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There is a long affinity between Irish republicans and the Basque people. Each year, especially in August, large numbers of Basque activists travel to Ireland to meet republican activists and to discuss the situation here and in the Basque country.
This Blog has been there several times. There was huge excitement and expectation during the period of the ETA cessation in 2006. This Blog witnessed that during a visit in June of that year to the region. The collapse of the cessation in December 2006 after only 9 months was a huge disappointment.
Since then there have been behind the scenes efforts to restore the opportunity and hope that the cessation had created. These have included work by this Blog and other senior Sinn Féin activists who have engaged in an ongoing dialogue with Batasuna and others in an effort to help create new momentum in the stalled Basque peace process.
Rufino Exteberria is a leader of Batasuna, the Basque political party which was banned 7 years ago by the Spanish state because of its support for ETA. He is currently out on bail.
In recent months he has been involved with others in a lengthy process of dialogue which I understand involved up to 7,000 activists. This is a remarkable achievement.
It concluded last weekend in a conference of the Abertzale Left Regional Assemblies, which includes Batasuna. The conference agreed a new political strategy for progress.
The Resolution, ‘Standing up for Euskal Herria’ commits Abertzale Left to using ‘exclusively political and democratic means’ to advance its political objectives. It seeks to advance political change “in a complete absence of violence and without interference’ and ‘conducted in accordance with the Mitchell Principles.’ And its political goal is achieve a “stable and lasting peace in the Basque country.”
In an interview on Sunday in the Basque language paper Berria, this new strategy was explained by Exteberria. He said: “We consider that the process has to be done without violence, which means of course, that it will have to happen without any armed activity by ETA. He reaffirmed that the new political strategy agreed last weekend seeks to advance basque goals by “peaceful and democrtatic” means. “That means without armed actions by ETA, and without violence or interference by the Spanish state.”
This is an important development which creates an opportunity for an end to conflict in the Basque country and for real political progress.
It is also evidence of a determination on the part of Abertzale Left to resolve the conflict and to pursue national and democratic rights through peaceful and democratic methods.
The political conclusions to emerge out of the weekend conference are an even more important and significant development.
The next steps are crucially important in terms of the strategies Abertzale Left develop and the response of the Spanish State.
Lessons need to be learned form the 2006 period. Dialogue is urgently required. All sides must be prepared to take risks. This is always very difficult.
The Basque separatist groups have spent a lot of time internally agreeing a new way forward. The Socialist government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero now needs to demonstrate a willingness to examine closely the language, strategy and direction now being taken by Abertzale Left. And to respond positively.
The US, the EU and others helped the Irish peace process. There is also an important role for the international community in encouraging a resurgent peace process in the Basque country.
Sinn Féin will work to promote conflict resolution and to assist in whatever way we can the emergence of a viable and effective peace process.
There is a real opportunity for a fundamental change in the relationship between the Basque country and the Spanish state. There is an onus on everyone to grasp this in good faith and to make every effort to bring an end to conflict in that region.
This Blog has been there several times. There was huge excitement and expectation during the period of the ETA cessation in 2006. This Blog witnessed that during a visit in June of that year to the region. The collapse of the cessation in December 2006 after only 9 months was a huge disappointment.
Since then there have been behind the scenes efforts to restore the opportunity and hope that the cessation had created. These have included work by this Blog and other senior Sinn Féin activists who have engaged in an ongoing dialogue with Batasuna and others in an effort to help create new momentum in the stalled Basque peace process.
Rufino Exteberria is a leader of Batasuna, the Basque political party which was banned 7 years ago by the Spanish state because of its support for ETA. He is currently out on bail.
In recent months he has been involved with others in a lengthy process of dialogue which I understand involved up to 7,000 activists. This is a remarkable achievement.
It concluded last weekend in a conference of the Abertzale Left Regional Assemblies, which includes Batasuna. The conference agreed a new political strategy for progress.
The Resolution, ‘Standing up for Euskal Herria’ commits Abertzale Left to using ‘exclusively political and democratic means’ to advance its political objectives. It seeks to advance political change “in a complete absence of violence and without interference’ and ‘conducted in accordance with the Mitchell Principles.’ And its political goal is achieve a “stable and lasting peace in the Basque country.”
In an interview on Sunday in the Basque language paper Berria, this new strategy was explained by Exteberria. He said: “We consider that the process has to be done without violence, which means of course, that it will have to happen without any armed activity by ETA. He reaffirmed that the new political strategy agreed last weekend seeks to advance basque goals by “peaceful and democrtatic” means. “That means without armed actions by ETA, and without violence or interference by the Spanish state.”
This is an important development which creates an opportunity for an end to conflict in the Basque country and for real political progress.
It is also evidence of a determination on the part of Abertzale Left to resolve the conflict and to pursue national and democratic rights through peaceful and democratic methods.
The political conclusions to emerge out of the weekend conference are an even more important and significant development.
The next steps are crucially important in terms of the strategies Abertzale Left develop and the response of the Spanish State.
Lessons need to be learned form the 2006 period. Dialogue is urgently required. All sides must be prepared to take risks. This is always very difficult.
The Basque separatist groups have spent a lot of time internally agreeing a new way forward. The Socialist government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero now needs to demonstrate a willingness to examine closely the language, strategy and direction now being taken by Abertzale Left. And to respond positively.
The US, the EU and others helped the Irish peace process. There is also an important role for the international community in encouraging a resurgent peace process in the Basque country.
Sinn Féin will work to promote conflict resolution and to assist in whatever way we can the emergence of a viable and effective peace process.
There is a real opportunity for a fundamental change in the relationship between the Basque country and the Spanish state. There is an onus on everyone to grasp this in good faith and to make every effort to bring an end to conflict in that region.
Comments
Wonderful what the world could do for freedom and peace,the end to conflicts across the boarder of many land and social problems. I been in talks with friend from Nigeria, and see many things in that country that real hard look at could be one day at peace and social justice. The way could be with Ireland as a learder in this way. Irish history can teach the world .
Thanks Gerry, good works
I am hopeful that ETA Militara will provide adequate space so that the left alliance can fully explore the purely political route to the establishment of a sovereign and independent Basque homeland: Euskal Herria.
I know how much the basque people have suffered under the jackboot of the inheritors of Franco's fascist groupings, which sadly have become part of the mainstream establishment in Spain. I send my commendations to the brave Basque's for fighting that right wing terror with fury and stealth.
I am delighted that you are sympathetic to their cause.
There is a huge obligation on behalf of the international community and the UN, US, EU and all of the Nation-States individually to push for peace in Places like, India/Kashmir, Palestine/Israel, Spain/Euskal Herria and other conflicts throughout the world. And, of course, I do not forget that Ireland needs all of our friends too, including our friends in Britain.
I hope that you will do more work in Israel and palestine, in so far as your workload with Ireland will permit you.
and another significant iniciative is that people in Catalonia is doing. As in the Spanish State is forbidden to referendums, people is doing referendums for the Independence of Catalonia in each village and city, but unofficially. Around 90% said "yes" to the Independence of Catalonia yesterdeay, in around 700.000 people. Next referendum in April.
It´s very nice, isn´t it?