IBO: Spanish Embassies Lied

This just in:

PRESS RELEASE
March 14, 2004
International Basque Organization For Human Rights

Spain's Foreign Minister Ana Palacio ordered all Spanish embassies around the world to blame the Madrid attacks on ETA. This has been done even though an Al Qaeda group has claimed responsibility, ETA has denied involvement, and the explosives used were of a kind NOT usually used by ETA (contrary to what has been reported in the western media).

Just a few weeks ago, Ms. Palacio made a statement to the magazine "National Review Online" :

"The problem of the Basques, she says, is nothing less than the problem of freedom: Half the population lives under threat of terror from the other half, and what kind of life is that?"

According to Foreign Minister Palacio, ETA is guilty before the proof is in, and half the Basque population are terrorists. This is what the current Spanish government wants the rest of the world to believe. When will the United States and others wake up to what is REALLY going on in Spain regarding the Basque region? Basques abhor violence and want to see the perpetrators of this most recent horrific attack caught and punished quickly. What we are seeing instead, are Basques being scapegoated by the Spanish government. They blame not just ETA, but anyone who has "nationalist" beliefs; anyone who supports the non-violent road to Basque self-determination and anyone who dares to speak out about human and civil rights abuses occuring against Basques. Just look at the signs that the PP government requested people to demonstrate under. They read "With the victims, with the Constitution, by the defeat of the terrorism." Solidarity with victims, YES, of course! Defeat of terrorism, YES! However, the phrase "with the constitution" is a direct reference to Basque leader Ibarretxe's proposal for a new relationship with Spain, something the Spanish government says is impossible because it would be necessary to change their constitution. The PP is using this horrible tragedy for political purposes - Cry for the victims and pledge to uphold the Constitution against those Basques!

There is also the issue of Spain's general election being held this Sunday. If the ruling party, PP, keeps blaming ETA, they are bound to get more votes because they are tough on terrorism. If Al Qaeda is brought into the picture, the PP will lose votes, due to the fact that the attack would have been a direct result of Jose Marie Aznar aligning Spain with the U.S. and Britain for the war against Iraq, against the wishes of 90% of his country.

Hmmmm...


International Basque Organization For Human Rights
PO Box 225
Corte Madera, CA 94976
1 415 924-2151
www.euskojustice.org

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