2007/I/23
FRIENDS OF THE BASQUE LAND, solidarity!

Last weekend, from the 17th to the 20th of January, the project "Friends of the Basque Land" was born in several parts of Europe. The solidarity and complicity from other peoples is more than ever necessary in these difficult but hopeful times, in order to, altogether, you from outside and us from inside compel the Spanish and French governments to reach a just resolution on the conflict and real peaceful solution.

It was very important what we got this weekend, but if we want democracy in the Basque Country, we will have to organize much more projects like these ones. This dossier is a summary of the assemblies that took place in the different places: Paris, Glasgow, Barcelona, Vilafranca del Penedès, Milano, Torino, Taranto, Roma, Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Lisbon and Amsterdam.

Askapena thinks that solidarity is a two-way-trip, and we hope we will manage to give you back the solidarity you are giving us. A huge revolutionary hug for all of you and especially to the Friends of the Basque Country in Paris, to those that were arrested because of showing their solidarity. They will show up later the French politicians saying that "the Basque conflict is a Spanish problem".

Paris (France)

The Friends of the Bask Land had arranged a meeting on Sunday on Châtelet Square at 14:00. The listeners of the Txalaparta radio, friends of the two solidarity committees and a member of the Partenia church were there.

During the meeting they hung up a flag of the Basque political prisoners and two posters, they delivered sheets of paper in favour of getting a peace process in the Basque Country and they collected signatures. One of the posters was about the Basque political prisoners, and asked freedom for Iñaki de Juana and Sébastian Bédouret.On the other panel people could read the question "Basque Country, democracy or war?".

Trying to answer the question, around 60 French policemen appeared on a hurry with their weapons and shields, they identified, frisked (3 and 4 times), took to a bus and arrested the 16 handcuffed people that were in the assembly.

The Friends of the Basque Country in Paris, like other people in Europe, mobilized themselves to push a Basque peace process. They want us to breathe new fresh air and the Spanish and French governments want us not to breathe this fresh air. However, the only thing they are getting is that we will breath more powerfully.

Not being enough the repression we suffer in the Basque Country, now they want to criminalize the friends of the Basque Country. First, the journalist and our friend Sébastian Bédouret and now other 16 people, because they were showing their solidarity are being treated as criminals, on the Spanish side by the Spanish Guardia Civil, and on the other, the French gendarmes.

Scotland. Alba.

The 20th of January, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday, Cairde na Eireann (The Scottish group that works for the Irish rights) had called a demonstration at Glasgow. At this demonstration there were the Scottish Basque Solidarity, those for Palestine and the group Cairde na Eireann. The demonstration lasted one hour and 1.500 people were there. Finally, after having some problems with the City Hall and the police, the demonstration took place outside the centre of Glasgow. At the end of the demonstration, some people who were against the demonstration started shouting. During the whole week, on the unionist webpages there were some callings to go against the Cairde na Eireann's demonstration. A representative of Askapena that went from the Basque Country and a familiar of a killed person from Derry talked to the people. Finally, they listened the Irish national anthem.

With this demonstration, the group Basque Solidarity Campaign has started a signature recollection for a peace process in the Basque Country.

Bellow is the text they read at the end of the demonstration.

GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

I SPEAK IN NAME OF ASKAPENA (liberation), INTERNACIONALIST ORGANIZATION OF THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT. WE THANK DEEPLY TO CAIRDENA EIREANNE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ABLE TO DIRECT OURSELVES DIRECTLY TO THE IRISH COMMUNITY IN SCOTLAND. IT IS FOR OUR ORGANIZATION A LUCKY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DENUNCIATION ACT FOR THE MURDERS OF THE IRISH POPULATION HAPPENED ON THE BLOODY SUNDAY. PUNISHMENT TO THE GUILTY!

THE PROJECT OF THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT WING HAS THREE FUNDAMENTAL AXES: THE INDEPENDIENCE OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY, THE BUILDING OF A SOCIALIST SOCIETY AND INTERNATIONALISM, (THE STRUGGLE ALONG WITH ALL THE FORCES FIGHTING AGAINST EXPLOITATION, FOR A FAIRER WORLD).

AFTER DECADES OF STRUGGLE WE THINK THAT, IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY, THE CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT GUARANTEES OUR RIGHTS AND OPENS THE POSSIBILITY TO BUILD OUR
POLITICAL PROJECT HAVE BEEN CREATED.

THE 7 BASQUE PROVINCES ARE, AT THE PRESENT, DIVIDED UNDER TWO OPRESSIVE STATES AND THREE DIFFERENT LEGAL FRAMEWORKS. THE FIGHT FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THESE 7 TERRITORIES OF THE
FRENCH AND SPANISH STATES LASTS FOR ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, DIFFERENT GENERATIONS FROM OUR PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN 4 DIFFERENT POLITICAL MILITARY FIGHTS.

AT THIS SAME MOMENT, AT WHICH THE BASQUE POLITICAL PRISONER IÑAKI DE JUANA IS ON HIS 75 DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE FOR THE BASQUE PRISONERS' POLITICAL RIGHTS, A HARD POLITICAL BATTLE IS BEING FIGTH TO START UP A DEMOCRATRIC PROCESS FOR THE RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT.

THE GROUNDS FOR THIS PROCESS MUST BE, THE RIGHT FOR ALL BASQUE CITIZENS, UNDER SPANISH OR FRENCH DOMINATION, TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF THEIR COUNTRY, THIS IS A REFERENDUM FOR SELF
DETERMINATION, WHERE ALL THE OPTIONS BE LEGAL, ALSO THE OPTION FOR THE INDEPENDENCE AS IT IS ILLEGAL UNTIL NOW.

WITHOUT THESE GROUNDS, THE ONLY OPTION OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY IS TO FIGHT AGAINST CENTURIES OLD IMPOSITION OF THE OPRESSING STATES.

AFTER DIFFERENT CONTACTS WITH THE SOCIALIST PARTY (ACTUALLY THE PARTY ON MADRID GOVERNMENT) ON 5 YEARS, THE ARMED ORGANIZATION ETA GAVE A CEASE FIRE ON LAS YEAR MARCH
22ND.

DURING THE FOLLOWING MONTHS, A PART OF SOME WELL MEANING WORDS, THE REPRESSION HAS REMAINED AS BEFORE OF THE CEASEFIRE.

MOST OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PRO- INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT ARE STILL BANNED, THE MACRO JUDICIAL PROCESSES AGAINST MILITANTS OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE
LEFT PRO-INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT HAVE FOLLOWED AHEAD (AROUND 300 MILITANTS) AND NEW PROCESSES HAVE BEEN STARTED, PUBLIC DEMOSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN BANNED, FINED AND STRONGLY
REPRESSED, POLICE CONTROLS AROUND ALL THE TERRITORY HAVE INCREASED, THE TORTURE IS STILL A CRUDE REALITY AND ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS TO ETA MILITANTS HAVE CONTINUED.

IT IS CLEAR THAT IN THESE CONDITIONS, WHERE ONE OF THE PARTS IS UNABLE TO TAKE LEGAL POLITICAL ACTION AND IS STRONGLY REPRESSED, IS NOT POSSIBLE A DEMOCRATIC RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND THE TWO OPPRESSOR STATES.

ON LAST DECEMBER 30TH, THE ARMED ORGANIZATION ETA, EXPLOTED A BOMB IN BARAJAS AIRPORT (MADRID), WHERE SADLY TWO ECUATORIAN WORKERS DIED. LATER ON, AFTER (THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE ORGANIZATION) BATASUNA'S CALLING FOR KEEPING THE COMPROMISES, ETA ANNOUNCED THAT THE CEASEFIRE IS STILL IN FORCE, RESERVING FOR ITSELF THE RIGHT FOR ACTION IN CASE OF THE
ATTACKS AGAINST THE BASQUE COUNTRY NOT FINISH.

FROM ASKAPENA, WE CALL TO THE POPULAR SOLIDARITY WITH THE BASQUE COUNTRY'S FIGHT FOR STARTING A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. JUST TODAY THE SOLIDARITY COMITEES AND FRIENDS OF THE
BASQUE COUNTRY, ARE DOING A PUBLIC SIGNATURE COLLECTION IN BELFAST, CORK, DUBLIN, PARIS, ITALY, HOLAND, PORTUGAL AND OTHER EUROPEAN CITIES, AS THE BEGGINING OF AN INTERNATIONAL
SOLIDARY ACTION TO PRESS THE SPANISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENTS FOR OPENING THIS PROCESS. HERE, IN SCOTLAND, ALSO YOU CAN SIGN.

THE BASQUE COUNTRY IS A SOLIDARY COUNTRY WITH THE SAHARA, PALESTINE, OAXACA, IRELAND AND ALL THE PEOPLES' STRUGGLES FOR THEIR LIBERATION.

GORA EUSKAL HERRIA ASKATUTA!
TIOC FAIDH AR LA!

Italy

Solidarity campaigns, all of them very successful, toot place in four Italian cities.

At Milano they marched on consecutive days: the 19th, 100 people were united in front of the Spanish Consulate and the 20th, in the heart of Milano, at Duomo Square, they hung up a huge panel and later on, they talked about the situation in the Basque Country at the Social Center Transiti28.

At Taranto, in front of the Govern Delegation, helped by the police, they did a very successful assembly. There were Cobas and two committees from two neighbourhoods.

At Rome, they did an informative assembly and they also a debate at a Social Center. Cobas, Rete dei Comunisti, Radio Città Aperta and Radio Onda Rossa took part on the assembly.

At Torino, they did an assembly in front of the Spanish consulate on the 20th January, at Castello Square. csoa Askatasuna, csa Murazzi, Coll. Universitario Autonomo, comitato di lotta popolare No Tav Bussoleno, Juti Bossuto -consigliere regionale partito Rifondazione Comunista, Nicoletta Dosio-segretaria circoli Prc Val Susa, Circolo Walter Fontan-Bussoleno, Maurizio poletto -respondabile del sindacato CGIL/lavoro and società Val Susa were the groups that joined the meeting.

We would like to emphasise the wide variation of Social center, left wing groups, trade unions, etc... really a model reality.

Eire.

At Cork, 15 people answered to the calling of the solidarity with the Basque country and they managed to collect more than 500 signatures for the peace process in the Basque Country. It was very positive the citizens collaboration.

Dublin.
Saturday midday a several dozen people reunited in front of the General Post Office to denounce Iñaki de Juana's situation and asked his freedom. Besides, they asked for the political status of the Basque prisoners.
Moreover, they collected signatures for a democratic process to end with the conflict and they reminded the act they did in December about the self-determination right of the Basque people.

Belfast.

On Thursday 18th January, there was press conference, as part of the campaign initiated for the process. It was read the text Askapena sent and they collected the first signatures. The press conference aimed to inform about the campaign, to push the known people in Belfast to support the process and to make them encourage the people to support the process signing the text and going to the demonstration on Saturday. During the press conference, they reminded Iñaki de Juana's situation and they sent him a warm solidary hug.

Those are the first ten known people who signed the text, in the picture they are with the other people. In the middle, David Kennedy and Ihintz Oliden, the representatives of the Belfast Basque Committee:

Paul Maskey, SF's councillor at Belfast
Chrissie Mhic Giolla Mhín, SF's councillor
Jennifer McCann, SF's councillor
Fra McCann, SF's councillor
Pat Rice, former university teacher and former SF's man in charge of the international section.
Caoimhín Mac Giolla Mhín, West Belfast Partnership Board
Michael Culbert, Coiste na n-Iarchimí, director of the former republican prisoner's organization.
Glen Phillips, Failte Feirste Thiar, director of the tourism office of West Belfast
Tomaí O Conghaile, journalist of the newspaper Lá

Països Catalans

Answering Askapena's calling and supporting the peace process in the Basque Country, they did some activities at Barcelona and Vilafranca del Penedès.

On the 20th January, around 150 people met together ant the Sant Jaume Square at 12 o'clock. They supported a political negotiation between Spain and the Basque Country in order to finish the conflict, and they proclaimed that a key point is the self-determination right. The assembly answered Askapena's calling and some left wing independentist people joined, as groups like: Endavant, Maulets, CAJEI, CCSI and other solidarity collectives.

On Friday, 19th January, at Vilafranca del Penedès some Catalonian left independentist met together, as Endavant and the municipal candidature CUP.

In both assemblies the slogan was the same: "Without democracy, no peace. Self- determination". They wanted to underline that the solution of the Basque conflict is not possible if they don't want to take any compromise and without respecting the democratic will.

On the assemblies they were heard shouts supporting the Basque Political Prisoners collective, support to Iñaki de Juana (78 days already on hunger strike and he is dying, everything because he wrote two opinion articles).

Lisbon (Portugal)

On Saturday, 20th January, they collected signatures and during the week they stuck more than 400 panels in the streets about the situation in the Basque Country.

The Nederlands.

The solidarity committee of Amsterdam and the Friends of the Bask Land they have created a web page to support the peace process.

www.vredesprocesbaskenland.nl and www.baskinfo.org

During the press conference they launched the webpages, they asked all the Basque politicians to take steps towards peace, to recognize the Basque people right to self-determination, by means of dialogue and negotiation, because it is the conflict's key.



To support the project:

http://www.askapena.org/EHko_lagunak/EHlagunak

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