O Snodaigh - EU decision on Batasuna flies in face of democracy
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news report 
Friday June 06, 2003 09:59
by Sean
Sinn Féin TD Aenghus Ó Snodaigh today stated that the decision by the EU to put Herri Batasuna on the Black list of organisations it suspects has links with terrorism flies in the face of democracy.
Euskal Herria(the Basque Country) has seen a systematic campaign of curtailing the rights of the Basque people. Yesterday the EU officially backed this campaign by adding Batasuna to above mentioned list. Until now Batasuna was illegal in the Spanish state but legal in the French state.
For immediate release: 5th June 2003
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on International and EU Affairs Aengus Ó Snodaigh has condemned the decision by EU Interior Ministers to add Batasuna, a Basque political party, to the list of organisations it suspects has links with terrorism. The decision was made at the request of a Spanish government that has been waging an accelerating ideological war against Basque culture, language and independence movements.
The Dublin South-Central TD said: "Everyone with an interest in seeing a peaceful solution to the problems in the Euskal Herria (The Basque Country) will regret this decision. The EU has been conned into doing the dirty work of a Spanish administration, which has continually displayed absolute contempt for the democratic process and for the Basque people. The threat to peace and democracy in Euskal Herria does not come from democratically elected Batasuna but from the Spanish Government.
"The meaning of democracy for Prime Minister Aznar includes the banning of political parties, the closure of newspapers and radio stations, the prosecution of culture and language activists, the imprisonment of the executive of Basque youth organisations and the ongoing and systematic abuse and torture of political prisoners, repeatedly denounced by human rights organisations and just as repeatedly ignored.
"Sinn Féin joins tens of thousands of Basques in expressing our continued support for Batasuna and the struggle for independence and socialism in Euskal Herria." ENDS
Aurrera Euskal Herria.
Comments (7 of 7)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7and not about 'democracy' Angus et al take note
All those measures are total useless, since, being Batasuna a party for the whole BC, included Northern BC (under French occupation), for the French laws it's a legal party, and, as far as I know, France is still Europe. So, for instance on Saturday it will be held a demonstration in Baiona (Bayonne), it has been called by Batasuna, and French autorities haven't done any objection, it is absolutely legal. So, you can see how far the Spanish Gov's actions reach. The fascist face of the Spanish Gov it's more obvious than ever, although we have to admit, this means a lot of suffering.
thought that today's standard of open debate within the Irish Republican Movement as typified in this forum @ least by the article I have chosen to link, was @ odds with the needs of solidarity in the face of unchanging opposition, criminalisation, and the building and cultivation of _·"pariah status"·_
It is certainly true that all the conditions that led to the allocation of _·"pariah status"·_ are present too for the political movement that found for just short of 25 years political voice in the HB party.
Over the last week, many of those who live in the Spanish state have given thought again to the non-political voice of "HB" for two reasons:
1. their illegalisation in the municipal elections.
2. the killing of two policemen by ETA.
Yet again crowds of people took to the street, this time they numbered 35,000 not 350,000 as at many times before, to say "Basta Ya!".
One would presume that the reaction within the Basque seperatist movement is somewhat similar to that we may for hypothesis sake presume existed in Sinn Fein @ many times of it's previous existence.
Thus we suppose the "solidarity".
In the TV coverage which followed the killing of the policemen, much time was alloted to both members of the Spanish Royal family, leading politicians and family members of the killed. The town council in Navarre where they were killed made it's statement condemning the killing and left one seat vacant untaken as symbol of the former representation of HB in that town.
One woman chose to say to a TV interviewer as part of a "street vox pop reaction" "I am of Batasuna, I condemn any type of killing".
I was left wondering was she a former representative, a new type of representative, or a voice which "had stepped out of line", or even just a stooge "an actor's voice behind dark sunglasses".
This week the three young independce activists held by the Spanish State authorities from Tora, in Paisos Catalanes were released. In another of the regions of "España" with @ times problematic relations with the rest of the peninsula but for cultural rather than "conflict" reasons, their release has sparked further interest in the allegations of torture against the Spanish State.
There are many sides to this story, and many voices, and if Peace is the solution that all parties or movements of "socialist republican indepence" seek, then we must hope their is real "solidarity" to be offered in acheiving the dialogue that such seeking has to have.
:-)
where's the democracy in riggin polling booths? and putting false names on electoral registers?
i wont mention a thing about physical intimidation of political opponants
which rather changes the meaning of my comment, but for readers' "elucidation", it was a healthy mutual slagging match between current day tippy top fenians.
now here is another link on the theme
_.-·[{"REPUBLIKA! =¿evil alternative state?}]·-._
hmmmm., do an@rkists think Republics are better than monarchies? well yes generally.
but not always.
depends on the republic.
go look at the link which anounces a day of discussion, chat debate and forum /info stuff on the 3rd Republik of España.
June 22-2003
Madrid.
http://www.nodo50.org/unidadcivicaporlarepublica/
heres a Few things to think about
The Social Democratic and labour party(SDLP)have been the only party caught and Charged with Impersonation during elections.
Sinn Féin has faced a barrage of intimidation
physical brutality and the Killing of party activists
(including the friends and family of activists)than all of the political parties on this island combined.
Gerry Adams has the largest vote In the in the so called UK(even more than bertie)
when looked like SF may have come out on top during the last elections they were cancelled by tony blair.
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