ETA's Statement to the Institutions and Citizens of Europe.

On 11th June 1995, ETA sent a statement to the European public opinion for the first time. In that document this organisation explained the contents of a peace proposal -known as the Democratic Alternative- that we had published some months earlier and we requested to put pressure on the Spanish government to force them to change their uncompromising attitude.

Seven years later, the Spanish government has been in charge of the Presidency of the European Union for six months. That period will finish now with the meeting of the leaders of the member-states in Seville (Andalusia).

Spanish fascism, French jacobinism, the building of Europe and the Globalisation: the Basque Country in a tight spot.

The conflict that sets the Basque Country against Spain and France continues. Despite the power changes in the governments of Spain and France, despite the important steps towards the building of Europe, there is no indication that both oppressive states will give up the colonisation and oppression we endure in the Basque Country.

On the contrary, the Spanish government has imposed a state of siege in the Basque Country: ban on newspapers, increase in the amount of arbitrary detentions, ban on political organisations and groups of the popular movement and the legalisation of savage tortures. Subsequent to the attacks of September 11th, they have tried to achieve the complicity of the European institutions. In addition, taking advantage of its economic power -as in the filthiest times of the Spanish imperialism- they had increased the pressure on the countries "under their influence". Nowadays, the fascism and the restructuring of the Empire are the main features of the Spanish policy.

During these years, one of the only changes has been the high speed acquired by the renovated Era of the Globalisation. In connection with the undergoing worldwide economic transformation, the building of Europe is just another part of the puzzle. The creation of a giant market has hampered the development and establishment of a social Europe. After having created and reinforced the economic foundations of the single European market, the leading powers have took the place left to the citizens and started to build on it. The speed of the European process is being marked by the capital and their financial needs. The Europe of the citizens, Europe's social chart and the Europe of the peoples were abandoned a long time ago.

On the other hand, the gap between the citizens and the European institutions is widening, as they recognise too. To avoid it, the European institutions are taking some measures. Against the Basque Country and especially against all the popular organisations that fight for the rights of the Basque Country, the measures they promote are different: the Schengen Space for the police control, the Watson law and the right to veto of Spain and France. In return for political proposals for a solution, more and more repression; that is our reality.

Meanwhile, the Basque citizens still make up a group of second-class citizens, trapped in the institutional nets of Spain's parliamentary monarchy and France's republic. Our rights remained kidnapped; by "kidnapped" we mean a group of citizens free to say whatever, but whose right to decide is undermined within both political systems. Furthermore, according to a new law Spain is planning to adopt, the Basque citizens will not be allowed even to say what they think!

The Basque Country has got no future in the current Europe of the States. Lots of majestic sentences, lots of "democratic" rights, but during the last years the building of Europe has just shown us clearly that we do not have the right to think and to act as a people. To prevent the Basques from acting as such, the republic of France uses its false grandness and equity and Spain the democratic label given by Europe for the last twenty years. In the modern reservation for natives they built for us, we are told wickedly we shall only be as souvenirs for the tourists and for the history books; in fact, limited rights that can only be used in a reservation under their control. Up to now, the magnificent future offered by all the governments in Spain and France to the Basques has been that of a "democratic" segregation.

In addition, the republic of France and the "democracy" of Spain have built the future behind the Basque citizens' back; and, however, how many are the Basques who lost their lives in the Basque Country fighting in the resistance against the nazis?, How many are those who died in the war against the Spanish fascists? And, finally, we got paid, through their oppression and abuse.

The governments of Spain and France go against History.

ETA confirms its proposition to set the conflict on democratic grounds.

ETA has usually said that there are ways to overcome the oppression and the armed conflict. Moreover, ETA has launched concrete proposals for the last forty years.

• In 1976, at the time the "Spanish democracy" was being born, the KAS Alternative was offered.

• In 1989, the talks in Algiers took place but the lack of political courage of the political party in power Œthe PSOE- at that time undermined the process.

• In 1995, ETA published a concrete proposal we called the Democratic Alternative (see the appendix).

• Later, ETA has left clear its goodwill to overcome the armed conflict through democratic ways in 1996 with a one-week initiative, or in the initiative of 1998.

In fact, we must assert proudly that ETA's strategic objectives remain the independence and socialism, but, at the same time, we make proposals linked to the reality to overcome the armed conflict. ETA will never speak in the name of our people. The members of ETA, instead of being terrorists, are a group of Basque citizens who are tightly tied to their society. Nowadays, ETA keeps on using the armed struggle in favour of the fundamental rights of the Basque Country. However, if those rights are guaranteed, ETA has repeated once and again that it will respect the decision of our people.

The respect to our Self-determination and to our territory. Both concepts must be guaranteed by a Democratic Process; that is the only condition demanded by ETA to overcome the current armed conflict. In fact, it could also be summed up in the slogan "Give the word to the People and respect it", the fundamentals of the Democratic Alternative. That's the only key to the problem.

In addition, we must remember that in 1997, due to a campaign to become known the Democratic Alternative, the judicial-repressive machinery of the Spanish government imprisoned the whole leadership of Herri Batasuna.

So, what can we expect from the "democratic" propositions of our two neighbouring states? That is ETA's question to the citizens and institutions of Europe. At this moment in time, the juridical-political structuring of a new Europe is taking place; the European Institutions should know that the building of that Europe would be hampered if they were unable to reply with political courage to the existing conflicts and disputes. The responsibility would be yours too.

ETA wants to confirm to the institutions, social agents and citizens of Europe its willingness to overcome the armed struggle. The Basque citizens should discuss, think over and say, without pressures, which is the Basque Country they want and which position in Europe they wish.

While the Basque Country is doomed to die, ETA will keep on struggling.

As ETA asserts its willingness to overcome the armed struggle, we also confirm that the only way against the obstinacy and arrogance of both oppressing states is the struggle. In any case, peace will only be brought by justice.

While the political rights of the Basque Country remain being denied; while the willingness to talk and negotiate remain being deceitful; while the plans to ban the citizens' organisations, groups and initiatives continue; while there is no willingness to punish their use of torture and other atrocities; while the only truth is that of their despicable media, that is, while the renovated tracks of fascism remain, ETA will keep on practising the armed struggle, as for the last four decades. Because the self-defence is our right.

In favour of a plural world and a fair society. Free to build the future.

We would like to declare our solidarity to all the citizens who are worldwide fighting against injustice:

• The Palestinian People show us everyday through their proves of dignity how strong can be the thirst for freedom and how deep the oppressors' obstinacy.

• We have in mind Tchetchenia, forgotten by Europe, which proves us how easy can be for the powerful to commit great atrocities and keep them in silence.

• We cannot forget the determination of the prisoners who are in hunger strike for their dignity and fundamental rights in Turkey and the commitment of their relatives;

• the Kurdistan, attacked by all sides.

• We send our deepest regards to the Breizh people for the support they have always shown to the Basque Country.

• Also to the fighters in Ireland, Corsica, Catalonia and Galicia.

The struggle against injustice unites us, the dream of a fair society in the future too.

To the institutions and social agents of Europe.

ETA requests to the European Institutions to make efforts to change the attitude of the Spanish and French governments.

It requests to the social agents to come to the Basque Country, to meet all the agents here, to analyse the situation in its entirety and, in their working field to spread a view based on reality; because many media in Europe just transmit the view of the despicable Spanish media.

We must take steps to set the conflict on democratic grounds. It is about time for each one to assume his/her own responsibility. ETA assumed its own one a long time ago.

UP A FREE BASQUE COUNTRY! UP A SOCIALIST BASQUE COUNTRY!!

Basque Country, 11th June 2002

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna
E.T.A

Appendix:

THE DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE:

1) To be agreed upon with the Spanish government:

1. The recognition of the Basque Country. The recognition of its right to the self-determination and its territorial unity. The right to the self-determination is not a political position, but a democratic right that belongs to any people. That is why, the Spanish State must accept the recognition of this right. However, the decision of when, how and to what purpose that right is to be developed belongs to the Basque citizens. The recognition of that right must be secured, as it is the key of the Democratic Alternative and an essential step on the way to Independence.

   The recognition of the Basque Country requires the recognition of its territorial unity, eliminating the current territorial division and lifting the institutional borders. How this unity will be defined and how the Basque Country will be structured, will be a decision to be taken only by the Basque citizens.

   We cannot forget that we joined the European Union by force; therefore, the recognition of the Basque Country should be an opportunity for the citizens to decide the kind of relation that we want to maintain with the European Union.

2. The respect for the outcome of a democratic process to be opened in the Basque Country. Limitations cannot be imposed upon the decisions voiced by the people. Therefore, the Spanish State must agree that they will respect the development of the democratic process and its outcome, whatever it may be.

2) To be debated, agreed upon and developed by the Basque citizens:

1. The development of a democratic process to decide on those subjects which concern only the Basque citizens, no one else. In that process labour unions, associations, social movements, political parties, institutions, in a word, all the society must take part. First of all, they will have to agree upon the options, frameworks, and where the decisions will be taken. Throughout this process, at least the following points will have to be agreed:

   • The development of the right to self-determination (formulation, methodology, options, timetables...)

   • The formulation of the territorial unity and the process in which they will take a decision over it; the relations among all the Basque territories

   • The powers of the new institutional structure that is going to be agreed upon, without any kind of limitations

   • Plans for the teaching of the Basque language.

   • The socio-economic model and plans.

   • The demilitarisation of the Basque Country (including the role of the Spanish Army and its withdrawal; the composition and character of the police force).

   • Education.

   • Democratic rights.

2. In order to secure a democratic process, all the Basque citizens will enjoy the possibility of taking part in it, without any kind of pressure. That means that the following requirements will have to be met in order to consider the process to be really democratic:

   • A general amnesty without pre-conditions. The amnesty cannot be negotiated, as it is a necessary condition for a democratic process. All prisoners will be released (from the Spanish, French prisons, and whichever other states' prisons) and all clandestines and refugees will have the opportunity of returning home.

   • The withdrawal of the Spanish Army.

If the Spanish State accepts the subjects to be agreed upon with them, ETA will call a cease-fire to favour a democratic process in the Basque Country.