Aitor Franco imprisoned

Aitor Franco

Finally, Aitor Franco (I published an interview of him some days ago) entered in prison yesterday. He presented himself in the prison of Martutene to enter in it.

The spanish supreme court accepted the sentence ("Audiencia Nacional" sentence) against him and another four young.

Eleak (the main organization that fights in favour of basque civil and political rights) have called a protest in front of the prison of Martutene. People and relatives have encouraged him.

Police tries to arrest Ekaitz de Ibero

Ekaitz de Ibero

According to Topatu, Ertzaintza (basque regional police) have tried to arrest Ekaitz de Ibero. Agents of Ertzaintza tried to arrest him in his house (but he was not there). Ekaitz de Ibero is accused of being member of Segi (an outlawed young socialist and pro-independence organization).

The  past week, he rejected to appear in the prison to enter in it (desobeying spanish authorities). There are a lot of young in that situation. Different protests have been organized for next weeks in different cities of south basque country: Bilbo (Bizkaia south basque country), Orereta (Gipuzkoa south basque country), Burlata (Nafarroa south basque country) and in Donosti (Gipuzkoa south basque country).

More information (in basque) here: http://topatu.info/ekimen-ugari-egingo-dira-datozen-egunetan-euskal-gazteria-libre-eta-legala-lemapean/ 

Ateak Ireki: 2 years

The website "Ateak Ireki" (Open the doors) turns two years. According to them, their are going to make a new step in their work as a digital media, enforcing their compromise with the different struggles of Nafarroa (south basque country) and linking themselves with popular movement.

Audencia Nacional investigates an event in support of Arnaldo Otegi

The event in support of Arnaldo

According to naiz, the "Audencia Nacional" (the spanish special court created to fight against basque struggle) is going to investigate an event made near of the prison of Logroño (spanish state) in support of Arnaldo Otegi. Arnaldo Otegi is imprisoned for being member of Batasuna (a pro-independence and socialist political party outlawed in spain). He was an important and famous leader of Abertzale left.

According to the "Audencia Nacional", some of the words said during the event can be considered a crime.

 

New suicide before eviction of his house

According to naiz, "¡Stop Desahucios!" (stop evictions) have denounced that a man of Basauri (Bizkaia south basque country) have committed suicide before being evicted of his home. He had 56 years and committed suicide yesterday. They had cut him the electricity and water and soon he was going to be evicted. It seems, that he asked help to "¡Stoop Desahucios!" in his process of eviction.

The past year, one man and one woman committed suicide in south basque country before being evicted. Spanish law favors banks in that cases (even if you are evicted from your home, you must continue paying the mortgage debt) where the housing prices are inflated by speculation. Protests and mobilizations against evictions are increasing in south basque country and in spanish state.

The new political party of Abertzale left: Sortu

Sortu members

The process of Sortu, is going to finish. The Abertzale Left political party (Batasuna) was dissolved on January and on February 22 the new political party that is going to represent Abertzale Left is going to start operating. According to them, thousands of militants have participated in the debates during all the process. 

The last years, the political parties that were linked with Abertzale Left were outlawed in south basque country by spanish authorities. Dozens of their militants were arrested and imprisoned. 

Here the new, taken from Basque Peace Process web: http://www.basquepeaceprocess.info/?p=5915

The members of SORTU Hasier Arraiz and Joseba Alvarez have presented the foundational congress of the formation, as well as other initiatives that will take place around it.

On February 22nd, taking advantage of the wide international representation that will come to the Congress there will be held an International Conference that will deal with “Current Conflict Resolution”. In the conference they will speak about the resolution processes that are being developed in different points on the planet. The objective is to know the details of diverse unresolved conflicts and the experiences that are being developed for their resolution.

On February 23rd, the first congress of SORTU will take place, which will be the foundational congress. The congress will be held in the Baluarte of Iruñea and close to 450 representatives from local assemblies will participate.

At the congress there will also be dozens of diverse political, trade union and social agents, institutional representatives and international delegates.

At the congress a complete balance will be made about the creation of SORTU and the presentations of the Ideological Bases, Political Line and Organizational and Functional Model will be ratified. Finally, and to close the congress, the National Council of Sortu will be presented.

In the afternoon their will be a public political act in which special relevance will be given to the contributions of thousands of militants of SORTU, immersed in different struggles, since at the same time these militants will be the true protagonists of the work and struggle of SORTU.

In the same way, in the act they will represent the activity that as a political tool SORTU will develop, taking the National Democratic Revolution as a main point.

New political movement in north basque country: EH Bai

According to Berria, Abertzale left (pro-independence and socialist), EA (pro-independence and socialdemocrat), AB (pro-independence and socialist) and some independent people have decided to unite their forces in north basque country (Zuberoa, Lapurdi, Behe Nafarroa). They have said that "the division between Abertzaleak is finished; now we are going to talk with one mouth".

They have given preference to five work areas: The institutional demand of north basque country (unit the three basque provinces in a department), national construction, the democratic solution of basque conflict, the basque language (achieve official status) and in economical strategy, enforce the local struggles as land and dwelling.

The three representatives of the political parties have signed the document. In the press conference, were present among others: Aurore Martin (ex-member of Batasuna) and Filipe Bidart (founder of Iparretarrak). Now, in south basque country there are three big basque "nationalist" political parties: PNV/EAJ (regionalists and right-wing), EH Bildu (coalition of pro-independence and leftist political parties: Abertzale left, Alternatiba, EA and Aralar) and Geroa Bai (only in Nafarroa: PNV and independent people). In north basque country there are also two big basque "nationalist" parties: PNV/EAJ and EH Bai.

Demonstration in Burlata in support of basque young

According to Ateak Ireki, hundreds of people participated in the demonstration in support of a group basque young that are going to be judged by their political work in Burlata (Nafarroa, south basque country). The demonstration was organized by Eleak (the main movement that fights for basque country civil and political rights).

Five young from Burlata, are going to be judged in the "Audencia Nacional" (an speciall spanish court created to repress basque struggle). They were arrested on 2008 by spanish police and guardia civil (spanish military police). They were acused of participating in sabotages. When they were arrested, one of their relatives was beaten by police when the relative tried to say goodbye to one of the arrested. Besides, another relative was taken to the hospital.

More information (in spanish) about it: http://www.burlataherria.org/?m=20081123