- The Association 3 March has obtained the guarantee from the Basque Government to comply with the agreement that the public institutions have agreed with the victims two years ago. However, he has denounced the “unforeseen changes” and the “lack of seriousness” and warned that from now on he will be attentive. On Friday, in Vitoria, a tribute and demonstration was organized to the dead in 1976.
On 3 March 1976, five workers killed by the police in Vitoria and the peripetees around the memory centre to remember the massacre committed took hold on the eve of the 47th anniversary. The Association 3 March has informed the Basque Government of obtaining the guarantee for the signing of the agreement between the public institutions and the March-3 associations and the Gara Report two years ago. “We appreciate the change of direction they have made at the last moment,” said the members of the association.
However, on 3 March he denounced the “unexpected changes” that have taken place in these two years and the “lack of respect and seriousness of the victims” of the institutions, and pointed out that from now on he will continue to be vigilant in fulfilling his commitment: “We have made it clear that the project is unworkable without the prominence and approval of the March-Memoria Gara associations.”
The statutes state that the memory center will have “a lively and dynamic character”, as on 3 March and the Gara Memory have always claimed that the center must also be a reflection of the current struggles and the center of action.
The agreement with the institutions in 2021 is based on a horizontal collaboration: “We have managed to guarantee the type and methodology of participation that the March3 partnership will accompany in the design, contents and agenda,” explains Lander García of the Martx3 association in Hamaika Telebista. “It will have to be seen if it is fulfilled, because they have generated great mistrust,” he adds.
The City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz informed the members of the association that in January they would approve the statutes of the Memorial Foundation on 3 March, but it managed to stop the vote. Thus, they transferred the proposal to the institutions and reached a pre-agreement. In addition to the partnership agreement, amendments to the foundation's statutes were agreed.
“Now the statutes collect the principles of truth, justice, recognition and reparation of the victims,” the association explains. In addition, the statutes say that the memory center will have “a lively and dynamic character”, as on 3 March and the Gara Memory have always claimed that the center must also be a reflection of the current struggles and the center of action. On the other hand, victim associations will be present at the foundation board and one of its four members will be vice-president.
Once agreed, they want the decision to be “final” and consider the negotiation to be “closed”. “The important thing is to move forward with guarantees of participation and decision-making – they explain. Now, compliance with the agreements depends on the political will of the institutions.”
Events and demonstration on Friday
Another year, victim associations and trade unions have organised numerous activities to recall and denounce the 1976 massacre. This Wednesday there will be a projection and a colloquium on developments in Orbain cultural society.
But the central event will be Friday, with the anniversary. At 18:00 in the afternoon, five workers killed by the police will be paid out against the monolith of March 3 and a demonstration will be held by the city.
Apologies and responsibilities
The Government of Spain has provided €600,000 for the financing of the Memorial Center on March 3 in the state budgets and has expressed its “desire” to participate in the foundation. The victims’ association immediately replied that “under no circumstances” they will be with the Government of Spain in that place, as long as they do not perform “domestic tasks”.
In fact, the political leaders of the Spanish Government in the 1976 massacre have always placed obstacles in the way of Spanish justice and the apparatus of the State to clarify responsibilities before the judges, including former Francoist minister Rodolfo Martín Villa.
In this sense, the mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Gorka Uraran, considers that before the Spanish Government participates in the foundation of March 3 “the State should apologize” and that “it cannot be justified” what happened.
The representative of the Government of Spain in Radio Vitoria, Denis Itxaso, responded to Uraran’s request: “The democratic state is not an heir to the Franco regime.” He considers that “history is manipulated” when it is said so.
Thus, Itxaso addresses the official account of the Transition, which says that the black page of Franco was forgotten and that it was a “pact” between all to start a new phase. And by the way, it leaves the crimes committed unpunished.