2007/IV/04
EH News Periodical information on the Basque Country

- THE BASQUE-PROINDEPENDENCE LEFT PROMOTES A NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

- THE SPANISH CIVIL GUARD ARRESTS EIGHT PEOPLE IN GIPUZKOA, ARABA AND NAFARROA.

- THE FRENCH STATE ARRESTS TWO PRESUMED ETA MILITANTS IN DORDOGNE.

- THE DEMO OF THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT IN THE BEC LEFT PACKES THE EXPOSITION CENTER IN DEFENSE OF THE PROCESS.

- THOSE ARRESTED DENOUNCE THAT THE CIVIL GUARD TORTURE THEM.

- HARASSMENT AGAINST THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT, THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OFFICE AND THE STATE ADVOCATE REQUIRE THE BANNING OF ASB.

- 400 BASQUE PRIESTS SUBSCRIBE A DECLARATION IN FAVOUR OF THE PROCESS.

THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT PROMOTES a NEW POLITICAL PARTY (Gara source)

The nationalist left gave yesterday another step in its attempts to make advance the democratic process by registering a new party: Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna. This newspaper has known that , in its statutes bids on the utilisation of the democratic ways to arrive at an independent and socialist Basque Country. The Home Ministry of Interior has requested banning of ASB to the public prosecutor office. The Basque pro-independence left came was demanded to proceed to the legalization of a new political party and yesterday gave that step to try to enable an advance in the democratic process. The party is called Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna and, in its statutes gathers the bid on the exclusive use of the democratic political routes for the attainment of independence and socialism. The inscription was carried out in the Registry of Political Parties of the Department of the Interior. If not problems were found at the inscription, this one would have to be embodied before twenty days. Once the proceeding complimented, the new formation would acquire legality.


INTERIOR ANNOUNCES PROBLEMS (Gara source)
Despite the bid of Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna by the exclusive use of the democratic political routes, the Home Ministry made as understands that indications exist for persecution of this new formation. According to the Ministry, 'some of the people who promoted it, can have direct relations with organizations and political parties that have been banned by the justice courts'. Adding that 'the denomination used by the political organization pretends to have coincidence or similarity with the already banned Batasuna and Herri Batasuna'. Finally, Interior emphasized that 'the clauses contained in the statutes do not seem to imply' that there are not e sufficient lements to think that ASB is not a succession of Batasuna. That is why refers to 'the doctrine established by the Constitutional Court'.

In the sentence that, in March 2005, confirmed the cancellation of the candidacy of Aukera Guztiak, the Constitutional Court indicated that 'the refusal to specifically condemn terrorism is not enough indication to credit itself. The unequivocal sentence, constitutes a contradiction able to discredit the reality of a commitment deduced from sufficient indications'.

That is to say, it is understood that the Constitutional considers that the sentence is not necessary although helps the legalization of a party.

However, the Home Ministry has decided to send the request to the Fiscal Ministry and to the Advocate of the State so that they analyse if it comes to persecute to ASB in case that with its inscription wanted to succeed Batasuna.


TRANSCRIPTION OF ARNALDO OTEGI's INTERVENTION IN THE 28 MARCH 2007 PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE INSCRIPTION OF THE NEW PARTY.

The true dimension of the present political conjuncture. This political conjuncture, has one characteristic that makes different from the others. That is, if there is political commitment we are in a political conjuncture in which we can definitively overcome the political conflict and all its consequences. The analysis this conjuncture must therefore be carried out with responsibility and in depth.

Now a days this country, in this political conjuncture, has a door opened to the definitive and democratic resolution of the political conflict and all its consequences. The conjuncture comes marked by that opportunity , an opportunity that we have to take advantage of and, that the Basque pro-independence left has, of course, can not waist.

We must respond to this opportunity of a constructive and positive way. For that reason, the Basque pro-independence left must try to respond to the challenge of building peace and to La Paz democracy in this country in a constructive and positive way, leading the solutions and not remaining in the squad that permanently creates problems.

We wish this opportunity was not wasted because it really exists that is why the Basque pro-independence left tries, permanently, to respond in a positive and constructive way. That is our responsibility as political agent as that is the will of most of this society.

In that sense, we must remember that the Basque pro-independence left is trying to come up with a democratic and definitive solution to this long conflict, that is also trying to build a social and political conscience, that will allow everybody to make analyses with the sufficient rigor to understand that we are speaking about a real opportunity to build peace and democracy for this country.

A multilateral dialogue process of political contents, in equality of conditions and absence of violence. Considering really the dimensions we are dealing with, the Basque pro-independence left sees the necessity to begin in this country, a process of multilateral dialogue in a constructive and positive way, that from our point of view it had to compliment three conditions:

This multilateral dialogue must have a political agenda that will tackle the roots of the conflict and that will democratically overcome it by means of a plural agreement.

The fist objective of this process would be then, lead us to a great agreement that should alter the game rules and the change the undemocratic conditions into democratic and allowed the construction of a common space by means of an agreement that would make possible all the political projects.

Second is that a multilateral dialogue process cannot be constructed if does not guarantee conditions of equality for all and those involved in that dialogue and political negotiation process.

And the third condition, is that the multilateral dialogue process, must be developed in absence of any type of violence. That has been permanent Process forwarded by the Basque pro-independence left.

The constructive and positive contributions of the Basque pro-independence left Being coherent with this proposal, the Basque pro-independence left has permanently given steps that allowed to unblock problems to the Process, that from a constructive point of view, should allow to overcome the obstacles that from a political point of view would definitively begin a multilateral dialogue.

We forwarded a method in ANOETA (14th November 2004). We put it upon the table and shared it with absolutely everybody.

In the Anaitasuna, 3rd March 2007, the Basque pro-independence left presented a political proposal, not its political project, not even its tactical project. A political proposal that contributes to construct a common space in agreement with the rest of political formations of this country to tackle the roots of the conflict and give it a democratic satisfaction.

The inscription of a new formation in the registry of the Department of the Interior fulfilling and complimenting the law of parties, as that is what the Basque pro-independence left has done, to obey the law of parties, although stressing again and again that from our point of view it is absolutely undemocratic, and that we are of course going to fight in democratic terms, until disappears from the political scene as it is a law that limits democracy.

So it has also given that step: to compliment what law of parties requires to register a new political formation.

The fundamental reason of that step is that also in this case, starting off of an undemocratic situation, we want to reach a democratic situation, we want to reach a situation in which the political formations that participate in a multilateral dialogue do so in equality of conditions and that the mention process is finally opened.

That is what the Basque pro-independence left has done: to respond to the situation in a constructive and positive way.

We are not challenging anybody, we are opening the door to a different future for this country, we are beginning to build a democratic process and are underlining that in that democratic process, we must all participate all in equality of conditions and that we are also prepared to starting it from an absolutely undemocratic situation, to reach later the agreement for a democratic situation.

That is the Basque pro-independence left's commitment, being this just to show our absolute commitment towards the beginning of a democratic process that will lead us to peace and democracy in this country.


THE SPANISH CIVIL GUARD ARRESTS EIGHT PEOPLE IN GIPUZKOA, ARABA AND NAFARROA. (Gara source)

Agents of the Spanish military institute arrested eight people in Andoain, Donostia, Segura, Idiazabal, Oion and Uharte Arakil. According to police sources, they body found a suitcase with material to make explosives in Andoain.

The Spanish Home Minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, indicated that the 'ample operation' continues open andthat new arrests could be carried out.

In declarations to the press media, he did not detail if these arrests disarticulated a new 'Donosti commando' of ETA, as they assured the Spanish media agencies.

30th March

THE FRENCH STATE ARRESTS TWO PRESUMED ETA MILITANTS IN DORDOGNE.(Gara Source)

The same day the Civil Guard arrested eight Basque citizens in different places of Gipuzkoa, Araba and Nafarroa accusing them of being members of ETA, the Gendarmerie arrested in Périgueux - in the French department Dordogne- Jon Iurrebaso and Kepa Suarez, to whom the French police accuses to be militant of the armed organization.

According to the information agencies , Jon Iurrebaso Atutxa, 51 years old of Bilbo and that had previously been imprisoned for eleven years, and Kepa Suarez, also natural of Bilbao and 47 years old, where arrested shortly after which they eluded a police control in the locality of Bergerac.

1st April 2007


THE DEMO OF THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT IN THE BEC PACKED THE EXPOSITION CENTER IN DEFENSE OF THE PROCESS. (Gara source)

Arnaldo Otegi the necessity of the Basque pro-independence left to be represented in the municipal and leasehold elections of next 27th May, is essential so that the Basque Country faces the beginning of a democratic process. On a crowded exposition centre despite the troubles imposed by the Spanish National Hearing, the politician from Elgoibar insisted on that 'we did not speaking about elections or abbreviations, but about the end of the conflict'.

Half an hour before the beginning of the political act, anticipated for the 17,30, the doors of the BEC remained closed till the order of the Central Court number 5 that directs Balthasar Garzón. The resolution arrived and a tide of citizens filled the launching slips of the audience of Bilbao Exhibition Centre.

The member of the executive was clear and dazzling before his audience when affirming that its exclusion, as comes happening from 2003, would prevent to face the resolution of the political conflict that faces Basque Country and the Spanish State. 'We did not speak about elections or abbreviations, but about the end of the conflict', underlined, adding that the rejection to its participation would be like 'denying the real possibility to build a democratic process in this country during the next months and years'.

The pro-independence leader commented that 'whenever the Basque pro-independence left takes a step for its country and its people', recreates 'a scene military of nerves' that derives in repression against the Basque pro-independence left and its own leaders. At sight of the accumulated experience, the analysis of Otegi is that in these attacks 'There are many those who imitate Ian Paisley, or many political sectors - in clear reference to PNV and PSE-, have true panic to a democratic scene'.

With the Irish experience fresh, told those agents, that as happened to the leader of the DUP, 'that has had to seat with Sinn Fein to make a government because it is what Irish people wanted, here, in the end, all those that set up obstacles will have to seat with the Basque pro-independence left'.

3 of April 2007


THOSE ARRESTED DENOUNCE THAT THE CIVIL GUARD TORTURED THEM.(Gara source)

Torture returns to arise in the last police cast, still in course. Six of the prisoners were sent yesterday to prison and the four who could contact with their lawyers have detailed to have undergone 'the bag', sexual blows, humiliations, asphyxia, obligation to make physical exercises like flexions, insults and threats.

The television caught Endika Zinkunegi when left the National Hearing in worrying state, heavily limping crying and with tremors. Zinkunegi said to the judge which 'they have been the five worse days of my life'

Witnesses have conffirmed that Sergio Lezkano, still prisoner, was taken to hospital. Their lawyers have only been able to see the prisoners after declaring before the judge notable.

The Secretary of State Security wanted to clarify that 'the information and the documentation found show that immediate risk of an attack did not exist'.


HARASSMENT AGAINST THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT, THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OFFICE AND THE STATE ADVOCATE REQUIRE THE BANNING OF ASB. (Gara source)

Just one week after the inscription request in the registry of parties, the Office of the public prosecutor and the General Advocate of the Spanish State have already interposed their respective banning demands before the Supreme Court against Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna.

The General Public Prosecutor Office and the State Advocate have presented banning demands against Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna (ASB) before the 61 Room of the Spanish Supreme Court, the political formation registered by the Basque pro-independence left that, as emphasized by Arnaldo Otegi, fulfills 'scrupulously' the rules marked by the Law of Parties.

The State general prosecutor, Conde Pumpido, has defended that ASB is 'a continuation of the illegal Batasuna', that 'it tries to give a small varnish to be able to concur to the elections'.

Among the arguments that has also used is the use of the term 'batasuna', that the promoters 'belong to National executive of HB', and that is an attempt 'to transplant' the organs of Batasuna to the new political formation.

Conde Pumpido has assured that the banning of Batasuna 'is irreversible and that in any case it will not be able present themselves to the elections'.

Once the Office of the public prosecutor and the State Advocate - a this last one organ that directly depends on the Ministry of Justice and, therefore, of the Government - formulate the demands, will be the magistrates of the 61 Room of the Supreme Court the one who will decide on the ASB legality.


400 BASQUE PRIESTS SUBSCRIBE A DECLARATION IN FAVOR OF THE PROCESS

A total of 390 priests of all the diocese of the Basque Country have subscribed a manifesto in favour of the process, 'before the difficulties and obstacles' that cross. The manifest account at the moment with the adhesion of 390 priests of the dioceses of Baiona, Bilbo, Iruñea-Tutera, Donostia and Gasteiz. In itself, the signers express their preoccupation 'before the difficulties and obstacles in which is at the moment the peace process' and express their conviction that 'it is possible and necessary to impel it with the collaboration and participation of all the people'.

The priests state the character 'basically political' of the conflict and show their desire that 'it is resolved by the route of dialogue and negotiation between all the parts invlved, without exclusions'. For that reason, they request to reach the necessary agreements to 'obtain peace that not only consists of the absence of all violence, but mainly in justice and respect of the individual human rights as much as the collective's'.

The signers also hope that 'it is the town, all the citizenship of our respective communities, the one that democratically, from the respect to the diverse feelings and political and cultural options, decides with total freedom what they want for ourCountry'.