Batasuna Leader To Visit Ireland

by iosaf mac d. Fri Feb 09, 2007 20:17 barcelona 0034636105231

These 2 meetings seem like a very good opportunity to explain to Irish people & Basque people in Ireland what is going on now in the Abertzale movement - thanks to Eoin for organising that. My impression over here - as a non party political citizen & independent writer is that there have been many changes in the Basque & the strategy being supported now. Just as indeed there have been historic changes in Irish republicanism. I see signs of the emergence of a genuine "pan-nationalist front" whose exhaustion & fatigue in the face of Castillian nationalist intransigence is finally presenting conditions for genuine co-operation "in the absence of violence". but perhaps Readers of indymedia ireland can learn lots about these changes from the articles published on this site by myself & the basque solidarity commitee. Readers ought be well-informed should they go and listen.

= eistigi leo.

There was a little slip of the keyboard there Eoin - you wrote Feb.23 for the Dublin gig. That's very "masonic conspiracy" ;-) or a nod to memory - February 23 is of course the anniversary of the last overt Fascist coup d'etat attempt in Europe which took place in Madrid & Valencia in 1981 [ c/f "lest we forget" http://indymedia.ie/article/68739 ]] Curiously if Feb23 can be thought a "bad day" by some, Tuesday the 13th in latin cultures is the equivalent of Friday the 13th in ours. Let's hope there are no little slip ups on the way.

Otegi is not the most photogenic of politicians, I wondered at the press conference photo Eoin uses, remembering which one it was - I thought perhaps one of Gerry Adams & Arnaldo Otegi in 2005 [ http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=69891#com...08833 ] would work well coming a month before the IRA formally ended the armed struggle [ http://www.indymedia.ie/article/71187 ] or another when Gerry Adams visited both Basque and Catalonia last June & wore the aran jumper instead of the suit, I remember he got a peace prize from the Seimens corporation who make themselves feel good after global relocation & thrashing jobs by rewarding famous people for "good work". Then it occured to me that in 2 photos it is possible to illustrate one stumbling block of the Peace Process and these scheduled meetings in Ireland & its 2 jurisdictions.

The photos were taken in March 2006 within a week of the ETA ceasefire. They first appeared on the front pages of every Spanish commercial newspaper, depicting a defiant Otegi as he entered court & possibly prison. He of course was (& still is) released on 250,000eu bail - The second appeared on basque indymedia the folllowing day. In it you see who provoked his defiance. Members of the neo-falange had assembled to hurl insults and eggs not only at Otegi but also at the Spanish judge handling the case. The next day the same contigent of fascists assembled in Barcelona to remind us we could be in the same boat if we wanted. ] http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/248515 ] The PP (Spain's right wing party) has so far given those who follow the "falange" tradition representation in Congress and Senate & thanks to the Aznar years' appointments to the Judiciary completely weighted the bench.
There has only been one exception to the absorption of "far right" thinking into the PP- in Catalonia the parliamentary elections of November 2006 after a sustained attack on Catalan self-determination & mutilation by the Judiciary of it's proposed "estatut" - a completely new party "citizens" whose creation occured the same day Siemens gave Gerry a peace prize - managed to blur their political stance for months & the got 3 seats campaigning on only one issue - their right as castillian nationalists (I won't use "spanish") to proactively "not speak" Catalan & thus undermine the "estatut". It emerged their young "leader" (27 years) had previously been a militant in the PP & since then we have defined them as "far right" not "left of centre" as they first said. All through this time I have been concerned at evictions & the conditions of the marginalised and precarious in the Basque as anywhere in Europe & I still am. Since the EU housing summit in Barcelona was cancelled last October 12 (read about the castillian fascists in the comments to that day too http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79019 ) young people of all types not just of definite political profile are being pushed to extremes. We find ridiculously young "leaders" of thinly veiled far right groups whilst at the same time eviction rates have doubled, and "anti-system" violence outside of the Basque is now treated by the commercial media in the same terms as "terrorist" related acts.

The starting point of myself & everyone I know in Catalonia on resolution of Basque issues was exactly the same as that expressed by Joseba Permach of Batasuna - "normalisation - democracy - discretion - serenity" which I expanded - "Talk-Talk :: Normalisation :: Hear-Listen :: Democracy :: Hope :: Serenity :: Discretion :: Humour :: Caution & Realism :: Reconciliation" . The abertzale movement must play a full part in that process. If not the future of a generation of Basques contemporary to the average readership of Indymedia Ireland will be all the worse.

Tá sé go deacair. ceart go leor, Más é do thoil é, Más féidir libh.
Eistigi leo!

a photo only gives you one side of an event.

a photo only shows you one side of leadership.

by iosaf mac d Sun Feb 11, 2007 21:38 barcelona

It's on telly now - http://www.eitb24.com/multimedia/fotonoticias/es/200702...4265/
"Otegi "the dapper" is going to Ireland for "the "Process" Great place Ireland they love the police. I read that on basque indymedia... wee gurriers eh?

Basques like marching & walking don't they? We all know that. It's obvious. & there's nothing which appeals to the Spanish Right more than an opportunity to march against either the Catalans or Basques for the role they played in undermining Spain by facilitating same-sex marriage which led to too many gay people on TV of an evening.
& so the Spanish "Castillian" patriot loves to march with his and her fellows, good decent families in tow - they can sing their anthem! Even though it has no lyrics anymore. It is a criminal offence now to sing the Falange song. Oh they are so bold - the victorious Spaniards on the street for their "liberties". It's too easy to think they're ulster Calvinists, way to easy - It's a horrible mistake.
Their spiritual leader Angel Acebes who still maintains ETA did March 11 by infiltrating at first Al Qaeda and thereafter the islamist cells of Morrocco - glows in the pride of his nation. The pride one can only really take & swagger when properly abroad. No doubt Arnaldo Otegi "the dapper" will wax chuffed of his nation when over in Ireland this week. But beware! the families of castillian catholicism know he's gong. They know yet more are going to Barcelona. Now is their opportunity. They will occupy Euskal Herria the night of February Tuesday 13th.

I want to apologise for a mistake I made (always making those) in the comment above & also for using the space opened up by Eoin but I'm cheeky & my apology is more a diplomatic tactic. Gerry Adams wasn't given a "peace prize" by Siemens he was rewarded by Ciemens. The Catalan institute who specialise in rights and for ethnic groups and nations who don't have states. They're not giving up on their solidarity with all Basque people in their legitimate pursuit of self-determination. Tomorrow they launch a campaign "defending rights we will build the country". & they've invited Martxelo Otamendi, Xabier Ezeizabarrena & Joseba Álvarez along to tell Barcelona about their problems with the Spanish who are our troublesome neighbours to the west. They take all our taxes & mutilate our laws.
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/292710/...x.php
http://www.ciemen.org/
http://www.focda.catalunyaonline.com/

I also should apologise for the sloppy coverage whilst the indymedia site was down in early January. I've been looking over lots of things I wrote & find bad links - appaling spelling - missing punctuation & what really upset one person using a Basque on the thread "The Peace Process is over can ETA leave now" thread. http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80465 - I mixed up one Joseba with another Joseba. It could only happen to me. Meaning I confused Basque politicians - it's a foreign country - how many Russian composers can you name? There are currently 7 men named "Joseba" in important positions in Basque politics. But I'd like to remind readers that I've never set myself up as an "expert" on Basque affairs [ the writer of the article above Eoin O Broin is one if he wants to be] but I do read Basque indymedia and Barcelona indymedia & the related other activist sites every day, regularly talk to genuine live Basques (over 18) & then balance that information flow & opinion with the stuff we get sent us from Spain and then the stuff that is made in Catalonia.
& for a few years now I've watched things get worse & better at the same time. seem like you're losing when you win - seem like you're winning when you lose".
If indymedia ireland had been up without problems in early January I would have got round to sharing attitudes & even "conspiracy theories" & absolutely plausible alternative versions with you & highlighting the disinformation on the spanish press those first days of the year when even I couldn't write the date properly. But the aliens got the site. and as a result we didn-t do a MI5 PSNI debate either. Getting very political these aliens.

Yesterday supporters of "Jarrai, Haika and Segi" gathered in Letterkenny, and Joseba Permach of Batasuna (another Joseba) was walking with the youngsters as they had to deal with complete police brutality back where the youth movement or organisation of so many names ought still be doing its thing. Police grief lasted all night. Another demonstation is scheduled for Donasti which of course will be illegalised. I've heard rumours that "superjudge" Garzon has found a forgotten charter of the Navarran Foral which allows any group carrying more than 5 ikureñas (the basque flag) to be given emergency rendition transport (for their own Spanish soul's good). The kids (they are young people and may their youth last) have blamed this through the collective newswires of "young activist & thinking euskadi & catalunya" on the PNV saying they put the cops up to it. It was a curious move on from the chatter a few days ago. I don't know if members of Jarrai, Haika and Segi think that. You'd have to ask them I don't know any. But I know the youth of BCN who are being criminalised more than ever before. & they don't need flags to bring out the heavy-hand in the autonomous police force the nationalists thought so vital for Catalan proto-sovreignty to deploy in the city. There is always a problem with policing in communities suffering identity duress. I suppose you've heard that or came to that conclusion over time – heard rumours – perhaps - watched documentaries even.

I'm going to publish one of those "Sunday Papers" articles I do every now & again later this evening - with some "non-expert" thoughts which have not previously been shared with ye all there (nor many here) on on the "Process".

Otegi "the dapper" is after all going to Ireland for the "Process" I know I saw it on teevee

by Iñigo Tue Feb 20, 2007 23:41

U didnt upset me, I was just highlighting the disinformation / lies on ur posts.
By the way,I dont think u mixed up one Joseba with another Joseba, u mixed up Joseba Alvarez with Rafa Diez Usabiaga. I'd name Russian composers properly if i was writing about Russia and if i was 'informing' about them. Have u read the articles of Iñaki de Juana Chaos ? and do u still think he "... authored a series of articles calling for the continuation & escalation of ETA's armed campaign..." ?

by i Wed Feb 21, 2007 00:07

they're published in a comment to their article. no stress. no problem.

It is irrelevant what I think of the opinions expressed in that comment.

by io Wed Mar 21, 2007 16:49

5 Guardia Civil cars went to pick him up after a warrent "for his immediate detention and arraingment" ( I think it's called) was issued for him today. He was supposed to be in court at 10h30 this morning in Madrid - but the weather in the north of the peninsula is really bad today & was so yesterday. So the court gave him till 18h00 to arrive to face the continuing charges of "exalting terrorism" during his funeral address (panygeric I think they're called) to Olaia Castresana.

The Guardia Civil got him at his house - Basque TV reports that he was stuck on the motorway at Burgos for a few hours earlier. Thing is - they can't fly him to Madrid for 6pm - it's like a quarter of an hour away & the weather has grounded all flights & helicopters. Oh yeah - the make-up of the court was adjusted earlier this week "just to make it tougher on him".

Arnadlo Otegi arrested by Guardia Civil at his house after bad weather stopped him going to court.

by io Wed Mar 21, 2007 17:09

yesterday Otegi gave an interview to Radio Catalunya - bits & bobs - usual stuff - not quite desert island disks - but he "declared" that armed struggle isn't really a desirable thing in Euskadi anymore. That went down well. It followed up on his musing that ETA are going to make a statement soon. (been a while). & as far he's concerned the trial is already done and dusted for his "`panygerics". The Guardia Civil say he's on his way to Madrid. Amazing - the man is really quite unusual - on a quarter of a million bail in clean used notes & they can get him through force 9 blizzards. Remember kids you'll never be that unusual.

by iosaf Wed Mar 21, 2007 20:46

last little newsflash [ these last 3 comments dealing with one day] - Arnaldo Otegi was delivered to Madrid at 19h45 local time - they flew him in a plane and then brought him sirens blaring a black 4x4 to the court from an airbase outside the city for 20h15 and as of about half an hour at time of this comment the prosecutor has dropped the case.
I don't know if they're flying him back. Joseba (you know "the Joseba" the only one I think is important enough for ye over in Erin to know about unless you're a card carrying basque seperatist) was in number 5 santa Ana street of Elgoibar (Otegi's house) & said the usual things. bim bam - off to Madrid faster than one of my ex-students a swiss banker could ever make it. I forget to tell ye that "the Joseba" was released within 2 hours of his leadership being cast last February 24th - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81174#comment184672
this isn't coz I was worried you'd be fretting - it was more coz I wrote then i'd be leaving the topic for a while. & accordingly off I did trot and under the name Hogworts (which is not hogwash - it's more like me spelling out me qualifications and diplomas) & so told ye about the rise of racism, neonazism, fascism & so on in eastern Germany & Poland. Coz I fret about dat. & you should too.
anyway (great word is anyway it builds tone) I'm going to be back on the subject of the basques again - having promised a long time ago to cover Navarra when the time was right.
& Now the time is right for such analysis as the Doctor (you know who) told the council of Gallifrey when they suspended his license but of course he had the last laugh because they needed him......oh yes -they did.

you'll get that .:.