05 Jun 2007

Basque Separatist Group Ends Truce

, ,

AP:

The Basque separatist group ETA called off its cease-fire today, saying the government was not committed to ending the nearly 40-year conflict. …

Today, however, the group notified two Basque newspapers that the cease-fire will end at midnight and described itself as “active on all fronts to defend the Basque homeland.”

ETA had declared the cease-fire unilaterally, saying it wanted to negotiate an end to the conflict, which has left more than 800 people dead. …

The group reiterated assertions that the Spanish judicial system continued to arrest and try ETA members and suspects while the truce was in effect.

“Minimum democratic conditions for a negotiating process do not exist,” ETA said in the statement sent to the pro-independence newspapers Berria and Gara.

“Zapatero’s character has turned into a fascism that left parties and citizens without rights,” ETA said.

ETA also complained that Spanish courts barred most pro-independence candidates from Basque local elections on May 27.

Zapatero, who planned to address the nation later today, has said peace with ETA is one of its priorities.

ETA took up arms in 1968 in a goal of carving out an independent Basque homeland in the mountains between Spain and France.

In 2004, when Al Qaeda bombed a Spanish train, Spanish voters elected the current Socialist government so that it could withdraw from Iraq.

Will the next successful act of terrorism by ETA persuade Spanish voters to withdraw from the Pyrenees?

Hat tip to José Guardia.

StumbleUpon.com
2 Feedbacks on "Basque Separatist Group Ends Truce"

Jose Guardia

Just a minor observation, David: just as al-Qaeda couldn’t be described merely a “religious group”, though it’s religion the background, the motive, behind their actions, the ETA shouldn’t be described merely as a “separatist group”, although it’s separatism what motivates them.

What makes al-Qaeda and the ETA different from other who defend religion and separatism is that they don’t do peacefully. If they did we could argue whether we agreed with them or not. But they use terror, therefore should be described as terrorists. The ETA too.



sergio giorrotxea

I dont think so. Al Quaeda and Eta have nothing in common and their ideologies and reasons are far away from eachother. Is there is any comparisson possible with ETA would be the IRA. Both fight for same reasom.

Kosovo got right away and in short time what IRA and ETA and all those behind have been fighting for already for centuries.

Now if Kosovo got away with it then now Ireland also should follow and then Euskadi, Catalunya and Galicia also should follow same fate.



Comments

Please Leave a Comment!




Please note: Comments may be moderated. It may take a while for them to show on the page.





/div>








Feeds
Entries (RSS)
Comments (RSS)
Feed Shark