It is now 34 years since Madrid launched an ambitious policy of alienation and dispersal against Basque political prisoners and their families in November 1988. Today, in view of the thousands and thousands of citizens coming from all corners of the Basque Country, we can say that it has been difficult, but we have won that stage. And we've all won.
They ignored the firm will of Basque society to deal democratically with this violation of rights.
There has been great suffering on this road, which has involved thousands and thousands of kilometres. Serious moral damage and an enormous economic cost every week for no prisoner to remain without the visit of his relatives.
So today we start with gratitude and memory. We must thank Basque society for its generosity and its fight against violations of rights.
We want to thank those who have managed to keep on the flame of claim and solidarity on the road, with Mirentxin, or on the street, helping for three decades.
And when they were going to visit inmate relatives or come back from the visit, we want to remember those who lost their lives on the road. Rubén Garate, Argi Iturralde, Iñaki Balerdi, Antonia Fernandez, Mari Carmen Salbide, Leo Esteban, Jose Mari Maruri, Pilar Arsuaga, Alfonso Isasi, Iñaki Saez, Asier Heriz, Sara Namaga, Jose They are all victims of this penitentiary policy that has imposed isolation. Always Remembering!! !
On October 8, in San Sebastian, we ask you to replace the face of concern with a gaze full of hope and joy, because we are winning the battle against revenge. Above hatred and revenge we have brought the way home. Even if it is slow, we are moving forward, we have to believe more than ever in our strength and move forward.
This people, its people, the political majority and all the trade unions have long taken the decision and the commitment to return home to the Basque prisoners. The states were aiming to get it going. Because it corresponds to prisoners and help and need for coexistence.
We want to look to the future, build a future that's ours, and for that we have to decide how to build it here. To the extent that Basque prisoners are part of our society, it is up to this people to decide when and how they will return home and how they will integrate into society. In this way, we will all be reunited in the most positive sense of the term.
Certainly, all the victims of all the violence suffered in the Basque Country deserve our respect for their pain and equal treatment by the governments. Moreover, as long as we do not seek a solution to the question of victims, society does not give them due respect, and as long as the situation of Basque prisoners is not resolved, we cannot talk about coexistence.
This is the challenge we face and reaffirm our commitment to actively participate in the Citizen Network and Paths of Peace solution.
We have many obstacles ahead, important obstacles that seek to prevent this country from achieving genuine peace and coexistence, including the special courts and anti-terrorist prosecutors’ offices in Spain and France.
What is known as justice, which, on the basis of revenge, decides from here to hundreds of chimometers whether it gives freedom to people little known and not interested. Furthermore, they do not take into account the positive developments of persons deprived of their liberty as a result of long sentences, although the decisions of prison technicians accept this.
Using sovereignty is also making decisions about these people from here. That is democratic.
And that's the motto of this year's demonstration: Walk home nearby! They are the most appropriate words to reflect our willingness to move forward.
And we all have to. Creating spaces for coexistence. Basque society wants to build coexistence after decades of confrontation and violence. We want to put an end to the cycle of violence and repression in order to launch a cycle of peace, coexistence and solution.
The human rights agenda cannot depend on party convenience and the reason for the state. Human rights cannot be divided into plots. They constitute a whole, including empathy with those who have suffered the violence that has taken place in our country.
That is why we condemn the passion for revenge of those men and women who for decades have been without freedom and who are suffering manifestly improved conditions, who continue to turn laws to impose a higher penalty. Even more so when we see that there is no one in jail for torture or state crimes.
From Kuartango to Estella, from Oyón to Lekeitio, from Hazparne to Santurtzi, from Oiartzun to Vitoria, from Catalonia, from Galicia or from Spain, we want to show our solidarity and commitment today.
Solidarity with the Basque prisoners and their families; solidarity and empathy with the victims of all violence, and reiterate the commitment to continue working to put an end to this situation, which, being unfair, is hurting all of us.
We have shown that this society wants to look forward, that suffering must disappear. In this regard, there is only one path, social mobilization and the will of the Basque political and trade union majority can succeed in mitigating the road to freedom.
Yes, yes and yes: I walk home close.
Prisoners, fugitives and deportees home!
We will succeed together.
Plataforma herritarrak gaur egun arte lortutakoaren balioa nabarmendu du, eta adierazi du gizarteak “bultzada bat” eman behar duela “oraindik erbestean eta deportazioan daudenak” etxeratzeko. Etorkizuneko belaunaldiei gizarte hobeago bat uzteko garrantzia... [+]
Sare's participation in the demonstration held on 13 January in Bilbao showed that it was not just one of the events that took place in January for years.
Once again, the desire of Basque society to put an end to the consequences of a confrontation which has caused pain and... [+]
Last Saturday, 21 October, the new dynamic of Sare was presented in Gernika: "Solution Keys."
In this presentation, the civil society, represented by people from different cultural, university, sports fields, etc., who spoke of the diversity of Basque society, gave voice to the... [+]
The demonstration organised by Sare Hiritarrak and Bake Bidean in Bilbao today brings together thousands of people. It is said that the end of the policy of dispersal of Basque political prisoners is planned for the spring of this year, but the organizers have explained that... [+]