What has the EPPK said?On December
28, 2013, the Basque Political Prisoners Collective made the statement public. In it, in addition to recognizing “multilateral suffering and pain”, it welcomes the use of the means established by law to achieve its “Return to the Basque Country on a priority and inexcusable basis”. It also shows its readiness to address this process progressively and with “individual commitment”. The document has
been a major change of direction. A year ago there was talk of an “integral” solution, an amnesty, and now every prisoner and prisoner would have to walk the path individually through the loopholes of the laws depending on their situation. Also of particular importance is the appearance of the former prisoners in Durango in support of the change of direction of the EPPK, which demonstrates that it has been a consensual decision.

What has the process been like?

The decision of ETA to abandon the armed activity in 2011 led the group of prisoners to begin a reflection on it. After several months, the inmates showed their support for the cycle change and were willing to take steps, but the process was stagnant. In June 2013, the EPPK announced that it would respond to the recommendations of the Social Forum for the Strengthening of the Peace Process and began a new reflection. He has therefore published the communiqué for last December.

The “long” time taken by the prisoners to take this step has been related by some to the opposing opinions that would remain within the collective. On the contrary, the EPPK itself explained that it has had serious obstacles to conducting the debate, as in recent months attacks and registers have multiplied in cells. However, 609 prisoners have participated in the reflection process, despite being scattered in 81 jails and 172 galleries, and 309 have participated in the written contributions that have been made.

What recommendations has the Social Forum made?

The Social Forum was promoted by Bake Bidea and Lokarri in March 2013 to overcome the blockade of the peace process. Twelve recommendations were agreed, including recognition of harm caused by prisoners and the gradual and individualized use of legal remedies. Precisely, they are now going to take that step. On the other hand, it was also recommended that transitional justice be applied and that penitentiary policy be amended. The Social Forum has designed a roadmap to move forward in the fight against refugees, truth, dialogue, human rights, disarmament and many other issues.

What role does the Social Forum Committee play?

It aims to promote the above-mentioned recommendations. It consists of eight people, many of them legal, such as Judge Garbiñe Biurrun and Attorney Henri Dulant and Nazario Oleaga and Michel Tubiana lawyers, among others. As soon as the EPPK statement was known, the committee announced its intention to meet with the youth organization.

What was the reaction of the Spanish Government?

The victims' associations and some PP politicians immediately rejected the communiqué of the prisoners of eta. The Spanish Government, having remained silent for almost a week, declared, through the mouth of the Interior Minister, Jorge Fernández, that what the prisoners said "had no value". By that time, the Spanish ultra-right sector was already putting enormous pressure on it because the appearance of former prisoners in Durango had not been banned.

In this context, the machinery for the repression of State apparatus was put in place. On 8 January, the Civil Guard opened an operation against EPPK interlocutors and lawyers by order of Judge Eloy Velasco and arrested eight people, two days later the same judge had banned the act in defense of the Tantaz prisoners so much.

Why has it reacted like this?

In this year’s first presidential session, Rajoy received harsh criticism from Esperanza Aguirre for the appearance of former prisoners in Durango. Luis R. de El País. Political analyst Aizpeolea recently explained that the “Spanish tea party”, led by former President José María Aznar, has a trapped government.

There will be more reasons, of course, to get from the media occupation such complicated issues as corruption, the abortion law... But the most obvious thing is that pp has the prison policy as a piece for the table game of Madrid.

What has been the response of the political players?

In Spain, several PSOE personalities accepted the EPPK statement: Former Director of Penitentiary Institutions, Mercedes Gallizo, said it was a “small step further” and that Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba was “one step further”. The main media also attached great importance to the decision taken by eta prisoners.

Many were struck by the retrospective attitude of the Basque Government spokesman Josu Erkoreka during the first few days, who explained that he wanted to see the declaration of the prisoners in “facts”. Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, launched a more optimistic and “hopeful” message in his year-end speech.

However, the police operation ordered by Eloy Velasco and the prohibition of the act of Tantaz so much in Bilbao complicated matters for the PNV in this territory. With the help of Basque society, the pressure was increasing to maintain a stronger attitude to the situation created. The unitary event on Saturday in Bilbao ended with the publication of a collaboration agreement.

The manifestation of 9/11, why has it been historic?

On Saturday it was possible to see a historical image in the streets of the Basque capital. On the one hand, because it was one of the most massive manifestations in the history of Euskal Herria, with over 130,000 participants, according to the Gara journal. On the other hand, the conveners (PNV, sortu, EA, Aralar, GeroaBai, Alternatiba, ELA and LAB) did not attend such an event in Bilbao a long time ago. And finally, by context. A large part of Basque society has clearly responded to Madrid, making it clear that the issue of prisoners is a human rights issue. That can be a problem for Rajoy.

What consequences have the dispersion had in these 25 years?

The Basque prisoners were widely dispersed in 1989. Following the failure of the negotiations in Algiers, the Government of Felipe González decided to tighten the prison policy with the aim of causing the division between prisoners. In addition, it had the support of the PNV, and were the times of Ajuria Enea and José Antonio Ardanza.

The dispersion has brought with it extreme situations, not only for the prisoners, but also for the relatives and relatives of prisoners. “They are playing with our love,” said Argia the mother of Inaxio Asteasuinzarra, killed by GAL Maritxu Pagola, 25 years ago. On the roads, 16 family members and relatives of eta prisoners who have died in recent years have lost their lives.

According to the latest ETXERAT report, there are currently 520 prisoners scattered in 79 prisons in the Basque Autonomous Community. Only 80 of them are located less than 400 kilometers from Euskal Herria. On the other hand, 22 other inmates outside the collective are in the prison of Nanclares de la Oca.En currently there are 10 people in prison with
serious and incurable diseases. Because of their situation, they should be on the streets, but prison institutions do not comply with the law in force. On the contrary, prisoners who have served 3/4 or 2/3 of the sentence do not allow them to move to 3 and cannot benefit from the benefits of that grade (exit permits, parole...). Prisoners over 70 years of age also remain in prison. The limitations of studies, isolation and isolation, the obstacles to visits... there are many emergency measures suffered by Basque prisoners.

What conditions do the prisoners have to meet in order to get near or out of the street?

In 2003, pp and PSOE changed the Spanish penal code and prison laws. Thus, prisoners convicted of "terrorist crimes" have to meet a number of requirements, both in order to gain access to grade 3 and in order to obtain parole. The prisoner has to demonstrate "publicly" that he has left the objectives and tools of "terrorist activity" and to collaborate "actively" with the Justice to stop other members. In order to do so, the prisoner must express his rejection of his crimes and express his forgiveness to the victims. In addition, it must meet civil liability and have technical reports to support its departure from the armed group.

The so-called “Nanclares Road” was launched by Rodríguez Zapatero and in Alavesa prison are the prisoners who accept the conditions set by the law. However, the PP Government has placed many obstacles on these inmates and, on many occasions, they have had to go to court for prison benefits.

The rapprochement of prisoners, on the other hand, is not a judicial matter, but is a matter for the Spanish Government. It has also been used as a political instrument – José María Aznar, for example, brought many prisoners closer at the time of Lizarra-Garazi. In April 2012, Interior Minister Jorge Fernández launched a reintegration plan: The prisoner who broke with ETA would have the opportunity to be transferred to the Basque Country. However, the Plan is currently completely discarded in practice.

What will Urkullu and Rajoy talk about?

Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, asked for an interview with the Spanish Government President, Mariano Rajoy, to discuss the step taken by the prisoners. Rajoy has agreed to meet, but it has not yet set itself a day in the Council of Ministers. The decision of the PNV to attend the demonstration on 11 January in Bilbao will have significant weight at this meeting.

On the other hand, at the meeting, Urkullu will present the pp leader with the Peace and Coexistence Plan approved by the Basque Government in November. The Basque Government plans to develop the Plan until 2016, and includes a social inclusion programme called Hitzeman, aimed at young people. In this regard, the Government of Urkullu will demand that Madrid transfer the prison policy, bring prisoners closer, obtain prison benefits, resume meetings between former ETA members and victims... This programme will be designed by the Basque Government during the first half of 2014.

What does the Currin team come to at the end of January?

The International Contact Group (ICG) will return to Euskal Herria at the end of January or early February, in order to familiarize itself with the peace process and analyse the latest developments. In any case, Lokarri’s coordinator, Paul Ríos, explained to Berria that “it does not mean that nothing needs to happen between them. They have come many times and made public and discreet meetings.” The group leading lawyer
Brian Currin has issued a statement in which he welcomes the step taken by the EPPK and has called on the Spanish Government to implement a "more humane and humane" prison policy.

What steps are ETA expected to take?

Disarmament and dissolution. These two steps are what ETA is asked for in many respects. Sortu spokesman Pernando Barrena believes that “the issue of disarmament is fundamental to the peace process.” Lehendakari, Urkullu, believes that ETA’s disarmament can come within six months.

However, in order to disarm oneself it is necessary to know who and how to deliver the weapons, and the Spanish and French governments have not given any facility to do so, as explained on these pages by former Basque Government counsellor Joseba Azkarraga.El Prime Minister
Mariano Rajoy, refuses to talk about the rapprochement of prisoners while ETA does not dissolve and does not dissolve. But it’s hard to know what the pp will do after ETA takes that step: "It will not be enough for weapons to be handed over and for dissolution to be announced. Those who say otherwise lie,” writes Miguel Sánchez-Ostiz in News Journal. In fact, so far inertia has been to respond with more repression every time ETA has taken a unilateral step. A disillusionment, even in the opinion of international experts. So who doesn't want peace?