Basque Book Launch

by iosaf Tue Aug 12, 2003 17:23

A march occured entitled "No to Apartheid, autodetermination" on Sunday last. At the end of the march during an address by Arnaldo Otegi, who is now the spokesperson of the political entity that was HB, a flag of España was burnt.
You will see that moment at 17h45 last Sunday at the link. The speech was predictably anti-Madrid and anti-PNV (the Basque nationalist party that currently governs the Basque autonomy within the Spanish state).
Arrest orders have now been made for:
Burning the Flag.
Assembling in support of a terrorist organisation (ETA).
for complete report and other photo of marchers in Catalan go to
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/50565


Yesterday the Spanish Minister of the Interior foaming somewhat said that those who had organised the march only walked the corridors of democracy in the Basque lands because the PNV allowed them do so.
The march had originally been prohibited by the Basque ministry of the interior to later be allowed by tribunal superior of the Basque statelet. (an equivalent to the high court).

The PNV are a party of the centre right equivalent in many ways to Fianna Fail.
The PNV is led by Basque lehandakari (taoiseach) Mr. Ibarretxe who has in the last year formulated his party's propositions for increased independence and self-determination which the PNV wish see replace the current "Constitutional Statute" of España which allows for varying degress of autonomy to the "communidades" such as Andalusia and Madrid and the older "national areas" of Catalonia, Basque lands and Galicia.

In the speech of last Sunday which perhaps would not have caused as much interest had three masked and hooded youths climbed the stage to burn the Spanish flag, Ortegi criticised the "apostasy" of the PNV in 1977 and said if the PNV had then planned to win a political space for the Basque people (who are now divided within the Spanish state between the Pais Basc and neighbouring "communidad" of Navarre) that there would have been not a single death, bomb or basque political reprisal.

Since the begining of the tourist season, there have been four bomb attacks on holiday resorts, one carbomb attack on a mainly tourist airport, one seizure of 400kg of explosives, and no sign of the peace which surely the Basque people must crave.

Peace and Reconciliation are all too often work for different men and women than War and Reprisal.

by iosaf Tue Aug 12, 2003 20:53

That final line is not to mean that those who may make effective war may not then afterwards make a lasting peace.

I think the idea of this book is a very good. There is much to be learnt in contemplating the Spanish problem by those who dedicate themselves to solving the British problem. It is often difficult for those who live in the countries whose final jurisdiction is read and written in castillian spanish to write honestly about the multi-faceted nature of the "Spanish" problem and the often thought to be related "Basque" or "Catalan" problem. But I would encourage all on the Left in Ireland, be they anarchist, socialist, or republican to learn as much about this triangle. Thereafter the "British" and often thought to be related "Irish" problem really take on a different flavour.
does "Daíl" = "Generalitat"?
does "Taoiseach" = "Lehandakari"?
does "autonomía" (español) = "saorstát" (gaeilge)

(I love the wee clarifications)=[I detest the semantics]

by LLoyd George the welsh wizard - 1922. Tue Aug 12, 2003 20:56

%-)
how much cost the book and where will it be available, and would I be stand any chance of being sent a review copy¿?

by Jim Monaghan Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:58

I have read Sullivans magnum opus and Paddy Woodworths Dirty tricks one. This looks like a fine addition.Frankly I think the ETA course is mad and has played into the hands of the neo Fascists.Hopefully they declare a ceasefire and work for a United Front for Basque independence, maybe in the context of an Iberian federation with independence for the other nations, Catalans etc.
There used to be a lot of interest in the small European nations without a state, Corsikans, Sards, Bretons etc.. Hopefully this will revive, we are not the only ones with an unresolved National Liberation Struggle
Jim Monaghan

by Justin Moran - Basque Solidarity Ireland Thu Aug 14, 2003 13:36 maigh_nuad at yahoo dot com

I heartily endorse this event and/or product. Really looking forward to this book, I've visited the Basque Country in the past and been involved in delegations that came here as part of Basque Solidarity Ireland and I'd share Jim's view that the level of interest in struggle of small European states seems to be declining. I'd think the Basque struggle is, within the republican community anyway, an exception to that.

On the point you make about ETA calling a ceasefire I have to say I'm not completely sure about that. The Basques I've met, here and there, and representing several different organisations, show a marked desire to replicate what they see as the success of the Irish Peace Process. With all its faults, and from talking to us I think they have a good awareness of those faults, they see it as preferable to the current impasse and violence.

But it takes two to talk. When ETA called a ceasefire there was no response good, bad, nor indifferent from the Spanish Government. Even the smallest confidence building measures such as an end to censorship, or to allow prisoners to serve their time in Euskal Herria, were denied. It became clear to the Basques that the Spanish weren't serious.

The main difference, from a tactical point of view between our struggle here and theirs, is that in Ireland, the IRA came to the conclusion it was unable to achieve its goals militarily. Crucially, the British Government realised it was not going to achieve its goals militarily. Both sides recognised an impasse had been reached and sat down to talk.

In Euskal Herria the Spanish are _convinced_ a military solution to the Basque 'problem' is still a possibility. They still think they can defeat ETA and are becoming more and more repressive in order to do it (Ironically leading to an increase in support for ETA).

ETA's choice then is to continue armed struggle until the Spanish are ready to talk or to stop armed struggle and negotiate from a position of incredible weakness.

The basic problem is that one side is ready to talk, one is not. Perhaps it is best summed up by my experience leaving Euskal Herria. Like any solidarity trip you leave laden with tee-shirts, magazines, badges etc. I was also carrying copies of ETA's peace proposals, which they had made public when they called their ceasefire. Being found in posession of this, a set of reasonable enough proposals for an interim settlement is tantamount to being convicted for ETA membership, presumably after the days of torture and beatings.

If carrying peace proposals is illegal and punishable by lengthy times in prison, do the Spanish really appear serious about peace?

by iosaf Thu Aug 14, 2003 21:32

It's your last line that spells it out.
"If carrying peace proposals is illegal and punishable by lengthy times in prison, do the Spanish really appear serious about peace?"

On Catalan Tv last night and last week a 60 minute special documentary entitled "silent graves" which focussed on the massacres that followed the Civil War when fascists killed reds basically, and piled them into mass graves, each falangist executioner recieved 35 pesetas for killing a "red". This documentary or an equivalent has not appeared on Spanish TV. The point was made that "reconciliation" has never been seriously treated in Spain since the transistion from the dictatorship. Spain is proud of it's contribution to "justice" in it's former imperial possessions in central and south america. The judge Garzón, he who banned two political parties so as to stiffle ETA, he who exchanged letters with Marcos of the Zapatistas, also has led prosecution cases against Pinochet, former military junta in Argentina and perpetrators of massacres in Gautalamela, urugauy etc....
The double standards and hypocrisy are shocking. The dictator, Franco, supported by Nazi germany and Fascist Italy came to power through a coup d'etat. And then not only paid his supporters 35pts per body, but i'm sure, laid the roots of the Basque armed campaign. The infamous Guernica remember is a basque town. There seems to be at the moment an almost bipolar attitude (in Catalonia at least) to the Basque situation. ETA do _not_ recieve popular support on the radical left, but Basque self-determination does. So much that the Basques say, and everything they say they say with their backs against the wall is true. After the Ortegi speech I referred to last Sunday, charges have now been made through the civil courts by members of the Guardia Civil "on behalf of their fallen comrades". The Guardia Civil's emblem is a fasces and sword. It is the fourth military division and supervises borders and political activity within Spain. Franco used the "red" and Catalan and Basque nationalist (who were almost invariably of the left) prisoners in forced labour to build the "Valley of the fallen".
which commerates his "fallen comrades" who died for the fasces and lightning bolt symbols of the Falangists.
It is often remarked by anonymous users of Barcelonan and spanish left and anarchist and nationalist websites, which are closely monitored by the Guardia Civil, (many people have been arrested and charged under prevention of terrorism legislation on evidence presented by the Guardia Civil taken from the internet) that the Spanish state has not _transformed_ enough from Fascism. It is a strange situation and one which in Euskal Herria only serves to polarise those whose grandparents went to war against each other.

I believe reconciliation and truth are necessary parts of any search for peace, though know in Ireland many would prefer to leave "sleeping dogs lie". But in Spain under the present adminstration which includes a civil service and military servicemen who took active part in the previous sixty years, spanish support of the USA, increased military commitment to the reconstruction of Iraq, increased security of the borders with North Africa are of more import.

And that's the last of the lines I'd leave to read between as they say.

by Jim Monaghan Fri Aug 15, 2003 10:09

Justin writes
"But it takes two to talk. When ETA called a ceasefire there was no response good, bad, nor indifferent from the Spanish Government. Even the smallest confidence building measures such as an end to censorship, or to allow prisoners to serve their time in Euskal Herria, were denied. It became clear to the Basques that the Spanish weren't serious."
The old maxim "When in a hole stop digging". The reality is more the end of the Republican fifties campaign where a unilateral ceasefire was declared in 1962 well afterr the effective end of the campaign. An amnesty campaign then got the prisoners out. The current ETA campaign is going no where fast. Added to this the attacks on political opponents and you have a nightmare.ETA are like the Provos at the start of the H-Block campaign when there were objections and worse to having independent nationalist and SDLP people on platforms.
The whole ETA campaign is playing into the hands of the right who have not just ETA in their sights but all Basque Nationalims as well as the other minority nations in Iberia as well.
A ceasefire would allow a front to develope to get the prisoners released. Not an easy campaign but one with prospects of success which the military one does not have. Further a front of the Left and the advanced National Liberation struggle elements across Iberia could change the situation.ETA has had many splits but each victorious faction has always been more militarist.What is missing is a strategy which could mobilise sufficient forces to achieve victory. This cannot be done by a military campaign which repels potentail supporters of the struggle rather than winning them over.
A long haul.
Heroism is not enough.A seminal document from Peoples Democracy when it broke from a catastrophic view of the Northern struggle (there were fears of a Loyalist takeover similar to Rhodesia) was entitled "Mass action versus militarism". This is what is needed in the Basque country. Alas, some in ETA regard those who advocate this as enemnies rather than the true friends they are.
I appreciate that this is an esoteric debate for many here but it has a resonance with our own struggle in the North.
On a European wide basis hopefully the mutual sympathy between national liberation struggles will produce a concrete alliance.

by Justin Moran - Sinn Féin Fri Aug 15, 2003 13:27 maigh_nuad at yahoo dot com

It's rare indeed I find the example of the Army's Border Campaign being used as a template for anything. The end of that campaign left the Army crippled, an object of mockery and derision, ripe for takeover by Goulding's mob and without any support, good, bad nor indifferent.

The reality in Euskal Herris is that first of all, ETA has more support there than the IRA did during the Border Campaign. Secondly, every experience of dealing with the Spanish Government following the first ceasefire indicates that they will refuse, no matter what hypothetical amnesty campaign is launched, to release or compromise on prisoners. The prospects of success you speak of for a prisoner campaign do not exist.

ETA can surrender and admit defeat or it can hold out for a stalemate and wait for the Spanish to get serious about talks. Those are the choices available. The first would be a devastating setback for Basque indepedendence.

This is not to say I agree with all of ETA's tactics. I disagree with their targetting of journalists for example, but despite media reports, thousands of people are taking part in pro-independence protests and organisations across Euskal Herria. Increaed Spanish repression, banning of newspapers, language organisations, political parties etc. is exposing the fascist nature of the Spanish Government's policy in Euskal Herria.

I do believe the solution to the conflict in the Basque Country requires a ceasefire, but it can ONLY happen in a context where the Spanish Government, either through the use of force or through mass action (And both are being used) is ready to sit down and talk.

If the Spanish Government is not willing to talk, to engage with the Basque people as human beings and citizens rather than targets and subjects, then a ceasefire would be a retrograde step which would only allow for continued aggression from Spanish forces.

by Jim Monaghan Fri Aug 15, 2003 15:21

http://marxnat.tripod.com/

Some good articles on the Basque struggle and an awful one on Connolly.

ETA are unfortunately in a position to force the Spanish Government to terms. That is the reality. I grant they are stronger than the Republicanms were in 1962 but they are being forced back to their core support.
The way around this, to break the isolation is a ceasefire. Not because the Spanish Government are looking for it but in response to the appeals of the Basque masses.Right a mass amnesty movement could not be built overnight. For a start those stupidly alienated by the campaign would have to be won over. Not easy seeing what was done. Here, many had to get over their repulsion over Provo mistakes such as Claudy and the Abercorn.
Alas, to continue is to find themselves in the bind of the Republican disidents her, whose stupid campaign has filled Port Laoise to brimming to no good effect.
The ETA campaign is evapourating the sea in which a guerrilla campiagn must swim in order to survive. (A Maoist analogy from a Trotskyist)
That is why people like me an Matt Merrigan were in support of a Provo ceasefire here and why although I have disagreements over the Belfast agreement persist in saying that the ceasefire was a necessity and that a return to a military campaign is nihelist to say the least.It is also a factor in my thinking when some advocate Direct Action as a substitute for mass action by large numbers.
Beir bua
Jim Monaghan

by Tom Luby Fri Aug 15, 2003 19:00

In Justins weird reality ETA bullets and bombs are beneficial but CIRA and RIRA actions are terrorism.