“At the end of the day came this appearance we wanted to do some time ago,” he began his speech at the joint appearance of Etxerate spokesman José Morales, to assess the end of the dispersion. Morales and Network spokesman Joseba Azkarraga recalled that the policy of remoteness has lasted for almost 35 years and stressed that its end is “the result of tireless work”. “We have achieved it”, pointing out “hundreds” of initiatives and street mobilizations, large and small, or countless meetings to weave consensus. “Congratulations to all those who have in one way or another made their contribution both large and simple.”

Etxerat and Sare recalled the thousands and thousands of kilometres travelled on the road, which thanked Mirentxin’s bus and van drivers, the injured “over a thousand” and, above all, the sixteen people who “stayed on the road”. “Today we bring to your family our narrower hug.”

With the latest transfers announced will reach Euskal Herria Irantzu Gallastegi (Estremera, Madrid), Faustino Marcos (Daroca, Zaragoza), Asier Borrero (El Dueso, Cantabria), and Garikoitz Etxeberria and Gregorio Aginero (Dueñastik, Palencia). After the transfers, 152 Basque political prisoners will be in the prisons of Hego Euskal Herria. The exception is Jaione Jauregi, who was pre-emptively imprisoned in Alcala prison in Madrid, waiting to be tried by the National Court.

As for the French State, almost all Basque political prisoners (11) are in Lannemezán, along with Mont de Marsan, the closest prison to the Basque Country. The exception in this case is Ainhoa Ozaeta, a prisoner of Réaun in the vicinity of Paris, among other things because in the prisons near Euskal Herria there are no modules for mothers.

Barriers to home access

Leaving the distance behind, Morales and Azkarraga have explained that the objective is now the return home of prisoners, refugees and deportees, as they imagined on 3 January to the House with the new symbol and motto. They want to achieve this goal through the mechanisms allowed by law, but to do so they have insisted on repealing emergency legislation and applying ordinary legislation to prisoners.

Etxerat and Sare have listed some of the obstacles to prisoners' access. On the one hand, three laws: 7/2003, “makes life punishments possible”; 14/2003, “makes it possible not to take into account the penalties complied with in France; 5/2003, “maintains the competence of grade progressions and/or criminal authorizations in an emergency body, the National Court, to the detriment of nearby courts”. On the other hand, the application of ordinary laws: “They deny the prisoners in second grade the permits they legally have. Only 33 prisoners are in third grade, although in fact they should have been 110. Grade regressions are taking place.” They have also talked about refugees and deportees: “They are still unable to return because the legislation is in force.”

Obstacles, work

Despite the obstacles, Etxerat and Sare have committed to continue working to achieve access to housing: “We will continue to promote relationships, seeking activation, occupying plazas and moving our demands to the four winds. And all this, for the sake of coexistence, must be compatible with the demand and support for all victims of all violence.”