Basque solidarity protest in Dublin

by Irish Basque Committees Wed Feb 15, 2006 13:27 irishbasques at hotmail dot com

18th February, saturday, 2006
Worldwide day of protest against the 18/98
political show trial in Madrid

1pm @ Spanish Embassy, 17A, Merlyn Park, Ballsbridge, D4, Dublin


The attempt to criminalise political movements by using the rhetoric of ‘Anti-terrorism’ has become commonplace the world over. People’s freedom is being restricted more and more every passing day, all in the name of ‘national security’. This repression affects members of political organisations and other activists, and their fight against the current state-of-play. Society as a whole also suffers, whose freedom and rights that were so strongly fought for many years ago, are now being restricted.

Within the Basque Country, a veritable repressive laboratory is in operation, in the form of the Spanish Audiencia Nacional (Special National Court) Case 18/98+, the results of which could have widespread impact in other parts of Europe as well as other continents. It is time put a stop to this unjust process

With this in mind, we aim to initiate global demonstrations, in combination with a huge gathering in Bilbao on 18th February, 2006, at which multitudes are expected to gather. This call to demonstrate in favour of lifting the embargo on our rights and freedoms stems from the philosophy of the organising group, ‘the 18/98+ Work Group´, which is to mobilise all those who feel that they are being politically oppressed and controlled, to actively, practically and effectively demonstrate against this injustice. This will include people from many walks of life, each with different, and sometimes conflicting, political points of view.

In Ireland the Irish Basque Committees are calling a protest at the Spanish Embassy at 1pm and more events are programed for the coming weeks. There are Irish Basque Committees in Belfast, Derry, Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork. If you want to join them send an email to any of them if is in your area or the national one if you want to organise any event in your town:

basquebelfast@hotmail.com
basquegalway@hotmail.com
basquedublin@hotmail.com
basquecork@hotmail.com
basquelimerick@hotmail.com
basquederry@hotmail.com

irishbasques@hotmail.com

For civil and political rights!!!

Stop all the trials!!!

In 1998, a series of court proceedings began, involving social, cultural and political organisations, media, as well as some 250 Basque men and women. These cases became known as 18/98, although afterwards, several more cases were opened along the same lines. The circumstances under which these proceedings were carried out reveal a strategic political move by the Spanish government, the final objective of which is to outlaw a broad social and political section of Basque society, violating civil and political rights -freedom of speech, freedom to meet, ideological freedom and the right to dissidence- of individuals and groups, that defend the idea that Basque Country has the right to decide for itself; i.e. people and groups seeking legitimate aims with legitimate means.

Therefore, Macro-case 18/98 cannot be contemplated with indifference.
We could find 98 reasons as to why we are against this trial. Here we list at least 18 of them:

A) The judicial process
1. Lacks the minimum legal requirements of a serious case: it is arbitrary.
2. It is political.
3. It is based upon a predetermined conviction, deliberately ignoring testimonies of torture and ill-treatment of suspects.
4. It proves the need to revise the anti-terrorist legislation and eliminate the Audiencia Nacional (National Court), an exception court.
B) The defendants
5. It violates the human, civil and political rights of individual persons and organisations.
6. We wish to defend these people’s dignity and their right to develop their individual and collective projects.
7. We cannot accept a broad interpretation of the concept of terrorism as a basis for unjust and indiscriminate repression.
8. We reject the use of the proceedings as a form punishment in themselves: preventive custody in prison (remand), personal and economic costs and added difficulties in terms of families and the workplace.
C) The Basque Country
9. We proclaim the legitimacy of building a better Basque Country, free from interference.
10. Rights and liberties are not divisible. By defending these wrongly accused people, we are defending ourselves.
11. We desire a responsible and committed society.
12. The struggle for civil and political rights is universal because persecution of political dissidence is also global (“antiterrorist blacklists”, European arrest warrant…)
13. These trials damage the opportunity for a peace process in the Basque country
D) 18/98+ Working Group
14. The trials arise within an antidemocratic framework that allows criminalisation of legitimate activities
15. We wish to sound the alarm about the injustice of Justice and the fragility of our civil and political rights.
16. We wish to obtain wide public support that has an impact in the media
17. We wish to Provide a space for the peaceful and democratic recognition of all rights of every person. We are determined to demand and this and offer as much.
18. What is your reason? People with different outlooks share the vision of a Basque Country that is respectful of its diversity and social richness and which should be able to build itself in freedom and respect for the rights of all. Thus, we wish to express our rejection of these trials and our solidarity with the people put on trial.

More information on the trial is available at:

www.berria.info
www.gara.net
www.18-98plus.org
www.irishbasquecommittees.blogspot.com

PLEASE HELP US SPREADING THE WORD BY FORWARDING THIS ARTICLE BY EMAIL TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS AND BY SENDING TXT MESSAGES TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.

Go raibh maith agibh. Ádh mór.

IRISH BASQUE COMMITTEES

by Mago Wed Feb 15, 2006 17:43

Any plans to march back into town? Some might fear a poor turn out or might desist if already late, thinking the Embassy is not convenient.