argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Unai Apaolaza (Textile movement)
“With the act of Saturday’s sovereignty we will make a political anomaly”
  • The Ehun movement for the Basque Republic has organised a “massive sovereign action” on Saturday, 4 June, from Ficoba (Irún). We have talked to Unai Apaolaza, a member of the movement, of the Saturday call, of the objectives of the textile movement, of the strengths and weaknesses of the struggle for independence and emancipation, or of the ways to boost social transformation.
Zigor Olabarria Oleaga @zoleaga1 2022ko ekainaren 01a

They have announced a “massive sovereign action” at noon on Saturday. What can you tell about the action?

It will be the first act of sovereignty we call, we will implement what has been stolen from us. This is a unilateral action that will be carried out without seeking authorisation. When we start this road, it is important that there is an action that a large majority sees with good eyes; the only thing we can say is that a very large majority will see with very good eyes what we are going to do. We've invited people to go in disguise, but you can also participate in disguise, so no one's left at home. The tone will be joyful, a charanga, the bertsolaris, the melodies of the trikitixa. We encourage everyone to come, it will be special, nice, they will come home happy.

At the press conference they explained that Saturday's action will be the starting point for the "revolution of sovereignty". What is the sovereign revolution?

The revolution of sovereignty is based on a reading: we have been robbed of sovereignty in different areas, and on many occasions we merely ask or beg those who have robbed us of sovereignty. We say that this does not work, and that if we look at history, what works is to start putting emancipations into practice in each area. It is also the way to achieve the objective of the Basque republic, as many times has been done, as many have done: insumites, ikastolas, Rosa Parks... We're going to take that step, we think that's how we can attract people.

Having as a starting point, do you have the following steps prepared?

"We have been robbed of emanations in different areas, and on many occasions we merely ask or pray to those who have robbed us of the arrogant"

We have some thoughts, we'll post them later. However, beyond what we are going to do from the Hundred, one important thing: A hundred speeches are emerging that we leave in the hands of society to use on its own. A speech that runs away from the logic of the parties, because entering into that logic things are difficult to change, because they always have to be limited to the management of the inertia situation and we, as we want to recover all the sovereigns and build the Basque republic, want to overcome the current framework.

The discourse that political parties make to change the status quo is not credible, it is not realistic. We want to encourage, from our smallness, a different, more credible discourse. If we look at history, the status quo has not changed management, but there have been those who have said a group or a group of people, "so far", and what they have led to seemed fair to practice. It is this fabric, so that a tool or pathway is assumed and used by anyone. Always starting from the problems that affect us on a day-to-day basis, to put the need for the Basque republic on the table. We encourage citizens to take this tool in hand.

In March they presented the document We are ready for citizens who are willing to participate in sovereign actions to sign up. What kind of welcome have you had?

I don't know the exact number, but that's two or three weeks the inscriptions were about 300. However, we call on all citizens to act, anyone can go. Many times we define the Hundred as a political anomaly, we are not a party, nor a union, nor the kind of structure we are used to in Euskal Herria. And with the act of Saturday's sovereignty, we're going to make a political anomaly, we encourage people to approach and star in that anomaly.

You are betting on unilaterality, which is a more realistic path than that of bilaterality. Are there desires and muscles for unilaterality?

The only real and credible path to the Spanish and French states is unilateral, because Spain and France will never allow us to self-determination or sovereignty over energy, housing, etc. We are obliged to unilaterally.

Parties defending bilaterality cheat. We are told that there are no forces for unilaterality, so we are going to do good management of the status quo, and then, when we have a lot of people, we will do it unilaterally. But history, and also Catalonia, shows us that the unilaterality well used and in the right area is the one that has the capacity to attract and broaden the base. The four cats will always start, as the injunctions or the ikastolas began, but if they did it properly they will create conditions. Bilaterality will strengthen you and, yes, no, later on you can enter a bilaterality in an advantageous situation.

What we are doing is we are starting to create conditions. We are not fools, we are not fanciful, it is difficult, we know what our situation is, but we believe that we need new speeches and ways of doing to turn around.

In an interview on radio Hala Bedi stated that in Euskal Herria we have an "independentism that does not believe in independence." How do you regain that belief?

"The four cats will always start, as the injunctions or the ikastolas began, but if they did it properly they will create conditions."

I said that as Unai Apaolaza, but I am convinced of that. You need a way to believe, for example, the Basque republic, but today the way is not pointed out. If the framework for solving the problems is the states of Spain and France, why independence? We do not need a Basque republic to solve the problems. This means folklorizing, mummifying independence, and these speeches are being published. What's behind it is that you don't believe in that path, that's transmitted. If the principal referent of independence, an EH Bildu, does not point a way, I think it is seriously harming independence.

They mark the distance with parties and institutions. Do they have anything to do in the construction of the Basque republic?

The aspects are necessary, that is what we always insist on. But in a situation of change of status quo, the priority must be organized society. Why? If the parties are given priority, change is not possible in any revolution, independence or process. Because aspects are tools to manage the state of things. I am not saying that this is not done, but it cannot be a priority. If the rhythm and agendas depend on the parties, these rhythms and agendas will be institutional. We're seeing it every day.

In Catalonia they have made this reflection, the active society has to have the capacity to mark the rhythm and the agenda. In 2017 this happened and they came to where they came: now the parties have taken the front line and you see what the situation is.

However, there are those who say that it is one of the subjects of Catalonia in 2017: it cannot be either.

But they were closer than ever. Different readings have been made, I share what Albano Dante Facin does: there was the people who were prepared, those who retired were not the organized citizens who took the street, but the parties; the mistake was that the citizens continued to give legitimacy to the parties and the political authorities.