ETA WARNS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN CRISIS

The process in the Basque Country is "in a situation of evident crisis" due to "the mean attitude of the political parties," Basque armed organization ETA said in a statement published in the pro-independence daily Gara.

ETA accused the ruling Spanish Workers' Socialist Party (PSOE) and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV, in power in the so called Basque Autonomous Region), of "distorting and emptying the process of its contents."

The statement in Gara, normally used to publish claims by the armed Basque group, said that the two parties "are trying to build a process in line with their interests and their needs."

After having observed for nearly five months a permanent ceasefire that it decreed on March 22, the organization considers that the political parties "have not lived up to their responsibility."

"Instead of taking in-depth measures to feed this process and to build a democratic framework in the Basque country, they have acted blindly to wear down the positions of the Basque pro-independence left," ETA said.

A repressive attitude was "incompatible with the development of a negotiating process," it added, referring to the arrests of more than 50 people said to be close to or members of ETA since the cease fire was declared .

"If the attacks against Euskal Herria (the Basque Country) continue, ETA will reply," the group warned.

It claimed that "political, military and economic oppression" against the Basque Country was ongoing and that France and Spain "continue to use all their repressive machinery against the pillars that transform us into a nation."

ETA announced a "permanent ceasefire" in March and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero three months later said discussions would open soon with the separatist organization.

Well informed sources assured that negotiations between ETA and the Spanish goverment went ahead for 8 months until last February when an agreement was reached. ETA agreed to call a permanent ceasefire while the Spanish government agreed to make public their respect to the Basque citizens' decissions on their future. They also agreed to not to arrest any activist.

BASQUE POLITICAL PRISONER ON HIS 16TH DAY ON HUNGER STRIKE

The Basque political prisoner Iñaki de Juana Chaos, who was to be released
on the 9th of February because he finished his 18-year sentence, heard on the 10th of January that he would not be released.

De Juana wrote 2 opinion articles in the leftwing Basque newspaper GARA, for which he now is accused of being 'ETA-member' and 'making terrorist threats' being in jail for what he could get another sentence of 96 years.

De Juana was convicted for 'helping' in an attack in 1986 in Madrid were 12 members of the Guardia Civil were killed and because being member of the Madrid Comando
of ETA.

Now when he had to be released after finishing his sentence, Spanish government tries to avoid his release acussing him of being ETA menber and making threats from because he denounces his situation publicly.


In this situation DE JUANA CHAOS decided to start a HUNGER STRIKE 11 days
ago. A hunger strike he sais will be till the end.

He has already lost 10 kilos as his relatives saw in their last weekend visit. They have to travel every weekend for more than 2,500 kilometres to get a 40 minutes visit. Thousands of Basque Political Prisoners' relatives have to do long distances aswell every weekend. This dispersal policy designed by the PSOE Spanish government at the end of the 80's has killed already 16 relatives in the roads. 22 political prisoners have died in prison because of this criminal jail policy.

A similar case is that of the Basque political prisoner Edorta Sainz-
Lobato, who should have been released on 13 January after 17 years, but on
orders of judge Javier Gomez-Bermudez had to stay behind bars until the
'measures of shortening the sentence' are fully investigated.

It is no coincidence; the Spanish juridical system and the Spanish Minister
of Internal Affairs Jose Antonio Alonso look for measures to prevent Basque
political prisoners to be released after serving their sentence. The Spanish
Minister of Justice Juan Fernando Lopez-Aguilar said 'they are not to be
released before they shown remorse'. At this moment there are 100 Basque
political prisoners who can be released according to the Spanish law, after
serving ¾ of their sentence. Also the shortening measures won by working in
the prison or good behaviour work not for them. Another example is Filipe
Bidart, who was due for release in February 2003. At this moment there is a
campaign for his release, among other through the Basque website
www.filipeaska.com

As Etxerat, the Basque political prisoners' relatives organization, pointed yesterday the prisoners are political hostages in the hands of the Spanish and French states. Indeed, due to some legal reforms introduced six months ago prisoners who already did their time (18, 19 or even 20 years) have been kept in jail and got new dates of release wich go to 2017 or 2018.

Batasuna leader voices "worry" for socialists' "lack of maturity"

Likewise, outlawed Batasuna spokesman has regretted the attempts of the
Socialist Party to "distort" the contents of a future agreement for
political normalisation. [image: Arnaldo Otegi and Rufi Etxeberria] Arnaldo
Otegi and Rufi Etxeberria

Banned BATASUNA spokesman, Arnaldo Otegi, has voiced today his "worry" for
the development of the peace process due to the "lack of maturity and
responsibility of socialist leaders. In his opinion, they try to "distort"
the contents of a future agreement for political normalisation in the Basque
Country.

Otegi, who offered a press conference in Donostia-San Sebastián alongside
party member Rufi Etxeberria, has said nobody can believe that in the talks
with socialists preceding the cease-fire Navarre region was not taken as
part of the peace process, or that leftwing nationalism swore allegiance to
the Spanish Constitution, as some socialist leaders pretend to affirm.

Likewise, he has voiced his will to work for a compromise within the next
few weeks to start a multiparty dialogue that doesn't exclude territories
and respects the will of Basques.

BATASUNA SAYS THERE ARE ALL THE CONDITIONS NEEDED TO SET THE NEGOTIATION TABLE

At a press conference Otegi, Batasuna's spokeman, said that all conditions needed to set a parties' dialogue table on next autumn. He revealed that after having meetings during the last couple of weeks with all political parties (except the pro-Spanish and French right wing ones), trade unions and social organizations in the Basque Country all agree with this analysis.

He criticized PSOE for being the only one disagreeing and asking Batasuna to move and legalize. Batasuna says the main debate now is how to go ahead with the dialogue table and that it's not time to set conditions and obstacles in this way. We must remember that Batasuna is nowadays an illegal political party after PSOE and PP launched the so called Political Parties Law. That law was set to ban Batasuna. This is why, as many parties have claimed, is up to the Spanish government to sort this antidemocratic situation. Batasuna has denounced once and again the continues bids from PSOE to delay the process.

Otegi added that the pro-independence movement's goal in this political process is to achieve a situation where the Basque Country will be able to decide about her future in a free and peaceful way.

When he was asked about the PP's position attacking the process he said that they don't have the veto right and compared them to the unionists in Ireland.

A DEMOCRATIC TRIUMPH OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

On June 29th President Zapatero made a statement in one of the lounges of the Spanish Parliament. It was spread at length.In this information we compile the different reactions to this statement and its different interpretations so that our readers can drawn their own conclusions.

Zapatero's statement in the Parliament lounge

It was a relevant eagerly waited and largely announced political act.On June 29 Zapatero announced in a Parliament lounge his readiness to dialogue with ETA.The message touched two important questions: on one hand, the government officially announced the beginning of the talks; on the other hand, he assured that "the government will respect the decisions taken by the Basque citizens ". The statement was bound to be said with the usual dressing: defence of the current political frame, the high degree of self-government that we Basque people enjoy, disqualification of the violent response, the Constitution as the limit to any change, there will not be any political price for peace. In order to reach what he called "great political agreement on coexistence"Zapatero fixed three criterion: maximum possible consensus , respect to the political plurality in Euskadi and equal opportunities". Then he detailed three rules: "democratic will, subject to legality and a wide political agreement which includes the pluralism of the Basque society ". He directly addressed to this society when he stress that "peace is our common task; peace will be strong if it has deep social roots; political, social and union agents must reach agreements to establish a coexistence frame based on dialogue".

Reactions to the statement Basque Autonomous Government.

It express its satisfaction at the Spanish president statement and on its opinion is to be regretted that the Spanish president was no as receptive as now when the Basque president present his conflict resolution plan, the Ibarretxe Plan, in this same Spanish parliament.The parties that take part in the tripartite Basque government positively received the statement, but with some nuances: "the terminology and the concepts are calculatedly ambiguous. At the end of this process the recognition of a new political subject -the Basque people- has to arise" (PNV). "It means implicitly recognizing the Basque citizens right to decide their future". (EA) "The wish to promote a political agreement is a big advance. There is no reason for not starting the parties table on next autumn" (Ezker Batua). The socialist family addressed to all the Basque parties: "It is time for responsibility. It is generating expectations. I hope the political parties rise to the occasion in order to look for a common factor " (Socialist Party of Euskadi). "If we do not try to find a solution now the society would never forgive us" (Socialist Party of Navarra). "France is also engaged because there are prisoners in France and because the issue affects French institutions" (French Socialist Party). The Basque trade unions: "It is a good new. The government must take steps in key of easing of tension so that the process gains credibility " (ELA). "We receive very well the start of dialogue with ETA because it is another sep towards the political normalization inEuskadi" (CCOO de Euskadi). "It is a very important sep. We are prepared and we engage to contribute to it " (UGT of Euskadi).The independentist trade union LAB assessment is that "Zapatero's statement is a very important qualitative sep forward; since the transition we have never listened this kind of words from a Spanish president. Nevertheless, it has to be very clear the any legality should be the containment wall of the Basque's will" The bellowing of the right wing who reacted at once: "ThePP can not give its support to the government so that it talks with ETA or withBatasuna. Talking with Batasuna means talking with ETA, and therefore the terrorists should have won" (PP). "The president of the government has gone today much more far than we expected, he has given his approval to the right of self -determination and to independence. In the History of the Basque country today starts a black moment. Future is not hopeful at all" (PP of the Basque Country). "This is a very sad and fateful day; we have witnessed today the capitulation of Spain. Terrorist have won because we the democrats have been defeated" (Unióndel Pueblo Navarro). "The terrorist today are having a wonderful day; 38 years of crimes, threatens and blackmail have given them the fruits they wanted" (Victims of Terrorism Association).

The international scene applauds the statement.

Many and varied voices gave their support to this step: "We express our hope that this dialogue leads to a definitive arrangement" (Jaques Chirac). "Only through dialogue and keeping the cease-fire it would be possible to find a lasting solution" (Tony Blair). "It is now essential that the Basque left has an electoral political tool to defend its position at the polls" (ERC)) Batasuna. On June 29 it made its first assessment: "this is a positive statement and has a big political importance. The Spanish president promised to respect the will of the Basque people. This is a basic concept for the ongoing political process".

On June 30 Batasuna makes its own solemn statement that in a wider and more precise way shows its position. Batasuna considers that "president Zapatero's statement is extremely important. His statement is a democratic triumph of the Basque Country and its citizenry as a whole. After long years of conflict, Madrid recognizes that negotiation is the tool to reach the solution and that solution has to be based on the world and the decision of the Basque people. The engagement, the generosity and the capacity for the fight had turned out to be basic. Batasuna thanks its militants for their steady answer to aggressions as well as for their defense of the Basque prisoners and against ilegalization. Towards the future, the key to reach the eagerly awaited solution lies in the work of the Basque agents, and this is the reason why Batasuna underlines that it is necessary that the citizenry gets involved".

Zapatero and ETA reached an agreement with commitments

07/10/2006

According to the Basque newspaper Gara, Zapatero's executive and the armed organisation reached an agreement with commitments. Conservative PP demanded"urgent" explanations from the Spanish prime minister.

Guarantees and commitments.

Gara reported quoting "sources who know about the process," that the Spanish government and ETA reached last February an agreement aiming at both sides'commitments and guarantees. Thus, the government would not carry out arrests and would respect decisions about their own future made by citizens from the four south Basque provinces under Spanish rule (the so called right to decide). On its part, ETA committed itself not to implementing acts of weapon supply once the permanent ceasefire was announced.

PP demands explanations.

On his part, the secretary-general of the conservative PP, Angel Acebes, demanded urgent explanations from Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on the "commitments and agreements" reached between the Spanish government and the armed organisation. In his opinion, these pieces of information prove the presence of a "trap process" and "negotiations with ETA outside the law." Justice Minister, Juan Fernando Lopez AguilarJusticeMinister, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, assured today in the evening that the Spanish government"completely" denies information published in the Basque left wing nationalist newspaper Gara over an agreement between the central government and theBasque armed band ETA.

Dylan to sing for peace 10/07/2006 12:59 - (SA) San Sebastian, Basque Country. Bob Dylan, the 1960s peace movement icon, willheadline a free concert on Tuesday in the Basque cityof San Sebastian lending support to the peace processin the country. The concert at Zurriola Beach will be a "happening that will be remembered as a milestone in the path of peace", according to the event's organisers, who expect 50 000 people to attend. "We are living days of hope when at last peace is possible. The gathering of thousands of people united by the music and over political ideas of any kind looks like the best way to symbolise this moment," a statement said. US-born Dylan, 65, author of peace anthems such asBlowing in the Wind and Masters of War, will come onstage at around 19:00 GMT, after Mikel Laboa, a "living legend of Basque music", according to the organisers.

SPANISH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES DIALOGUE WITH ETA AND RESPECT TO BASQUES DECISIONS

An unprecedented move was made by the Spanish government last Thursday as the Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero announced the start of official talks with ETA within the next weeks. It was an expected statement but still very important. What it wasn't so expected was the second part of the statement where he declared that the Spanish government will respect the freely taken decisions by the Basque citizens. He added that it's upon the Basque political parties, trade unions and social organizations to reach an agreement through dialogue without exclusion and equal opportunities for all the different political options.

Batasuna welcomed the announcement as very important and positive and claimed that it is the Basque Country's democratic victory after years of conflict that the Spanish government admits that the resolution will come through negotiation and acceptance of the Basque people's will. They celebrated as well the beginning of talks with ETA and highlighted that this way is the way suggested by Batasuna in November 2004 when was launched their peace proposal Orain Herria, Orain Bakea (Now the People, Now the Peace)where to different negotiation tables where proposed, one between ETA and the Spanish and French governments and the other one among all Basque political organizations.

Batasuna congratulated the pro-independence left wing movement's activists for the determination and courage showed specially during the last few years of illegalitation and brutal repression and their restless defense of the Basque Political Prisoners' rights.

Therefore Batasuna called all Basque political organizations to set as soon as possible a negotiations table and gave great importance to the fundamental role to be played by all Basque people as main protagonists of the process to achieve peace, freedom, democracy and justice.

Despite the important statement made by Zapatero Batasuna asked him to call off all the repression machinery and special laws like the so called Political Parties Law which banned Batasuna and undermined political and civil rights in the Basque Country.

Batasuna called the French government as well to play their own role in the conflict resolution as one of the parts involved and to stop all repression. The French government is actually acting as mere spectator as if it was a Spanish internal problem. Three of the seven Basque provinces are under French administration and their peaceful claims of own institutions, officialness of the Basque language and repatriation of the Basque Political Prisoners have got nothing but contempt.

DESPITE THE BORDER'S CLOSING THOUSANDS SUPPORTED PRISONERS' RIGHTS

More than 3,500 people claimed in the Baiona's streets for the Basque Political Prisoners's rights. One hundred different political, social and union organizations supported the march and well known faces were behind the banner where "Basque Prisoners with all their rights to the Basque Country" slogan could be read.

Previously the French police set heavy check points at the imposed border and closed it acting against the Schengen Agreement and attacking European citizens'rights to move freely within the EU borders.

Several hundreds of people were retained at the check points and as they couldn't transit even through their own country they decided to gather in the close town of Irun where another demonstration was held.

ETA SAYS REPRESSION IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH PEACE PROCESS

ETA launched last week the second statement in the last few days. The first one was addressed to the French government and its citizens and the second one to the Spanish government and the Spanish people.

ETA pointed that the PSOE's Spanish government have a historical opportunity to resolve the conflict through dialogue and negotiation and to accept the Basque people's wills but in order to achieve this all the repression machinery and strategies must finish.

We have to remember that since the ceasefire declared by ETA three months ago there have been one person arrested every three days, one political event prohibited every five days, three police check points per day and one road accident caused by the dispersal policy of Basque Political Prisoners every nine days. Repression has clearly increased.

Last Friday thousands of people gathered in more than 60 towns and cities all around the Basque Country to protest against the last police razzia (pictured is the Irunea's one).

FRANCE AND SPAIN ATTACK AGAIN: 13 PEOPLE ARRESTED IN GIPUZKOA AND LAPURDI

13 people have been arrested in a Spanish and French police operation in the early hours of the morning today. The police accuse them of being part of the revolutionary tax net of ETA. The arrested are: Angel Iturbe Abasolo (53 years old), Julen Madariaga Agirre (73), José Antonio Cau Aldalur (62), Cristina Larrañaga Arando (51), Eloy Uriarte Díaz de Gereñu (64), Izaskun Gantxegi Arruti (61), José Ramón Badiola Zabaleta (48), Joseba Elosua Urbieta (71), José Carmelo Lukin Bergara (31), Ramon Sagarzazu Olazagirre (69), Jean Pierre Harocarene Kamio (42) and Iñaki Aristizabal Iriarte (59).

Batasuna denounced that this is a clear and direct attack against the process and the peace hope. Otegi in a press conference this morning said this operation is been politically motivated and asked the Spanish prime minister Zapatero how does this police operation help the process. Otegi added that the Spanish government has a problem not with the Left Abertzale but with a whole nation and these kind of political-police operations can't hide it.

ETA addresses the French government for negotiation

ETA launched a new statement showing their will of a democratic resolution to the political conflict with the French state. ETA denounces that the French state is being oppressing Basques specially since the 1789 Revolution and that still nowadays the Basque Country and the Basque language are not recognized by France. ETA points that the French state keeps the three Basque provinces of Lapurdi, Baxe Nafarroa and Zuberoa prisoners by force but states that thanks to the Basque people's struggle the will for freedom is still alive and getting stronger from year to year.

ETA says that it's time now to end with the traditional French contempt towards Basques and give the word and the decision about their future to Basque people.

The French snub was once again showed as they answered to ETA's statement through their Foreign Office as this was a foreign affair. The French state is killing the North of the Basque Country by turning it into a holidays resort for retired French rich people, denying and attacking the Basque language, forcing youth to emigrate to get a job or education, repressing peaceful protests and people created own institutions...

The French state is as involved in the political conflict as the Spanish state so both must be involved in the political resolution by giving the Basque people on its whole the right to decide their future.

LAST WEEK'S NEWS

-Last Tuesday Gerry Adams visited the Basque Country invited by Batasuna and expressed the total support of Sinn Fein to the Left Abertzale. He praised the commitment of Batasuna and ETA activists to achieve this historical momentum. He traveled to Madrid and Barcelona aswell to support and defend the Basque process. Martin McGuinness is expected to do the same this week.

-Rajoi, Spanish conservative PP's leader broke relations with Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero because of his aims to meet Batasuna.

-On Wednesday an incredible situation happened when the Spanish police stopped and banned a Batasuna's press conference in Irunea (Pamplona) where they were launching a campaign to boost the process in Nafarroa (Navarre). Barrena, Batasuna's spokeman said that it is difficult to understand such situations. Previously 300 Left Abertzale Navarrese councilors gathered to state their position on Nafarroa's importance in the democratic process and showed the commitment to accept whatever the people in Nafarroa will decide about their future and asked the unionist parties to do the same.

-On Friday Batasuna made public that they already sent a calendar and scheme to achieve a pre-agreement to set the parties' table of negotiations.

-Thousands of people gathered in Donostia, Irunea, Gasteiz and Bilbo to demand the the resolution table's setting.

-The 60 political, social and union activists being judged in the 18/98 show trial in Madrid denounced that after seven months the consequences are terrible and demanded once again the end of this process. During these sevem months they had to travel to Madrid 23 times, did 23.000 kilometers and had three road accidents. One of them died during the trial of heart attack and three fell very ill.They have already done 30 years in prison among all of them and everyone has to confront every month expenses of 3,000 euro plus th 4,393,000 euro they paid on bails. They thanked the Basque people who through different fundraising events collected 210,000 euro to support them.

-On Saturday hundreds of people protested in Gasteiz against the 18/98 show trial.

-Thousands of people signed a petition to demand a referendum on a Basque Institution in the North. This demand is been rejected by French governments once and again despite the majority position of northern Basques to have their own province and recognition of the existence of the Basque Country. This new campaign aims to collect 46,000 signatures and call the referendum. This would be a first step for re-unification of the Basque Country.

-Hundreds of councilors gathered in Lizarra despite the check points set by more than 100 of the Spanish Guardia Civil (military police body)commemorateate the 75th anniversary of the historic 1931's Basque Councils Assembly that demanded an autonomy statute for the four provinces in the south. This event was called by Udalbiltza (the only national Basque Institution)as part of the campaign to relaunch it.

SUCCESSFUL TOUR FOR BERRI TXARRAK AND THE IRISH BASQUE COMMITTEES

The Irish Basque Committees organized during the last week Berri Txarrak's first Irish Tour. The Basque band, awarded as the Best live, best album and best group 2005, were delighted with the warm welcome given by the Irish public. More than 500 people gathered in the Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Galway and Cork gigs. This is just a first step for Basque rock bands in Ireland as themselves and the Committees pointed out.

This is just another campaign lunched by the Irish Basque Committees in a bid to highlight the struggle for freedom in the Basque Country and the great answer and acceptance received seems to be a huge boost for another tour in coming years.

Thank you very much to everybody involved in this Tour and specially go raibh mile maith agaibh go Berri Txarrak (see them "striking" in Cork at the picture).

You can have more information on Berri Txarrak at www.berritxarrak.net. They'll be touring Europe in August and September with famous hardcore Chicago rockers Rise Against. Unfortunately they won't be in Ireland. We are looking to seeing them next year.

BEST BASQUE BAND TOURING IRELAND

The Irish Basque Committees present Berri Txarrak Irish Tour’06.


Considered by music press as one of the best alternative rock bands, with amazing vocal melodies next to emo, metal strokes and hardcore attitude, Berri Txarrak (www.berritxarrak.net) is a band going through a non-stop evolution. Their lyrics show their political commitment on the Basque struggle and social issues not just in the Basque Country but as well around the world. All of it with a poetic unique style. It’s not a coincidence that the singer won recently the most important Poetry Award in Basque language in his province.

” The music is a mixture of alternative rock, punk, hardcore, metal and some amazing melodies. Band-wise, I think a mixture of Burning Heads and Helmet would be a good description. It has easier melodic parts mixed with full-throttle metal guitars, and very fast drumming and a distinctive European-only edge.” www.Punknews.org

Berri Txarrak won three “Gazte sariak” 2006 awards when the most important Basque radio station Euskadi Gaztea made a review of the best Basque music bands of the year.

Berri Txarrak was nominated in three categories and they won all of them;

“Best band of the year”, “Best album of the year” for “Musika. Jaio.Hil” and “Best live show of the year”.

They won the same three categories in the Spanish magazine Rockzone (www.zona-zero.net) 2005 awards and in Rock Estatal’s 2005’s review the Spanish rock specialized press….. (http://www.rockestatal.com/reportajes/premios_rock_estatal_2005_premios_de_la_critica.htm) …..awarded them as the best rock album but in these two cases now as the best rock band in the whole Spanish State.

Their fifth and last album at the moment, “Musika.Jaio.Hil”,was recorded last August and was produced by famous Ed Rose producer as well of Kurt Cobain, The Get Up Kids or Motion City Soundtrack in the USA.

You can listen to some of the last album’s tracks at: http://www.myspace.com/berritxarrak

Berri Txarrak have been playing in different countries around the world such as USA, Mexico, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Spain supporting bands like Deftones with great succes.

This summer they’re being touted to tour Europe as support band for the Chicago based hardcore rockers Rise Against.

Before this we are delighted to have Berri Txarrak playing in Ireland for the first time ever!


Wednesday 7th of June: Dublin
(Voodoo Lounge)

Thursday 8th of June: Derry
(Sandino’s Bar)

Friday 9th of June: Belfast
(Black Box) Support bands:
Decoy 47 / RSI / The Hypocrates

Saturday 10th of June: Galway
(Richardson’s)

Sunday 11th of June: Cork
(Fred Zeppelin)

All gigs supported by local bands. Doors open @8.30pm. Fee: 6€ / £5.

SPANISH AND FRENCH ATTACKS PUT THE PROCESS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION

The political situation in the Basque Country at the moment is really difficult as the Spanish and French states continue their attacks against the Left Abertzale (pro-independence movement) and the democratic process.

Last week, as a bid to push the process forward, Batasuna presented publicly their negotiations team (see in the picture above). Almost at the same time the Spanish Special Court charged eight members of Batasuna's leadership with terrorism because of a press conference held to analyze the new political situation after ETA's ceasefire.

The previous week Batasuna was already warning of the dangers surrounding the democratic process: lack of interest of the main parties to set a negotiations table, Spanish government's bid to present the process as a technical process between themselves and ETA and the continuous attacks against the Left Abertzale.

Batasuna made clear that is urgent to set the negotiations table among all Basque political parties where a transition to a democratic situation (acceptance of the Basque Country as a seven provinces nation and self-determination right) will be agreed. Batasuna see as a big contradiction keeping them as an illegal party in this historical opportunity for peace.

Just last week Segi, the pro-independence and revolutionary youth organization, called protests all around the country bringing thousands of young people to the streets for independence. Those protests met big repression which caused wounded and arrested people.

Yesterday the French police arrested three young people in the province of Lapurdi and it's been seen as a provocation and deliberated attack against the process.

As we were saying before today and tomorrow eight members of Batasuna's leadership will have to appear in the Spanish Special Court and could be sent to prison.

Askatasuna, the anti-repression movement has called protests against all the attacks for this Friday with the slogan: "No to the political repression. Democratic minimums now!"

BASQUE WEEK IN GALWAY

The Galway Basque committee is organising a Basque week and on saturday the 27th it'll take place the II.Basque Day which was a huge success last year. Everybody is more than wellcome. Ádh mór.
Seachtain na mBascach, Gaillimh 2006

Basque Week, Galway

22 – 27 Bealtaine / May


Day / Time Events Venue
Monday 7pm Video Presentation on Basque Culture and Politics Richardsons #1 Eyre Square
Tuesday 7pm Basque Language Lessons Richardsons #1 Eyre Square
Wednesday 7pm Talk by representative of the Basque left-nationalist movement about recent ETA peace initiative Richardsons #1 Eyre Square
Thursday 7pm Basque Traditional Dance Lessons Richardsons #1 Eyre Square
Friday 9pm Concert, featuring the legendary Basque singer,JONU

Saturday is the 2nd Annual Galway Basque Day

Events run throughout the day

· 12 noon: Traditional Basque Games, including a Basque v. Ireland tug-of war, will be on display in the newly refurbished Eyre Square, along with Basque music, food, drink, fun and competitions.

· 3pm: Pub crawl! All are welcome to join with Basque and Irish friends on a tour of Galway’s many many pubs. Drink and eat more Basque specialities with some of Euskal Herria’s finest musicians, and enjoy the fusion Irish and Euskerri music.

· 8pm: Club Áras na nGael, More food and drink, ceol agus craic, and prizes and fun to be had in one of the city’s most intimate locations.

ETA:"THE PROCESS' KEY IS THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY."

In an exclusive eight pages interview with GARA newspaper (www.gara.net) ETA says that the time to put in practice all the commitments in the democratic process is arrived.

They highlight the importance of this democratic process to solve the conflict and achieve a democratic frame for the Basque Country where all the different political projects could be implemented including the pro-independence one. They place as crucial the democratic debate within the Basque Country and among all political parties, trade unions and social organizations. It's upon the Basque citizens of all the seven provinces to discuss and agree how to make this transition period from imposition to democracy.

According to ETA the Spanish and French states would have to respect whatever decision the Basques took. ETA warn that if the attacks against the Basque Country continue it will be impossible to complete this process.

BIG SUCCESS IN LAST EVENTS

Last Good Friday the Belfast Basque Committee organized the III. Irish Basque Night with a huge success. 200 people packed the Conway Mill Hall creating a fantastic atmosphere. Everybody enjoyed with Caoimhin Breag's acoustic covers and DJ's Rasta Revolution and Caveman. It was really difficult for the organizers to manage the party as dozens of people wanted to get into the party and the doors had to be closed because no more room was available and as the party was so great nobody wanted to leave. Even the DJ's didn't want to leave the stage!!

The highest and most emotional moment in the night was when Karmen Irizar, former Basque Political Prisoner and released just a couple of weeks ago, came up to the stage where a member of the Belfast Basque Committee presented her the Easter Lily and everybody started cheering and applauding.

Congratulations to everybody.


The last week of April the Basque Folk band Korrontzi toured Ireland invited by the Irish Basque Committees. Although no many people gathered in Cork, Dublin and Belfast everybody was amazed by the quality of the band and there are plans to bring them back next year. In Armagh they played for 300 people in a Hunger Strikers conmemoration function.

From the 22nd of May to the 27th the Galway Basque Committee is organising the first Basque week with lots of diferent events like talks, DVD screenings, folk gigs, etc. Saturday will be the big day when they'll organize the II. Basque Day with activities all along the day. Nobody should miss this great week. Last year's Basque Day was a huge success. for more details contact: basquegalway@hotmail.com.

And the events to highlight the Basque struggle in Ireland don't finish yet. The Irish Basque Committees are bringing to Ireland the best Basque rock band of the moment, Berri Txarrak from the 7th to the 11th of June and they'll be playing in Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Galway and Cork in this order. More information in next days.

69 YEARS SINCE THE GERNIKA BOMBING. PICTURE OF AN UNSOLVED CONFLICT.

A day like today, 69 years ago the Spanish fascists with the Nazis help bombed Gernika, the Basque liberties symbol town. Hundreds were killed and thousands wounded as a consequence of the first massive air bomb attack against civilians in Human history.

69 years later and despite ETA's cease fire the conflict is still very alive. This is the last couple of days' picture:

Two well known young political activists have been arrested and badly tortured, demonstrations attacked by the police, Spanish Guardia Civil (mixture of army and police) armed members threatened and provoked the population in bars in Leitza, the 18/98 show trial against 60 political activists is in its sixth month while one of the activists dies from a heart attack shortly before his appearance in court, the Basque autonomous police threatened and pointed with guns to two Segi activists, the Spanish Congress rejected a motion against the incommunicado period and protected torture, the Basque autonomous parliament rejected a motion in favor of Political Status for the political prisoners, Batasuna denounces Zapatero's government for taking the wrong way to solve the conflict and add that there are not democratic conditions to start with a conflict resolution process...

LEFT ABERTZALE HISTORICAL ACTIVIST DIES

Jokin Gorostidi (Deba 1944) died yesterday after a heart attack. His life is been an example of compromise, dignity and struggle for the Basque Country's freedom. He became involved in workers struggles as a trade unionist and soon joined ETA.

He got two death penalties in 1970 during the famous Burgos Trial. He spent years in prison and after Franco died he was deported to Brussels. He came back and along with others funded Herri Batasuna. In 1980 he survived an attack from the French Police while he was meeting ETA leadership members in a bid to open negotiations with the Spanish state. He would be part of the interlocutor of the Left Abertzale for years. In the 90's he helped Basque political refugees and deportees in Africa and America and when he cae back from one of this trips he fell sick and was in coma for 55 days.

In 2000 he was arrested once again accused of being member of Xaki, the pro-independence movement's international department. He was released with a 30.000 € bail. Therefore he was being judged within the 18/98 show-trial in Madrid along with another 60 activists and had appear in court last Monday. The prosecutor asked 15 years for him. In 2003 was arrested and charged with helping ETA with the revolutionary tax and released with a 18.000 € bail.

He had a heart attack when going home after meeting his lawyer discuss about last Monday's appearance in court. He was in coma since then. Forty years of struggle which, as Batasuna's leadership highlighted yesterday, brought the Basque Country to the current political situation of real freedom's hope.