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Cannons will never destroy tenderness among the peoples of the world
Address of the Basque Internationalist Walter Wendelin subsequent to being granted probation
Translation by C.L.
From the very moment the door of your house is beaten open, and other doors are banged shut one by one behind you, when their institutional regulations and the arbitrary decisions of prison guards oppress you in the corridors, when boredom stagnates in the night and time trudges on, it is then that your companion, also a political prisoner, offers to carry your burden with you, and opens a hidden window in the brick wall to remind you that the streets and squares of villages and cities in Euskal Herria are full of people treading robustly, going ever forward, making decisions, taking action, without stopping, forbidding, regulating or leading anyone to any sheepfold.
Sometimes it?s hard to lean on our companion?s shoulder or to receive the support from our weekend visitors and from those who keep guard at home. We have not learned this in time and sufficient measure.
We can and must carry out this task before and in case it is needed. We should not be afraid nor fear scaring people away because of it. We should learn in time and well because we owe it to the companions still inside and to all those people who travel every weekend across Spain and la R�publique* and advance towards freedom in the streets of Euskal Herria.
The day will come when all those who have endured this ordeal (however short or long) will be able to organise the just and deserved homage for the people who have worked and suffered to preserve the health, courage and spirit of those inside.
But we must not forget that more important than learning how to confront the ordeal of being inside those detestable walls is to invest effort and work in not having to make that journey.
We should avoid this ordeal always, but without betraying our conscience and by continuing the work we are accused of.
Because we are not innocent, we are guilty with every day that passes, guilty of producing, accumulating and using weapons of massive development of humanity, solidarity, dignity, justice and peace, guilty of making decisions independently but totally dependent on any struggle against any injustice anywhere in the world.
Just over six months ago, the Kingdom [of Spain], prison of peoples and builder of more and more prisons ?in its image and likeness?, released all its weakness, fear, indignity and fanaticism on the internationalist solidarity of our people. With the reason of their force and the force of their unreasonableness, their objective was nothing more and nothing less than to end tenderness among peoples. How conceited and what cowards they are!
Cannons will never destroy tenderness among the peoples of the world, nor will missiles from their F16 in Libya, just like the Balkans and Afghanistan before them.
Nor will Telef�nica, Endesa, Iberdrola, Uni�n Fenosa or BBVA end solidarity by razing other lands or people with their euros, their 0.7%, their credits and their filthy businesses yielding cutthroat profit they call economic growth; because the peoples of Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Colombia... and so many others of America, Africa, Asia and Oceania have decided, like Venezuela, that they will be silent no longer.
And even less can they end the tenderness, solidarity and will of our people by means of the dirty wars of the GAL** of the Audiencia Nacional [High Court]*** or the jails built ?in the image and likeness? of their royal democracy and their unreal freedom.
Neither they nor anyone else can destroy the international solidarity, the tenderness among peoples, our ?deep feelings about any injustice anywhere in world?.
We will always show our solidarity, because we know that if there is just one exploited and oppressed people, it is because there is an exploiting oppressor, and whilst there is just one exploiting oppressor, no person or people will be sure of its freedom.
Solidarity is not a crime. But if they make it a crime, it will be the greatest, most dignified, most powerful, legitimate and moral crime here and anywhere in the world.
No prison can resist tenderness among the peoples of the world.
HAMAIKA HERRI BORROKA BAKARRA! MANY PEOPLES, ONE FIGHT!
* Owing to the policy of dispersion implemented by the Spanish government in the 80s and contrary to its own legislation, virtually no Basque prisoner carries out his or her sentence in a jail near home as they are scattered all over Spain and France; this obliges their visitors to travel an average of 600 kilometres each way for a weekly visit of 40 minutes.
** GAL: Antiterrorist Liberation Groups, paramilitary group commanded by the Socialist government which carried out a dirty war in the 80s against Basque militants, causing many victims.
***Audiencia Nacional: Special court, inheritor of Franco?s courts, whose almost exclusive occupation is to judge Basque militants.
Basque Info 2011.04.18
- ETA reaffirms its "clear commitment to overcome the armed conflict"
- Jose Maria Sagardui ?Gatza? goes free after 31 years as a political prisoner
- Freedom for Arnaldo Otegi
- News in brief
ETA reaffirms its "clear commitment to overcome the armed conflict"
In the latest issue (n.113) of "Zutabe" ? internal magazine of ETA-, the Basque armed organization reflects on the permanent, general and verifiable ceasefire, public fact since January 10th, seeks to convey their thoughts to Basque society.
ETA explains that its cease-fire demonstrates "the commitment and will to realize political change. " And that it seeks, in particular, "irreversible and decisive steps in the process of liberation" while favourable factors exist.
ETA also believes that this cease-fire "has provided an opportunity for a permanent and democratic solution to the political conflict, showing a clear commitment to overcome the armed conflict which characterizes this completed cycle."
On the path taken by the Abertzale Left, the armed organization believes that "the nationalist left was right to make a correct reading of the situation and, with its initiative created the possibility of bringing about the complete change of the situation."
ETA assumes that the Abertzale Left made a thorough analysis of recent decades . ?It has analysed the situation and the needs of the people and has been able to make them their own.?
ETA?s analysis also includes references to key initiatives that have been developed in Euskal Herria (the Basque Country) in recent months such as Aberri Eguna 2010 (Basque National Day demonstration), the Gernika Agreement (broad front for conflict resolution) different national mass demonstrations in recent months, the plural dynamics in the European arrest warrant against activists in the Northern Basque Country (under French rule), the Basque workers' protests, etc.
ETA notes that its decision of 10 January "responds responsibly to the request from the Gernika Agreement.?
In describing this initiative, ETA points out that its ceasefire has two target arenas: the principal one,"Euskal Herria, Basque society and Basque parties and organizations ", as well as a second which is the international community, which it hopes that it will channel pressure causing a crack in the locked position of the State. In this regard it points out the positive response that it gave to the Brussels Declaration (signed up by international personalities willing to facilitate a conflict resolution process).
The armed organisation makes it clear that, by contrast, ?from the Spanish state, one should not expect a sincere desire for a settlement process. " It expects that their attitude will be "keeping Euskal Herria tied to Spain" and that this will require incresing the level of democratic confrontation.
The armed Basque organisation on the other hand denounces the lies spread by the media in recent times after citizens were held in incommunicado detention.
Jose Maria Sagardui ?Gatza? goes free after 31 years as a political prisoner
The Basque political prisoner who has spent the longest time in jail was released last week. A picture of dignity, Gatza walked out of the prison of Jaen, clenched fist held high (hundreds of kilometres from Euskal Herria). He was greeted with roars of welcome by his neighbours who had travelled by coach overnight from Zornotza. His family were there too. It was an emotion-filled moment as it was the first time Gatza had been able to hug his daughter Goiztiri in freedom.
It was time to begin the long-awaited return to Euskal Herria. Now that he was free, he gave his first statements, in which he thanked Euskal Herria for all the support he had received during three decades in prison.
He wished to specially remember too all the Basque political prisoners who remain behind bars and all the exiled refugees.
In Zornotza, the place of his birth, hundreds of locals awaited his arrival. Despite police threats and the threatening police presence, his town?s people gave him a warm welcome. Gatza came out on the balcony of his house to greet all who were there.
Despite the successive bans on events to greet the Basque former political prisoner Jose Mari Sagardui "Gatza", thousands of people gathered on Saturday in Zornotza to show their support for "the Basque Mandela" and to denounce the cruel prison policy.
The shameful display by the Ertzaintza (pro-Spanish Basque police) did not prevent thousands of citizens from showing their affection for "Gatza" and their support for his militant commitment and his denounciation of the repression of those comrades he left behind in prison.
The Abertzale Left wishes here to commend the way in which the citizens who attended Zornotza on Saturday to show their affection for "Gatza" carried themselves and that despite police provocation did not respond in kind, giving them a lesson in dignified behaviour. We wish here also to show all our affection for "Gatza" and his relatives.
WELCOME, GATZA, TO EUSKAL HERRIA! WELCOME HOME!
Freedom for Arnaldo Otegi
We in the Abertzale Left support the call by a group of locals and friends of Arnaldo Otegi asking for his freedom and co-sponsor the call for a demonstration next Saturday April 30th. The text of of the organizers and the email address to add your sponsorship appears in the line below.
Because Euskal Herria must have the right to pursue politics as a nation. Because Euskal Herria must have the right to decide its future freely and democratically. Because all citizens of Euskal Herria should have the right to engage in free political activity. Because Arnaldo has been jailed for working for a peaceful, democratic process for Euskal Herria. Because the Basque political prisoners are jailed for political and not judicial reasons. Because we want and need them on the street. On April 30 the platform Freedom for Arnaldo, Freedom for Politics will be in Elgoibar ? and you?
News in brief
Bertie Ahern, ex-Prime Minster of Ireland, in Donostia/San Sebastian: Former Irish Prime Minister held a conference in Donostia/San Sebastian in which he reviewed his contribution to the Irish peace process and advised politicians to take risks and to be persistent, that they use international mediation, to have an inclusive attitude, to consult the people and to promote joint institutions.
The role of prisoners in conflict resolution: Under this title an interesting discussion took place in Bilbao with the attendance of former political prisoners, South African Robert McBride and Irish Joseph Doherty. Both related their experience in the resolution of the protracted conflicts that were experienced in their respective countries.
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