Elections in Euskadi and a basque journalist judged

Tomorrow begins the elections in Euskadi. Remember that Basque country is divided in three different administrations: Bizkaia/Araba/Gipuzkoa (Euskadi south basque country), Nafarroa (south basque country) and Lapurdi/Baxe Nafarroa/Xiberua (Iparralde north basque country).

Four big political parties are going to compete in this elections: EH Bildu, EAJ-PNV, PP and PSE-EE. In the last elections Abertzale Left was outlawed so that spanish political parties (PP and PSE) have ruled Euskadi the last years. But nowadays, Abertzale left is legal and it is inside of EH Bildu coalitions.

EH Bildu: EH Bildu is a coalition formed by EA, Abertzale left, Aralar and Alternatiba political parties. This coalition is pro-independence and leftist. Their main objetives are going to be advance in basque country sovereignty (pro-independence) and stop cuts imposed by Madrid's government. Their candidate for president is Laura Mintegi.

EAJ-PNV: EAJ-PNV is a moderate nationalist basque political party. After Franco's death this party ruled Euskadi for years. But when Abertzale left was outlawed, the coalition of spanish political parties "won" the elections. Their objetives are advance in basque country sovereignty as an autonomous community inside of spanish state. Their economic politics are neoliberal and in the past they have had the support of PP. Their candidate for president is Inigo Urkullu.

PSE-EE: PSE is an unionist and social democrat political party. In the last years, their economic politics were neoliberal. They achieved for first time Euskadi government in the last elections (when Abertzale left was outlawed) collaborating with PP. Repression (Iñigo Cabacas death etc.) and neoliberal politics have weakened their support. Their candidate for president is Patxi Lopez.

PP: PP is an unionist and right-wing political party. Their politics are racist, anti-basque, neoliberal etc. They are loosing support in all spanish state by the cuts that Mariano Rajoy (president of spain and leader of PP) is making. Their candidate for president is Antonio Basagoiti.

Antton Etxeberri

Antton Etxeberri, journalist and director of "Le Journal du Pays Basque" is going to be judged today. "Le Journal du Pays Basque" is a pro-independence newspaper (linked with "Gara" in south basque country) in iparralde.

A journalist of "Sud Ouest" has denounced Antton for defamation. The journalist of "Sud Ouest" wrote a racist article in his newspaper, after that "Le Journal du Pays Basque" published another article of opinion against the other racist article. Now, the journalist have denounced Antton for publishing that anti-racist article of opinion.

4 youth arrested in Basauri

Guardia civil (spanish military police) have arrested 4 youth in Basauri (Bizkaia south basque country). According to spanish authorities, they were going to burn a telephony repeater. While "Guardia Civil" entered in their home supporters and friends of arrested youth have protested. The Spanish and French governments continue with their politics of repression against basque struggle.

Back to activity

Next days, the blog is going to be updated again.

Basque Political Prisoners, ETA and strike

Basque political prisoners have informed the basque people about their reflection. They support the decision of ETA, they say that armed struggle have finished. They also support "Ezker Abertzalea" (pro-independence and socialist) new strategy and they recognize the pain created by basque conflict. In a direct message to spanish and french states, they say that their plans will fail and that they must dialogue with basque political prisoners.

The basque political prisoners group consists in hundreds of (more than 600) of basques that are imprisoned mainly in french and spanish states. They are members of diferent organizations, political parties etc: ETA, Segi, Batasuna, Ekin, Udalbiltza, Egin etc.

The two members of ETA arrested this week are imprisoned in French state. They are accused of being ETA members, having guns and explosives and falsifying documentation. According to french police, Gurrutxaga is not the leader of ETA military structure (Spanish authorities said that he is the leader of military structure  in their propaganda strategy) and that ETA maintains all its military potential.


EE.UU is not going to remove ETA of their terrorist organizations list. But they are going to study this possibility next year (2013). ETA declared a ceasefire on 2010 and on 2011they said that they are not going to use again arms.

According to basque trade unions (ELA, LAB etc.), the last strike in Nafarroa was a success.  Thousands of people protested against cuts in public administrations. "Ikasle Abertzaleak" (basque students union) supported these demonstrations. Students, teachers, workers etc. participated in all demonstrations of Nafarroa.


Foral and spanish police atacked some young when they were protesting in Iruña. Helicopters and a lot of police was used in this strike in public administrations.

Strike in the public administrations, Jon Anza, ETA and police occupation

Today, a strike has been called in Nafarroa public administrations (ELA, LAB, ikasle abertzaleak etc.) and demonstrations in Euskadi (only LAB and Ikasle Abertzaleak). With these strikes trade unions, social organizations and student movement want to stop the cuts in social services, education and health system imposed by Madrid goverment. Most of demonstrations and strikes are organized by pro-independence trade unions and organizations, but spanish trade unions are supporting it. In Nafarroa, students have been locked in the public university. Tomorrow there will be more information about the strike.

"Where is Jon?"

The family of Jon Anza (a militant of ETA that appeared dead in France on 2010) continues investigating his death. According to ETA and ezker abertzalea, Jon Anza was kidnapped by spanish forces and after torturing him he died (he was ill and weak). French court admitts that there are anomalies in the case, but they are not going to investigate it. Spanish state says that they are not involvedin this case.

According to basque conflict international mediators, ETA has fulfilled its commitments and now spanish and french states must dialogue with ETA and basque political parties. Spanish and french states continues using repression against basque struggle when ETA is not going to use arms and is prepared to dialogue.

Ikasle Abertzaleak denounced "the suffocating police presence" the last education strike. Spanish police, local police and foral police (with helicopters) was constant in students demonstrations.

Ermitatze "gaztetxea" and "Eztabai"

Ermitatze gaztetxea

Ermitatze "gaztetxea" (social center or youth-home) was evicted the past year. Nowadays, 6 young are going to be judged. For 6 months, this gaztetxe was used as a cultural and political space. The prosecutor and the private owner (a speculator) asks a fine 2.196 euros for young (13.176 in total). They have claimed that they are going to continue working in favour of a Gaztetxe. Ermitatze "gaztetxea" was on Plentzia (Bizkaia south basque country) and it was evicted by local police and Ertzaintza. 

A new web has been created for basque country social and political movements (in spanish and basque): http://www.eztabai.net/

There are diferent sections: Anti-fascism, anticapitalism, antimilitarism, self management, ecologism, repression, feminism, young movement, hackers, basque culture, student movement, internationalism, basque struggle, prisoners etc. 

This is the new web presentation.

Education strike and Filipe Bidart

Demonstration

According to trade unions (ELA, LAB, ESK, CCOO etc.) and student's organizations (Ikasle Abertzaleak etc.), more than %60 of teachers have supported education strike today in Nafarroa (south basque country). The majority of basque teachers (in south basque country, you can be taught in spanish or basque) have supported this education strike. More than 12.000 people have marched along Iruña (south basque country) in a demonstration against cuts in education system. In the demonstration, have parodied "San Fermin" celebration.

There are also different demonstrations and actions in all Nafarroa. Permanent assemblies have been created in different schools to organize the resistence against cuts in education. Spanish police (wih helicopters), guardia civil (spanish militar police) and municipal police have been present in most of demonstrations. There is no information about incidents, but it seems that in Tafalla (a town in the middle of Nafarroa) guardia civil have attacked people (information not confirmed).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMv8K5TFOvU&list=UUj8kvK93VF-ox__QVSkaSRg&index=1&feature=plcp

Filipe Bidart "free" on 2007

Filipe Bidart, historical member of Iparretarrak, can now live in "iparralde" (north basque country). Filipe Bidart was imprisoned for 19 years in french state. He was accused (falsely) of killing "gendarmes" (french police) when he was member of Iparretarrak. When he was in prison, he (and his family/friends) suffered the dispersion that spanish and french states uses against basque political prisoners. After getting free on 2007, Filipe Bidart said that he is not free while the basque country is under spanish and french power. French state forbade him to live in basque country. Today, a judge has decided to repeal the prohibition.



Militar and police in the basque country

According to the information published today in the newspaper (berria) and the information given to Amaiur (pro-independence and leftist coalition in spanish parliament) by spanish ministries of interior, these are police data in Basque Country:

Araba (south basque country): 939 Guardia Civil (spanish militar police) and spanish police

Bizkaia (south basque country): 1.988 Guardia Civil (spanish militar police) and spanish police

Nafarroa (south basque country): 2.483 Guardia Civil (spanish militar police) and spanish police

Gipuzkoa (south basque country): 1.653 Guardia Civil (spanish militar police) and spanish police

TOTAL: 4.837 Guardia Civil and 2.226 Spanish Police

Iparralde (north basque country): 2.200 gendarme (french police)

1.200 Spanish military in south basque country

Araba, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa: 8.000 Ertzaintza (basque regional police)

 Nafarroa: 1.100 Foral police (nafarroa regional police)

Secret services and bodyguards not included.

The police density in basque country is higher than other European states

Foral police

Spanish army

Gendarme (french police)

Ertzaintza

Guardia Civil

Spanish Police