Struggle is the way
The Aiete initiative aroused great hope in the Basque Country. The roadmap was covered by five points: 1.- ETA abandons armed struggle. 2.- That the two governments enter the process if ETA complies with the first point. 3.- Take steps to promote coexistence by knowing and supporting the victims of both parties. 4.- Opening of political channels by political leaders. 5.- Establishment of a commission for the implementation of the roadmap.
But in these ten years, every year at every unilateral step, more and more people are beginning to despair. What has become of this peace process that the well-known international personalities had to protect? The road to peace has actually lasted three days. Aiete’s statement was made on 17 October 2011 and ETA’s statement was made three days later, on 20 October 2011. Since then, nothing. My second point? Never! The road to peace collapsed with the declaration of ETA.
For ten years, unilateral steps have been taken in the hope of bringing France and Spain closer to this process, and not just any: Acknowledging the victims provoked by ETA, asking for forgiveness from the prisoners, giving thought to the armed struggle and, for no one else to take arms, offering weapons to their enemies, dissolving the organization and asking for forgiveness for the damage caused. All these steps are free for nothing!
"The process that began in 2011 has not produced any political results, either in the Autonomous Community, in Navarre, or in Iparralde".
Peace is established between those who have fought each other. When have France and Spain come into play? Never. France has become more flexible, because it has taken a step forward in the approval of a delegation from Iparralde in a ministry office. Indeed, France has done as little as it could, it has done, bringing some prisoners closer to the Mont de Marsan, and so it has complied with its laws and paragraph. What progress ten years! Spain, for its part, in ten years is barely beginning to bring prisoners closer to the Basque Country. The Basque Government is going to give up the prison competition for prisoners to be held in the Community. What about the prisoners in Nafarroa Garaia? However, the prisoners are always locked up and the only ones leaving are condemned in bulk and in excess. That's it, and nothing else!
Ten years later, the remaining 200 Basque dams have little hope that they will go out into the streets without having served their sentences to the end. What do we like prisoners and what is the first cause of concern? On 18 October 2021, when celebrating the ten years of Aiete, it says: “Do we make our prisoners’ pain? No, they refer to the "victims of ETA violence". In this claim it is said that “we claim that it should never have happened, that nobody likes everything to happen”, are the Basque prisoners in memory? No! Is there talk of the oppression and denial suffered by Euskal Herria? No, always “of the victims of ETA’s violence”. Thus denying the legitimacy of the 50-year-old struggle and trampling on the fact that Basque prisoners are in memory?
It seems that the prisoners have become a burden on the project to be carried out with Madrid. That is why the prisoners are asked to renounce their political status and apologize for the damage caused, while accepting the Spanish budgets to be well seen by the Madrid authorities, turning their backs on the reality of the street.
In order to open the way to peace, we must not only take into account the consequences, but also the reasons for the struggle, the political problem at its core, raise in its bases, expose, internalize and work out the exits, taking basic steps. None of this in this process, neither in the Community, nor in Navarre, nor in Iparralde. But if, after ten years, there is to be some merit in this unilateral macabre process, what do you not hear? Thanks to this process the Urban Community of Iparralde has been achieved! ? We have a short memory and the ability to divert the nearby history. The Iparralde Urban College has been achieved thanks to the long struggle that has taken place before this process, the strengthening of the Basque conscience in Iparralde and the mobilisation of the entire Basque society that has been brought after the change of strategy in Iparralde around the year 2000. Furthermore, what has been achieved? What did we ask for? No, only the smallest institution that France could give, the least competence, the Urban College, which is not a department, and an institution that is under the control of the region and the department. The process launched in 2011 has not produced any political results, either in the Autonomous Community, in Navarre or in Iparralde.
However, on the excuse of this process, Euskal Herria has been held under control, drowning the calapites, denying or condemning the struggles, making it believe that there were negotiations. But by denying the struggles, for ten years social problems have worsened. What is happening in Iparralde through this 10-year generation process? The problem of housing is more serious than ever (the hunger of the promoters has no limits, and without shame they are taking advantage of Euskal Herria as never before), the Basque denied and the forbidden teaching in Euskera, they want us to retighten the TAV (they are no more afraid! ). These are the developments that have taken place in the last ten years in the North and the situation in the South has not improved.
"Nothing is coming from Paris or Madrid. So let us do our best. Thanks to the struggle we have made progress so far and we will be liberated through the struggle"
When the change of strategy was a decision, did we decide that all forms of struggle had to be ruled out? No! We had to come up with another strategy, based on other forms of struggle, building a new strategy. Haven't we learned anything after 50 years of struggle? Even if it's just one thing, that is, nothing is achieved by crouching your head. Without force, nothing is achieved. Leaning his head, he will never be humble enough for the enemy.
Fortunately, all struggles have not been silenced. In recent months, occupations have been carried out in Baztan Aroztegia or in Arbona or Hazparne, and that is one of the paths, among other ways of fighting. We must extend disobedience as a pillar of our liberating strategy. Nothing will come from Paris or Madrid. So let us do our best. Thanks to the struggle we have made progress so far and we will be liberated through the struggle. Let us consider the path of disobedience over freedom, above all bias. Although it is known that this road will bring violence in Paris and Madrid, as in Catalonia. The paths to disobedience are immense, as in each country there are special situations. Let us consider them on the path of freedom for all of Euskal Herria.
Yes, we like Basque militants who are imprisoned, and we want them at home, now, and not in five or six years. When they leave prison, we will welcome them, as never before, whether they want it or not! Yes, we love our people and we will continue to fight for it to live, for it to be unleashed, let us free! All the militants for freedom, let us join! Fighting is the way!
* Filipe Bidar and Oskar Bizkai, Basque militants
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