EUSKAL HERRIA: BASQUE STRUGGLE NEEDS INT'L SUPPORT Sat, 12 Feb 2000 00:16:01 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - "Nora P. Dwyer" Feb 8, 2000 BASQUE STRUGGLE NEEDS INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT Dear Friends: The situation in Euskal Herria (the Basque Country) continues to worsen with the recent arrests of 8 dissident voices. Mirroring the worst abuses of General Franco’s dictatorship, the Spanish police staged last week a series of early morning raids designed to silence international support for the campaign on behalf of Basque political prisoners. In announcements by EFE – the government’s press-agency – authorities gloated over the “dismantling of international diplomacy efforts” of the Basque Liberation Movement predicting additional arrests in France and Latin America. Reporting to journalists, Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar congratulated the 270 police involved, hailing the arrests as "proof of the continued exercise of the rule of law." In responding to government statements, a representative of Herri Batasuna derided the arrests as "political vengeance perfectly orchestrated by the Madrid government,"and a "new run for the strategy of 'everyone in prison'." Among those arrested was Inigo Elkoro, He was quickly moved to a prison in Madrid where his “questioning” continues. Many of us met and came to admire Inigo during the Senideak (families of Basque political prisoners) tour when he spoke at the National Lawyers Guild Convention. As an attorney, Inigo spent much of recent months in the US in an unsuccessful effort to prevent the extradition to Spain of Ramon Aldasoro (a Basque political refugee in Miami). Inigo’s unselfish dedication became an example of great courage to all of us working on behalf of political prisoners. We must not let the Spanish government intimidate us and silence our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Euskal Herria. The best way to let authorities know that we remain strong is by our expression of support for the Basque political prisoners. I again urge you to add your name and / or organization to the list of endorsements to the Batera Platform. With your support, we all grow stronger. A LUTA CONTINUA ! Nora Dwyer Houston, Texas Attachments: 1. Batera Platform with endorsement page 2. List of endorsements in the US 3. Letter of support from the National Lawyers Guild 1. FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE BASQUE PRISONERS Batera Platform Issued by the Senideak Association (Families of Basque Political Prisoners) This initiative stems from the need to gather forces and support to denounce the systematic veneration of the Basque prisoners’s rights, and contribute to make it disappear. This is the reason why this initiative is directed at a wide variety of groups, associations (political, social, cultural,...) and individuals to show their support for the Statement and join this claim backed by the majority of the Basque people. The rights of prisoners must be safeguarded, and the present prison policy must be denounced. Thus, the aim of this call is to actively gather as many sections and individuals as possible around this engagement with human rights. Therefore, first of all, we would like to ask you to endorse the document we enclose. It is more than ten years now that the Spanish and French Governments started to enforce the so-called prison dispersal policy on the Basque political prisoners. Often and constantly, the Basque people have shown they disagree with this policy that venerates human rights. Thus, the Basque people have carried out initiatives to demand Basque political prisoners’ repatriation. In order to put an end to these policies that violate human rights, joining our forces and determination, the undersigned endorse the following points: 1.- We confirm that we are still committed to humanitarian principles and to the defense of people’s rights and liberties. 2.- The persons deprived of liberty are subjects of rights who cannot be object of negotiation, exchange or manipulation, depending on the different situations or political interests. People’s rights must be fully respected, no matter talks or dialogue. 3.- The policy of dispersal, distance or prisoners’ isolation are the clearest example of additional punishment on the prisoners and their relatives. We restate our demand that prisoners should be in the prisons nearest to their social environment and family, that is, in the Basque Country. 4.- Not only does the present prison policy contravene common sense, law and humanitarian principles, but it also creates gaps out of judicial control which favour impunity and veneration of human rights. 5.- Another clear example of the lack of respect for humanitarian fundamentals is the arbitrary enforcement of the prison policy itself concerning the prisoners who have already served their sentence and the release of those who are seriously ill. We denounce that the enforcement of law is always determined by criteria of reward, punishment or the political situation and interests. As regards the Basque prisoners in the French prisons, we sharply criticize the surrenders and expulsions of prisoners who have finished their sentence, and we demand that the prisoners’ right to live in a place of their choice should be respected. 6.- Besides, we denounce that the Spanish and French Governments despise Basque people’s wish. Throughout all these years, social, labor, economic, religious, judicial, political, institutional, and popular agents have claimed a change of these Governments’ prison policy with hundreds of protests. The answer has always been “no”. We call on the Spanish and French Governments to respect the democratic will of the Basque people and the human rights of the persons deprived of liberty. 7.- If the enforcement of the prison policy is serious in every situation, it is even more serious in a period in which, for the first time recently, the hope for peace and democratic solutions has become true in our country. The prison policy of the Spanish and French Governments does not only attack the individual’s integrity, but it also increases suffering, tension, cruelty and mistrust. 8.- We understand that the Basque prisoners’ involvement in the new process is a fundamental element to favour dialogue, negotiation and possible settlements. 9.- We state that we are actively committed to the humanization of the conflict, in an attitude of active engagement with reconciliation, in an attitude that will sincerely and effectively help us share and overcome the pain of all those people who have suffered and still suffer the consequences of the violence stemming from the political conflict; an active engagement with a democratic future that is denied to us today but which is legitimately longed by our people. NAME GROUP PROFESSION POSITION COUNTRY SIGNATURE WAY ** please return your signed endorsement to me by email, or fax it to Euskal Herria (fax no. 011.34.9.43.330865) _______________________________ 2. List of endorsements in the US 1)The Rev. S. Michael Yasutake, Ph.D., D.D. 2)Rich Farricker 3) Gloria Alonzo Natl Committee to Free Puerto Rico Rican POW´s & Political Prisoners 4)Onna Seibold Irish American humanitarian organizations 5)Justice for Pedro Oregon Coalition 6)Laura Whitehorn former u.s.-held anti-imperialist political prisoner 7)National Lawyers Guild 8)Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement 9)Noam Chomsky 10)Houstonians United for Mumia Abu Jamal 11)Food Not Bombs-Houston Chapt 12) Melinda Power West Town Community Low Office 13)Ward Churchill American Indian Movement of Colorado 14) The Irish Unity Committee ________________________ 3. Letter to the Spanish and French governments from the National Lawyers Guild December 15, 1999 The National Lawyers Guild calls on the Spanish and French governments to (1) end their policy of penitentiary dispersion; (2) immediately release the Basque political prisoners who have served three-quarters of their sentences, as well as those suffering incurable illnesses; and, (3) enter into talks with representatives of the Basque people for a just peace in Euskal Herria. The policy of prison dispersion, and of imprisoning individuals with incurable illnesses, contravene principles of human rights according to international treaties and Spanish law. Specifically, Article 25.2 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution states that “punishment of deprivation of freedom will be orientated towards social reintegration and re-education…,” and adds that “in any case the prisoner will have the right…of access to culture and the integral development of his/her personality.” In addition, penitentiary dispersion violates Rule 43.1 of the Code of Practice for European Prisons, adopted by the Council of Europe on February 12, 1987, which states that “the detainee must be allowed to communicate with their family…[and] allowed to receive regular visits from [family].” Article 92 of the Criminal Codes provides that a prisoner will be released on parole “when there is medical proof that a prisoner is suffering from a very serious and incurable illness.” The failure to enter into talks with representatives of the Basque people impedes reaching a just peace in Euskal Herria. During the Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna’s (ETA) fourteen-month ceasefire, authorities responded to a request from the Basque people for a dialogue by increasing the number of arrests of Basque activists including a designated member of ETA’s negotiating team rather than responding positively and entering into discussion. The National Lawyers Guild was founded in 1937 and currently consists of over 6,000 lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers committed to fighting social injustice in this country and internationally. During its sixty-year history, the Guild has been at the forefront of the legal and political struggles of ordinary people for human rights and social, political and economic justice. Guild members have been active in efforts to hold the United States accountable to international human rights standards on a range of issues. We urge you to call for the end of the Spanish and French governments’ policy of penitentiary dispersion, which treats its political prisoners as commodities in its campaign of repression against the Basque people. Sincerely, Karen Jo Koonan President ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-02.12.00-00:15:58-18876