work and not give up or betray ourselves.” The Zapatista representative said in this respect that they were grateful for the international support they had received and asked the hundreds of people from all over the world who had come together in Chiapas to go on offering help: “We have been able to go our way thanks to the participation of the local people, but also thanks to the solidarity of the citizens of the whole world. Help us as much as you can.”

He explained that the Zapatistas’ struggle was against neo-liberalism and said in this respect that “the fight against the common adversary” had to be continued everywhere.

The Zapatista representative declared during his public appearance in Oventic that the uprising led by the EZLN, the Zapatista National Liberation Army, on 1 January 1994 in Chiapas was the most important period in the history of the indigenous peoples. “It was a revolt against 500 years of neglect, marginalisation and injustice that we local people had been suffering.” He recalled that the event had turned the Zapatista movement into the symbol of the struggle for self-determination of peoples all over the world; however, he denounced the situation that the indigenous peoples were still suffering. “We live under the military threat posed by the Mexican Government”. The Zapatistas denounced the Mexican Government for hampering the work of the Good Government Committees set up last summer in 30 autonomous villages of Chiapas. “They have been restricting our development, blocking off roads, cutting off water and electricity supplies, occupying our land, closing down schools…,” they pointed out.

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Thursday, January 01, 2004

It's Here!

Happy

2004 ! ! ! !

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