Derry Basque solidarity picket line

derry | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Friday February 08, 2008 19:14 by Irish Basque Committees irishbasques at hotmail dot com

23rd February 2pm Free Derry Corner

These are hard times for the Basque Country. We are calling on international solidarity to mobilise, to denounce the denial of political and social rights and to support the right of the Basque Country to self-determination.

SUPPORT DEMOCRACY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY. STOP REPRESSION.

Last year once again, the Spanish government destroyed all hopes of resolving the conflict between the Basque Country and the French and Spanish States.

During the negotiations:
- the majority of pro-independence organisations continued to be banned.
- Several media were closed down.
- 40 pro-independence activists were called to declare due to their political or social activities.
- 50 political events of the pro-independence movement were banned.
- 25 demonstrations were brutally attacked.
- 200 militants were judged for their activities before the negotiation period.
- 700 check points were detected on the roads.
- The Spanish army carried out operations in 30 towns in the south of the Basque Country.
- 500 people were identified for so called propaganda activities.
- Dozens of people were fined for participating or requesting permission to organise political events.
- The Spanish government increased the total amount of years to do for “terrorism acts” to 40 years, ten extra years.
- Political prisoner Iñaki de Juana went on hunger strike for 100 days to protest against the fact that he had been sentenced to 3 extra years for writing an opinion article.
- Pro-independence Basque citizens denounced being tortured.
- The arrest of ETA volunteers continued…

Despite all this, the pro-independence movement remained at the negotiating table until the Spanish government withdrew leaving the pro-independence movement alone at the table.

Since the end of the negotiations:
- the collective of prisoners has increased of 120 people.
- There are currently 700 prisoners (out of a Basque population of 3 million people).
- 42 people have been imprisoned for their social and political activities.
- New trials are coming up: Udabiltza the association of elected representatives, the anti-repressive group Askatasuna, the political party Batasuna, whose executive is currently in prison. There will be more illegalisations, torture has increased with detainees ending up in hospital with serious injuries and with disturbing rape allegations while in police hands.

It is, in fact, the discrimination and legal destruction of the pro-independence left movement and of its social and political support.

The pro-independence movement continues to defend the same plan as during the negotiations :
- A statute of autonomy for the four Basque provinces under Spanish rule including the right to self-determination.
- A statute of autonomy also for the three provinces which are under French administration with a framework that gives the opportunity to develop all political projects.

These are hard times for the Basque Country. We are calling on international solidarity to mobilise, to denounce the denial of political and social rights and to support the right of the Basque Country to self-determination.

23rd February International Day of Solidarity with the Basque Country

Derry: 2pm Free Derry Corner.
Belfast: 2pm Cultúrlann, Falls Road.
Dublin: 12pm GPO.
Cork: 2pm Daunt’s Square.

Irish Basque Committees

www.irishbasquecommittees.blogspot.com
irishbasques@hotmail.com

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