SPAIN ARRESTS 34 BASQUE YOUTH ACTIVISTS

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday November 24, 2009 19:21 by Basque Info basqueinfofacebook at gmail dot com

In the early hours of today 34 Basque pro-independence political activists were arrested and 92 properties were searched by 650 Spanish policemen.

Last week the anti repression organization Askatasuna warned of an inminent police operation in the Basque Country. Finally today 34 well known social, political and cultural young activists were arrested. Four more were able to escape. They are being held incommunicado despite the recent recomendations by the United Nations Committee Against Torture.

Just ten days ago the Basque pro-Independence Left held a press conference where 110 prominent members launched new proposals to resolve the conflict. In a historical move they commited to a "peaceful and political democratic process" (full declaration in English: http://www.ezkerabertzalea.info/irakurri.php?id=2600). The declaration was welcomed by Basque nationalist and progressive forces and criminalized by the pro-Spanish parties and media.

On October 13 six prominent pro-Independence Left leader, among them spokesperson Arnaldo Otegi, were arrested and imprisoned.

Most of political parties and trade unions in the Basque Country have seen these arrests as a response to the new political initiative. The pro-Independence Left has said these attacks only confirm the Spanish state's weakness and its fear to politics. According to the pro-Independence Left it's at the political arena where the state is weaker and that's where the confrontation has to be moved to. At the same time the Spanish state, with these arrests and others which might follow, pretends on the one hand to prevent any chance of estrategy by the pro-Independence Left and to weaken the engine of change on the other.