NEWS

OVERVIEW EVENTS BASQUE COUNTRY NR 2, period 24th of January until 8th of March 2004

In the month January 5 accidents of people visiting their relatives or friends (Basque political prisoners) at prisons. In the last week of January 2 accidents: the parents of Ainhoa Gutierrez slipped of the road and were wounded when they travelled the 903 kilometres to the prison in Granada. Two friends of the prisoners Imanol Esnaola and Iker Beristain were wounded on the 529 kilometres long trip on the way back from the prison of Aranjuez, after they did their weekly visit of 40 minutes. From 1987 on the Basque political prisoners (but also other political prisoners), after a decision in the Spanish parliament, are being locked away far from families and friends. With this there is a heavy economic burden on the shoulders of relatives and they even risk their lives during the travels. Another example of harassment: In January the father of the Basque political prisoner Alberto Barrias died without Alberto having had the opportunity to say farewell. Four months ago doctors discovered a brain- tumour at his father and immediately Alberto asked for a temporarily transfer to Donostia, so his father could visit him. In January, when the father already died, the request was dismissed. At the 15th of February a family-member of a prisoner, on his way to the Burgos prison, is attacked by Spanish fascists, who stab the tyres of his car, while on a distance some Guardia Civils are watching amused.
The Basque youth organisation SEGI held a national meeting in Altsasu, Naffaroa, at the end of January, attended by 2000 people. The problems of the youth in the Basque Country were the core of the meeting that was called pluralistic and participative. “We are a collective with the same problems and the same rights. Without asking us, those in power impose us a reality, the lives of youngsters are fitted into the supports of the system, they see us as objects to use for their purposes. The relations we are allowed to have are limited, hobby’s are totally linked to consumerism, working conditions are very bad, drugs are distributed among youngsters and the youth is controlled by a network of drugs dealers.” Those present declared they wouldn’t be satisfied with the crumbs, but that the refusal not to be submissive was the only way to change something in the daily reality.
The Guardia Civil and the Spanish police spent 36 million euros for a brand new computer program called SITEL, with which they can tap phones without permission or cooperation from telephone companies.
The candidate for the Democratic Party in the US, John Kerry, said at the end of January in an interview about terrorism that “Many countries have to face terrorism, like Ireland the IRA, India with the Sikhs, Spain to the Basques…” The Sikhs demanded rectification and received prompt apologies from Kerry. The International Basque Organisation (IBO) asked Kerry for explanation and he apologizes in an email at the 24th of February, in which he says it was not right to qualify al Basques as terrorists.
The appeal of 4 officers of the Guardia Civil against their conviction for torture is recognised at the 27th of January by the Spanish High Court. In 2001 the 4 were convicted to long prison sentences by a court in Bizkaia for the torture of 7 Basques citizens in 1980. According to the High Court there was no evidence for this. The lawyer of the victims, Jone Goirizelaia, said after this newest acquittal, that “torture of Basque civilians is not seen as a crime by the Spanish courts”.
At the 29th of January the Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón returns from Mexico, where he wanted to question anonymously, together with public prosecutor Enrique Molina, the 6 Basques, Jon Artola, Axun Gorrotxategi, Félix García, Ernesto Alberdi, Joseba Urkijo and Asier Arronategi, who are in prison in Mexico City since July 2003. They were, after the first two Basques refused to talk to them, removed by the board of the prison, because of “violating Mexican sovereignty and interfering in internal business of Mexico”. In Mexico they speak of intimidation. Garzón and Molina managed to be present at the interrogation of 3 Mexican prisoners, who are suspects in the same case as the 6 Basques. The lawyer of the 6, Bárbara Zamora, filed a complaint at the human rights commission of the Federal district because of “violating the rights of my clients by Garzón”.
The Basque political prisoner Carlos Iñigo, who was extradited by the French authorities to Spain at the 28th of January, is locked in the prison of Soto del Real in Madrid, at orders of judge Juan del Olmo of the Audiencia Nacional. Iñigo is accused of membership of the political organisation EKIN, banned on the 13th of September by Garzón, and of the Basque youth organisation HAIKA, banned on the 6th of March 2001.
One year after the closing of the Basque daily Egunkaria, the doctor who examined the chief editor of Egunkaria Martxelo Otamendi during his detention in Madrid, testifies for the judge in Madrid. The doctor, Juan Monge, acknowledged the complaints he received from Otamendi about his bad treatment by the Guardia Civil. Otamendi told the judge about torture and said the Guardia Civil threatened him when he would tell the doctor again that he was treated very badly (a.o. endless series of push- ups, naked in the cell, kept awake at night) and tortured, with the infamous plastic bag (La Bolsa) over the head. In the end judge Carmen Valcarce decides there is no evidence to prove that Otamendi was tortured, because there were “no physical traces”. This judge didn’t think it was necessary to hear Otamendi’s story, nor the story of Otamendi’s cellmate, Fermin Lazkano.
At the end of January, the nomination of the film ‘La Pelota Vasca’ of Julio Medem at the elections of the Spanish film awards leads to various protests. ‘La Pelota Vasca’, about the political conflict in the Basque Country, led to two demonstrations at the entrance: 300 protestors accused Medem of putting the families of the victims and the perpetrators at the same level, that he was critical on the police and that he would support the plans for more independence of the Basque Country. Supporters of Medem demonstrated for freedom of speech and debate. In the end ‘La Pelota Vasca’ didn’t receive an award, but Luis Tosar, who was chosen as best actor, dedicated his price to Julio Medem.
At the 4th of February the Basque Joxean Zurutuza Sarasola is arrested in Baiona by the French police in connection with an attack of the ‘Autonomous Anitkapitalist Commando’s’ at the 26th of March 1982. Twelve years ago Zurutuza was arrested for the same case. Because of the double nationality he has he can’t be extradited to Spain.
Judge Garzón of the Audiencia Nacional finished his investigation to the prisonhelporgsanisation ‘Gestoras Pro Amnistia’ en formulated a complaint against the 27 members, among them Juan Mari Olano, Julen Zelarain, Gorka Zulaika, Aratz Estomba, Ainhoa Irastorza, Julen Larrinaga, Jagoba Terrones, Juan Antonio Madariaga, Jon Beaskoa, Maite Díaz de Heredia, Iker Zubia, Josu Beamount, Alex Belasko, Joseba Iñaki Reta, Sabin Juaristi, Iñaki Loizaga, Ixone Urzelai, Asier Virumbrales, Txema Olabarrieta and Jorge Txokarro. All of them are accused of “membership of an armed organisation”. Garzón banned in December 2001 ‘Gestoras’ and in February 2002 the prisonhelporganisation Askatasuna and in connection with that had arrested numerous people.
The Basque anti-torture group TAT handed over 50.000 signatures against torture and a list with recommendations to prevent torture to the government of Naffaroa at the 4th of February. One day later they did the same at the Basque parliament in Gasteiz.
The ‘Bergara-Initiative’ launches at the 7th of February her own ballot-papers with the text ‘Inposaketari ez. Bai Naffaroari, bai Euskal Herriari, autodeterminazioa. Euskal Herria aitortu, erraspetatu’ (No lies. Yes for Naffaroa, yes against the Basque Countr and selfdetermination. The Basque Country decides and that has to be respected). At the ballot papers the declaration of the United Nations about the fundamental right of each people to decide about their own future is printed, as well in Spanish as in Basque.
At the 10th of February the European Tribunal of Human Rights in Straatsburg decides that the Basque government is no party in her complaint about the ‘Law on Parties’, that took care of outlawing Batasuna. In the Spanish media it was said that Batasuna is now banned definite, but Batasuna has her own procedure in Straatsburg and of course she is recognised as a party. The verdict of the European Tribunal is expected in several years.
At the 10th of February two ETA-members Ibon Elorrieta and Luis Enrique Garate are arrested around Cognac in France. They carry various weapons and have 33 kilo of explosives in their possession. Garate, since 1983 in hiding, is connected to 2 attacks on the Guardia Civil in 1983, an attack at an army- colonel and with the kidnapping of a businessman from Alava in October 1986. Elorrieta was sentenced without appearing for 5 years in 2003 by a French court. According to Aznar the 2 were “on their way to an attack in Spain”. Other sources speak of a weapons-transport. Two days later Jon Kepa Precadio and Jon González, and in Bidarte Diego Ibarra, are arrested after their names were pulled out of Garate and Elorrieta. Elorrita is now accused of “provoking a terrorist murder”, because he “together with others put a slogan on a wall in Bilbao” in 1997.
The Spanish High Court has finally come up with a date for the start of the big investigation called 18/98, started by judge Garzón and aimed at the left independentist movement in the Basque Country. In November this year the 68 accused have to appear in court. For a book about the prosecution, check under Shop.
For the High Court in the Basque Country, where this month was a new chairman appointed, Ruiz Piñeiro, who made clear that for him the “Spanish constitution is sacred”, 24 persons from the left movement have to appear on accusation of participating an “illegal manifestation” and of “glorifying terrorism”. The 24 took part in a demonstration with the slogan “No Apartheid. Autodeterminanzioa” (No (political) Apartheid. Selfdetermination) at the 20th of September 2003, were there was also attention for the killing of the Basque activist and alleged ETA-member Arkaitz Otazua, 6 days earlier. Slogans, pictures and flowers are now “glorifying terrorism” and even the 90-year-old Emilia de Bodega, who sat in the bus with the speakers because she walks badly, is accused.
In the Basque autonomous provinces Araba and Bizkaia, Erlantz Cantabrana, Nekane Ruiz and David Pérez are arrested by the Spanish police and taken to Madrid. According to the Spanish ministry of Internal Affairs Angel Acabes the 3 would be “members of GRAPO” (Grupos de Resistencia Antifascista Primero de Octobre). Cantabrana is later released without accusation; the other 2 are imprisoned in Soto del Real in Madrid.
At the 14th of February the reports of the doctors who examined and visited Unai Romano for 4 months in prison, are released. Romano is a young Basque who was arrested at the 6th of September 2001 and was tortured for two days and one night. He became a worldwide symbol of torture because of his pictures ‘before and after the treatment’(See here). The doctors denounce the version of the Guardia Civil that Romano wounded himself by banging his head to the wall, and say in their report that Romano was subjected to “multiplied, intensive and repeatedly beatings”. One of the doctors said that he never saw such wounds at the body of “a living person”. Joxe Arregi died through torture. He was beaten to death 23 years ago and his body showed severe burns. Every year his death is commemorated with demonstrations, this year with the slogan ‘’25 urte torturepean. Aski da’(25 years of torture. That’s enough). The Basque anti-foltergroup TAT released a video with testimonies. Between 1977 and 2002 5.300 people in the Basque Country filed a complaint about torture. In 2003 that were 89 people.
At the same day 20.000 people demonstrate against torture in Donostia and demanded the abortion of the infamous ‘incommunicado’-detention, a period of maximum 5 days of isolation that facilitates torture.
At the 17th of February, one year after the closing of the Basque daily Egunkaria at the 20st of February, a book with the title ‘Gezurra ari du’ (They Lie) is published, about all events, told by the people behind Egunkaria. Still the journalists and editors Iñaki Uria, who also wrote a piece in the book, and Xabier Alegria are in prison. One week later another 3 employees of Egunkaria, Agus Barandiaran, Jesús Mari Itturia and Alberto Ortigosa are accused by Garzón, bringing the total in this case on 22. Juan del Olmo has still delivered no evidence if Egunkaria would be established by ETA and be part of the armed organisation. Del Olmo lengthened ‘the suspension of the activities of Egunkaria” with another 4 months, because “the chance exists that the criminal activities will continue”.
The armed organisation ETA calls in a statement at the 18th of February for a cease-fire for the region Catalonia. This truce is in effect since the beginning of the year. Some days later ETA declares in a long interview in the Basque newspaper GARA that they are prepared to talk without conditions with everybody and to work on a political solution of the conflict. No Basque party responded, ETA was accused of “helping the PP in the elections” (PNV, rightwing nationalistic government party) and “lack of respect for the Basque people” (EA, liberal nationalistic government party).
Protests of ‘Solidarios con Itoiz’ at the lake at the 18th of February in the neighbourhood of Harluzea. Four members of the environmental group hang one day long at a sail on the rocks, 30 meters above the lake. They demand the immediate opening of the doors of the weir.
At the 19th of February the leader of the Catalan left Republican party ERC, Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, has to leave his position as vice-president of the Catalan government after the Spanish government and the PP caused a riot about the meeting Carod- Rovira had with members of ETA. Carod-Rovira denies that the aim of the conversation was to move ETA towards a cease-fire in Catalonia, but he wanted “to make clear with political arguments that there are steps forward being made on the democratic path” and that he wanted to persuade ETA to stop with violence. Carod-Rovira accused the PP as well as the PSOE who both had talks with ETA in the past and ended his press conference with the words ‘No Pasaran!’ and ‘Visca Catalunya’. The Spanish newspaper ABC revealed on sources at the Spanish secret service CNI that Rovira had a meeting with ETA. Strangely enough there was less noise about the fact that CNI didn’t arrest “the top of ETA”. The PP used the affair to damage the PSOE, who are in a coalition with the ERC. ERC demanded on their turn the dismissal of Aznar for “unconstitutional espionage”. Carod-Rovira was in the eighties involved in negotiations with the armed Catalan group Terra Lluire. ETA admitted later that they talked to Carod-Rovira but that no appointments were being made, and that they are always willing to talk about the political solution of the conflict. In the same period ETA sent letters to the tourism-industry in Germany, England and France to warn them not to book travels to Spain this year, because the tourist place can be target of attacks during the whole year.
In the Netherlands the announcement that the, also by the Dutch government listed on the EU-terrorlist, and in Spain banned Basque youth organisation SEGI, is in the Netherlands for some information-meetings on Universities, causes some rumour. In Nijmegen the meeting was perfect, the University of Leiden didn’t approve with the open debate and changing of ideas between Basque youngsters and Dutch students and cancelled the meeting. Joost Eerdman, politician of the right wing populist LPF party, posed questions to the Minister of Internal Affairs Remkes. Eerdmans wanted to know if Remkes sees SEGI as a terror-organisation, if the visit to Leiden should be forbidden and what the policy is by visits of representatives of terror organisations to the Netherlands.
At the 20th of February judge Garzón starts a new procedure. He wants to try to let Batasuna pay all the costs for the material damage ETA caused during the years. According to Garzón also the costs made by the Spanish government to imprison all Basque political prisoners, whether from ETA or not. And finally Garzón wants to let Batasuna pay all the costs from the Spanish government to “combat terrorism”.
At a meeting of the BIC about a bustrip to the Basque Country two Jonge Fortuynisten (youth branch of the LPF) try to gather information. They are recognised and told to leave. These guys visit more often meetings of the left movement in the Netherlands. To warn, here is a picture of the guys
The 21st of February around the 200 persons take part in a meeting of the Nazio Eztabaida Gunea (the National debate forum), which wants a political solution of the Basque political conflict and the building of a sovereign Basque state. At political level the fraction of Sozialista Abertzaleak proposed in the Basque parliament to set a date to talk about the ‘plan- Ibarretxe’ starting from territorial integrity, to look for a new framework for the establishing of the right to self-determination and a referendum, “a indispensable tool for a solution”. The Sozialista Abertzaleak wrote a 20 pages critical document about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ and says that the plan “continues to uphold the roots of the conflict and foresees only a new pact with Spain”. More politics: no Basque party reacted in the proposal of the ‘Bergara-Initiative’ to build a list for the Spanish elections. This movement is still excluded from the political process.
At the 23rd of February the Basque political prisoner Manu Azkarate is transferred from the prison of Martutene at Donostia to the prison of Alcalá-Meco in Madrid, where also still the by the Dutch government extradited Alexander Akarregi is. For the tranfer (to the sick-bay of the prison) was given no reason, also not after protests of the lawyers. Azkarate was arrested at the 14th of January, when he reported for his weekly visit at the prison board. He was released in 1992 because of his health- condition. Now he has to fore fill the rest of his sentence. The prisonhelporganisation Etxerat speaks about “vengeance of the Spanish institutions”. The Basque parliament demanded the release of Azkarate and condemned the politics concerning prisoners of the Spanish state. Just before the debate the representatives of the PP and the PSOE left the parliament.
Carlos Urkijo, the representative of the Spanish government in the Basque Country, announced on the 26th of February, the first day of the election campaigns, that all propaganda of the Basque left should be removed by the Basque police, the Ertzaintza. In Donostia all posters were pulled of the walls, and in Bilbao Urkijo tries to prevent a meeting of the ‘Bergara- Initiative’, who he sees as successors of Batasuna. The election committee however approved with the meeting as long as there was not a call to vote. At the 1st of March the ‘Bergara- Initiative’ launched its campaign with 200 meetings all over the country.
At the same day again a car crash on the way to a prisonvisit. Two familymembers on their way to the Basque political prisoner Paula García Rodríguez, who is in prison in Mansilla near León, get an accident and have to be taken to hospital.
At the 29th of February the Basques Irkus Badillo and Gorka Vidal are arrested by the Guardia Civil after a car-crash and suspected of being ETA-members. According to the Guardia Civil they carried 500 kilo of explosives. Both were brought to Madrid and being put in ‘incommunicado’-detention. At the 2nd of March Beñat Barrondo is arrested at his work in Laudio by the Guardia Civil in connection with these arrests. All of them complain of torture during their detention.
In Donostia the conditional release (after ¾ of her sentence) of the Basque political prisoner Marian Pérez del Rio is withdrawn and she is locked in at the prison of Martutene to fore fill the rest of her sentence, until the 19th of March 2007. The public prosecutor Pedro Rubira said that “the necessary conditions were not met”. The same happened to the Basque political prisoners Kepa Narbarte, Xabier Etxeberria, Patxi Gómez, Luis Mari Azkargota and Iñaki Arletaleaniz, who were all released but detained again.
In Madrid the Basque political prisoner Ibai Aiensa, who was released last week because her maximum terms of detention on remand were broken, is arrested again at orders of Garzón. He simply opened his in 2000 started investigation again and at the same day Iker Isiegas and Sergio Medina were arrested.
At the 15th of March the special researcher of the UN about torture, the Dutchman Theo van Boven, presented his report about the Spanish state to the human rights commission of the UN. Van Boven denounces the ‘incommunicado’-detention, which can not only “facilitate torture, but is on itself a cruel and merciless treatment”. In October Van Boven visited Spain and the Basque Country and spoke to numerous politicians and representatives from society. “Spanish representatives were reluctant to talk about torture, because they were bound to political guide-lines”, says Van Boven. They spoke also about the torture complaints as “strategy of ETA to damage the juridical system”. The UN-researcher condemned the policy of spreading political prisoners and denounced the violence of ETA because “many Spaniards live in fear because of death threats to them of to their family”.
At the 6th of March thousands of people demonstrate in Donostia against the banning and the violence of the Ertzaintza’s against the electionmeetings of the ‘Bergara-Initiative’, who call for an alternative vote for the elections. They are themselves excluded, because they are banned. At the last elections the left independentists movement organised ‘shadow’ elections, because of the banning of over 250 election platforms, and there were despite that 150.000 people voting for them. At the ballot- papers this time no candidates but political demands: self- determination, against war, against prisons and torture.. According to Joseba Alvarez would it be nice if the PP “ the party who supports the wars of Bush, who recruits under Franco-members and stands for a racist migrant policy” would be voted away, but “the alternative is the PSOE, they formed the death-squads in the eighties against us and supported the ban on our party”. That’s why the Basque independentists movement has to organise itself and work for the right on self-determination in the Basque Country.
In 14 towns in the Basque Country there are demonstrations and manifestations for international women’s day 8 March. The situation of women is bad and the Bilgune Feminista (the Feminist Forum) makes an analyses and a plan to go forward. Women are paid less up to 30% of man’s wages, if they are working: in many sectors of society women are ‘invisible’. Violence against women remains a big problem, last year there were 888 complaints filed at the municipalities of Donostia and Bilbao and in Naffaroa 400 women live in hiding. According to the department of women’s affairs in Donostia one on 5 women is treated badly. Positive point is that more and more women, and also men, are taking part in the various forms of women’s struggle.

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OVERVIEW EVENTS BASQUE COUNTRY NR 2, period 24th of January until 8th of March 2004
In the month January 5 accidents of people visiting their relatives or friends (Basque political prisoners) at prisons. In the last week of January 2 accidents: the parents of Ainhoa Gutierrez slipped of the road and were wounded when they travelled the 903 kilometres to the prison in Granada. Two friends of the prisoners Imanol Esnaola and Iker Beristain were wounded on the 529 kilometres long trip on the way back from the prison of Aranjuez, after they did their weekly visit of 40 minutes. From 1987 on the Basque political prisoners (but also other political prisoners), after a decision in the Spanish parliament, are being locked away far from families and friends. With this there is a heavy economic burden on the shoulders of relatives and they even risk their lives during the travels. Another example of harassment: In January the father of the Basque political prisoner Alberto Barrias died without Alberto having had the opportunity to say farewell. Four months ago doctors discovered a brain- tumour at his father and immediately Alberto asked for a temporarily transfer to Donostia, so his father could visit him. In January, when the father already died, the request was dismissed. At the 15th of February a family-member of a prisoner, on his way to the Burgos prison, is attacked by Spanish fascists, who stab the tyres of his car, while on a distance some Guardia Civils are watching amused. The Basque youth organisation SEGI held a national meeting in Altsasu, Naffaroa, at the end of January, attended by 2000 people. The problems of the youth in the Basque Country were the core of the meeting that was called pluralistic and participative. “We are a collective with the same problems and the same rights. Without asking us, those in power impose us a reality, the lives of youngsters are fitted into the supports of the system, they see us as objects to use for their purposes. The relations we are allowed to have are limited, hobby’s are totally linked to consumerism, working conditions are very bad, drugs are distributed among youngsters and the youth is controlled by a network of drugs dealers.” Those present declared they wouldn’t be satisfied with the crumbs, but that the refusal not to be submissive was the only way to change something in the daily reality. The Guardia Civil and the Spanish police spent 36 million euros for a brand new computer program called SITEL, with which they can tap phones without permission or cooperation from telephone companies. The candidate for the Democratic Party in the US, John Kerry, said at the end of January in an interview about terrorism that “Many countries have to face terrorism, like Ireland the IRA, India with the Sikhs, Spain to the Basques…” The Sikhs demanded rectification and received prompt apologies from Kerry. The International Basque Organisation (IBO) asked Kerry for explanation and he apologizes in an email at the 24th of February, in which he says it was not right to qualify al Basques as terrorists. The appeal of 4 officers of the Guardia Civil against their conviction for torture is recognised at the 27th of January by the Spanish High Court. In 2001 the 4 were convicted to long prison sentences by a court in Bizkaia for the torture of 7 Basques citizens in 1980. According to the High Court there was no evidence for this. The lawyer of the victims, Jone Goirizelaia, said after this newest acquittal, that “torture of Basque civilians is not seen as a crime by the Spanish courts”. At the 29th of January the Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón returns from Mexico, where he wanted to question anonymously, together with public prosecutor Enrique Molina, the 6 Basques, Jon Artola, Axun Gorrotxategi, Félix García, Ernesto Alberdi, Joseba Urkijo and Asier Arronategi, who are in prison in Mexico City since July 2003. They were, after the first two Basques refused to talk to them, removed by the board of the prison, because of “violating Mexican sovereignty and interfering in internal business of Mexico”. In Mexico they speak of intimidation. Garzón and Molina managed to be present at the interrogation of 3 Mexican prisoners, who are suspects in the same case as the 6 Basques. The lawyer of the 6, Bárbara Zamora, filed a complaint at the human rights commission of the Federal district because of “violating the rights of my clients by Garzón”. The Basque political prisoner Carlos Iñigo, who was extradited by the French authorities to Spain at the 28th of January, is locked in the prison of Soto del Real in Madrid, at orders of judge Juan del Olmo of the Audiencia Nacional. Iñigo is accused of membership of the political organisation EKIN, banned on the 13th of September by Garzón, and of the Basque youth organisation HAIKA, banned on the 6th of March 2001. One year after the closing of the Basque daily Egunkaria, the doctor who examined the chief editor of Egunkaria Martxelo Otamendi during his detention in Madrid, testifies for the judge in Madrid. The doctor, Juan Monge, acknowledged the complaints he received from Otamendi about his bad treatment by the Guardia Civil. Otamendi told the judge about torture and said the Guardia Civil threatened him when he would tell the doctor again that he was treated very badly (a.o. endless series of push- ups, naked in the cell, kept awake at night) and tortured, with the infamous plastic bag (La Bolsa) over the head. In the end judge Carmen Valcarce decides there is no evidence to prove that Otamendi was tortured, because there were “no physical traces”. This judge didn’t think it was necessary to hear Otamendi’s story, nor the story of Otamendi’s cellmate, Fermin Lazkano. At the end of January, the nomination of the film ‘La Pelota Vasca’ of Julio Medem at the elections of the Spanish film awards leads to various protests. ‘La Pelota Vasca’, about the political conflict in the Basque Country, led to two demonstrations at the entrance: 300 protestors accused Medem of putting the families of the victims and the perpetrators at the same level, that he was critical on the police and that he would support the plans for more independence of the Basque Country. Supporters of Medem demonstrated for freedom of speech and debate. In the end ‘La Pelota Vasca’ didn’t receive an award, but Luis Tosar, who was chosen as best actor, dedicated his price to Julio Medem. At the 4th of February the Basque Joxean Zurutuza Sarasola is arrested in Baiona by the French police in connection with an attack of the ‘Autonomous Anitkapitalist Commando’s’ at the 26th of March 1982. Twelve years ago Zurutuza was arrested for the same case. Because of the double nationality he has he can’t be extradited to Spain. Judge Garzón of the Audiencia Nacional finished his investigation to the prisonhelporgsanisation ‘Gestoras Pro Amnistia’ en formulated a complaint against the 27 members, among them Juan Mari Olano, Julen Zelarain, Gorka Zulaika, Aratz Estomba, Ainhoa Irastorza, Julen Larrinaga, Jagoba Terrones, Juan Antonio Madariaga, Jon Beaskoa, Maite Díaz de Heredia, Iker Zubia, Josu Beamount, Alex Belasko, Joseba Iñaki Reta, Sabin Juaristi, Iñaki Loizaga, Ixone Urzelai, Asier Virumbrales, Txema Olabarrieta and Jorge Txokarro. All of them are accused of “membership of an armed organisation”. Garzón banned in December 2001 ‘Gestoras’ and in February 2002 the prisonhelporganisation Askatasuna and in connection with that had arrested numerous people. The Basque anti-torture group TAT handed over 50.000 signatures against torture and a list with recommendations to prevent torture to the government of Naffaroa at the 4th of February. One day later they did the same at the Basque parliament in Gasteiz. The ‘Bergara-Initiative’ launches at the 7th of February her own ballot-papers with the text ‘Inposaketari ez. Bai Naffaroari, bai Euskal Herriari, autodeterminazioa. Euskal Herria aitortu, erraspetatu’ (No lies. Yes for Naffaroa, yes against the Basque Countr and selfdetermination. The Basque Country decides and that has to be respected). At the ballot papers the declaration of the United Nations about the fundamental right of each people to decide about their own future is printed, as well in Spanish as in Basque. At the 10th of February the European Tribunal of Human Rights in Straatsburg decides that the Basque government is no party in her complaint about the ‘Law on Parties’, that took care of outlawing Batasuna. In the Spanish media it was said that Batasuna is now banned definite, but Batasuna has her own procedure in Straatsburg and of course she is recognised as a party. The verdict of the European Tribunal is expected in several years. At the 10th of February two ETA-members Ibon Elorrieta and Luis Enrique Garate are arrested around Cognac in France. They carry various weapons and have 33 kilo of explosives in their possession. Garate, since 1983 in hiding, is connected to 2 attacks on the Guardia Civil in 1983, an attack at an army- colonel and with the kidnapping of a businessman from Alava in October 1986. Elorrieta was sentenced without appearing for 5 years in 2003 by a French court. According to Aznar the 2 were “on their way to an attack in Spain”. Other sources speak of a weapons-transport. Two days later Jon Kepa Precadio and Jon González, and in Bidarte Diego Ibarra, are arrested after their names were pulled out of Garate and Elorrieta. Elorrita is now accused of “provoking a terrorist murder”, because he “together with others put a slogan on a wall in Bilbao” in 1997. The Spanish High Court has finally come up with a date for the start of the big investigation called 18/98, started by judge Garzón and aimed at the left independentist movement in the Basque Country. In November this year the 68 accused have to appear in court. For a book about the prosecution, check under Shop. For the High Court in the Basque Country, where this month was a new chairman appointed, Ruiz Piñeiro, who made clear that for him the “Spanish constitution is sacred”, 24 persons from the left movement have to appear on accusation of participating an “illegal manifestation” and of “glorifying terrorism”. The 24 took part in a demonstration with the slogan “No Apartheid. Autodeterminanzioa” (No (political) Apartheid. Selfdetermination) at the 20th of September 2003, were there was also attention for the killing of the Basque activist and alleged ETA-member Arkaitz Otazua, 6 days earlier. Slogans, pictures and flowers are now “glorifying terrorism” and even the 90-year-old Emilia de Bodega, who sat in the bus with the speakers because she walks badly, is accused. In the Basque autonomous provinces Araba and Bizkaia, Erlantz Cantabrana, Nekane Ruiz and David Pérez are arrested by the Spanish police and taken to Madrid. According to the Spanish ministry of Internal Affairs Angel Acabes the 3 would be “members of GRAPO” (Grupos de Resistencia Antifascista Primero de Octobre). Cantabrana is later released without accusation; the other 2 are imprisoned in Soto del Real in Madrid. At the 14th of February the reports of the doctors who examined and visited Unai Romano for 4 months in prison, are released. Romano is a young Basque who was arrested at the 6th of September 2001 and was tortured for two days and one night. He became a worldwide symbol of torture because of his pictures ‘before and after the treatment’(See here). The doctors denounce the version of the Guardia Civil that Romano wounded himself by banging his head to the wall, and say in their report that Romano was subjected to “multiplied, intensive and repeatedly beatings”. One of the doctors said that he never saw such wounds at the body of “a living person”. Joxe Arregi died through torture. He was beaten to death 23 years ago and his body showed severe burns. Every year his death is commemorated with demonstrations, this year with the slogan ‘’25 urte torturepean. Aski da’(25 years of torture. That’s enough). The Basque anti-foltergroup TAT released a video with testimonies. Between 1977 and 2002 5.300 people in the Basque Country filed a complaint about torture. In 2003 that were 89 people. At the same day 20.000 people demonstrate against torture in Donostia and demanded the abortion of the infamous ‘incommunicado’-detention, a period of maximum 5 days of isolation that facilitates torture. At the 17th of February, one year after the closing of the Basque daily Egunkaria at the 20st of February, a book with the title ‘Gezurra ari du’ (They Lie) is published, about all events, told by the people behind Egunkaria. Still the journalists and editors Iñaki Uria, who also wrote a piece in the book, and Xabier Alegria are in prison. One week later another 3 employees of Egunkaria, Agus Barandiaran, Jesús Mari Itturia and Alberto Ortigosa are accused by Garzón, bringing the total in this case on 22. Juan del Olmo has still delivered no evidence if Egunkaria would be established by ETA and be part of the armed organisation. Del Olmo lengthened ‘the suspension of the activities of Egunkaria” with another 4 months, because “the chance exists that the criminal activities will continue”. The armed organisation ETA calls in a statement at the 18th of February for a cease-fire for the region Catalonia. This truce is in effect since the beginning of the year. Some days later ETA declares in a long interview in the Basque newspaper GARA that they are prepared to talk without conditions with everybody and to work on a political solution of the conflict. No Basque party responded, ETA was accused of “helping the PP in the elections” (PNV, rightwing nationalistic government party) and “lack of respect for the Basque people” (EA, liberal nationalistic government party). Protests of ‘Solidarios con Itoiz’ at the lake at the 18th of February in the neighbourhood of Harluzea. Four members of the environmental group hang one day long at a sail on the rocks, 30 meters above the lake. They demand the immediate opening of the doors of the weir. At the 19th of February the leader of the Catalan left Republican party ERC, Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, has to leave his position as vice-president of the Catalan government after the Spanish government and the PP caused a riot about the meeting Carod- Rovira had with members of ETA. Carod-Rovira denies that the aim of the conversation was to move ETA towards a cease-fire in Catalonia, but he wanted “to make clear with political arguments that there are steps forward being made on the democratic path” and that he wanted to persuade ETA to stop with violence. Carod-Rovira accused the PP as well as the PSOE who both had talks with ETA in the past and ended his press conference with the words ‘No Pasaran!’ and ‘Visca Catalunya’. The Spanish newspaper ABC revealed on sources at the Spanish secret service CNI that Rovira had a meeting with ETA. Strangely enough there was less noise about the fact that CNI didn’t arrest “the top of ETA”. The PP used the affair to damage the PSOE, who are in a coalition with the ERC. ERC demanded on their turn the dismissal of Aznar for “unconstitutional espionage”. Carod-Rovira was in the eighties involved in negotiations with the armed Catalan group Terra Lluire. ETA admitted later that they talked to Carod-Rovira but that no appointments were being made, and that they are always willing to talk about the political solution of the conflict. In the same period ETA sent letters to the tourism-industry in Germany, England and France to warn them not to book travels to Spain this year, because the tourist place can be target of attacks during the whole year. In the Netherlands the announcement that the, also by the Dutch government listed on the EU-terrorlist, and in Spain banned Basque youth organisation SEGI, is in the Netherlands for some information-meetings on Universities, causes some rumour. In Nijmegen the meeting was perfect, the University of Leiden didn’t approve with the open debate and changing of ideas between Basque youngsters and Dutch students and cancelled the meeting. Joost Eerdman, politician of the right wing populist LPF party, posed questions to the Minister of Internal Affairs Remkes. Eerdmans wanted to know if Remkes sees SEGI as a terror-organisation, if the visit to Leiden should be forbidden and what the policy is by visits of representatives of terror organisations to the Netherlands. At the 20th of February judge Garzón starts a new procedure. He wants to try to let Batasuna pay all the costs for the material damage ETA caused during the years. According to Garzón also the costs made by the Spanish government to imprison all Basque political prisoners, whether from ETA or not. And finally Garzón wants to let Batasuna pay all the costs from the Spanish government to “combat terrorism”. At a meeting of the BIC about a bustrip to the Basque Country two Jonge Fortuynisten (youth branch of the LPF) try to gather information. They are recognised and told to leave. These guys visit more often meetings of the left movement in the Netherlands. To warn, here is a picture of the guys The 21st of February around the 200 persons take part in a meeting of the Nazio Eztabaida Gunea (the National debate forum), which wants a political solution of the Basque political conflict and the building of a sovereign Basque state. At political level the fraction of Sozialista Abertzaleak proposed in the Basque parliament to set a date to talk about the ‘plan- Ibarretxe’ starting from territorial integrity, to look for a new framework for the establishing of the right to self-determination and a referendum, “a indispensable tool for a solution”. The Sozialista Abertzaleak wrote a 20 pages critical document about the ‘plan-Ibarretxe’ and says that the plan “continues to uphold the roots of the conflict and foresees only a new pact with Spain”. More politics: no Basque party reacted in the proposal of the ‘Bergara-Initiative’ to build a list for the Spanish elections. This movement is still excluded from the political process. At the 23rd of February the Basque political prisoner Manu Azkarate is transferred from the prison of Martutene at Donostia to the prison of Alcalá-Meco in Madrid, where also still the by the Dutch government extradited Alexander Akarregi is. For the tranfer (to the sick-bay of the prison) was given no reason, also not after protests of the lawyers. Azkarate was arrested at the 14th of January, when he reported for his weekly visit at the prison board. He was released in 1992 because of his health- condition. Now he has to fore fill the rest of his sentence. The prisonhelporganisation Etxerat speaks about “vengeance of the Spanish institutions”. The Basque parliament demanded the release of Azkarate and condemned the politics concerning prisoners of the Spanish state. Just before the debate the representatives of the PP and the PSOE left the parliament. Carlos Urkijo, the representative of the Spanish government in the Basque Country, announced on the 26th of February, the first day of the election campaigns, that all propaganda of the Basque left should be removed by the Basque police, the Ertzaintza. In Donostia all posters were pulled of the walls, and in Bilbao Urkijo tries to prevent a meeting of the ‘Bergara- Initiative’, who he sees as successors of Batasuna. The election committee however approved with the meeting as long as there was not a call to vote. At the 1st of March the ‘Bergara- Initiative’ launched its campaign with 200 meetings all over the country. At the same day again a car crash on the way to a prisonvisit. Two familymembers on their way to the Basque political prisoner Paula García Rodríguez, who is in prison in Mansilla near León, get an accident and have to be taken to hospital. At the 29th of February the Basques Irkus Badillo and Gorka Vidal are arrested by the Guardia Civil after a car-crash and suspected of being ETA-members. According to the Guardia Civil they carried 500 kilo of explosives. Both were brought to Madrid and being put in ‘incommunicado’-detention. At the 2nd of March Beñat Barrondo is arrested at his work in Laudio by the Guardia Civil in connection with these arrests. All of them complain of torture during their detention. In Donostia the conditional release (after ¾ of her sentence) of the Basque political prisoner Marian Pérez del Rio is withdrawn and she is locked in at the prison of Martutene to fore fill the rest of her sentence, until the 19th of March 2007. The public prosecutor Pedro Rubira said that “the necessary conditions were not met”. The same happened to the Basque political prisoners Kepa Narbarte, Xabier Etxeberria, Patxi Gómez, Luis Mari Azkargota and Iñaki Arletaleaniz, who were all released but detained again. In Madrid the Basque political prisoner Ibai Aiensa, who was released last week because her maximum terms of detention on remand were broken, is arrested again at orders of Garzón. He simply opened his in 2000 started investigation again and at the same day Iker Isiegas and Sergio Medina were arrested. At the 15th of March the special researcher of the UN about torture, the Dutchman Theo van Boven, presented his report about the Spanish state to the human rights commission of the UN. Van Boven denounces the ‘incommunicado’-detention, which can not only “facilitate torture, but is on itself a cruel and merciless treatment”. In October Van Boven visited Spain and the Basque Country and spoke to numerous politicians and representatives from society. “Spanish representatives were reluctant to talk about torture, because they were bound to political guide-lines”, says Van Boven. They spoke also about the torture complaints as “strategy of ETA to damage the juridical system”. The UN-researcher condemned the policy of spreading political prisoners and denounced the violence of ETA because “many Spaniards live in fear because of death threats to them of to their family”. At the 6th of March thousands of people demonstrate in Donostia against the banning and the violence of the Ertzaintza’s against the electionmeetings of the ‘Bergara-Initiative’, who call for an alternative vote for the elections. They are themselves excluded, because they are banned. At the last elections the left independentists movement organised ‘shadow’ elections, because of the banning of over 250 election platforms, and there were despite that 150.000 people voting for them. At the ballot- papers this time no candidates but political demands: self- determination, against war, against prisons and torture.. According to Joseba Alvarez would it be nice if the PP “ the party who supports the wars of Bush, who recruits under Franco-members and stands for a racist migrant policy” would be voted away, but “the alternative is the PSOE, they formed the death-squads in the eighties against us and supported the ban on our party”. That’s why the Basque independentists movement has to organise itself and work for the right on self-determination in the Basque Country. In 14 towns in the Basque Country there are demonstrations and manifestations for international women’s day 8 March. The situation of women is bad and the Bilgune Feminista (the Feminist Forum) makes an analyses and a plan to go forward. Women are paid less up to 30% of man’s wages, if they are working: in many sectors of society women are ‘invisible’. Violence against women remains a big problem, last year there were 888 complaints filed at the municipalities of Donostia and Bilbao and in Naffaroa 400 women live in hiding. According to the department of women’s affairs in Donostia one on 5 women is treated badly. Positive point is that more and more women, and also men, are taking part in the various forms of women’s struggle.
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