International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday February 11, 2009 17:20

by Irish Basque Solidarity Committees

As for the third year International Week of Solidarity with the Basque Country has been organised. Here in Éire also many events will take place across the country. The Irish Basque Solidarity Committees want to reflect on the terrible political situation in the Basque Country and encourage everybody to take part in the events organised.

The Basque Country, the oldest country in Europe, is in the 21st century still very much alive despite partition and repression from the Spanish and French states. 500 years on and a new historic opportunity to solve the political and armed conflict is available.

The majority of the Basque people want to see a democratic resolution through dialogue and negotiation based on self-determination right.

However, the Spanish and French states have increased repression after the 2006 and 2007 negotiation process failed. International observers and mediators during that process witnessed the Spanish government’s refusal to acknowledge the rights of the Basque people.

The new repression campaign in recent years is aimed at halting the Basque people’s will to move into a new political cycle of freedom and peace. Civil and political rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, association...are constantly under siege, political parties and grassroots organizations are banned, political activists are imprisoned for their beliefs and public work, testimonies of horrible torture emerge again and again, peaceful demonstrations are brutally attacked, the political prisoners’ numbers increase every day reaching the highest amount since 1969: 765 political prisoners are scattered in 82 jails throughout Spain and France with sentences that will ensure that they will spend their lives there while terminally and seriously ill prisoners will die there also...

Only a solution based on the end of partition, the recognizing of the Basque Country as a seven-province nation and the right to self-determination can solve the long and violent conflict. Any partial solution or a merely repressive response will only bring more years of conflict and suffering.

The international community has an undeniable role to play to help resolve the conflict and support the Basque people’s will to decide their future freely. International awareness is needed. International solidarity has to be extended. International pressure must be put upon the Spanish and French states.

We call on you to play your part by attending the events organised or joining the Irish Basque Solidarity Committees and the Friends of the Basque Country network.

The Basque Country doesn’t walk alone towards democracy and self-determination!

Friday 13th

DUBLIN
Public talks: Repression and Resistance in the Basque Country. Speaker from Kamaradak, Basque internationalist youth network
12.30 noon UCD, Montrose (near Donnybrook) Student Centre, Rooms 1 & 2.
3.00pm Trinity College, Dublin Arts Block Room 5039
8.00pm Teachers' Club, 36, Parnell Square, Dublin 1 (has bar)

DERRY
8.30pm Dunloe Bar Food, DVD's, talk and live music £3 Organised by Friends of the Basque Country & Derry Sinn Féin

Saturday 14th Solidarity protests

DUBLIN 11.00am GPO, O'Connell St
CORK 12noon Daunt's Square
DERRY 3.30pm Free Derry Corner
BELFAST 12.30pm City Hall and immediately after first hand perspectives with representative from Kamaradak, Basque internationalist youth network upstairs Kelly's Cellars (Irish stew & drinks available).