THE BASQUE COUNTRY DOESN'T WALK ALONE

Basque Info 17/02/09

-Solidarity with the Basque Country spreads around the world.



From the 6th to the 15th of February fourteen countries around the world have seen different events organised within the 3rd International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country. This year’s slogan was “The Basque Country doesn’t walk alone towards democracy and self-determination”.

In Ireland talks were organised in Dublin, Derry and Belfast by the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees.

On Saturday 14th solidarity protests were held in Cork, Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Omagh, Strabane, Newcastle and Lurgan.

Some spectacular actions were organised in Glasgow where Celtic supporters displayed a massive banner reading the week’s slogan in the stadium during the match against Rangers. In Milan local Basque supporters occupied the Italian state owned TV station RAI’s offices to denounce the treatment they give to the Basque conflict related news.



-Civil disobedience against bannings.



On 1st march, local government elections will be taking place in three provinces of the Basque Country. Tlhe Spanish authorities have been trying very hard to prevent the pro independence movement from participating in the election.

And last week, election candidates of Askatasuna and D3M, the two pro independence platforms created for this election, were banned from participating.
The Spanish high court decided to veto the two platforms preventing 20% of the Basque population from voting their prefered option.

To protest against this and to defend the right to participate in elections, the pro independence movement has called on Basque citizens to vote on March the first.
The pro-independence movement will print its own ballots which will be distributed by any means.

Despite the pro independence votes being officially void, they will have to be counted. Pro independence candidates have said that they will actually be the most valid votes.

Meanwhile lawyers of the pro independence platforms have demanded that the Spanish government take into account the recommendations made by the UN Special rapporteur for the promotion of Human Rights.

Last week the UN rapporteur highlighted that with the banning of political parties the Spanish State is attacking fundamental rights of people and ideas. He also criticised the use of torture as well as the wide use of the concept of terrorism which starts with street rioting and ends with the impacting on newspapers and social groups which are public.

Last Saturday pro-independence supporters took to the streets in Bilbao to denounce the banning. Thousands of people took part in the demonstration which was also banned. Shortly after it started the march was attacked by the Spanish-Basque police. Following street riots 7 people were arrested, but were released later on.

-Group Against Torture highlights that Spain continues to torture.

Sixty two complaints were recorded by the Group Against Torture in 2008. According to the group, despite new measures taken to prevent torture, despite, international organisations condemning Madrid’s actions, the Spanish states continues to torture. Throughout the years 7,000 Basques have been tortured by the Spanish police and according to the Group Against Torture it does not seem that they’ll be any changes.


-Repression against youth movement.

20 young people from the province of Gipuzkoa have accused the Spanish Judge Grande Marlaska of using torture.

Last week the 20 Basque activists appeared in front of Judge Grande Marlaska. They are all accused of being members of Segi, the Basque youth pro-independence movement. The Judge has now decided that they’ll all be tried for being members of an armed organisation.

These 20 young people appeared in court following arrests made last year. Some other young people were arrested in 2008 and were heavily tortured. Taking advantage of torture another 20 people were arrested and will now be tried with complete impunity.

-Zionist Israeli leader Lieberman sets Spain as example.

Talking after the success of his ultra right wing zionist party Yisrael Beiteinu at the last Israel elections, Avigdor Lieberman suggested to follow the way Spain represses the Basque pro-independence movement to attack Palestinian political parties.

"Israel Beytenu's requirement of loyalty is standard in other western countries. In 2003, Spain outlawed the Basque party. Only a week ago, the Spanish police recommended the banning of two more parties. We would like to adopt the Spanish law here in Israel. These are the accepted norms in the USA, the European Union and the rest of the western world”, said the pro-Spanish ultra zionist.

UN AGAINST BANNINGS

Basque Info 10/02/09

-UN blasts Spain's repression of Basque political parties

A United Nations official said last Thursday that Spain's Law of Political Parties violates fundamental freedoms in the name of countering terrorism. According to Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the law criminalizes as "support of terrorism" conducts that do not relate to any kind of violent activity.

In a 26-page report based on a fact-finding mission to Spain last year, Scheinin finds that the Law of Political Parties might be interpreted to include any political party which through peaceful political means seeks similar political objectives to those pursued by the armed group ETA. The report reiterates that all limitations on the right to political participation must meet strict criteria in order to be compatible with international standards of freedom of speech.

The Special Rapporteur also calls upon the Spanish government to consider placing terrorism cases under the jurisdiction of ordinary district courts, instead of a single central specialized court, the Special National Court, with exclusive jurisdiction over so-called “terrorist crimes”.

The report finds that judgments issued by the Special National Court are only subject to review by the Supreme Court.

The report also recommends the "complete eradication of the institution of incommunicado detention" and assurance of "prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations are conducted in any case where there is reason to believe ill-treatment may have occurred."


-Spain defies UN and bans two more pro-independence parties

Just days after the UN report criticizing the practice, Spain's Supreme Court barred two more parties from running in the next regional elections on grounds of supposed links to ETA. Following a request by Spanish prosecutors and repeted calls from Spanish parties and media, the Supreme Court barred Askatasuna (Freedom) and Democracy 3 Million, both left-wing Basque nationalist parties. According to the ruling, the two parties are successors to Batasuna, which was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in 2003. The election for the 75-seat Basque three western provinces’ parliament is set for 1st of March.

D3M’s lawyer expressed her anger at what she called lack of evidences and legal basis. She went on to say that police social control is scary. Candidates’ privates lifes have been tracked as far as 1983 in order to prove that they have some sort of link with the pro-independence movement. Despite such a thing is not an offence the judges take sporeous and perfectly legal acts like writing a letter to a prisoner to criminalize the candidates.



-ETA bombs Madrid’s financial district.

A car bomb exploded yesterday in a business district of Madrid, following a telephone warning claiming to be from ETA, the Basque armed organization.
No one was hurt in the blast, which destroyed about 30 cars and blew out windows at nearby offices, leaving a crater in the ground about one metre deep.

The Spanish Red Cross received the warning call 90 minutes prior to the blast, allowing police to cordon off the area before the device exploded at around 9am.
The incident came a day after Spain's supreme court banned Demokrazia 3 Miloi and Askatasuna, two Basque nationalist parties, from participating in March's regional elections in the Basque Country, because of what the court said were their links to ETA.

The explosion occured near the offices of Ferrovial, a construction company which has been involved in a high-speed rail project linking the capital to the Basque Country.

In December, ETA warned contractors working on the project they would become targets if they continued to work on the train line.

The controversial High Speed Train project has been confronted by a wide alliance of left wing parties, trade unions and environmentalists for many years now. They say this train will destroy the Basque Country and compromise seriously its future. They demand a public and open democratic debate around it so the Basque people can decide wether is needed or not. The pro-Spanish and local elite reaffirmed their intentions to imposse the High Speed Train at any price.

ETA ASKS FOR UNITY TO ENTER ERA OF INDEPENDENCE ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Basque Info 3/02/09

Thousands support Democracy 3 Million platform.
Thousands of people filled the Kursaal conference hall in Donostia/San Sebastian last Saturday during the first public event organised by the electoral platform Democracy 3 Million. The platform was launched less than a month ago and in just two weeks collected 47,000 legal signatures in order to be able to stand in the 1st of March local elections.

On the 23rd of January 8 of the D3M members were arrested by Spanish police and sent to prison. They were accused of trying to organise the platform and trying to take part in the elections. Today another 13 people have been officially called by Spanish judge Garzon to appear in court this coming Friday accused of terrorist organization membership. Their alleged crime is to be the legal representatives of the electoral platform.

Speaking at last Saturday’s event election candidate Itziar Lopategi said they want to achieve a democratic scenario where all citizens' rights will be respected and all different political options will have place.

The most emotional moments of the evening were when the pictures of those arrested and later those of the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians where shown on the screen.


ETA’s statement on its 50th anniversary.
50 years ago the Basque armed organization ETA was created and a new phase of resistance was born. In a long statement released last week ETA reviewed these five decades of struggle and called for unity in efforts and strengths in order to enter the era of independence.

ETA asks to democratically confront two opposing political proposals: that of the current political situation of upholding the status quo on the one hand and the proposal of a Basque State on the other. According to ETA if such democratic confrontation is made without any French and Spanish imposition the Basque people will choose to follow a democratic and peaceful way to independence.

ETA continues to add that in the meantime all means of struggle are needed until the French and Spanish states respect the Basque people’s will.

ETA states that nowadays there are more pro-independence people than 50 or 30 years ago and pay homage to those who gave their lives, prisoners and exiles.


Hundreds of people rally in support of internationalism.
A demonstration against the criminalization of those who develop internationalist work in the Basque Country was organised by Askapena last Saturday in Bilbao. Askapena is the pro-independence movement’s the internationalist organization and has been campaigning to gather solidarity to other liberation struggles around the world in the Basque Country for the last 20 years.

Nowadays Askapena is heavily involved in the boycott to Israel campaign and is taking part at the World’s Social Forum in Brazil. At the same time Askapena works in conjunction with the Basque solidarity committees around the world to raise awareness about the Basque struggle for independence and socialism.

All of that has been enough reason for the Spanish state to target Askapena through a criminalization campaign in the Spanish media.

IMPRISONED FOR TRYING TO STAND IN ELECTIONS

Basque Info 27/01/09

-Arrested for trying to stand in elections.



8 well known pro-independence political activists were arrested on the early hours of Friday in the four provinces of the southern Basque Country. 300 Spanish policemen took part in the operation directed by judge Garzon. After three days incommunicado all of them were sent to a prison in Madrid.

The Spanish police searched the offices of Herria Aurrera and Gasteiz Izan (Bilbao and Gasteiz/Vitoria council parties) and 14 houses and removed computers and documents. The houses of the pro-independence movement spokespersons Tasio Erkizia, Xanti Kiroga and Marine Pueyo were searched also but they weren’t arrested.

The Spanish Interior Minister has accused the arrested of "trying to reorganise the leadership of Batasuna". The Basque anti-repression movement Askatasuna dennounced the arrests are aimed to prevent the pro-independence movement from taking part in next regional elections.

In October 2007, 23 members of the leadership of Batasuna, the banned pro-independence party, were arrested and are currently in jail for their political work. Two weeks ago four of them along with spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi, Basque region prime minister Ibarretxe and two leader of the Spanish Labour Party's Basque regional branch appeared in court accused of holding peace talks in 2006-2007. The recently created Democracy 3 Million (D3M) platform is expected to be also banned and prevented from taking part in next local elections of 1st of March. The arrested are accused of helping ETA by setting this platform and trying to take part in the elections.

Last Friday’s arrests have to be understood within the context of a wider strategy of criminalization and repression against the pro-independence movement. These arrests are directed to halt the pro-independence movement's work to achieve a new scenario of peace, democracy and self-determination for the Basque Country.

50 members of the pro-independence movement held a press conference on Saturday and said the Spanish government is afraid of a political and democratic confrontation. The pro-independence movement will respond to the attacks with more political initiatives and it won’t go underground, they added.

Most of Basque political parties viewed the arrests as being politically-motivated and linked them to the Spanish government and Labour Party's electoral interests.

Protests against the arrests and to show support to the detainees took place in many towns across the Basque Country over the weekend.


-ETA targets High Speed Train.

In a statement released last week ETA claimed responsability for several actions and explained the reasons behind them.

On the 31st of December a car bomb destroyed the main offices of some Spanish media and the public Basque radio-television in Bilbao. ETA says that there is not freedom of speech in the Basque Country since pro-independence political activists are constantly threatened and imprisoned for their opinions, a large section of the Basque society are censored and suffered a political apartheid and newspapers are closed down. ETA accuses the Spanish media of being nothing else than another weapon at the hands of Spanish fascism following the harassment policy designed by the Spanish Interior Minister against the pro-independence movement.

Refering to the so called public Basque radi-television company ETA accuses it of following the political interests of the Basque Nationalist Party to hide the real nature of the political conflict and of applying the Spanish government designed apartheid policies against the pro-independence movement.

On the 3rd of December ETA killed a businessman involved in the construction of the controversial High Speed Train. For many years a wide popular campaign has been developed in order to stop such construction which, if completed, would cause irrepairable environmental and economic damage within the Basque Country. ETA says in the statement that all responsibles for the construction are his targets and ask them to stop the works immediately in order to allow a public and open social debate about the need of it. ETA accuses the political and economic elite of destroying the Basque Country with numerous controversial projects in order to satisfy their greed while ignoring the people’s will.


-Spanish torture exposed.

CPT, the Spanish umbrella group for 44 associations against torture, dennounced the sentence against the Basque anti-repression movement that gave 174 years in prison to 21 activists. The Spanish group says that the sentence criminalizes “the (human rights) defenders” and that none of the offences of terrorism, membership of terrorist group or terrorist activities have been prooved.

In similar terms the Human Rights Committee of United Nations critized in its last review the Spanish state for not preventing torture. Last week the Spanish government protested the report saying that it wasn’t representative.

A German MP asked her government last week not to collaborate with the Spanish state because of the allegations of torture.

-International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country.

Events will be held across the world under the slogan “The Basque Country doesn’t walk alone towards democracy and self-determination”.

Picket lines will be organised by the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees and Friends of the Basque Country on Saturday 14th in Cork, Dublin, Derry, Belfast, Omagh and Strabane.

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Breaking news: 8 Basque political activists arrested‏

In the picture pro-independence movement's spokesperson Arantza Urkaregi being arrested by Spanish police.

NEW SPANISH ATTACK AGAINST THE BASQUE COUNTRY.
Basque Info 23/01/09 Last time updated: 4.55pm

8 well known pro-independence political activists have been arrested on the early hours of today in the four provinces of the southern Basque Country. 300 Spanish policemen took part in the operation directed by judge Garzon.

The arrested activists are: Agurtzane Solaberrieta, Hodei Egaña, Eli Zubiaga, Iker Rodrigo, Arantza Urkaregi, Imanol Nieto, Amparo Lasheras and Iñaki Olalde.

The Spanish police searched the offices of Herria Aurrera and Gasteiz Izan (Bilbao and Gasteiz/Vitoria council parties) and 14 houses and removed computers and documents. The houses of the pro-independence movement spokespersons Tasio Erkizia, Xanti Kiroga and Marine Pueyo are still being searched also but they haven't been arrested.

The Spanish Interior Minister has accused the arrested of "trying to reorganise the leadership of Batasuna". The Basque anti-repression movement Askatasuna dennounced the arrests are aimed to prevent the pro-independence movement from taking part in next regional elections.

In October 2007, 23 members of the leadership of Batasuna, the banned pro-independence party, were arrested and are currently in jail for their political work. Two weeks ago four of them along with spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi, Basque region prime minister Ibarretxe and two leader of the Spanish Labour Party's Basque regional branch appeared in court accused of holding peace talks in 2006-2007. The recently created Democracy 3 Million (D3M) platform is expected to be also banned and prevented from taking part in next local elections of 1st of March.



Today's arrests have to be understood within the context of a wider strategy of criminalization and repression against the pro-independence movement. These arrests are directed to halt the pro-independence movement's work to achieve a new scenario of peace, democracy and self-determination for the Basque Country.

Most of Basque political parties viewed the arrests as being politically-motivated and linked them to the Spanish government and Labour Party's electoral interests.

Protests against the arrests and to show support to the detainees have been held in Bilbao and Laudio (below) this morning and more have been called for the evening. In Baiona (northern Basque Country), members of Batasuna protested at the Spanish consulate where they were harassed by French policemen.






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6th-15th February International Solidarity Week with the Basque Country

SPANISH-BASQUE POLICE BRUTALLY ATTACKS PEACEFUL PROTEST

Basque Info 20/01/09

- Spanish-Basque police brutally attacks march against High Speed Train.

Thousands of people gathered in the small town of Urbina in the province of Araba last Saturday to see the damages that the construction of the tracks for the High Speed Train has already been doing. At the end of the march the Spanish-Basque police attacked the protesters and tens of demonstrators were injured. 8 people were also arrested and at first, accused of “terrorism”. Check points were placed before and after the march.

There is currently a huge campaign against the construction of the tracks for a High Speed Train which will link the French and Spanish states through the Basque Country. This train will conditionate seriously the future of the Basque Country due to its negative social and economic impact.

-Basque political prisoners.

Basque political prisoner Jon Bilbao has entered his 27th year in prison becoming the longest prisoner serving in Europe. The number of prisoners who spend 10, 15 or more than 20 years in prison is on the increase. Meanwhile prisoner Jose Angel Biguri has seen his sentence extended last week. He has been in prison for 21 years. He was supposed to be released next year but the Spanish Special Court has extended his sentence till 2019.

Jon Lizarribar, who is in a French prison and is due to be released, has started a hunger strike as he fears he will be handed over to the Spanish authorities who could torture him and put him in a Spanish prison.

-10th birthday of newspaper Gara.

The left and pro-independence newspaper Gara celebrated its 10th anniversary last weekend. The pro-independence newspaper, was developped following the closure of the former daily paper Egin by the Spanish authorities. A huge fundraising campaign was launched and 10,000 people become share holders of the newspaper. Gara sells 50,000 copies every day, 7 days per week. Last Saturday, Gara organised an extensive public interview with Arnaldo Otegi, former leader of the pro-independence party Batasuna under the slogan “Libre” (Free). He was interviewed by Gara, Mexican newspaper La Jornada and Italian Il Manifesto editors.

750 people packed the venue in Donostia/San Sebastian and 200 had to follow it on a screen outside the building. The latest negotiation process and future possibilities, the prisoners, the credit crunch, Marx, Kosovo, Gaza were a few of the themes discussed.

PEACE DIALOGUE CRIMINALIZED

Basque Info 13/01/09

-Peace dialogue criminalized.

Last Thursday 8 Basque politicians sat at the Basque region’s Spanish High Tribunal to be tried for holding political peace talks in 2006. At that time ETA was observing a ceasefire after an agreement was reached with the Spanish government. 5 of the accused are members of the banned pro-independence party Batasuna, another one is the nationalist prime minister of the three western Basque provinces and the other two are the local leaders of the Spanish Labour Party.

Four of the Batasuna accused were brought from Spanish prisons where they have been kept since October 2007 after the entire leadership of the party was arrested by the Spanish police. The only one of them who remains free, Arnaldo Otegi, was released last August after serving a one year sentence. Otegi said this new trial has been set to criminalize political dialogue and that it shows the anti democratic character of the Spanish state. Alex Maskey from Sinn Féin, who was at court to show support to the Batasuna accused, said that this is a terrible mistake and that there are just two ways to follow: the Gaza’s one or the South Africa’s one.

The case, which has created huge controversy, has been the main news of the week not just in the Basque Country and Spain but even has attracted the attention of the international media.

Finally on Monday 12th the court ruled that the two groups taking the case did not constitute a legitimate prosecution and dropped the charges.

-New pro-independence election platform created.

15 well known Basque activists from trade union, culture, sport, politics and social work background launched a new political platform called Demokrazia 3 Miloi/ Democracy 3 Million at a press conference last Saturday.

Their objective is to stand in next elections for the three western Basque provinces parliament on the 1st of March. At the press conference, which attracked huge attention from more than 10 TV stations and 20 journalists, the promoters said they want to gather support and push for a pro-independence and progressive space that will become a key force for political and social change in the Basque Country.

They asked for the Basque citizens to give their support. Thousands of signatures are required by law in order to be able to become an electoral platform and stand in elections.

The Spanish government and media have already called for the banning of this new Basque pro-independence political organization and the courts have asked the police to gather evidence against its members.

Several Basque pro-independence political parties have been banned in recent years and prevented from standing in elections leaving thousands of people without civil and political rights.



-Thousands of people gather in favour of dialogue and resolution.
Last Saturday thousands of people gathered in the Basque town of Azpeitia. They wanted to show support to their pro-independence mayor who is under huge pressure from pro-Spanish parties, government, media and judges. The harrasment started after a local business man involved in the construction of the controversial High Speed Train was killed by ETA last month. Another 15 pro-independence mayors were present at the gathering. The pro-Spanish forces want to remove them from their positions and replace them with their own mayors.

This campaign is part of the overall Spanish strategy of criminalization and attack against the pro-independence movement.

-Support for Basque political prisoners.
Hundreds of people gathered throughout the week in over 100 towns across the Basque Country to demand proper and humane treatment of the 765 Basque political prisoners. Etxerat, the relatives association, congratulated the Basque people for their ongoing support and especially for the 37,000 strong demonstration on the 3rd of January.

Precisely due to this rally the Spanish Home Minister declared last week his intention of investigating it to see if it can considered an offence and consequently prosecute the organisers - the Basque political prisoners’ relatives association.

Basque former prisoner Xabier Irastorza was arrested by French police in the north of the Basque Country last Thursday and sent to prison due to a European arrest warrant issued by the Spanish Special Court. Basque political refugees Lorea Zeziaga and Alejo Moreno were arrested in the north by French police on Tuesday 13th. Meanwhile, Basque prisoner Jon Lizarribar started a hunger strike against being expelled from the French state and placed in the hands of the Spanish police after serving his sentence in French jails.

-Europe punishes Spain.
17 years ago a Basque pro-independence youth was attacked by Spanish police with tear gas and left in coma. His face was badly burnt and despite this, he survived his injuries which are still evident on his face. The Spanish government and tribunals denied responsabilty but finally last week the European Court ordered the Spanish state to pay 170,000€ to the youth. This is a landmark case, as nothing like this has never happened before.

-Thousands of Basques take to the streets in support of Palestine.

3,500 people gathered in Irunea/Pamplona and 5,000 in Bilbao last Saturday in demonstrations organised by the Basque pro-independence movement in support of the Palestinian people and to call for a complete boycott of Israeli goods and its occupation of the Gaza Strip. Many more thousands took to the streets in villages and towns across the Basque Country during the week.

MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR THE POLITICAL PRISONERS

Basque Info 6/1/09

-37,000 people rally in support of the Basque political prisoners.

Bilbao saw last Saturday one of the largets demonstrations of the last years. More than 37,000 people responded to the Basque political prisoners’ relatives call and demonstrated in the streets of the Basque city in favour of their repatriation. The majority of Basque trade unions, left pro-independence parties and social organization representatives joined forces at this time.

The pictures of the 764 Basque prisoners opened the demonstration and behind them banners with the main demands followed. “No to death penalty!”, “No to life imprisonment!”, “Basque prisoners to the Basque Country with all their rights!”.

The suffering of the Palestinian people was remembered in many ocasions along the march and a Palestinian exile waved a flag from the stage.

Some prisoners’ relatives spoke from the stage and made clear that despite the Spanish and French governments efforts to annihilate their love ones in prison they will never let them alone.

-ETA bombs pro-Spanish media headquarters.

A strong explosion destroyed the new main offices of the Basque Radio Television broadcaster in the morning of New Year’s Eve. Previously ETA had warned of the planting of the bomb so nobody was injured. Offices of some of the main Spanish media were badly damaged in near buildings.

Pro-Spanish politicians spoke out against what they considered an attack against freedom of speech. Representatives of the pro-independence movement pointed that freedom of speech is under siege every day of the year with the bannings of political parties and demonstrations and the arrest of hundreds of people for expressing their political beliefs publicly. They called upon all sections of Basque society to work together for a real solution to the conflict.

Ten actions were claimed by a group called Irrintzi in the north of the Basque Country. The attacks were carried out between August and October last year. The targets were High Speed Train works, holidays resorts, a police station and the French Home minister’s home.


-Basque Country Solidarity with Palestine

The Pro-Independence Left organised demonstrations in Basque towns nearly every day of the Israeli Zionist bombardment of Gaza.

The Basque Pro-Independence Left Movement called for the Spanish Government in Madrid to stop selling arms to Israel and also called for a total boycott of everything Israeli in the Basque Country - diplomatic, food or other products, cultural, sport, music, intellectual and began work to get elected municipal authorities to support the boycott and to implement it.

Demonstrations were also held in the main cities and towns of the Basque Country gathering thousands.

The Dublin Basque Solidarity Committee supported rallies and vigils in their city and their banner was carried in the demonstration of 2,500 in Dublin on 3rd January. At a rally on New Year's Day outside the GPO, attended by such public figures as Christy Moore, Stephen Rea and Duncan Stewart, the Chair of the Dublin branch of the IBC addressed the crowd. He told them that the Palestinian people do not stand alone but that there have been demonstrations in solidarity across the world, including in the Basque Country where the people have taken time out from struggling around their own circumstances to offer solidarity with the people of Gaza. The Irish and Palestinians in the crowd cheered the speaker when he reported that the Basque Pro-Independence Left Movement has called for a total boycott of Israel and their products in every arena.

-International Solidarity with the Basque Country Week 5th - 16th February

That is the period chosen to focus international solidarity actions with the Basque Country and actions will take place in many different places in the world. The Irish Basque Solidarity Committees will be organising actions during this period to raise the Irish public's awareness of the repressive situation in the Basque Country and of the wish of the Basque people for self-determination. A speaker from Kamaradak, the Basque internationalist youth network, will address a number of public meetings during the period.

SPAIN CONTINUES TORTURING BASQUES

Basque Info 16/12/08

-Basques tortured during 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

A French-Spanish police operation against ETA finished with eight people arrested. Three were arrested in France and five were arrested in the south of the Basque Country. It seems as though the French police allowed five to escape from their operation in order to let the Spanish police arrest them and torture them.

All of them have been sent to prison after five days incommunicado. During those days they were brutally tortured by the Spanish police. They were blind-folded and kept naked for the whole time; they were beaten, drenched in cold water, constantly suffocated with plastic bags and threatened with electric shocks and with being raped.

All of this happened while the world celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. The Spanish government took this opportunity to launch an alleged plan to stop torture. The anti-repression organization Askatasuna denounced the hypocrisy of such a thing and accused the Spanish government of using torture as a war tool against the Basque pro-independence movement.

Askatasuna stated that at least 60 Basque citizens have been tortured this year.
In fact, 44 anti-torture Spanish groups criticized the Spanish government plan against torture. In a public letter they addressed to the Spanish prime minister Zapatero, they ask the government to follow the UNO recommendations and cease the incommunicado practice.

The Spanish branch of Amnesty International asked, along with the suppression of the incommunicado practice, for the use of video recording of the whole process of detention.

Hundreds of people demonstrated in support of the detainees in their home towns during the week.

-Spanish government tries to divide Basque political prisoners.

Last week the Spanish home minister Rubalcaba defended the need for the dispersal policy against Basque political prisoners as a tool and a state policy to defeat ETA. 761 Basque political prisoners are scattered in 85 jails across French and Spanish territories at hundreds of miles from their homes and relatives. UNO has constantly denounced this practice as against human rights.

80 former Basque political prisoners gathered at a press conference last Saturday to denounce the latest Spanish government attempt to cause divisions and to use the Basque prisoners' collective as political hostages. They said the Spanish government want to prolong the conflict.

The Basque political prisoners’ relatives’ organization, Etxerat, said that 17 friends and relatives have died in road accidents on their way to visit their loved ones in prison during the past 20 years. The latest accident left two relatives injured last week.

Etxerat called a national demonstration on prisoners for 3rd of January next, with the main demands being: No to the death sentence! No to sentences without end! Basque prisoners to the Basque country!

Last week the three Basque western provinces' government called for the immediate release of all seriously ill prisoners.

Hundreds of people gather every Friday in more than 60 villages and towns across the Basque Country to show support for the Basque political prisoners.

-Thousands of people gathered in support of Basque language.

In 1978 40,000 people filled Bilbao’s football stadium to defend the Basque language. In 1998 125,000 people filled the Basque Country’s five main stadiums to say yes to the Basque language. Last Saturday thousands and thousands filled the Bilbao Exhibition Centre to show their commitment to live through the Basque language.

10 years ago the Basque language organizations' council, Kontseilua, was created and a strategic plan has been developed since. With last Saturday’s event Kontseilua wanted to ask for another step on the way to achieve the right to live through Basque in a Basque-speaking Basque Country. A Ten Point Manifesto was launched and new initiatives will be put in place over the coming years.

-Solidarity with Inaki de Juana in Belfast.

Former Basque political prisoner and hunger striker Inaki de Juana appeared in a Belfast Court last week to continue fighting his extradition to Spain. The Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee and supporters gathered outside. The judge will take a decision this week to see whether an extradition process proceeds or not.

ETA KILLS HIGH SPEED TRAIN CONSTRUCTOR

Basque Info 9/12/08

Main news :

ETA kills a businessman involved in the construction of the High Speed Train.

Inazio Uria owner of the Altuna and Uria construction company was shot dead on Thursday in Azpeitia, Basque Country.

The 71 year old is one of the owners of Altuna and Uria one of the biggest construction companies in Gipuzkoa which owns many construction projects in the province, including the construction of the train tracks for the future high speed train.

The construction of the high speed train has created huge controversy in the Basque Country. This new project aims to connect France and Spain with a high speed train going through the Basque Country. Although politicians and business men believe that this would benefit the Basque Country, it would destroy the landscape, and would have huge negative socio economic implications.

This project has been rejected by a big section of Basque society and has been heavily criticized in the past by ETA. In fact the Basque armed organisation, has attacked the offices of the construction companies as well as their equipment involved in this project several times.

The killing has been condemned by politicians, trade unions and other institutions and have come out defending the high speed train project. Many protests have also taken place to condemn the killing.

Following Uria’s killing, the Spanish government has agreed to proceed to the banning of the remaining pro independence councils in the Basque Country.

Pro independence councils have refused to condemned the killing of Inazio Uria. Using this excuse, The Spanish right has been putting pressure on the government through the media to ban pro independence politicians from participating in councils in the Basque Country.

1,000 people rallied in Durango, near Bilbao, last Saturday against the High Speed Train. Two people blocked trains in Durango by locking themselves inside barrels of cement on Monday while supported by another 50 people. Basque-Spanish police charged against them and arrested two.

- The pro independence movement calls on all sectors of Basque society to look at ways of opening a new political cycle.

30 years after the Spanish Constitution was imposed upon Basques, the pro independence movement notes that it has no credibility what so ever in the Basque Country. On 6th December 1978, the Spanish Constitution was rejected by the majority of the Basques.

The pro independence movement, also acknowledges that they have a responsibility to propose an alternative and have called on all sectors of Basque society, specially the pro-independence ones, to debate and think about a common strategy to achieve a democratic scenario in the Basque Country.

-Etxerat, calls to unite forces around three basic demands.

The Basque Prisoners’ relatives group Etxerat, want to unite forces around three basic demands: the release of terminally ill prisoners, as well as the immediate release of the prisoners who have fully completed their sentence and still remain in jail. Finally they have demanded to repatriate all the Basque political prisoners to the Basque Country. Currently the over 750 prisoners are scattered over 100 French and Spanish prisons.

Culture News :

Thousands of people attend the annual Basque book and music fair.

All Basque music and books were present in the Durango fair. More than 300 stalls and over 150 participants took part in it.

This year was the 43rd edition of the fair and it has been hugely popular. This is a demonstration of the strength of Basque culture which suffered persecution and it’s still ignored by Spanish and French authorities.

The historic singer Mikel Laboa was remembered. The unusual but very popular Basque singer died earlier in the week.

According to the organizers the credit crunch had very little effect on sales.

You can listen to the music of one of the biggest sellers of this year, Gatibu, by logging here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdRVtiS1cWI

DEBATE ON BUILDING OF A NEW ALTERNATIVE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION

Basque Info 2/12/08

-First national public interview with Arnaldo Otegi.

The former spokesperson of the pro-independence movement, Arnaldo Otegi, was imprisoned by the Spanish state just weeks after the 2007 negotiation process collapsed. He was released in August of this year. For the last three months he’s been holding different meetings with a wide range of people to be able to draw an analysis of the political situation.

Last Sunday in an interview in the pro-independence daily Gara, he said that he has come to the conclusion that there is a feeling of political stalemate, especially with the ongoing terrible repressive situation. He has found frustration and scepticism also, but at the same time he has seen that many sectors are looking to the political nationalist left because they believe that this movement is the only one who can move the political scenario forward. These sectors hope the pro-independence movement will be able to take the initiative again and build an attractive broad movement for them to join.

According to Otegi, despite having made some mistakes from which they can learn, it’s now very clear that the Spanish state has failed with its last 30 years strategy to assimilate the Basque Country and to destroy the pro-independence movement.

There is also a majority of people, political majority and trade unionist majority which could create a new alternative. Otegi believes it is the work of the pro-independence movement to articulate that majority and to build an effective strategy to reach a democratic situation in the Basque Country and to continue working after towards independence and socialism.

-Largest Basque trade union celebrates national congress.

Hundreds of delegates attended last weekend the 12th national congress of largest Basque trade union ELA. Different motions were passed and among them one denouncing torture and the situation Basque political prisoners suffer in jail. ELA, who has the 35% of the votes in workers elections, reaffirmed its position in favour of the building of a broad pro-self determination movement in the Basque Country.

-Successful night in favour of the Basque Country in Belfast.

Over 120 people attended last Saturday’s ‘Songs of Struggle’ Night in Belfast organised by the local branch of the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees. Singers and musicians from Belfast, Dublin and the Basque Country created a great night of quality music, sentiments and solidarity. A new initiative, the Friends of the Basque Country network was launched and people were encouraged to join. In this way, they would be able to help raise awareness and defend the self-determination right for the Basque people.

-Basque political prisoner Axun Gorrotxategi is on hunger strike since last Thursday. She is demanding medical assistance after months of negligence.

-Last Friday 68 towns and villages across the Basque Country saw the usual weekly vigils in favour of the 762 Basque political prisoners scattered in 82 jails around France and Spain. Only 15 are imprisoned in the Basque Country. 29 of them have already served their time but are still being kept in prison as political hostages.
The largest of the vigils took place in Gasteiz/Vitoria where 450 people attended and welcomed local former prisoner Gorka Perea recently released.


-20 young people on a black list.

A massive press conference was held last Saturday in Irunea/Pamplona to denounce that the Spanish police has a black list with the names of 20 local pro-independence youth. These young people have offered themselves to appear before the judge but he has refused receiving them. Another 20 people have been arrested in the city in the last three months and 15 of them have claimed they were tortured.

The young people reaffirmed their intention to continue with their public work in their neighbourhoods to bring positive change to their community.

Basque greatest revolutionary singer and songwriter Mikel Laboa dies.

Mikel Laboa, born in Pasaia (Basque Country) in 1934, is also one of the most respected figures in contemporary Basque song due to his eagerness to revitalize and modernize Basque oral tradition. He inspired generations of Basques and put music and lyrics to their feelings about their country and freedom. He connected with the new punk and rock Basque movement in the 80’s and continued supporting young bands until he died.

Laboa had been recently honored with the Gipuzkoa Gold Medal, greatest award given by the regional Council, planned for December 23rd and which he was going to attend. He was just awarded with a prestigious music prize in Catalonia over the weekend.
His death has shocked the Basque Country and he will be very sadly missed. His music will live forever.

You can enjoy one of his most famous songs performances along the worldwide acclaimed Orfeon Donostiarra/Donostia-San Sebastian’s Choir:
http://www.eitb.com/video/en/detail/41113/txoria-txori-performed-by-mikel-laboa-and-orfeon-donostiarra/

NEED OF POLITICAL TRANSITION CLAIMED AT COMMEMORATION

BASQUE INFO 25/11/08

-The left pro-independence movement calls for a real political transition.

2,500 people demonstrated in Bilbao last Thursday on the 24th and 19th anniversary of the killings of Basque pro-independence movement leaders Santi Brouard and Josu Muguruza at the hands of Spanish death squads.

At the end of the rally one of the spokespersons spoke of the need of a new democratic framework based in the right of self-determination, reunification and amnesty for all political prisoners.

He added: “Those who killed our comrades, along with the almost 30 year-old Spanish constitution haven’t been able to fulfil their objectives of assimilating the Basque Country and destroying the pro-independence movement. They haven’t been able, thanks to the struggle of the pro-independence movement in defence of the Basque Country and its citizens’ rights.”

100 people attended a similar commemoration in Barcelona.

-Hundreds protest against Spanish king’s visit.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Euskalduna Congress Palace in Bilbao last Wednesday for a protest organized by the left pro-independence trade union LAB. They carried a banner which called the employers “the kings of thieves” and demanded the right to national self-determination. Inside the building, authorities, business men, pro-Spanish politicians and trade unionists gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Basque Employers Association, chaired by the king of Spain.

-ETA's attack.

Last Thursday ETA destroyed a TV and communications centre in Bilbao. It’s understood the centre was being used by the police.

-Solidarity with Basque political prisoners.

Around 30 towns across the Basque Country saw the usual Friday’s vigils on support of the 755 Basque political prisoners. The largest protest approximately 384 people gathered in Gasteiz. Special thoughts were given to the ill prisoners who, under Spanish law, should be released.

Three of them were recently released but it is imposed that they are under curfew in their homes and that they can’t attend political events.

Prisoners in the Spanish jails of Soto del Real and Aranjuez in Madrid are holding protests such as remaining locked up in their cells and picketing against isolation and hard conditions of life.

-Spanish judiciary on the spot in Inaki de Juana’s case.

Next Friday 28th of November former Basque political prisoner and hunger striker Inaki de Juana will appear in Belfast Courts to hear the judge’s decision on his situation. A Spanish judge is trying to find ways to get this Basque citizen extradited. After the Belfast judge’s requests to clarify the accusations the Spanish judge turned to the so called “victims of terrorism associations” to ask them for help to find some kind of evidence to get the extradition.

The whole case, primarily based on Spanish revenge against Inaki de Juana, has been built around a letter allegedly written by the ex-prisoner and read at his welcome party, where the most “threatening” line says “keep onwards”.

-Demonstration asks for offical recognition of Basque language.

Confronting cold, wind and rain more than 5,000 people took to the streets of the Basque capital Irunea/Pamplona to ask the local Navarrese government to make Basque language official in all parts of the province of Navarre. The Basque language is official along with Spanish in some parts of the Basque Country but Basque speakers don’t have the same rights in other parts like the south of Navarre and the northern provinces.

-Student movement from strength to strength.

Last Saturday 4,000 young people celebrated with discussions, a dinner and concerts, the 20th anniversary of the Basque pro-independence student organization Ikasle Abertzaleak (Nationalist Students). Ikasle Abertzaleak is the largest student organization in the Basque Country. It’s organized in schools and universities and fights for a Basque National Education system which will teach Basque contents in Basque language.

-Harassment against youth continues.

Three young people were arrested for putting up Basque youth organization Segi’s posters over the weekend. The Spanish-Basque police charged them with “collaboration with armed organization”.

SPANISH HARASSMENT REACHES IRELAND

Basque Info 18/11/08

-Brussels hosts an event which criticizes police activities and demands a democratic process to Madrid.

The group Basque Friendship (MEPs support group for a peace process in the Basque Coun¬try), was set up three years ago in the European Parliament with the aim of supporting and advan¬cing the process of democratically resolving the conflict in Basque Country. Last Tuesday, they organized a successful event in the European Parliament building.

About a hundred people, Members of Parliament of different political affiliation and origin, deputies or staff members from all parliamentary groups, journalists from various countries, NGO staff, human rights lawyers and committee members of Basque Country solidarity groups, attended the event.

Bairbre de Brún, Sinn Féin MEP, and vice president of the European Par-liament Gerard Onesta, moderated the event and introduced the two guests. They also gave their views on the subject.

The first speaker was Brian Cur¬rin, a South African lawyer, who has first hand knowledge of the conflict in the North of Ireland and of the conflict in his own country. He concluded from his experience that there are some elements and pro¬cedures which are common in the resolution of both conflicts. And he advises that, beyond the differ¬ences that may exist, these procedures of conflict resolution should be applied to other scenarios, as for example the Basque Country.

The speakers criticized the French and Spanish states repressive approach to the conflict.

-French police operations against ETA.

Two ETA members were arrested last week by French police near the border with Andorra and another two were arrested this week in the French Pyrenees. One of them was named by the police as one of “ETA leaders”.
French and Spanish first ministers showed publicly their satisfaction for the arrests. Both states propaganda machine announced once again the end of ETA.

-Inaki de Juana appears in Belfast Court.

After the issuing of an international arrest warrant against former political prisoner and hunger striker Inaki de Juana, he presented himself to the High Court in Belfast Court, accompanied by his solicitor Mr Seán Devine. Shortly afterwards, he was arrested.

A protest organised by the Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee was attended by at least 20 people who offered support with flags and a banner in favour of independence of the Basque Country.

Later that evening and after considering all the prosecution arguments the judge decided to release Inaki on a £5000 bail and other restrictions on his normal life.
Meanwhile, the judge will clarify the conditions of the Spanish warrant. Inaki de Juana will have to appear in court again on the 28th of November.

-Another three political activists imprisoned.

Three young people members were arrested, tortured and imprisoned by Spanish police last week. They have been accused of being members of Segi, the pro-independence youth organization. Segi was banned by the Spanish government in 2003 and 23 of its leadership members are doing a 6 year prison sentence for their public and political work in defence the Basque youth. Parents of the arrested said: “They have been taken away like they did in Franco times.”

2,000 people rallied last Saturday in the deteniees hometowns of Irunea/Pamplona and another 400 in the village of Amezketa against the arrests.

-Basque political prisoner taken to hospital.

Antton Lopez, held in a Spanish prison at 1,000 miles from the Basque Country was taken to hospital last week after having a brain crisis. However, he had to wait for 3 hours until the jail’s doctor attended him and another two hours more before being taken to hospital.

Organised by the Basque political prisoners’ relatives’ organization, Etxerat and most of Basque trade unions, hundreds of people gathered outside Spanish courts buildings across Basque Country to ask for the immediate release of ill prisoners and those who have already done their time but are still kept as hostages.

ANOTHER FRENCH ATTACK AGAINST PRO-INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT

BASQUE INFO 11/11/08

MAIN NEWS OF THE WEEK

-Another French police operation against the pro-independence movement.

18 people were arrested last Tuesday and Wednesday in the north of the Basque Country by dozens of French policemen. On the 24th of September 14 members and leaders of the pro-independence party Batasuna were also arrested in the north in a similar operation. All of them were released 24 hours later. The same procedure was carried out in last week’s operation.

The arrested are well known activists in the Basque language movement and nationalist circles. They have been managing and working in pro-independence bars in recent times. According to the police the arrests were made in relation with the finances of the pro-independence movement.

The anti-repression group Askatasuna said that this is all part of a repressive plan designed by the French government to stop the success of the pro-independence movement in the north of the Basque Country. Askatasuna stated that the current problem in the Basque Country won’t be solved with more police arrests, bannings and prosecutions, but with a democratic process.

Protests against the police operation were held in many different northern villages and towns such as Hazparne (40 people), Itsasu (40), Azkain (45), Larresoro (60), Ziburu (45) and Baiona (100).

OTHER NEWS IN BRIEF

-ETA says “they won’t stand by while terrorist attack is launched against the Basque Country”.

In a wide statement written in Basque language last week, the armed Basque group ETA claimed the responsibility for 10 attacks and explained their political analysis of the conflict.

"The resistance will continue while the rights of the Basque Country are not recognized and respected," the group said in the statement.

ETA accuses the Spanish government of repeating the same mistakes made by previous governments and affirmed they will sit at a negotiation table once again. “The problem is not ETA” continues the statement. “The solution to the conflict is in the acceptance of the Basque people’s rights”, it concludes.

-More than 750 Basque political prisoners for the first time in 40 years.

Exactly 755 Basque citizens are imprisoned and scattered in 82 jails all around Spain and France. Just 16 of them are in Basque prisons. The numbers were exposed at a massive press conference held at the end of the VIII National Assembly organized by Etxerat, the Basque political prisoners’ relatives group.

They called upon Basque society and institutions to get involved in the defense of their relatives’ human rights and to create a mass movement to bring them home. A national demonstration will be organized on the 3rd of January 2009.

-Hundreds of people attended Solidarity Weekend in the North.
The Basque prisoners support group Askatasuna asked people to turn fear into strength; and to keep fighting in order to go from the current situation of French government’s contempt towards the Basque Country, to one of recognition. The call was made at the annual Solidarity Day where music, food and rallies were organized.

They remembered that more than 40 people have been arrested in the north of the Basque Country in the last two months. The estimated population in the north is 270,000 people.

BREAKING NEWS

-3 young people were arrested last night in the Basque capital Irunea/Pamplona for being members of Segi, the youth pro-independence organization. Segi is currently banned in the south of the Basque Country and members of its leadership are serving 6 year prison sentences.

-The Spanish National Court has launched an international arrest warrant against former Basque political prisoner and hunger striker Inaki de Juana after he didn’t appear before the judge in Madrid this morning. He was requested to answer to questions related to a letter read at his welcome rally after being released last August. The prosecutor is asking for prison for Inaki for “glorifying terrorism”. The Belfast-based solicitor Kevin Winters wrote a letter to the judge last Friday asking him to let Inaki appear before the judge through video link. This request has been ignored.

CULTURE NEWS

Long life Basque songwriter Benito Lertxundi released new album two weeks ago.
Benito Lertxundi started his career with the new artistic Basque group Ez dok amairu, put together in 1965, largely made up of folk singer-songwriters concerned with Basque culture.

Benito Lertxundi and others took to singing accompanied on a guitar for the first time in Basque music, a fact that came in for much criticism on the grounds that the instrument was alien to the Basque culture.

Ez dok amairu broke up in 1972 and its members took up separate paths that eventually have confirmed some of them as acclaimed and key folk Basque singers up to the 2000s. That’s the case of Benito Lertxundi, probably the most acclaimed along with Mikel Laboa. In a context of social and political unrest, they provided the musical background for the 70's period of struggle, repression and turmoil Benito Lertxundi is still very much involved in campaigns and events to support Basque language, prisoners…etc.

Itsas ulu zolia (The sea pleasant howl) is the title of his last album, released at the end of last October and can be downloaded at: http://www.e-boza.com/informazioa.cfm?abeskodea=Bakea&hizkuntza=2

INCREASE OF REPRESSION SHOWS SPANISH GOVERNMENT'S FEAR OF CHANGE

BASQUE INFO 4/11/08

-Main news of the week: Increase of repression shows it’s time for change.



The left pro-independence movement denounced last week in a mass press conference the repressive situation in the Basque province of Navarre for the last few weeks. 21 people have been arrested, 14 have claimed they were tortured, 3 political organizations have been banned, 20 demonstrations have been prohibited and attacked, 7 people have been hospitalised and the number of political prisoners has reached an all time high (103 out of a total of 756 Basque political prisoners). This situation reflects the deteriorating situation in the Basque Country and the ongoing political conflict.

According to the left pro-independence movement these are times for change. The Spanish state is trying to stop change by using all their repressive tools. The coming months will define the next years situation. The nationalist left believes a democratic situation has to be reached where all political objectives will be able to be defended in the same conditions and in absence of violence.

The Spanish government knows that the left pro-independence movement is the engine for change. This is why they are using bannings, detentions, tortures, and other repressive methods against political pro-independence activists and organizations.
The Basque pro-independence movement wants to reaffirm its commitment to continue the struggle in all areas to improve the political and living conditions of Basque citizens; and in favour of independence and socialism and calls upon all other sectors who believe in the need of a democratic framework to come together.

Other news in brief:

-The Basque political prisoners support group Askatasuna made public last week that Basque prisoner Mikel Gil tried to commit suicide recently. Mikel suffers from a serious head illness and should have already been released under Spanish laws. Askatasuna denounced the terrible conditions that led Mikel Gil to try to taek his own life. Mikel has been in a Spanish jail’s hospital wing for the last nine months and has been denied his right to be seen by a doctor of his choice as well as to be transferred to a prison in his home town.

-1100 people attended vigils in eight different hospitals in the Basque Country last Friday to denounce the terrible situation of ill Basque political prisoners in French and Spanish jails.

-Four people were arrested by Spanish police in the Basque capital, Irunea/Pamplona last week. Several houses were searched and guns and explosives were allegedly found. After five days incommunicado three of them claimed they were tortured and were sent to prison accused of being members of ETA.

-Last Thursday a powerful car bomb exploded in the right wing pro-Spanish and Opus Dei owned University of Navarre in the Basque capital of Irunea/Pamplona. One hour earlier a man, claiming to represent ETA, had made a telephone bomb warning. 20 people were slightly injured by the explosion. This is the 6th time ETA has attacked this university.

- Following its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Spain, the Human Rights Committee of United Nations showed his concerned about the large scope of the definition of terrorism in the Spanish Penal Code which could lead to various violations of the rights stipulated in the Covenant. This definition has been used to ban Basque political organizations and imprison many of their members. The Committee noted with concern that cases of torture continued to be reported and recommended that Spain accelerate the adoption process of a mechanism for the prevention of torture.

-Culture news:

Internationally acclaimed Basque musician Fermin Muguruza released “Asthmatic Lion Sound Systema”, an awaited new album last Friday. The album is a unique mixed of sounds and voices from across the world.

The heterogeneous musician recorded bits and pieces while on tour on 2006. He has been supported by well known musicians such as Dave Hillyard, Stepahnie Wallace, Franklin Bubbler Waul, Ophelia, Dana Leong, Kaori, Rub-a-DUB Market, Bajka, Al Rumjen, Manu Chao, Maria de Medeiros…

Here it's the first single's video:

The album can be listened at:

BASQUE INFO BACK ON AIR

BASQUE INFO RADIO PROGRAM RE-LAUNCHED.

Tuesday 4th of November 6.30-7pm / Wednesday 5th of November 12-12.30pm

at www.feilefm.com or 103.2 FM Belfast.


*News: more political parties banned, arrests and tortures, thousands of people take to the streets to support democracy, prisoners, Basque language, against High Speed Train...
*Interview with Gorka Elejabarrieta, Basque pro-independence movement representative in Brussels.
*Music: Fermin Muguruza's new album.

SPANISH IMPOSITION EXPOSED ONCE AGAIN

Basque Info 1st of July
Headlines :
- The Basque parliament of Gasteiz/Vitoria approves the proposal for a consultation on the future of the Basque Country.
-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues.
- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces.

NEWS :

- The Basque parliament of Gasteiz/Vitoria approves the proposal for a consultation on the future of the Basque country.

34 votes in favour and 33 against the proposal. That was the result.
Next October 25th Basque citizens from the provinces of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba, will have to give their views on the way forward in the Basque country.
However the Spanish government has threatened to ban the consultation as according to the Spanish Constitution it is an illegal move.

Last May, Juan Jose Ibarretxe the president of the Basque Autonomous government announced his intention to consult Basques on their views about the future of the Basque Country.

Although most of the parties have supported the proposal the Spanish government rejected it straight away and threatened of vetoing it.

The pro independence movement has also been critical of the consultation.

The pro independence representatives in the parliament, EHAK/Communist Party of the Basque Lands, decided to give one of their votes in favour of the motion so it could be approved. The Spanish government had already made public that they would stop any kind of referendum. The pro independence movement wants to see which is the real commitment of the Basque Nationalist Party to go ahead with the referendum and that’s why they made possible for the motion to be passed. The rest of the pro independence representatives abstained at the vote to show they don’t agree with the motion.

The pro independence movement has criticised the autonomous government and the Basque nationalist Party of using the consultation to their own protect their interests and to remain in power.

They see the consultation as an exercise without any value as in the last 30 years the Basque Nationalist Party has been in power into eh Basque Country and has done nothing to resolve the political conflict.

According to Batasuna this is a unilateral proposal that’s limited to 3 of the 7 provinces of the Basque Country. For Batasuna the proposal does not go further than the constrained powers already contained in the statute of autonomy and doesn’t take into account the other four Basque provinces. The pro-independence party thinks this proposal aims to be just a mere electoral platform for the Basque Nationalist Party rather than a tool to resolve the political conflict.

As previously mentioned, the Spanish government has made it clear that they will ban the consultation. In front of that the Basque Autonomous government has defended their intentions by saying that there is nothing illegal in consulting citizens on issues such as their won future.

We will have to wait and see what happens next October and there is no doubt that we will be talking about this consultation in future bulletins.

-Solidarity with accused in show trial continues.

250 people took part in a public talk during the week and hundreds more in a demonstration last Saturday in Gasteiz/Vitoria to support the 27 activists accused in the last Spanish show trial against the prisoners support organization Askatasuna/Freedom.

The banner, which was carried by most of the accused, stated that “The Basque Country needs freedom”.

At the end of the rally one of the speakers said that the pro-amnesty movement was born with the aim of disband but no one neither a thousand of sentences will make it be disbanded. The pro-amnesty movement will disappear when all Basque political prisoners and refugees are back in home, she added.

The trial just finished last week and the state prosecutor’s petitions go up to 13 years in prison.

- The Spanish Labour and Conservative parties refuse to acknowledge the victims of the Spanish security forces.

Last Thursday the Director of the Human Rights of the Basque government presented its findings on the Victims of Violence which have a political motive.
The document counts with 109 deaths caused by security forces and 583 injured by the police or paramilitaries or right wing groups. But the Spanish labour and conservative parties criticized the document as a humiliation for the victims of terrorism and killed police officers, creating that way a hierarchy of victims.

The Director of human rights also highlighted the fact that the document could not be fully completed due to time constraints, in particular around the victims of torture. The document counts between 5000 and 7000 people who have been victims of torture.

But the pro-Spanish parties dismissed the findings and accused the human rights Director of doing a very poor job based on newspaper articles. They also dismissed the recent findings of the United Nations about the fact that torture exists and happens regularly in Spain.


-Lawyers ask for the reopening of the case around Spanish police massacre.

30 years ago the Basque capital, Irunea/Pamplona was celebrating its worldwide famous festival, the Sanfermines. On the 8th of July, while thousands of people filled the bulls’ arena, dozens of Spanish policemen got in and attacked the public. The excuse for the attack was the exhibition of banners in support of Basque political prisoners. On the day, riots spread around the city very quickly. One young left pro-independence man was killed and hundreds injured.

30 years on no one has been charged with the killing. But that police attack is still alive in people’s minds. Last week more than 70 lawyers signed a petition to ask for the re-opening of the case and bring the people responsible for the killing to court. The lawyers said that the Spanish Justice hasn’t just been blind but deaf, dumb and useless as well.

-Remembering five centuries of Spanish occupation.

Hundreds of people gathered in the streets of, Irunea/Pamplona last Saturday to remember that in 2012, it will be 500 years since the Kingdom of Navarre, the Basque state, was occupied by the Castillian army which made it loose its freedom.

At the weekend dozens of Spanish policemen surrounded the demonstration showing clearly the reality of occupation still live in the Basque Country.

This rally was just one of the many events that have been planned and organised between now and 2012. The campaign intends to create a debate and mobilizations among the citizens. The campaign started with the launch of a manifesto signed by well known historians and writers with the title “Navarre still alive. 1512-2012”.


-Rally in defence of Basque symbols.

Last Saturday a rally took place in Donostia/San Sebastian to protest against the imposition of the Spanish flag in the balcony of the local city hall. Dancers, singers and traditional musicians took part in the event celebrated outside the city hall.

The organisers warned of the many efforts put in place by the Spanish authorities to impose Spanish identity and destroy Basque symbols and called everybody to take part in the many events that will be organised over the summer. They said the Spanish flag represents the imposition and the denial of Basque rights while the Basque flag is accepted by most of Basques.
A petition was launched last week by the popular initiative Bai Euskal Herriari/Yes to the Basque Country and more than 1700 individuals and 100 associations have already signed up to it.

PRISONERS

- Critically ill, Basque prisoner Anjel Figueroa has been transferred back to prison from hospital.

Anjel suffers from serious epilepsy and has been hospitalized several times recently.
According to the Spanish law, Anjel should be released due to his illness but the Spanish authorities are refusing to free him.

Instead, Anjel was transferred from the hospital where he was last Saturday back to prison. Although this may sound like an improvement on his health, his supporters have made it clear that Anjel’s health is not improving and that putting him back in prison is actually worse as there are no proper facilities to look after him.

- Meanwhile the relatives of prisoner Nuria Antzugurai from Donostia/San Sebastian suffered a car accident at the weekend when they were coming back from seeing her in Madrid. No one was injured in the accident.

Askatasuna hilghligted that it is the 8th accident this year of relatives going to see their loved one’s in prison.

Over 700 prisoners are currently scattered in a hundred prisons in France and Spain.