NEWS

OVERVIEW EVENTS BASQUE COUNTRY NR 34, period 8th until 31st of December

Also this month the discussion about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ continues, in short: Arnaldo Otegi announces at the beginning of December that the left-wing nationalists will do a proposal for cooperation (with PNV, EA, Aralar, IU) for the elections in March this year. The proposal is called ‘Say No to the Spanish State’. At the 18th of December the Spanish parliament approves with a new law that outlaws the holding of referenda with a prison sentence from 3 till 5 years. The social-democratic PSOE thinks that the measures by the Aznar government to prevent the debate about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ with the anti-terror law a bit harsh. The PSOE needs the Basques and also the Catalans (who since the elections are governed for the first time in 23 years by socialists and republican nationalists who wants to have ‘a free association’ with Madrid) to govern when the PP won’t get the majority in the elections. Manuel Fraga, former minister under Franco, founder of the PP and present president of Galicia, threatened to sent the Spanish army to Catalonia.
In the beginning of December several ex-prisoners from the Basque Country travelled around through Europe to give first hand information about the situation of the more than 670 political prisoners of the collectief EPPK. After several meetings in Catalonia, there were meetings, information-evenings and press conferences in Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and France. In Germany and Austria several towns were visited and Angel Alcalde, former political prisoner, spent 14 years in exile and stands on the ‘terrorlist’ of the US, declared to be optimistic about the contacts in the rest of Europe: “We strengthened solidarity and hope that with everybody’s help the political conflict in the Basque Country will be solved by dialogue so that all our individual and collective rights will be garantueed.”
Two of the arrested persons of the 4th of December, Ibon Fernandez Iradi and Patxi Abad, appeared bruised and beaten before the French judge Laurence La Vert: swollen hands, wounds on their faces and their clothes torned. Both complained about ill-treatment during their arrest and detention.
At the 9th of December Gorka Palacios, Iñigo Vallejo, Jon Rubenach and José Miguel Almandoz are arrested by the French anti-terrorsquad DNAT at Lons. These arrests should be connected with those of the 4th of December. These four should however be ‘the leaders of ETA’ and the Spanish government speaks of a ‘huge catch’. Vallejo and Rubenach are also on the ‘EU-terrorlist’. Palacios is accused of having been involved in attacks in 1996 and 1997 and of the murder on Jesus Blanco, lieutenant in the Spanish army, in Madrid at the 21st of January 2000, the first attack since the last truce of ETA. According to the police Palacios also murdered Jose Maria Martin-Carpena, councillor for the PP in Malaga. ETA reacts in a communiqué that she will continue actions against the ‘repressive forces’, the army, the Guardia Civil, the Spanish and Basque police, and that everybody should ‘avoid being in the neighbourhood of police stations and military barracks to prevent wounding of attacks.’
The 6 Basques who are since July 2003 in the Mexican prison Reclusorio Norte in extradition detention, are being visited by human rights activists and the actress Ofelia Medina, representative of a human rights group from Chiapas. After they heard the stories from the prisoners, they declared to the press that the extradition treaty is a ‘juridical failure’ that has to extradite ‘every Spanish citizen without any prove to Spain’. Medina said that ‘Mexico is trading with prisoners for contracts for Mexican companies in Spain’. They announced that they will monitor the trial and will support actions to prevent the extradition of the 6.
In the Basque newspaper GARA the story of the Basque ex- prisoner Anika Gil, who was victim of torture during the ‘incommunicado’-detention, is revealed. Gil also appears in the movie ‘La Pelota Vasca’ by the Basque filmmaker Julio Medem about the political conflict in the Basque Country.
At the 11th of December Antxon Berasategi Antia is arrested at orders of judge Baltasar Garzón. The 60 years old Antia is put in ‘incommunicado’-detention.
At the 13th of December there is a demonstration in Irun against the bad conditions on work places. The death of Pedro Mari Moreno, being the 135th deadly victim of accidents on the work place this year, triggered the demonstration.
The same day Basta Ya!, the so-called peace organisation in the Basque Country, but in fact a propaganda-organisation paid by the Spanish State, demonstrates in Donostia with 14.000 people against the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’. To get this amount of people they had to offer a 12 Euro travel, including a night in a 4-star hotel, in Spanish cities. The streets of Donostia were filled with Spanish flags, pro-Spanish lyrics, Falangists and ultra-rightists from Spain. The mainstream media counted 100.000 people, but this was announced already.
The prisonhelp organisation Etxerat publishes the figures over 2003 about the traffic-accidents by visitors of Basque political prisoners; 21 heavy road accidents, 3 people were killed.
In Deba the yearlong prominent member of the left wing nationalists Jokin Gorostidi is arrested at orders of Baltasar Garzón. On the same day the former Basque political refugee Juanjo Arruti is arrested in Logroño. Both are accused of ‘cooperation with the armed organisation ETA’ and of financing that organisation. Two days later they are both released on bail of 18.000 euro each.
In Andoina an proposal called ‘Initiative for a truce’ is launched at the 17th of December by more than 100 representatives from the language and culture sphere in the Basque Country. Txema Auzmendi presented the initiative. Auzmendi was arrested in February 2003 in connection with the ‘Egunkaria-case’. After paying the bail of 12.000 euro he was released and complained about torture. “We, the signers of this initiative, want to go ahead and ask therefore for a truce to ETA, so we can more efficiently react on developments. (…) Political violence covers up other injustices and the work of them, who work every day in silence, to solve the political conflict”, said Auzmendi. One of the founders of ETA, José Luis Alvarez Enparantza (Txillardegi) also signed the initiative.
This week also 2 enquires appeared in the media, 1 of the government of Gasteiz and one by the University of the Basque Country. 35% of the people in the 3 Autonomous Provinces Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba) is in favour of independence (the highest number since 1988), 31% of the people would be against, 13% would not vote at all and 18% is not sure yet. For the enquire 2.848 people were interviewed at home; the majority wants negotiations between ETA and the Spanish government and 7 out of then interviewed wants changes in the States Statue. And despite being outlawed, 48% of the people want that the Basque Institutes call for a referendum, the figures would probably be higher when it was not prohibited. 62% thinks that outlawing Batasuna is ‘undemocratic’ and 54% supports the non-removal of the (Batasuna) fraction of Sozialista Abertzaleak from the Basque parliament.
At the 20th of December activists of Zuzen Ekintza Taldea (group of civil disobedience), dressed as Santa Claus of traditional Basque Christmas figure (Olentzeros), climb the walls of the prison in Poissy to sing Christmas songs. 12 people are arrested. In Poissy are the Basque political prisoners Juan Luis Agirre, Aitzol Gogorza and Iñaki Herrán.
On the same day 15.000 people demonstrate in Bilbo after a call from the Basque group Elkarri (Dialogue), for the right on a discussion about the future of the Basque Country. At the banner in front you could read ‘Giza eskubideak eta herri borondatea errespetatu. Elkarrizketa eta akordioa proposamen guztien artean’ (Respect for human rights and the will of the people. Dialogue and consensus between all proposals). Representatives from all political parties were present, except for the PP.
At the 21st of December the national assembly of the Basque Amnistia movement calls for regrouping all Basque political prisoners in the Basque Country, which is necessary for them to participate in the political process. According to them a solution of the political conflict is impossible without a solution for the political prisoners.
The Spanish police arrests at the 24th of December 2 youngsters in Hernani and Donostia at the accusation of ‘an attempt to an attack by placing explosives on the Intercity train from Irun to Madrid’ and of detonating explosives on the railway between Zaragoza and Altsasu the evening before their arrest. The 25th the police found another explosive at the railway between Zaragoza and Teruel; this information they got after interrogating the two suspects.
At the 30 of December ETA announces in a short statement that they are ‘prepared to take every necessary step make the initiative (the Batasuna-proposal for a common list for independence for the elections, BIC) a success.’ The 2 Basque unions ELA and LAB announces in response that they are prepared to cooperate with each other despite the differences to come to self-determination for the Basque Country.
And the BIC wishes you all a 2004 full of solidarity!

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OVERVIEW EVENTS BASQUE COUNTRY NR 34, period 8th until 31st of December
Also this month the discussion about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ continues, in short: Arnaldo Otegi announces at the beginning of December that the left-wing nationalists will do a proposal for cooperation (with PNV, EA, Aralar, IU) for the elections in March this year. The proposal is called ‘Say No to the Spanish State’. At the 18th of December the Spanish parliament approves with a new law that outlaws the holding of referenda with a prison sentence from 3 till 5 years. The social-democratic PSOE thinks that the measures by the Aznar government to prevent the debate about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ with the anti-terror law a bit harsh. The PSOE needs the Basques and also the Catalans (who since the elections are governed for the first time in 23 years by socialists and republican nationalists who wants to have ‘a free association’ with Madrid) to govern when the PP won’t get the majority in the elections. Manuel Fraga, former minister under Franco, founder of the PP and present president of Galicia, threatened to sent the Spanish army to Catalonia. In the beginning of December several ex-prisoners from the Basque Country travelled around through Europe to give first hand information about the situation of the more than 670 political prisoners of the collectief EPPK. After several meetings in Catalonia, there were meetings, information-evenings and press conferences in Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and France. In Germany and Austria several towns were visited and Angel Alcalde, former political prisoner, spent 14 years in exile and stands on the ‘terrorlist’ of the US, declared to be optimistic about the contacts in the rest of Europe: “We strengthened solidarity and hope that with everybody’s help the political conflict in the Basque Country will be solved by dialogue so that all our individual and collective rights will be garantueed.” Two of the arrested persons of the 4th of December, Ibon Fernandez Iradi and Patxi Abad, appeared bruised and beaten before the French judge Laurence La Vert: swollen hands, wounds on their faces and their clothes torned. Both complained about ill-treatment during their arrest and detention. At the 9th of December Gorka Palacios, Iñigo Vallejo, Jon Rubenach and José Miguel Almandoz are arrested by the French anti-terrorsquad DNAT at Lons. These arrests should be connected with those of the 4th of December. These four should however be ‘the leaders of ETA’ and the Spanish government speaks of a ‘huge catch’. Vallejo and Rubenach are also on the ‘EU-terrorlist’. Palacios is accused of having been involved in attacks in 1996 and 1997 and of the murder on Jesus Blanco, lieutenant in the Spanish army, in Madrid at the 21st of January 2000, the first attack since the last truce of ETA. According to the police Palacios also murdered Jose Maria Martin-Carpena, councillor for the PP in Malaga. ETA reacts in a communiqué that she will continue actions against the ‘repressive forces’, the army, the Guardia Civil, the Spanish and Basque police, and that everybody should ‘avoid being in the neighbourhood of police stations and military barracks to prevent wounding of attacks.’ The 6 Basques who are since July 2003 in the Mexican prison Reclusorio Norte in extradition detention, are being visited by human rights activists and the actress Ofelia Medina, representative of a human rights group from Chiapas. After they heard the stories from the prisoners, they declared to the press that the extradition treaty is a ‘juridical failure’ that has to extradite ‘every Spanish citizen without any prove to Spain’. Medina said that ‘Mexico is trading with prisoners for contracts for Mexican companies in Spain’. They announced that they will monitor the trial and will support actions to prevent the extradition of the 6. In the Basque newspaper GARA the story of the Basque ex- prisoner Anika Gil, who was victim of torture during the ‘incommunicado’-detention, is revealed. Gil also appears in the movie ‘La Pelota Vasca’ by the Basque filmmaker Julio Medem about the political conflict in the Basque Country. At the 11th of December Antxon Berasategi Antia is arrested at orders of judge Baltasar Garzón. The 60 years old Antia is put in ‘incommunicado’-detention. At the 13th of December there is a demonstration in Irun against the bad conditions on work places. The death of Pedro Mari Moreno, being the 135th deadly victim of accidents on the work place this year, triggered the demonstration. The same day Basta Ya!, the so-called peace organisation in the Basque Country, but in fact a propaganda-organisation paid by the Spanish State, demonstrates in Donostia with 14.000 people against the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’. To get this amount of people they had to offer a 12 Euro travel, including a night in a 4-star hotel, in Spanish cities. The streets of Donostia were filled with Spanish flags, pro-Spanish lyrics, Falangists and ultra-rightists from Spain. The mainstream media counted 100.000 people, but this was announced already. The prisonhelp organisation Etxerat publishes the figures over 2003 about the traffic-accidents by visitors of Basque political prisoners; 21 heavy road accidents, 3 people were killed. In Deba the yearlong prominent member of the left wing nationalists Jokin Gorostidi is arrested at orders of Baltasar Garzón. On the same day the former Basque political refugee Juanjo Arruti is arrested in Logroño. Both are accused of ‘cooperation with the armed organisation ETA’ and of financing that organisation. Two days later they are both released on bail of 18.000 euro each. In Andoina an proposal called ‘Initiative for a truce’ is launched at the 17th of December by more than 100 representatives from the language and culture sphere in the Basque Country. Txema Auzmendi presented the initiative. Auzmendi was arrested in February 2003 in connection with the ‘Egunkaria-case’. After paying the bail of 12.000 euro he was released and complained about torture. “We, the signers of this initiative, want to go ahead and ask therefore for a truce to ETA, so we can more efficiently react on developments. (…) Political violence covers up other injustices and the work of them, who work every day in silence, to solve the political conflict”, said Auzmendi. One of the founders of ETA, José Luis Alvarez Enparantza (Txillardegi) also signed the initiative. This week also 2 enquires appeared in the media, 1 of the government of Gasteiz and one by the University of the Basque Country. 35% of the people in the 3 Autonomous Provinces Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba) is in favour of independence (the highest number since 1988), 31% of the people would be against, 13% would not vote at all and 18% is not sure yet. For the enquire 2.848 people were interviewed at home; the majority wants negotiations between ETA and the Spanish government and 7 out of then interviewed wants changes in the States Statue. And despite being outlawed, 48% of the people want that the Basque Institutes call for a referendum, the figures would probably be higher when it was not prohibited. 62% thinks that outlawing Batasuna is ‘undemocratic’ and 54% supports the non-removal of the (Batasuna) fraction of Sozialista Abertzaleak from the Basque parliament. At the 20th of December activists of Zuzen Ekintza Taldea (group of civil disobedience), dressed as Santa Claus of traditional Basque Christmas figure (Olentzeros), climb the walls of the prison in Poissy to sing Christmas songs. 12 people are arrested. In Poissy are the Basque political prisoners Juan Luis Agirre, Aitzol Gogorza and Iñaki Herrán. On the same day 15.000 people demonstrate in Bilbo after a call from the Basque group Elkarri (Dialogue), for the right on a discussion about the future of the Basque Country. At the banner in front you could read ‘Giza eskubideak eta herri borondatea errespetatu. Elkarrizketa eta akordioa proposamen guztien artean’ (Respect for human rights and the will of the people. Dialogue and consensus between all proposals). Representatives from all political parties were present, except for the PP. At the 21st of December the national assembly of the Basque Amnistia movement calls for regrouping all Basque political prisoners in the Basque Country, which is necessary for them to participate in the political process. According to them a solution of the political conflict is impossible without a solution for the political prisoners. The Spanish police arrests at the 24th of December 2 youngsters in Hernani and Donostia at the accusation of ‘an attempt to an attack by placing explosives on the Intercity train from Irun to Madrid’ and of detonating explosives on the railway between Zaragoza and Altsasu the evening before their arrest. The 25th the police found another explosive at the railway between Zaragoza and Teruel; this information they got after interrogating the two suspects. At the 30 of December ETA announces in a short statement that they are ‘prepared to take every necessary step make the initiative (the Batasuna-proposal for a common list for independence for the elections, BIC) a success.’ The 2 Basque unions ELA and LAB announces in response that they are prepared to cooperate with each other despite the differences to come to self-determination for the Basque Country. And the BIC wishes you all a 2004 full of solidarity!
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