What motivated the creation of the Association of Reception?

There were very serious cases. A former prisoner of Villabona was found dead in the cartons of a truck and we learned that another friend from Bilbao was begging on the street because of mental problems. We saw clearly that we could not go on like this, that something had to be done, but at that time it was complicated. We ended up with a small group with this intention and decided to start the project.

Was the reception completed today?

The association has about 3,000 members, each of whom pays an annual fee of more than 60 euros. 95% of the budget is financed by contributions and donations from partners.

There are two liberates and a large number of volunteers. We have formed an extensive network of collaborators that include entrepreneurs, doctors, dentists, psychologists... who offer all kinds of services to those who need them at a lower price. There's a bit of everything. For example, there is a person in the village who has offered a home.

What are the most common needs of applicants?

Unpaid health services, lack of jobs, lack of a car driver’s license, financial need, etc. The association provides them with financial support or helps them find a job. In 2017, some help was given to 100 people.

Those who have spent many years in prison or in exile have to rebuild their lives, and that is not always easy.

The stay in the causeway can cause a lot of damage. The food is poor. I remember that in Puerto de Santamaría we were all with a sore waist and a swollen belly, because we were hungry. For dinner, for example, we would get a casserole of soup, two of our own, fruit, and that’s it.

Medical care is also very bad and if you are a prisoner of ETA, worse; not always, but often. I remember one time he went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a cold when he had tuberculosis. A few days later he appeared dead in the cell. The dentist service, for example, is usually only for the extraction of molars and there is no occult service. And when you live between four walls and with artificial light, your vision goes down a lot. Depression is also common and this leads to physical consequences.

What are the requirements to receive assistance from the Reception?

There is only one condition for requesting assistance, which is that you are affected by a problem with the Spanish or French states. It doesn’t matter if you were from ETA pm or m, or from the Camino de Nanclares, or any other line. You don't look at that. The reception is open to all who need it.

The applicant ' s economic situation is analysed and assistance is provided accordingly to help him/her live a decent life.

Is there no public support?

Two years ago, ETA prisoners were deprived of their post-prison subsidy because they did not repent. The measure went crazy to the courts and has been won. Now they charge the subsidy in 18 months, about 400 euros per month, and preferably a supplement from the RGI.

The Government mentions that a critical attitude would be necessary to benefit from reintegration programmes.

The reception is not included in this. If someone, under the conditions in question, is able to receive such assistance, the phenomenon is that there will be less than one to help.

Do you have hope for more help in the future?

In Ireland, the conflict was brought to an end by agreement and aid for reintegration was agreed upon. There has been no agreement here and we have had to find solutions on our own.

Perhaps if things improve, there will be at some point damages for those who have had to spend years under torture or without being convicted, those who have been tortured, etc.

In May, the Civil Guard carried out an operation to seize the property of sixty former prisoners, and it has been mentioned that the kidnapping will be used to pay damages to the victims.

This could not be the case, since the State has already paid these damages. The victims used to have fifteen years to make a claim before the statute of limitations was issued, and there has been no such thing. Moreover, the PP government reduced this period to five years when its corruption cases began to emerge.

They say that they received 8 million euros in this operation, which is false. Will those friends have that kind of money?

The property has also been seized from the placenta Peio Etxeberria.

Oh, yeah, yeah. The money he had in his checking account has been kidnapped and every month he is stripped of part of his payroll. He has neither his leg nor his head, in fact Peio has the statute of limitations of the National Court.

In addition, it has been an operation carried out by the Civil Guard on its own, there is no specific court involved. These are papers signed by the clerk of a court that nobody knows.

The lawyers say that the sentences will be won and that they will have to return what they confiscated, but when? It will be seven or eight years.

Why do you think this happened?

To make Covite happy? To hinder their reintegration? We don't know that. A commander of the Civil Guard confessed to a former prisoner: “We have our hands free to do anything and everything you do will have an answer.”

Are you looking to the future?

Hopefully, the steps you take will be for the better. As for the reception, in the future more prisoners will be released and the needs will increase. Because of this, we will need more support from the citizens, more partners. We encourage citizens to become partners or provide support.

This news has been published by Plaentxia.eus and we have brought it to LUZ thanks to the license CC-by-sa.