Easter Sunday Aberri Eguna statement

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Sunday March 23, 2008 12:58 by Irish Basque Committees irishbasques at hotmail dot com

Basques and Irish united in struggle

1916 Dublin. Irish republicans rise up in arms against the British Empire and proclaim the Irish Republic.

Young Basque nationalists send telegrams to congratulate the brave rebels.

Since 1932 Basques have celebrated their Aberri Eguna or Homeland’s Day on Easter Sunday.

Basques and Irish once again united in such a symbolical day to claim the right to be reunified and independent.

Unfortunately, Basques can’t celebrate much as Spanish and French repression spreads and gets even harder.

Last May, negotiations between the Spanish government and the pro-independence movement broke down. The Spanish government showed a complete lack of commitment to achieve real peace scenario. They refused to accept the right to self-determination of the Basque Country.

Since then all the leadership of Batasuna, the pro-independence party have been put in prison along with more than 200 Basque citizens. 40 political and social activists have been sentenced to up to 22 years in prison. Detainees have been brutally tortured. Demonstrations and different pro-independence events have been banned and attacked. Two more pro-independence political parties have been banned at the last elections. More than 730 Basque political prisoners are scattered in more than 100 jails across France and Spain.

Despite all the pro-independece movement is stronger than ever and ready to continue defending through dialogue and negotiation a democratic solution to the long armed and political conflict.

During decades and up to nowadays, the Basque people always showed support to republicans. Now they need ours more than ever. They have to know they are not alone. The Spanish and French governments have to know that repression never worked and won’t work. They have to accept “the right of the people of the Basque Country to the ownership of the Basque Country, and to the unfettered control of Basque destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.”

Join the Irish Basque Committees, take part in the events organised, listen to Basque Info Tuesdays 6.30-7pm at www.feilefm.com, read www.irishbasquecommittees.blogspot.com, write to newspapers…