Telegram From Gernika

I was looking for information on how to contact Nicholas Rankin who is the author of the book "Telegram from Gernika" because he signed our Basque Petition last week, I ran into this page that has a review of his book and the life of George Steer, the main topic in the mentioned book, go check it out here.

Nicholas Rankin

Telegram from Guernica

(Faber & Faber, 2003)

As a war correspondent in the 1930s, George Steer took sides. He was one of the first to see the 20th century's most fearsome war machines used against civilian populations. He took a stand against colonialism and fascism.

Steer later became a propagandist for the British army in Africa and Asia before his untimely death. The fearless writer, who was in more dangerous situations in 10 years than most people in a lifetime, died in a freak vehicle accident in India just before the war ended.

Nicholas Rankin investigates the South African-born journalist's short life in Telegram from Guernica. Rankin uses the prolific Steer's writings between about 1935 and 1944, including six books, hundreds of news stories and letters to family and friends, to show the extraordinary life of this war correspondent in the volatile period before World War II.

Steer's career as a journalist spanned three fronts, where underdogs fought valiantly against the great powers. His sympathy with the Ethiopians, the Basques and the Finns, all facing incredible odds in their struggles, is passionate. Steer then threw his energies into helping Britain win the war through a brilliant propaganda campaign. Rankin deftly evokes these struggles and Steer's role in them.

George Steer has two claims to fame: Besides being the father of modern military propaganda, he was involved in breaking the largest news story of the Spanish Civil War, that of the Nazi bombing of the Basque town of Guernica (Gernika), which was later made famous by Pablo Picasso's painting. On the day of the attack, Steer happened to be driving in the vicinity and had to dive into a huge crater to escape air attacks by planes on the way to Guernica. The next day, he returned to the area and did a full investigation of the atrocities.

He also witnessed the fall of the Basque city of Bilbao to dictator Francisco Franco. He was close to the Basque government, for whom he has a high level of esteem and sympathy. While the rest of Spain was under the control of either the left or the right, the Basque country, Steer says, was a model of democracy and restraint. Yet this model democracy was all but abandoned by the Western powers. When Steer died, he was found wearing a watch that was a gift "to Steer from the Basque Republic," from the President of Euskadi, Jose Antonio Aguirre.

Steer also a close friend of Ethiopian monarch Haile Selassie, who he helped return to power. He had been there when the Italians invaded Ethiopia (Abyssinia) with the intent to colonize the last African-run country. He saw the victims of gas. Later, in one of the first Allied victories, Steer's propaganda machine helped drive the Italians out of Ethiopia, and then Steer helped ensure it would remain independent rather than become an English colony.

Steer also wrote about the heroic struggle of the newly independent Finns against the Soviet Union -- skis against tanks. "The Finnish troops had white uniforms and cloaks and flitted like ghosts on hissing skis," Rankin writes. The Finns were forced to give up territory but had 58,000 dead and wounded as opposed to hundreds of thousands of Russians. He notes that British planes and equipment were sent to help in the relief of Finland, and speculates that even a quarter of that aid would have helped the Basques or Ethiopians to fight off the fascists.

For those interested in discovering the unknown corners of modern history, this is a great read. Rankin, an able writer, has evident sympathy for Steer. To learn more about World War Two and its prologues, you couldn't have a better guide than George Steer, as illuminated by Nicholas Rankin. If it was happening, Steer was there.

- Rambles
written by David Cox
published 12 July 2003

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To del Olmo: Release Uria!

Today at Berria.info:

Judge requested once again to release Uria

Elosua, his lawyer, argues that there is no reason whatsoever for keeping him in prison

Imanol Murua Uria – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

As there is no reason whatsoever for keeping Iñaki Uria, the managing director of Egunkaria, behind bars, his lawyer, Joxe Mari Elosua, has requested Judge Juan Del Olmo to have him released. In a petition submitted to the Spanish National High Court this week the lawyer argued that not a single condition established by the laws governing remand in custody is being met.

To remand someone in custody a crime has to have taken place and there has to be evidence that indicates that the person standing accused has committed the crime. In Elosua’s view there is no evidence whatsoever indicating that a crime has been committed in the Egunkaria case, and even less indicating that Iñaki Uria is the perpetrator of the crime. The lawyer maintains that even if, in the judge’s opinion, there were, nevertheless, evidence indicating that a crime had been committed, that would not constitute sufficient grounds to put him behind bars. In fact, to remand someone in custody at least one of the four conditions established by the law must be satisfied and this does not apply in Uria’s case.

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Removing the Ikurriña

Today at Berria:

Government of Navarre takes Leitza town council to court for not removing Basque flag

It has brought a charge with the High Court of Navarre for keeping the “Ataka-beltza” house Basque flag

Irene Arrizurieta – IRUNEA (Pamplona)

The Government of Navarre has brought a charge against the Leitza Town Council before the High Court of Navarre. “For not abiding by the Law of Symbols and for keeping an “Ikurrina” [the red, white and green Basque flag] on a public building,” explained Alberto Catalan, the Navarrese Government spokesman, yesterday.

The Government of Navarre has taken legal action for failure to abide by the order to remove the “Ikurrina” hanging from the first balcony of the “Ataka-beltza” municipal building. The Leitza Town Council received the order to remove the “Ikurrina” from the “Ataka-beltza” house in October. Patxi Saenz, the Aralar mayor, was given 15 days to remove the “Ikurrina”, and if he failed to comply with the order, he was told that the Government would bring a charge before the courts. The Government of Navarre announced the court action yesterday but the letter announcing that a charge would be brought before the High Court of Navarre was received by the Leitza Town Council on November 5.

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Scientific Humor

Who said that scientists didn't have a sense of humor, just check out how they called their latest discovery:

Colymbosathon ecplecticos, which is Greek for "amazing swimmer with large penis."

How 'bout that?

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The Symbiotic Satirist

According to this big ol' book I was reading at "Barnes and Noble", I was born on The Day of the Symbiotic Satirist, which means that we people born on that day tend to be over critical of our surroundings but yet we can integrate quite easily in our social landscape.

The book goes on saying that we can nag people with our constant negativism but that sooner or later we propiciate the conditions for good things to happen.

It also say that dispite our discomfort with our community to the foreign eye we actually represent our place of origin, we are almost emblematic of our neighbourhood, city, state and country, and that no matter how harsh we can be towards our pack we can become quite defensive when some else criticize our group.

Interesting...

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To Stop Him or Not

Today at Berria:

Constitutional Court begins analysing whether to stop Ibarretxe’s plan going ahead

Its deliberations will continue today; if it decides that the appeal should go ahead, the debate on the plan or proposal for a new Political Statute will be suspended

Editorial Staff – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

The Spanish Constitutional Court began deliberating yesterday whether to proceed with the appeal filed by the Spanish Government against the proposal for a new Political Statute of the Government of the BAC (Basque Autonomous Community of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa). If the Court decides to proceed with the appeal, it will not be possible for the BAC Parliament to debate the Proposal for a Political Statute for the next five months, at least. In fact, if the appeal goes ahead, the court will be bound by its own regulations to order the suspension of the provisions, resolutions or acts that have originated the conflict. The Court did not complete its deliberations yesterday and will be continuing today.

The Constitutional Court’s twelve judges were due to begin deliberating at 10.30 hours. Guillermo Jimenez, the Constitutional Court Judge, was responsible for presenting the report for discussion, and information leaked to the press appears to indicate that he supports the Spanish Government’s appeal. The President of the Constitutional Court, Manuel Jimenez de Parga, is also said to share the same opinion. Seven of the total of twelve judges are expected to vote in favour of the appeal filed by the Spanish Government, another two are undecided and three could vote against, according to the same sources. If that were the case, the Court would proceed with the Spanish Government’s appeal. The Spanish Government is asking the Constitutional Court to invalidate the BAC Government’s proposal and to suspend the proceedings approved by the Presiding Committee of the BAC Parliament. If the Constitutional Court decides to proceed with one or the other, parliamentary debate on the subject would be suspended.

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PP Openly Defends Francisco Franco

In several occasions I have mentioned that the Partido Popular in Spain is in reality a haven for former Franco era ministers, politicians and militants. His most infamous member, José María Aznar is the son of Manuel Aznar, top ranked minister during Franco's dictatorship.

So, it is with great pleasure that I present to you this article by no other than Giles Tremlett published at The Guardian:

Spain torn on tribute to victims of Franco

Aznar's ruling People's party to boycott homage by parliament as old dictator's ghost continues to haunt the nation's political stage

Giles Tremlett in Madrid
Monday December 1, 2003
The Guardian

The governing People's party of Spain's conservative prime minister José María Aznar has refused to take part in a homage in parliament today to the victims of General Francisco Franco. The late dictator's controversial legacy is dividing Spanish politicians once more, with the ruling party being the only one to boycott the homage to several hundred, mainly elderly, political prisoners, former anti-Franco guerrillas, members of the International Brigades, exiles, and families of those executed by his firing squads.

"This sounds a bit like a mothball revival," said Luis de Grandes, the People's party parliamentary spokesman, in comments that have outraged the victims and their families.

"Mothballs are what they have in their own Francoist suits," replied Tomás Caballero, grandson of a victim of a death squad from the civil war whose remains were found recently in a mass grave.

The other 11 parties represented in parliament have said they will attend today when representatives of groups who suffered the vengeful repression of Franco's self-styled "crusade" are handed certificates recognising their role in the "battle for freedom".

Jesús Caldera, a Socialist party spokesman, said he could not understand why the government would boycott an act designed to "honour everybody without offending anyone".

Felipe Alcaraz, of the communist-led United Left coalition, said: "One can pardon, but one should not forget."

The People's party, founded by a former Franco minister, Manuel Fraga, has blocked several attempts in recent years for parliament to explicitly condemn the 1936 military rebellion, led by Franco and other generals, that ushered in nearly 40 years of totalitarian rule.

Two years ago, however, it approved a parliamentary motion which, for the first time, officially recognised the existence of victims of "repression of the Francoist dictatorship" and denounced "the violent imposition of ideologies".

The motion gave local authorities the freedom to spend money to help recover the bodies of several thousand victims of Francoist civil war death squads that are believed to be in mass graves around Spain.

The People's party made it clear at the time that this was its final word on Franco and the bloody three-year civil war that he and his allies started.

An ageing Mr Fraga, who chose Mr Aznar to lead the party over 10 years ago, still bears the title of "founding president" and currently heads a regional government in Galicia.

The People's party has consistently rejected accusations of being a party for Franco supporters, especially since Mr Aznar became prime minister seven years ago.

It accuses anyone who refers to the Franco era of seeking to turn the clock back to a time when Spain was bitterly divided between left and right.

But, with no other party on the right, opponents claim that the People's party does not want to offend those among its voters who remain faithful to the memory of the dictator they believe saved Spain from being taken over by communists and anarchists.

The successful transition to democracy that followed Franco's death in 1975 was based partially on what was known as "the pact of forgetting", in which all sides agreed that no attempt would be made to seek revenge or justice for past wrongs.

That meant that many of the stories of repression remained untold. But a recent flood of revelations about the nature of the Franco regime and its brutal treatment of prisoners, political opponents and even the children of leftwingers has led to a fresh debate on just how cruel his regime was.

There has also been a backlash from Franco supporters who believe that his name is being besmirched by people anxious to portray him as a Spanish Hitler.

Historians continue to argue over the full scale of Franco's repressive machinery. Lower estimates talk of 30,000 opponents shot by Franco's firing squads after the civil war, with a further 50,000 to 100,000 executed during the war.

At least one of the victims' groups invited to the homage has angrily turned down the invitation, asking why the Socialists, who governed Spain for 12 years in the 1980s and 1990s, and the United Left have waited so long to organise it.

Now, Giles who so cheerfully ads the death toll by armed group ETA to every single one of his articles regarding the Basque Country has finally been forced to publish the estimate of the death toll by the Francoist regime.

So, let us do the math. The Basque political party Batasuna has been banned and added to a "terrorist organizations" list for never condemning ETA's actions. Yet, the file and rank of the Partido Popular (PP) refuses to take part in an act to condemn Francisco Franco's violence.

If Batasuna has been banned over 800 so called "victims" (let us remember that ETA's list include Meliton Manzanas, a Gestapo informant and Carrero Blanco, a top member of the Franco regime) then what should be done to the PP and its members for their apology Franco's regime with a death toll above the 100,000 figure?

Giles Tremlett always mention the 800 figure in his reports about the Basque Country, yet, he has never ever mention the victims of the air bombings over Durango and Gernika that killed over 2,000 Basque civilians, a crime denied until today by the Spanish establishment. And when it concerns to the Basque Country that was just the beginning.

Giles must be sobbing in some dark corner for disclosing this information about his bosses in Madrid.

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Del Olmo "at Work"

Today at Berria:

Judge Del Olmo sifts through ‘Egunkaria’ documents

He spent the whole day searching the newspaper office and other areas of the Andoain premises together with Spanish Civil Guards from the investigation services

Imanol Murua Uria – ANDOAIN (Gipuzkoa)

In a long search of the headquarters of the premises of the newspaper Egunkaria yesterday, Juan Del Olmo, the Spanish National High Court Judge, accompanied by Spanish Civil Guard officers from the Investigation Services went through the invoices and documents of Egunkaria S.A. one by one, and numerous large boxes full of documents were taken away to be examined. As the search of the Andoain premises was completed yesterday, they will start going through the local press offices in Iruñea (Pamplona) at 09.30 hours today followed by the ones in Gasteiz (Vitoria) and Bilbo.

They began searching the Andoain newspaper office and other offices at 8 o’clock in the morning, breaking off at lunchtime for two and a half hours and finishing at eight in the evening. In the meantime, numerous uniformed civil guard officers spent the day guarding the entrance to the Martin Ugalde Kultur Parkea and the surrounding area and all the employees of the companies and associations located there had to pass the civil guard checkpoints. Judge Juan Del Olmo announced in a writ issued last Friday that he would once again be conducting a search of the Egunkaria premises as part of the preparatory enquiries initiated previously. The writ states that the searches are being conducted in order to decide if the seals from the premises are to be removed or not. If it is decided that the premises should be opened up, Del Olmo has ordered that everything that might be of value for the investigation should be taken away, arguing that his control of the assets or documents inside would otherwise be lost. The Judge informed the Egunkaria lawyers that the searches begun yesterday were in connection with the second summary proceedings relating to the closing down of the paper, in other words with the alleged financial crimes.

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PSOE: No Reform

Today at Berria.info:

PSOE won’t be backing reform to penalise holding of referendum

Rodriguez Zapatero has declared that “legal absurdities” are not the way to oppose “an illegal plan”

Agencies – MADRID

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, General Secretary of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party), was deeply critical of the reform announced by the Spanish Government to punish the holding of unauthorised referendums. Rodriguez Zapatero accused the Spanish Government of “irresponsibility”, “a lack of loyalty” and “legal absurdity.” Zapatero declared that this was why the PSOE would not be supporting the amendments of the PP (ruling Spanish Popular Party) in the Senate or upper house of parliament. He spoke of the decision taken by the Cabinet during a conference on State and Democracy organised by the PSOE.

Rodriguez Zapatero made it clear that he opposed Ibarretxe’s plan but admitted that this time he felt compelled to criticise the Spanish Government, because it had acted “irresponsibly, without loyalty and in a hurry.” He said that even though Ibarretxe’s plan was “illegal”, it should not be opposed “by means of a legal absurdity.” Moreover, “you don’t deal with irresponsibility with yet more irresponsibility,” added the PSOE’s General Secretary. He accused Aznar’s government of having “neglected the formalities.” Rodriguez Zapatero deplored the fact that this had been done “without prior notice and in the absence of dialogue and consultation.”

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Referendum Means Prison

Today at Berria:

Madrid aims to make calling a referendum punishable by prison

The modification of the Criminal Code is expected to establish prison sentences of between three and five years “for those people in authority or civil servants who organise or allow the consulting of the people through a referendum”

Editorial Staff – DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

The Spanish Government announced yesterday that it would be promoting a modification of the Criminal code to make people in authority who consult the people through a referendum without having the power to do so liable to prison sentences. The people in authority or civil servants who organise such popular votes could face prison terms of between three and five years. Likewise, other people in authority who promote and support the consulting of the people could also be liable to terms “of between one and three years”, and this could also affect citizens, the inspectors for example, who participate in the carrying out and supporting of this “illegal” process.

The Spanish Government’s aim is to invalidate and hinder the tool of consulting the people. And they are in a hurry, as well. Jose Maria Michavila, the Justice Minister, said yesterday that the change could have approval by December 18 or 23. They are going to add two articles to the Criminal Code: Article 506a affecting people in authority and civil servants will be included in the section dealing with the Usurping of Powers; and Article 521a, which establishes the punishing of citizens under the section entitled Crimes Committed when Fulfilling Basic Public Rights and Liberties. One of the passages of the text the Spanish Government wants to add runs: “The people in authority and civil servants who organise or allow elections of a general, autonomous community, or local nature, or plebiscites by means of referendums, when it is clear that they do not have the powers to do so, are liable to prison terms of between three and five years and will remain totally disqualified from office for an additional three to five years after the prison term, in other words for between six and ten years.”

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