ETA announced on 20 October 2011 the definitive cessation of its armed activity, ending more than half a century of history in the Basque Country. At least one final, as the consequences of his work are still very alive and the consequences of the injuries caused are absolutely open. After two years, some conclusions could come out.

One, the section on suffering is still open. The old wounds are not repaired, ETA does not create new victims and the state does, because in the background “everything is ETA” keeps alive. Anyone who is concerned about people’s human rights should be concerned about this issue, provided that their concern for people’s pain is honoured.

Two, it assumed that the construction of a peace process would be difficult, but also that something else would be done, albeit slowly. As we cannot see any progress, this creates disappointment, particularly in the area of the Basque Left and, to some extent, in the large Basque social area in which peace has not yet materialised. The only solution is to continue to push forward, because in Basque society the desire for peace is deeply rooted, and that desire will emerge from here or there, as has happened on other occasions. The economic crisis has also brought the issue of resolving the conflict to the background.

Three, it seems that the political situation has settled, but not yet at all. The four famous legs of the Bureau are, more or less, representing the traditional social force, but with an upward trend in nationalism and the fall of Spanish parties, also in the field of ideas. We have to see if this trend is maintained. The development of EH Bildu will surely mark it, as in the last two or three years. If it maintains internal cohesion and succeeds in adapting left sovereigns to the parameters of the twenty-first century, it will remain in fierce competition with the PNV.

For the usual institutional practice, however, it seems that the weight of traditional parties will prevail, especially with the pact between PNV and PSE-EE in the Basque Country. In Navarre, the alternative remains in the hands of the PSN, but it seems that every time menos.La evolution of Catalonia can also influence Basque society, both by the teachings that the sovereign movement can adopt and by its influence
on the structures of the State.

Nor can we forget that the crisis is the main stimulus for the change of this time and that it will have to

be seen to what extent this affects the scheme of traditional parties, still of great relevance in Basque society. Despite the fact that the PEACE PROCESS is very slow, feelings, signs and facts are often interspersed. The disabilities of the Working Group for Peace and Coexistence of the Basque Parliament; the raid against Herrira; the fruitful Conference of Mayors for Peace in Donostia-San Sebastián; the welcome of the Plan for Peace and Coexistence of the Basque Government in EE.UU. ; the third popular wall in Pamplona to prevent the arrest of Luis Goiri; the beginning of macro-trials in Segi and Herriko Taberna at the National Audience.

And to round off the situation, two issues that can become stars in the coming weeks: jails and weapons. On the one hand, it is pointed out that the resolution of the Parot doctrine is about to arrive from Strasbourg. It could come to the end of October – it was mentioned on 21 October – and in many places it has been reported that Strasbourg is going to ratify its anti-doctrine ruling. In the opinion of some, the filtration incites the pp to pressure the Court in Strasbourg and, in the opinion of others, to envisage the judgment against in order to calm the reaction of the Spanish right.

And finally, the most important step that ETA can take in the last two years in the peace process is that it can begin to deliver the weapons. In this way, it would give the peace process an important and necessary impetus. Anyone who wants excuses will later say that weapons are not enough, that ETA has to disappear, that if not, nothing can be done. But the handing over of arms is a step that must be taken, because symbolically it has a great deal of strength and, in the face of a process of dissolution, it is spectacular and significant, both in Basque society and internationally. As they are important, but of the second level. If you want, the road that ETA will find.