The need to move the issue of prisoners is seen as essential in the Social Forum
- A year has passed since the disarmament of ETA. The disarmament of 8 April of the past year was carried out by civil society, with the mediation of international verifiers and various institutions.
In order to celebrate its anniversary and pause the path of peace, the Permanent Social Forum has organized two days of weekends. In it, for example, the “state of emergency” of Basque prisoners has been denounced and the keys have been proposed to walk the path of the peace process.
Representatives of the justice system met in the Bellevue structure in Biarritz on the second day of the Social Forum, where they talked about Basques prisoners in the French State. “Sometimes administrative hurdles are more difficult to overcome than political hurdles,” Jean René Etxegarai, president of the Basque College and Baiona’s neighbour, said at the event. Despite the obstacles, the attendees expressed their commitment to continue working.
In addition to the prisoners’ approach, they talked about the observance of the sanctions. In the last year, 21 Basque prisoners have been released and there has been no criminal adjustment. Subsequently, most of them have been handed over to the judicial authorities of the Spanish State. “The keys to making great advances are found in this area,” says Xantiana Cachenaut, a lawyer for Basque prisoners.
According to the chronicle and data provided by the news, as of April 5, 2017, there were 74 prisoners in 24 prisons of the French State. Currently, there are 53 prisoners, five of whom are awaiting trial. The remaining 48 have already been punished and 19 can apply for parole. Cachenaut says that no one criticizes these requests. However, the anti-terrorism law voted in 2016 says that the risks of the crime being committed again must be taken into account, which is a “problem”.
Alta, this also has a solution, says Cachenaut: “A Prime Minister’s decree would suffice.”
The UN expert and honorary magistrate, Philippe Texier, said that it is necessary to speak to the judges, who are responsible for the decisions that correspond to the execution of the sanctions. The Minister of Justice also said: “Imagine a circular from the Minister of Justice asking all prosecutors to consider this political element. That is, the definitive denial of the armed struggle. Maybe we’ll get other results.”
He also mentioned the urgency of creating a truth commission. Peace “is built,” he reiterated, endorsing the words of the Harold Good Humble. Good spoke from the experience of bringing about the peace process in Northern Ireland. Good said the prisoners should be released as soon as possible. “Is it possible to pacify if prisoners who are far from home have no hope? The children of the prisoners need some security. Prisoners are the keys to peace. If the prisoners do not enter into the process and are not engaged, the agreement is impossible.”
The “Truth of the Tree” of Jauregi
The work The Truth of the Tree of the Koldobika Palace has been inaugurated on Sunday, on the occasion of the anniversary of the disarmament of ETA.
“So that the new generations can draw lessons from the past and prevent the axe from rising again in the future. This sentence has been written in front of the University of Bayonne, on the esplanade of Roland Barthes.
The inauguration of the sculpture concludes the Permanent Social Forum held on Friday and Saturday. Mayor Jean-Rene Etxegarai, Irish clergyman Harold Good, peacemaker Mixel Berhokoirigoin, among others, were there.
Disagreeing with Jauregi’s work, some protesters have made the word “shame” with umbrellas. The Covite Victims Association is grateful to those who have protested. The work was done “in the memory of all the victims.”
From a very young age I felt asked about the situation of our people. I soon felt the desire to work for the good of Euskal Herria and for its value and identity.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, we began to bring together several members, once every three months, to analyze the... [+]
Today, 8 April, it is four years since Basque civil society developed its most important initiative in the peace building process: Facilitate the civil disarmament of ETA. Twelve months later, at the Kanbo International Conference, a decisive step was taken to verify the... [+]
