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In a new twist of the very annoying neofascist trend that seems to be more and more dominant worldwide and also here in Europe, the European Tribunal of Human Rights has fully supported the sentences of the Spanish Neoinquisition that have repeteadly barred a major sector of Basques (and Spaniards in general) from running to elections.
The tribunal does not even consider the lack of evidence in the whole case, as it argues that it's not its role to replace local courts, but it concludes that:
The action of the demandants (HB and Batasuna) must be analyzed as part of an strategy to ahcieve their political project, in essence opposed to the democratic principles included in the [Spanish] Constitution. This fulfills the requirements for dissolution estabilished in the article 9, section 2c, of the Law of Political Parties, in other words: complement and support the action of terrorist organiations with the goal of perturbing the constitutional order or seriously damage public peace. Also, in what regards to the claim of the demandants that these facts must be considered protected by the right to freedom of speech, the Tribunal considers that the methods used do not respect the limits estabilished by the jurisprudency of the Convention, that is: the legality of the means used to exert this right and their compatibility with the fundamental democractic principles.
In other words: exposing that there is a political conflict in the Basque country is a crime under the new fascist EU.
Let's get out of here... but let's bring our country with us.
Source: Gara.
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5 comments:
I think the problem is HB does not distance itself from ETA, a movement that justifies killing people for political purposes.
The matter is actually why would the Spanish state have the right to violence monopoly. I don't see the Spaniards distancing themselves from Francoism or the GAL, much less cirticising tortures by the Guardia Civil. Hence making a unilateral criticism of ETA is being a hypocrite and demanding that in order to participate in the democratic process one has to "condemn" (what a Christian moralistic term!) ETA and not Francoism or police-inflicted tortures (for example) is an arbitrary demand that only serves the interests of Spanish nationalism.
Of course it's Spanish "democracy" what works here. But some of us want Democracy without any ethnic tags that discriminate against Basques.
Also, as mentioned by someone today in Gara, this sentence has repercussions in all EU, as it basically allows outlawing anyone at any whim. Remember that the first thing Hitler did was outlawing the KPD and that way he paved his way to power.
We have just witnessed how on similar pretexts, a Spanish-wide political option has been brutally cheated, criminalized and will be evetually outlawed too. This is not anymore just a problem of Basques: it affects the very fundamentals of democracy in Spain and the EU.
Comparing with other similar situations anyhow, the Sinn Fein was never outlawed in the UK and they even sent a representative to London's parliament without risking their lives (here HB deputies were murdered when they tried to do such thing).
In another case: Turkey and the Kurdish issue, the same tribunal has ruled in favor of the Kurds several times. So this is a total setback for civil rights in Europe as whole, as the neofascist Spanish paradigm is gaining ground very clearly (and look at Berlusconi and his monopoly of the Italian media that nobody challenges).
I am seriously concerned about European democracy at this stage. And would I be younger I might even considering migrating to your country for mere need of fresh air.
"Spaniards distancing themselves from Francoism or the GAL":
Well, those actions were serious crimes but "Spaniards" as you call them have distance themselves much more from those crimes than ETA has. In fact, ETA has been murdering even recently (Madrid airport?)
A refresher:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ETA_attacks
Franco died in the seventies, GAL, even if also a serious crime, took place in the eighties.
"Of course it's Spanish "democracy" what works here. But some of us want Democracy without any ethnic tags that discriminate against Basques."
What do you mean by discrimination of Basques? Is it not discrimination against people involved in violent attacks?
"Remember that the first thing Hitler did was outlawing the KPD and that way he paved his way to power."
What a comparison! People are only outlawing parties, as far as I see, that are promoting violence (read murder) or racism (like Vlaams Blok).
"very fundamentals of democracy in Spain and the EU."
Isn't it fundamental we do not get murdered by any group, even if they want independence so much?
"And would I be younger I might even considering migrating to your country for mere need of fresh air."
Please, try, it is never too late! But try to make a living there without become an Apparatchik, without using privileges as a member of the PSUV whose main job is controlling others.
Then you will see what Chavismo really is.
In fact, ETA has been murdering even recently (Madrid airport?)
Actually the last kill was the chief information policeman in Biscay. A few weeks ago.
And the last Spanish kill seems to be some ETA militant surnamed Anza, who disappeared mysteriously also a few weeks ago in Occitania.
But killing is not the only kind of violence. Brecht knew better than that and certaily the Spanish police practices tortures and other types of violence every day.
But all that only means that the conflict remains open. Whatever the case, in my personal scale of values killing is not as bad as torturing. In one case ETA did torture somewhat a prision officer they had kidnapped and that is something I strongly reject because even in war one must have some principles very clear.
But if ETA did that once, Spanish police do it every single day and Spanish judges and politicians simply ignore the issue. And that is not of course the only violence they do exert.
And yes, we do live in a state of war. Not too apparent maybe but it is clearly there. I have not known anything else in my whole life and I'm already 40.
What do you mean by discrimination of Basques? Is it not discrimination against people involved in violent attacks?
No. It is discrimination against a very important political option and anything that even vaguely resembles it. Most of them have never been involved in any sort of violence, though a few, as I mentioned some months ago, decided recently and publically to abandon the impossible political way and join the guerrilla.
We are the oldest democracy of Europe: nobody is going to teach us democracy, pride or patriotism. And certainly not the Spaniards who have mostly been unable to have a democratic system in all their history.
What a comparison! People are only outlawing parties, as far as I see, that are promoting violence (read murder) or racism (like Vlaams Blok).
I didn't know that Vlaams Blok was illegal (it is not, they only were forced to change the name) but anyhow it is not comparable with the Basque Nationalist Left, first of all because these are not racist at all nor hold fascist ideas whatsoever. In fact if something has kept the fascists at bay here in the Basque Country has been the BNL.
But the BNL does not openly proposes violence of any sort. It just states the obvious: that there is a political conflict between the Basque people and the Spanish state and that the impossibility of a democratic solution (it's simply unconstitutional, unnegotiable) is the reason of the existence of violence from both sides. They propose a democratic solution by means of the self-determination of the Basque people.
And, sincerely, it is the only solution because we Basques are very stubborn people and there will always be an important sector who won't accept false solutions. Not anymore.
Sooner or later Spain will go in deep crisis, maybe with all the Western Empire and then we will see to get out of there. Till then we can only keep the flame burning. No more Bergaras.
Isn't it fundamental we do not get murdered by any group, even if they want independence so much?
Democracy and self-determination are fundamental. The survival of the Basque language and identity are fundamental. If these rights are violated, then there will be always some people who will think that taking arms against oppression is legitimate and even many more who will support them in act or spirit, more or less.
The "Gandhis" of the Basques have failed to organize any sort of nonviolent resistence and those who have tried like the Zumalabe Foundation, have been criminalized and persecuted.
We see how other peoples in our enviroment are achieving their freedom. Look at Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Kosova... Even in Northern Ireland they have been able to reach an agreement based on the right of self-determination. And soon may be Scotland and Greenland and Flanders too.
Well, we won't let this window of opportunity slip from our hands. Tomorrow may be too late.
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