1) Basque political prisoners and arrests
2) News from the ranks of the Basque and Spanish governments
3) Initiatives from Euskal Herria to come to a political solution of the conflict
4) Aftermath 11 March/attacks in Madrid
5) The Baskische diaspora
6) Repression in the Basque country
7)Attacks and statements of ETA

1. Basque political prisoners and arrests

   At 9 August Laudelino Iglesias was released after 23,5 years in prison. He spent the last 15 years in the special FIES-regime, where almost no rights applie. Iglesias was always very active in complaining about abuses in the prisons where he was and that's why he was kept for so long inside. In 2003 he wrote a letter that he was doubting if they would ever release him: "I never wanted to do a coup (Tejero), didn't torture anybody to death (Lasa and Zabala-case), never robbed millions as chief of a bank (Ibanesto-case), never made millions with arms and drugstraffic (a.o. GAL), I'm only imprisoned because I'm poor."

   In the weekend of 21 and 22 August family members and friends of the Basque political prisoners Harriet Iragi, Julen Uriarte and Santos Berganza suffer several bone injuries when their cars get involved in a crash. They were travelling to the prisons in Asturia and Valencia, a travel from more then 1000 km. Only this year more then 80 people were injured during the long distance travels to visit prisoners.

   At 12 September 2000 people demonstrate in Donostia for 'Amnesty and Liberty' for the more then 700 Basque political prisoners.

   At 19 September the French police arrest Zigor Orbe (25) and Joseba Esparza Ortega in Montauban, France, at accusation of 'ETA-membership'. They are taken to a prison in Paris. In 2000 Orbe was sentenced to 17 year by the Spanish Criminal Court because of his involvement in burning a bus at 28 September 1996 in Bausuri, Bizkaia, were the driver got wounded. Also Iñigo Vallejo, Javi Sabada and Jon Lopez (the latter waiting in Belgium for extradition to Spain) are accused in this case. Leire Etxeberri and Maria Rey were sentenced to 8,5 year for helping these 4.

   At 29 September the Spanish police at orders of judge Garzón arrests the Basque citizens Jose Angel Goti, Amaia Ibarra, Josu Alvarez, Jabi Ganuza and Oskar Elezaga in Bizkaia and Leon (Spain). They are accused of 'forming an ETA-support group', that supposed to have helped ETA-people escape. Several houses were searched and the investigation is still running. One of them was released in the evening.

   At 3 October 17 people (16 in France, 1 in Burgos (Spain) are arrested in a cooperation between French police and Spanish Guardia Civil against ETA. At 4 October 4 people are released again. In the as 'historic strike' called operation Mikel Albisu and Soledad Iparragirre, seen as 'leaders of ETA' are arrested and several stores of ammunition and weapons are discovered. The operation was the end of 4 years of detective work according to the police, but it was 'a coincidence' that Albisu was found. He lived 19 years clandestinely and he was one of the negotiators with the Spanish government in Zürich during the ETA-seize fire of 5 years ago. The police always thought the two lived far away from the Basque Country with their 8-year old son, in Northern France of Belgium, but their kid was at school at 50 km from Baiona. In the stores almost a ton of explosives was found and also rockets and a press on which the ETA-magazine Zutabe was printed. The 'ETA-leader' Albisu however has to be seen as political leader, he wrote theaterplays, critics on literature en poetry, he didn't put any bombs. In 1982 he received a literature price. Spain never asked for his extradition to any country, he couldn't be connected to violence. At 5 October 11 of the arrested are being flown under heavy protection to Paris, to be questioned by the special antiterrorist forces of the French police before they are being presented to judge Laurence Le Vert. They are Didier Arricau-Cassiau, Maryse Lavie, Mikel Albisu, Soledad Iparragirre, Peio Serbielle, Xabi Oxarango, Robert Arranbide, Lourdes Urdanpilleta, Jose Ramon Arano-Urdiola, Miriam Inzabi and Miguel Negrete. If Didi Arranbide and Dima Lintx were being released is unclear. Peio Alkantarilla, who was arrested in Burgos, sat 5 days in incommunicado detention. He tried at the first day to commit suicide because of the threats of being tortured more, after being beaten up with batons and subdued to physiological torture (blindfolding, loud music) by the Guardia Civil officers. They prevent the suicide and take him to hospital. Back in his cell he is beaten up again and tells them what they want to know. He was threatened to tell the same story to the judge, but he explained about the torture and said he was going to file an official complaint.

   At 6 October 5 people are arrested in Irun, Donostia and Iruña and accuses of 'having ties with ETA'. They are Juan Jose Zarautz, Jose Ramon Unanue, Arantzazu Sanchez, Aimar Guzon and Aimar Aiertza; they are held 5 days incommunicado in Madrid. The 5, according to the Spanish Minister of Internal Affairs 'would have agreed to join ETA'. At 7 October Ascension Canellada-Larraiotz (50) and Jose Luis Beotegi-Ibañez de Opakua (55) are arrested in Donostia and Ugao (Bizkaia). Beotegi was Basque exile in Algeria and on Cape Verde; by France he was taken in 1983 to Algeria and when the negotiations between ETA and the Spanish government in 1989 shuttered he was taken to Cape Verde. In 1996 he went back to the Basque Country, there were no accusations against him.

2. News from the ranks of the Basque and Spanish governments

   Figures of the Spanish government: In the Basque Country are 6.600 officers of the Guardia Civil and the Spanish police active. In Bilbao are 558 officers active and in the provinces Gipuzkoa and Naffaroa are 7.500 Ertzaintza's and 600 police-officers active. This means that for every 190 Basque citizens there's one policeman. The Spanish government neglects the figures of 4000 Spanish militaries in the Basque Country and you can add the hundreds of Gendarmes and riot police on the French side. In Spain and the Basque Country are also 5000 bodyguards active, to protect people from attacks of ETA. This costs the state every year 63.3 million euro. At 20 September the Ministers of Internal Affairs of the Basque Country and Spain agree to raise the amount of Ertzaintza's with 500. This doesn't mean that the amount of Spanish police is decreasing.

   The chairman of the Basque PSOE Jesus Egiguren said in an interview in El Correo at 23 August that if 'Ibarretxe puts his plan through with the help of the Batasuna-fraction Sozialista Abertzaleak, the Basque people will never forgive him'. The chairman of the Basque parliament Juan Mari Atutxa, himself prosecuted for not obeying an order of the Spanish High Court to remove Batasuna from parliament, reacted by saying that members of Batasuna in the parliament were as equal as anybody in parliament. 'There is no difference in legitimacy between some people and others', he said. At 27 August big shots from the PNV declare that the 'plan-Ibarretxe' in the current composition of the parliament wouldn't get a majority in favour, so at the next elections in April of May 2005 there has to be won an absolute majority by the 3 governing parties.

   The Spanish Minister of Public Affairs Jordi Sevilla announces on 24 August that there will be changes for the 'autonomous communities'. In some cases these communities will have the right to veto, to guard the 'character of the region' and to uphold the 'principle of solidarity'. Sevilla said that the measured were symbolic. The PNV disagreed with the plan and declared that is was only to give the PSOE a good image, also because of the strong rejection of the PP that followed.

   At 30 August the Basque PSOE launches her campaign to become the biggest in the next elections and the get the position of Basque president. In a reaction on the 'plan-Ibarretxe' they propose a reform of the statue of Gernika, in which the Social Security would fall under the Basque Autonomous Government. Ibarretxe answered that if the PSOE doesn't present this proposal in the parliament, he will not speak another word about it and in other circles of the PNV this proposal of the PSOE was called 'pure marketing'.

   Research among 2000 citizens of the Basque Autonomous Provinces Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba learns that 44% approves with the 'plan-Ibarretxe' and that 69% thinks that the Spanish government has to respect the Basque decisions about the reforms. 50% thinks this will be easier with the PSOE in power, 64% is in favour of a referendum, but only 36% thinks the Spanish government will accept the calling of this. 95% is in favour of talks between both governments. 58% thinks negative about the Spanish juridical system, although 45% thinks that it depends on who is in power politically. 42% thinks that Batasuna has to be legal again and 66% agrees with bringing the Basque political prisoners closer to home. And 50% thinks the Spanish justice has to be tougher in terrorism cases.

   At the end of September the notorious ex-general of the Guardia Civil Enrique Rodriguez- Galindo (65) is released from prison because of health problems. At 18 August he was transferred to the hospital because of heart problems, but could return after one day. The PSOE always made herself strong for the release of the torturer, drugs trafficker and GAL- ace Galindo, who was sentenced to 75 year but only was 5 inside. The PSOE is afraid Galindo will talk about the involvement in the murders of the GAL of high placed PSOE- persons, including former president Felipe Gonzalez, still an important person in the PSOE. Galindo has to serve his sentence at home, without electronic brace, because he will be, according to the prison authorities, 'protected all day by body guards.' The only one of 5 who is still in prison for the kidnapping, torture and murder of the Basque youngsters Joxean Lasa and Joxi Zabala in 1983, is Angel Vaquero, an ex-captain of the Guardia Civil. The rest is out, at home serving sentence or released due to health problems. At 1 September it is discovered that people removed a memorial plate for Lasa and Zabala from their grave in Tolosa.

3. Initiatives from Euskal Herria to come to a political solution of the conflict

   At 20 August Batasuna demonstrates with hundreds of people in Bilbao behind the slogan 'Erabakia geurea. Autodeterminazioa' (It is upon us to decide. Self determination). Spokesman Joseba Permach said they will never back the 'plan-Ibarretxe' as long as it 'is not about the whole of Euskal Herria (3 Basque provinces and Naffaroa and the French part) and won't solve the political conflict'. This was in a reaction on Ibarretxe who said Batasuna was afraid of the outcome of a referendum. Permach said that the PNV was afraid of the voice of the Basque people since they only will held a referendum in the 3 Basque Autonomous Provinces. And if the PNV was not afraid, 'they should return the seats that they stole in the elections and respect the will of the people', referring on the last local elections where all independentist platforms were banned from elections.

   At 14 September the Spanish president Zapatero talks to the Eusko Elkartasuna chairman Begoña Errazti. She asks Zapatero to start talks with ETA and to make an end to the dispersion of the Basque political prisoners. Errazti also said that Zapatero has to recognize stateless nations and linguistic rights and the capability of citizens to decide on their own future.

   At 2 October the Basque peace organisation Elkarri demonstrates with thousands of people in Donostia behind the slogan ''Konpromiso handiagoa giza eskubideekin. Benetako elkarrizketa abendua baino lehen' (More respect for human rights. Real dialogue before December.) The coordinator of Elkarri Jonan Fernandez called for 'the removing of problems through talks by political leaders, just like in Ireland'. According to him there are 3 obstacles for the resolution of the conflict: "violence, political marginalisation and lack of (political) communication.'

4. Aftermath 11 March/attacks in Madrid

   At 7 September the parliamentary investigation to the attacks of 11 March 2004 in Madrid is closed without ex-premier Aznar having to testify for the 16 members of the commission. The PSOE seemed to have made a pact with the PP on not harming Aznar. One of the remaining key-questions remains why Aznar told for days after the attacks that ETA did it, while police investigation was long underway to Al-Kaida. Former Minister of Internal Affairs Acebes told the commission for 10 hours that the police information was not manipulated by the PP. First conclusions of the report are that the government Aznar was ill prepared on attacks and ignored several warnings of the intelligence services.

5. The Baskische diaspora

   At the end of July the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico decides that the 6 Basques van be extradited to Spain. It is still possible to protest against the extradition by signing the petition on www.6demexico.org. VAt 23 August the extradition is temporarily suspended after an appeal of the 6 against the secretary of state of Mexico. According to the 6 some laws in the constitution are broken, under which the one that said that extradition should not take place when there is a risk on torture. Now the judge is deciding whether to put legal protection on the 6.

   Jon Lopez and Diego Urarte were since 16 August in hunger strike in the Belgian prisons in Brugge and Bergen, but gave up after they suffered serious health problems. They protested against the Eurepean Extradition Order. At 11 September there was a protest from Belgian and Basques at the prisons. A petition signed by thousands of Basques was delivered to the prison.

   In Montevideo, Uruguay, 5000 people commemorate on 26 August that 10 years ago 2 people were killed by the police in a demonstration against the extradition of the 3 Basques Mikel Ibáñez, Josu Goitia and Luis Mari Lizzaralde. The slogan of the commemoration was 'Our memory doesn't forget. Our dignity doesn't forgive.' At 15 May 1992 30 people were arrested in Uruguay, 13 were sentenced and 3 extradited. In December 2002 the Spanish ambassador gave a medal of honour to the Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the extradition. According to the Basque human rights organisation Askatasuna Spain always put enormous, continuous pressure on Uruguay, as well on the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, the US, the UK, Costa Rica, Italy, Germany, Canada, Portugal, The Netherlands and Belgium to extradite Basques.

6. Repression in the Basque country

   Eleven members of the banned organisation Udalbiltza, the self-organisation of Basque councillors from the French and Spanish part of the Basque Country, are being charged with 'membership of an armed group' and have to appear for judge Garzón. The accusation is the same as in May 2003 when chairman Loren Arkotxa and 3 others had to come to the police and were put in prison for one year. The day before the trials start 22 organisations, among them political parties and trade unions, give out a statement in which they condemn 'the attack on Udalbiltza' and demand the right to 'exercise political projects'. At the first day of the trial 5 of the 11 testified for Garzón and 3 of them, Joxean Barandiaran, Xafe Ziarrusta and Iñaki Olalde, were released without conditions, but the other 2, Peru Aranburu and Unai Dañobieta were put in prison again in connection with other cases. They deny ever to have been member of Udalbiltza. At 22 September Garzón summons 21 members of Udalbiltza, all on the accusation of 'ETA-membership' and the 'gathering of money for the armed organisation'. All members are former or current councillors and majors. Garzón says that Udalbiltza Kursaal, the left part of Udalbiltza, 'follows orders of ETA and Batasuna'. His prove is the ETA-magazine Zutabe, where the founding of Udalbiltza is greeted, and that Udalbiltza has the same goals as ETA. His other prove is that when ETA asked for 'revolutionary taxes' of the French-Basque football player Bixente Lizarazu, the left back said that 'he could deliver his money to Udalbiltza as good as to ETA'.

   At 26 August it is 2 years ago that the Spanish justice tried to remove Batasuna from public life. For them it is forbidden to stage demonstrations and manifestations, give press conferences, held meetings, make and spread posters, take part in elections etc. Batasuna was accused by Garzón being an 'instrument of ETA' and of 'committing crimes against humanity' and was banned in March 2003. All offices of Batasuna are closed, only one in Baiona is still open, all bank accounts are frozen, 36 people are prosecuted, 10 were put in prison, from whom only Joseba Garmendia is still in prison. Despite this Batasuna managed to hold a lot of demonstrations the last 2 years and Arnaldo Otegi, Pernando Barrena, Xabi Larralde, Joseba Permach and Joseba Alvarez made public statements. At 27 August Batasuna demonstrated for their former office in Bilbao and Otegi declared that 'the sustaning of this undemocratic situation is an obstacle for a solution of the conflict' and that the Spanish government has to alter the ban without expecting anything back from the Basque left.

7. Attacks and statements of ETA

   At 15 August a small bomb goes of in the harbour of Llanes in Asturia. Before ETA called with the newspaper La Nueva España where the bomb was located and when it would go off. There were no casualties. The Catalan priest and ex-senator, Lluis Maria Xirinacs, was honoured at 20 August at the Catalan university d'Estui for all the work he did in defence of the Catalan language and the unity of the Catalan speaking territories. In March this year the Spanish High Court sentenced Xirinacs to 2 years prison for 'glorifying terrorism' at the Catalan national day at 11 September 2002. And what did Xirinacs say to the press? 'Gandhi, a non-violent gentleman and no friend of ETA, said that a non violent can't be neutral in a violent conflict. He has to declare himself a friend of the occupier violent and an enemy of the occupying violent. I say I am an enemy of Spain and a friend of ETA'. At 21 August two small bombs go off in Sanxenxo and Baiona in Galicia. Before they blew a warning call came in at GARA. Result: Two lightly wounded, one of them an officer of the Guardia Civil. According to the police the explosives are similar to the bombs used earlier this month along the north coast of Spain, until now 7.

   In Santiago de Compostella in Galicia blows at 29 August a small bomb. Another bomb is prevented from going off because of a call to GARA. 7 months the arms of ETA were silent and for one year they didn't kill anybody. In a statement ETA calls on the PSOE for 'good reasoning' and 'similar gestures for the Basque Country as the withdrawal from Irak' and that 'peace in the Basque Country can only be achieved by dialogue and by recognising the rights of the Basques'.

   At 8 September ETA claims in a communiqué 13 armed actions, aimed at 'Spanish tourist and economic targets'. At the end of December the explosives at the rail track Zaragoza- Barcelona and Altsasu-Zaragoza. At 24 December the explosives were found that should have gone off at the station of Chamartin in Madrid. At 28 December in Cuena a van full of explosives was intercepted, according to ETA 'on his way to an economic target'. And ETA claims the bomb campaign in the tourist places.

   At 15 September 4 small bombs go off at an electricity pole in Irun in the Basque province Gipuzkoa. According to the authorities and politicians it is the work of ETA, but the Basque police Ertzaintza was doubting, they only said it had nothing to do with the 'Kale Borroka', the 'struggle on the streets' by Basque leftwing youth. At 24 September the Ertzaintza dismantles 4 small bombs at an electricity pole in Behobia after a call came in at the GARA. In Bujaruela the Ertzaintza dismantled 16 small bombs at an electricity line.

   At 23 September Asier Ormazabal is sentenced by the Spanish High Terrorism Court to 351 year in prison, because of his involvement in an attack on a military van in 1996 in Cordoba, where 1 soldier was killed and 2 soldiers and 2 civilians were wounded. Ormazabal has to pay 220.000 euro to the family of the soldier.

   At 25 September the Spanish High Court drops the complaint against the left Catalan ERC- ace Josep Lluis Carod-Rovira. He was accused, because of his talks with ETA at the beginning of this year in Perpignan, France, of 'helping an armed organisation' and 'complicity to criminal activities'. Despite that the meeting with ETA was on French soil, the Spanish court thought she could judge it. The complaint against Carod-Rovira, who had to step down as vice-president of Catalonia after circles round the Spanish secret service leaked the talks to the press, was filed by among others the Group of Victims of Terrorism.

   In a press statement on video on the day of 'Gudari Eguna' (the day of the Basque fighter) ETA says she will continue 'on the same way', but 'it wouldn't be necessary if the Basque citizens had the possibility to speak out of their desires and that those would be respected'. And 'there shouldn't be a fallback on the Statues of Gernika, because the semi-autonomy is exhausted'. 'The source of the conflict is that the citizens of the Basque Country can't decide about all aspects of their lives, but have to listen to Spain and France.' Most reactions of politicians are clear; 'ETA should disappear because it goes against the will of most Basques.'