One of the most controversial subjects within the left-wing movement is nationalism. Since Smashed Images is always willing to write about controversial subjects i decided to contact the persons behind the Baskenland Informatie Centrum (Basque Information Centre) or BIC. BIC is a small collective in Holland which has a website, publishes a newsletter, organises info evenings and distributes alternative literature. When necessary they organise actions like demonstrations to ask for attention and support for the situation of the left-wing movement in the Basque Country. For more information check out their website at baskinfo.org
BIC is more or less the follow up of the support group for the former political prisoner Esteban Murrillo. Why did you decided to continue with BIC after Esteban's extradiction?
We estimated that it wouldn’t be the last case of a Basque political prisoner in the Netherlands and we wanted to work on a more daily base on the case of the right of self determination of the Basque Country. We more or less wanted to professionalize the work we did for Esteban; he said: “If you want to help me, tell the story of the oppression of my movement”. He worked for a trade union called LAB, which is part of the left independent movement. When we did that, we got inspired even more from the creativity and flexibility of the movement for independence and socialism.
What are the aims and activities of BIC?
We have set up a bilangual website to inform more people; we think we as a left wing movement here can learn a lot from experiences there. It is often said that the Basque Country is a ‘laboratory of repression’. So, we provide information about that. We make a digital newsletter every month and every year 2 paper newsletters with more background. We distribute books and brochures about Euskal Herria. Now and then we make an info-tour if we have a new movie about the Basque Country. We also organised a big party in Amsterdam, with bands, movies, discussions, it was very good. Ofcourse, when there is a Basque political prisoner in the Netherlands, we demonstrate, make picket lines, occupy the Spanish embassy and consulate, and all that.
How did the people behind BIC got interested in the Basque struggle?
Well, one of us is married to a Basque, but before that some of us were already interested in the subject. We come from a tradition of international solidarity and worked for example for the independence of East Timor. And then, when there was a Basque political prisoner in 1999, we formed a group and we noticed how little people knew about the oldest political and armed conflict in Europe.
As BIC you never made any official statements about the ETA, which is one of the main organisations involved in the conflict. What is the idea behind this?
Well, actually that is not true. On our website we made a very clear statement about ETA; it is there since we had a big row in the media about the visit of SEGI, a youth organisation from the left wing independent movement. The media said that is was a recruting organisation of ETA, but couldn’t find proof of that. We decided to make a clear position on ETA; we said we don’t condemn violence, but neither propagate or talk in positive terms about it. We stated we want to work on a solution of the conflict and then it has to be seen that there are 2 sides of the conflict; ETA, who in our point of view has to stop to make way for popular initiatives, and the Spanish and French states, who torture, put innocent people in jail, conduct political prosecution, close critical newspapers, close support groups for prisoners, sent prisoners 700 kilometres away from their family, ask for extradition of political activists, etc. It is a controversial stand, and we were criticised by the main stream media of course, but we still think that way. And we showed that we are serious; we made an info-tour with the film La Pelota Vasca, which is very critical about ETA and we invited a spokesman from Batasuna, seen as the political wing of ETA to the Netherlands for a discussion with journalists and others. So they could hear from themselves how they thought.
Several times you invited members of illegal Basque parties and youth organisations to Holland. How did the Dutch press reacted?
Well, I already answered this question a little bit at the last question, but in general they are interested but don’t have a clue what it is about. They only read their own papers and get stuck in the lies they write. We had to do a lot of talking about the situation there and about the accusations against all the illegal organisations we invited. For example; SEGI is on the list of terrorist organisations of the EU. But why and how did they get on it? That question is too big already for the Dutch press; if they did a little research they could see that SEGI was already on the list when it was not even forbidden in Spain, which is very strange. Another thing is that just a police research is enough to put you on that EU-list. So the outcome of the investigation and the evidence that is brought in is not important! And, I almost forgot, it is impossible to appeal that you are on that list! But the Dutch press has such a confidence in the European institutions, that they believe them right away.
Can you shortly describe which groups are involved in the Basque struggle on both sides?
Well, it is not a Basque struggle. The question is about the right on selfdetermination, that all people have. It is written in the European Charter of Human Rights; all people have a right to decide on their own future. And that is exactly what can’t be done in the Basque Country. Since the death of the fascist dictator Franco, the Basque Country was given a small form of autonomy. They say it is the best in the world, but if you analyse it, it is worth nothing. For example; the territories were the Basques are living are divided in 3 political subjects; you have the provinces of the Basque Autonomous Community (Araba, Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia), where you have that Statute of Autonomy, you have Naffaroa, which is separately governed by the inheritors of Franco, the Partido Popular (the Naffaroan branch is called UPN). These territories lie both on Spanish soil. Then you have 3 provinces in the French part (Lapurdi, Behe Naffaroa and Zuberoa), which have no rights or government at all, but fall under the huge French province Pyrenee Atlantique. So there you have the problem. Then the Spanish armed forces, the army and the military police are overpresented in the Basques territories on Spanish soil; on every 150 Basques, there is one of them, which makes the Basques the most guarded people of the world. The armed forces do the arrests of political opposition, they close the offices. The Spanish juridical system prosecutes them, sometimes with help from the Basque juridical system. The Spanish political parties make tailor-made laws to ban political parties from the left wing independence movement and the Spanish press spreads lies about Basque terrorists who threaten the unity of Spain, the idea of the fascist dictator Franco. In the Basque Country itself (that doesn’t exist as you will know by now..) you have different parties; the Spanish socialist PSOE is active there, as is the right wing Partido Popular. The biggest party is however the Basque Nationalist Party, that has a conservative and a progressive wing. The main player from the left wing independence movement is Batasuna, but they are banned since 2003. But the independence movement is much bigger than that; it includes newspapers, youth organisations, they squat houses, they have free radio stations, a trade union, environmental groups, feminist groups, languistic groups. They set up groups to look for the remains of their grandparents who were executed in the Spanish civil war etc etc.
Can you shortly describe the history of the conflict?
The repression in the Basque Country (as well as in Catalonia) was the hardest during the Franco dictatorship. The language was forbidden, lots of people were executed. People think they are better off without the involvement and repression of the Spanish government, juridical system and armed forces. In the years before the civil war there were already conflicts between the central government and Basque territories, who wanted independence. After the death of Franco people hoped for freedom, but there was on one side the continuation of ETA, a big economical crisis and the attacks of state-organised counter terrorists, who killed 26 left-wing Basques. This is still an open wound in the Basque Country. Protagonists from the Spanish government were not punished and crimes are still not solved.
How did the terrorist attacks (11 March 2004) and election of a new Spanish government influence the situation in Spain and especially in the Basque Country.
The Partido Popular had a plan ready to enter the Basque region, with force and arrest all the nationalist leaders, since they believed their own lies that ETA was behind the bombings. But their lies cost them the victory in the election and the PSOE came into power. But one year later, nothing has changed; the repression is as harsh as before; youngsters are still being tortured, Batasuna is still illegal, other electoral lists are banned, there are more political prisoners than ever in the history of the Basque Country. The only positive thing, but that has nothing to do with the PSOE, is that Batasuna and later ETA made a peace proposal that can solve the conflict. But nothing is done with it yet.
How do you explain why in the French part of Basque country the struggle for independence is so much smaller compared to the movement in the Spanish state?
Well, for a starter there live only 300.000 Basques in the French part. The struggle for independence in the French part is fought in another way. In the French part they fight for the Basque language to be recognised as a minority language so that it can survive, they campaign for an own agricultural chamber so that the way of the small scale farming as these Basques do can survive. Also there are mass demonstrations, for freedom and independence.
A few months ago I interviewed a member of the Dutch Palestine Solidarity Committee. He pleaded for a one state solution in the Palestine/Israeli conflict. Do you see this as a solution for the Basque Country as well?
The situation is completely different. The Autonomous Basque Community is much stronger than the current Palestinians infrastructure. No, there is no comparison to be made. In fact it is very simple. The main problem is that the parties in power are not willing to give up that power and the Spanish parties are influenced by the sentimental idea of the indivisible Spanish state, which is bullshit. So the people have to decide, in a peaceful atmosphere. That means, no attacks from ETA or the Spanish or French armed forces, the political division has to be abandoned and all the bans on organisations and newspapers have to be lifted. In that situation, I’m sure that the majority of the Basque Country will vote for selfdetermination. Which can lead to more autonomy or independence, whatever.
Recently i heard some rumours of intimidation by the ETA against some Spanish radical-left organisations. How is the relationship between the Basque and the Spanish left?
First of all, I don’t know about these rumours. The problem with the Spanish left is that they’re practically non-existent and can’t cooperate with each other. There are working relations between the unions LAB and CNT, but for the rest I don’t know. Every time (well, not every) I meet a so called left wing Spanish activist who start to accuse me of ‘ETA-friend’ and of being a ‘murderer’. I think they are a bit influenced by the Spanish media.
As this is also a music orientated 'zine, can you name some interesting bands and labels from the Basque Country?
The best Ska-band I know is Skalariak, but as you probably know the Basque Country is famous for its huge number of rockbands, like Kortatu and Negu Gorriak. Fermin Muguruza, who recently stopped playing, is also famous for his experimenting with music; the latest he did was rap. Also famous is the girlmetalband Jauke Barik. Also i like Betagarri a lot. Labels I don’t know, only Esan Ozenki. Most music comes from there.
Do you have any closing comments?
Please check our website for monthly updates in English about Euskal Herria. Gora Euskadi Askatu!
