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Twelve young Basques arrested
Anonym - 12.03.2002 17:02
Press-statement 11 march 2002 Twelve young Basques arrested In the night of 7 to 8 of march twelve young people where arrested in a police operation carried out by 200 policemembers. The police invaded a totalof about 25 houses, offices and bars. The operation was ordered by the infamous Spanish investigation-judge Balthasar Garzon. Garzon blames the twelve youngsters for being the leadership of Segi, an organisation which, after extreme Spanish pressure, was placed on the European list of terrorist organisations and was later declared illegal by decrete of the same judge Garzon.
The twelve youngsters are blamed of being members of a terrorist organisation. This accusation is based on the theory that ETA is not just an armed organisation but a whole network involving newspapers, political parties, and activist groups who all have in common that they work in favour of the independence of the Basque country. The theory (made up by, again, Garzon and fully backed by the Spanish governing party the Partido Popular) is that anybody following the same goals as ETA forms part of ETA. This theory was first used four years ago with the blocking of bank-accounts of different organisations among which the organisation for teaching the Basque language to adults AEK. Shortly after the Basque newspaper Egin was closed and since then many organisations have been declared illegal without any judicial control. One of the only organisations forming part of the Basque movement for independence still not declared illegal is the political party Batasuna. Thiswasn´t a result of lack of voluntary on Spanish side but because there exist laws against illegalising political parties without evidence or judicial control. At the moment a law is passing through Spanish parliament to "repairthat defect" in the Spanish legal system. It is expected that after this law passes parliament (in which the Partido Popular has an absolute mayority) Batasuna will be declared illegal, leaving the Basque independence movement without means of democratic and peaceful expression. The arrest of the twelve youngsters is the next step in this repression proces. The twelve are blamed for all the acts of urban violence since the constitution of Segi nearly a year ago following the illegalisation of the former Youth movement Haika. Representatives of Segi gave a press-conference on the 8th of march from Bainoa in the north of the Basque country (falling under French jurisdiccion). It was said that for the youth two possibilities were left over: "Stop our activities or keep on with our struggle in spite of the laws against the Basque country invented by the Spanish government". The representatives pointed out that many of the detained were also student activists and they spoke out the fear that the student movement Ikasle Abertzaleak might be the next victim of Garzons criminalisation drive. A day of struggle was announced for today. Yesterday there have been protests against the detentions in many Basque villages and cities. The last news is that 11 of the 12 go to prison and that the arrest of more youngsters is ordered. Garzon has even asked for the extradiction of Segi-members from the French part. We ask for your solidarity. Protest at the Spanish and French diplomatic representatives, spread this story where-ever you can, put it on your web-site, ask your favourite politician to take action. If you want to keep informed, please sent an e-mail to  BicUtrecht@cs.com Basque Information Centre PoBox 2884 3500 GW Utrecht
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