FROM THE WORLD TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY
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2007/V/03
EH NEWS periodical information on the Basque Country
23rd May 2007-30th April 2007
Three people accused of being ETA members arrested in Britain.District Attorney's Office to sue "suspicious" lists.The State Legal Service also analyzes about 300 other lists with different acronyms. Only those who respect Political Parties Law will run.Judge Baltasar Garzon allows Basque party ANV to operate.Friendship Press Conference, Strasbourg.Solidarity events.
Three people accused of being ETA members arrested in Britain
04/27/2007
The accused, named as Zigor Ruiz Jaso, 28, Inigo Maria Albisu Hernandez, 23, and Ana Isabel Lopez Monge, 36, were arrested in the city of Sheffield on instructions given by judge Baltasar Garzon.
Inigo Maria Albisu Hernandez, 23, Ana Isabel Lopez Monge, 36, and Zigor Ruiz Jaso, 28.
Three people accused of being members of the Basque armed group ETA were arrested Thursday in Britain in an operation that linked Spanish, British and French police, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The suspects, named as Zigor Ruiz Jaso, 28, Inigo Maria Albisu Hernandez, 23, and Ana Isabel Lopez Monge, 36, were arrested in the city of Sheffield on instructions given by top Spanish anti-terror judge Baltasar Garzon, the statement said.
London's Metropolitan police confirmed the arrests and said the three were accused of "participation in a criminal organization and terrorist offences."
The three are due to make a first court appearance Friday afternoon at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court in London. Garzon had issued warrants and a request for judicial cooperation, the ministry said.
District Attorney's Office to sue "suspicious" lists
04/29/2007
The lawsuits probably will be filed May 3. Attorney General Cándido Conde-Pumpido said they would file a suit against "hundreds" of election lists and against "the totality" of lists presented by Abertzale Sozialistak.
Spain's District Attorney's Office and the State Legal Service are in the final stages of settling a lawsuit against the candidates who are accused of succeeding the outlawed Basque leftwing nationalist party Batasuna. The lawsuit probably will be filed May 3 before the ending of the period stipulated by the Law of Political Parties.
The lawsuits are against the election groups who are using the name Abertzale Sozialistak, preceded by the town's name where they would run, and against "specific" lists of candidates of the ANV (Basque Nationalist Action).
The ANV case
It's rather difficult to ban ANV. Yesterday, judge Baltasar Garzon decided not to suspend the activities of the Basque Nationalist Action party, as he considered there was no link between this party and the Basque armed group ETA or Batasuna. Nevertheless, it's possible to sue "specific" lists of candidates of the party.
The Abertzale Sozialistak case
In the case of the lists of candidates who filed with the name Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna (ASB, Union of Socialist Nationalists) the lawsuit will be based on the issue that important leaders of the outlawed Batasuna manifested publicly their support to them.
Last Friday Spain's Attorney General Cándido Conde-Pumpido said they would file a suit against "hundreds" of election lists and against "the totality" of lists presented by Abertzale Sozialistak.
800 "polluted" lists
The State Legal Service calculates 800 "polluted" lists. 225 of them would include the name Abertzale Sozialistak: 187 in the Basque Autonomous Region and 38 in Navarre.
Other 252 lists of candidates - also to be analyzed by the State Legal Service -, are linked to ANV, who filed 200 lists in the Basque Autonomous Region and 52 in Navarre.
The State Legal Service also analyzes about 300 other lists with different acronyms. Only those who respect Political Parties Law will run.
04/29/2007
During a meeting of the socialist party PSOE in Pamplona/Iruña, the Spanish PM said "democracy has some rules" and asked political parties to back the fight against terrorism.
Spain's Primer Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, affirmed the Ministry of Public Prosecution and the State Legal Service will do everything so that "only those who respect the rules and the content of the Law of Political Parties" will run the coming local and county elections.
During a meeting of Spanish socialist party PSOE in Pamplona/Iruña (Navarre), Rodriguez Zapatero said, "Democracy has some rules" and highlighted "the government will apply to the letter the Law of Political Parties so that only those that respect the rules and the law take part in the elections."
Zapatero made no other references to the possible participation of the Basque leftwing nationalist movement in the May 27 elections. He made no comments on ANV or on the election groups presented with the name Abertzale Sozialistak.
The Spanish PM asked political parties to back the fight against terrorism and criticized the attitude of Navarre's President Miguel Sanz.
Judge Baltasar Garzon allows Basque party ANV to operate
04/28/2007
The judge of the National Court decided ANV (Basque Nationalist Action) has no links with the Basque armed group ETA or the outlawed Batasuna.
Baltasar Garzón, judge of the Spanish National Court, decided not to suspend the activities of Eusko Abertzale Ekintza-Acción Nacionalista Vasca (Basque Nationalist Action), as he considered there was no link between this party and the Basque armed group ETA or the outlawed Basque leftwing Batasuna.
The judge took the decision after he analysed the contents of the joint report summarising the findings of independent investigations conducted by the Guardia Civil and the National police. This report concluded it was not possible to determine whether ANV is "an instrument of ETA-Batasuna," although part of Batasuna seems to make use of this party.
Eusko Abertzale Ekintza-Acción Nacionalista Vasca (Basque Nationalist Action) is a historical Basque nationalist party, registered since 1977, which fielded candidates for local and county elections in the Basque Country next May 27.
Friendship Press Conference, Strasbourg 04/25/07
In the press conference, the ERC MEP Bernat Joan i Mari and his Latvian counterpart Tatjana Zdanoka, denounced the possibility that in the next elections "a part of the Basque society will have its right to express itself politically rejected"
Bernat Joan i Marí:
"If we compare the Basque peace process with others in Europe such as Northern Ireland we see that no party was banned and all political positions and views were respected. This was crucial in establishing peace. Yet in the Basque Country it's possible that for the forthcoming elections a portion of Basque society will be denied the opportunity to express themselves politically.
We are very concerned at this prospect since one of the key priorities of a peace process must be allowing a whole range of ideas to be put forward. Spanish legislation on political parties risks banning parties not because they have committed acts of violence (which are totally unacceptable) but of banning ideas.
The pro-independence left wing in Basque politics needs to be heard and have a role in the elections. It is then the right of the Basque people to decide who they want to represent them.
Some have raised questions concerning certain party lists such as that of ANV, alleging links with Batasuna and others have also called for the illegalisation of ASB. I want to make it clear that banning these parties would be contrary to the process of democracy - ANV, for example, has made it clear that it opposed undemocratic means.
We have also heard worrying language being used recently with people talking about 'contaminated lists'. If this is the case then it is also the case for other lists, notably the Partido Popular - people can change their point of view.
It will be a missed opportunity not to permit all parties to take part in the forthcoming elections in the Basque Country and in saying that I also want to make it clear that ETA must cease its activities.
We will go to the Basque Country later this year to meet various representatives of Basque Society - it will be an opportunity to gain a better overview of the situation after the elections."
Tatjana Zdanoka:
"From my experience as a member of the support group and having visited the Basque Country, it is clear to me that the peace process there has the overwhelming support of Basque Society. However we now see dangers for that peace process in the run up to the Basque elections, such as people being detained.
There must be free and fair elections where everyone has the right to elect who they want to represent them, without exceptions or exclusions. To act otherwise would be in contrary to common European values and basic EU principles on human rights and freedom."
Solidarity events:
Basque Festival held in Dublin
Around 90 people attended the evening event of the Euskal Jaia held on the 21st of April, with around 50 attending the afternoon event on the same day. The Euskara language was very much in evidence throughout both events.
Those in attendance on the afternoon bought pintxos, txakoli, patxaran and sidra, all prepared or brought by supporters of the Dublin Irish-Basque Committee, who organised the event. CDs of Basque rock bands were played and there was also a performance by an Albokari (playing a traditional Basque reeded music instrument made with a cow's horn), some traditional dancing and a few songs accompanied by guitar.
Basques, Catalans and some Spanish people were glad to avail of the traditional food, along with Irish and people from other countries who were also interested to learn of and see some of the cultural distinctiveness of the Basque people.
The evening's attendance was entertained by an Irish ballad music band and a further performance of the Alboka (at which a champion Basque dancer performed), along with guessing the weight of a traditional Basque cheese. A basket of traditional Basque food was also raffled. Information was also given on a forthcoming local commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Gernika by the Nazi Condor Legion in support of Franco's Fascists during the Spanish Civil War.
Every person in attendance also received an information leaflet on repression in the Basque Country and signatures were collected in support of the Basque political initiative to solve the conflict through a self-determination voting.
A spokesperson for the Dublin Irish-Basque Committee commented:
"We wanted to celebrate Basque culture and we also needed to raise funds for our activities. This event combined both and the atmosphere was great; it was great to feel that support for the Basque Country and also to see all the people really enjoying themselves. We hope to have further such events throughout the year, as well of course as public meetings and pickets whenever necessary".
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Deialdiak
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