Basque Homeland and Liberty
On the October 21st Spanish Prime Minister Luis Rodriguez Zapatero congratulated citizens with a "victory of democracy, law and common sense." That is how the Spanish authorities have characterized the final failure of Basque terrorist organization ETA armed struggle. For 40 years ETA, fighting for the independence of the Basque republic, organized assassinations and bombings that killed 800 people.
Few days ago the ETA leadership issued a video message, which stated that an armed confrontation ceased to be an effective tool for achieving the independence of the Basque lands. The video was distributed by a number of European media.
On the video it is possible to see three men dressed in all black with the traditional Basque berets on their heads. Their faces were covered with white caps with slits for eyes. On the wall behind the men - a poster with the symbol of ETA: a snake winding around an ax. A speakert sitting in the center (judging by his voice on the recording, it was a woman) said that a decision on a cease-fire was made on the results of a conference held last week in the "Euskal Herra" (translation - "Basque Country", the territory on the border of France and Spain).
Previously, the Spanish authorities ignored the statements about the world ETA - the Basque organization has repeatedly declared a truce, and then again took up arms. This time Zapatero himself announced that he supports the decision of the Basque separatists. According to the Spanish prime minister, the country will never forget 40 years of brutal attacks and murders, "which should not have happened and should not be repeated."
ETA (an abbreviation of Basque translation "Basque Country and Freedom") was formed in 1959, when there was was still a fascist regime of General Francisco Franco in Spain, in which the Basque language was banned. Initially, the Basque nationalists were focused on the movement against the regime. However, in the 1960s, Marxism-Leninism went to ETA аs the main ideology, and the main ideological component of the movement was extreme nationalism.
ETA began with targeted assassinations of police and government officials. In 1973 the organization was already strong enough to make one of the most severe of his attacks - eliminating the heir to Franco Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco. ETA blew up his car, breaking an underground tunnel, who led by one of the houses of Madrid to the motorway. Two years later, through the actions of ETA Basque lands have the widest autonomy, but it is still not satisfied with the terrorists.
In 1988, ETA announced a temporary cease-fire, 10 years later - an indefinite truce. However, in 1999, the organization resumed its terrorist activities, causing harassment by the authorities.
In the late 2000s, ETA was going through hard times. Police operations were beheaded movement. Most of the arrests took place in 2008-2009 in France, where the military trops of ETA leaders hided. (Aljazeera)
Obviously, this was not the last argument in favor of the truce between the Spanish government and Basque separatists.
The Basque separatist organization ETA announced the "final truce" and intentions to continue to fight for the independence of the Basque Country applying only democratic and peaceful means. However, the Spanish authorities, already accustomed to such allegations, insisting on complete disarmament and the dissolution of the ETA terrorists as a condition for resuming negotiations.
"In the past few months, both international and Basque leaders stressed the necessity of a just and democratic resolution of the old problem (the independence of the Basque Country), - said the report, duplicated in Basque, Spanish and English. Roller announced on its website the Basque newspaper Gara. The task of the Basques - to reach agreement on the formula of recognition of the Basque Country, which would guarantee the possibility of independence "
Now, as the state militia, they will fight for the independence of the Basque Country within the "democratic process" through "dialogue and negotiation," and hopes to achieve "long-term agreement," which will allow "the authoritiesof Spain and France to stop the repression of the Basque Country." Other countries may "test" intentions of the ETA, however, authors of the statement did not specify exactly how.
The Basques are not in vain emphasize that this decision "solid", because for the last five years is at least third application of terrorists to cease fire. Last was made in September 2010 as a prologue to the Spanish government negotiations with the representatives of the organization.
After the last attack by ETA - explosion at Madrid's Barajas airport in 2006, when two people were killed, another 30 were injured - the Spanish authorities interrupted regular talks with the separatists. Over the next few years the authorities of Spain managed to hold at least five leaders of the separatist movement, and all have been behind bars for more than 60 members of the movement for the independence of the Basque Country, which has long had broad autonomy. In a recent campaign were involved not only the forces of France and Spain, on whose territory is situated the Basque Country, but also Portugal and the UK.
Representatives of the Spanish authorities quickly and traditionally reacted to the statement of Basque separatists. Minister of the International Affairs Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba of Spain named their treatment is "arrogant" and said that it has a "distorted view of reality." These statements are not waiting for the next cease-fire and disarmament and the voluntary dissolution - this is the only option for the Spanish authorities, said Rubalcaba. But these words in the new statement of the separatists there, he said: "We still have to deal with all the same purposes the ETA has. We see that the intentions of the ETA has not changed. "
Works Cited
Clark, Robert. The Basque insurgents: ETA, 1952-1980. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1984.
"Negotiators urge ETA to end violence." Aljazeera Europe 18 Oct 2011.
News, Taiwan. Spain hails ETA end to Basque separatist violence. Bilbao: Associated Press, 2011.
ProFile, Washington. Terrorist organization of Europe and Latin America. Washington, 2001.
Sebastian, San. "World leaders urge ETA to declare end to conflict." Reuters 17 Oct 2011.
Solyanskays, Ksenuya. ETA wants peace. translated. Moscow: Gazeta.ru politics, 2011.
TV, Libertad Didital. "Comunicado de ETA: ni disolución, ni arrepentimiento ni perdón." 10 10 2011. Youtube.com. 23 10 2011
Zulaika, William A. Douglass and Joseba. The Politics of Terror. On the Interpretation of Terrorist Violence: ETA and Basque political Process. Reno: Society for the Comparative Study of Society and History, 2009.
I had seen this in the news last week or so but I did not realized how long this has been going on. This example shows how the force of identity can cause war in the realist ideal. The people of the ETA feel the need to fight for their right to recognition. I'm curious to how many people are behind this movement and how strong the sense of Basque culture is in the Mediterranean Spain and France.
ReplyDeleteThe Basque terrorist movement has certainty produced unrest for numerous years in the region. I think the movement is now at the point of officially dying down due to a level of realization signaling that their terrorist tactics have not succeeded to their satisfaction. Much damage was done, but in the end to no prevail. The ideals of the ETA match those of many governments, such as democracy, yet violence is the main tool ineffectually being used to being about chaos. Is this an example of how long it approximately takes for a modern terrorist movement to slowly come to a halt?
ReplyDeleteI have always found the ETA quite interesting. They are often compared with the Provisional Irish Republican Army, due to they're common base in cultural identity against a ruling government that does not sure that same identity. However, the PIRA operates politically through the Sein Fein party, does the ETA have any comparable political wing that promotes their issues in the political arena?
ReplyDeleteI find it reassuring that a Terrorist group could decide to turn to more diplomatic and peaceful means to gain sovereignty. I think this shows the power of states, and the difficulty non-state groups can have trying to gain independence. I'm curious as to the effects the Basque terrorist movement is having on other countries in Europe. You mentioned Portugal and the UK, are there any groups in Europe that have been inspired by this movement?
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