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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