NEWSFLASH: Spanish state repression against Askapena

Bring the prisoners home!

Those of you who were at Camp Secret Squirrel this year, or were around in the week or so afterwards, will remember the comrades we had visiting from Askapena, the internationalist organisation of the Basque pro-independence left.

Yesterday the repressive police apparatus of the Spanish state was brought to bear on Askapena, with seven members arrested from across the Basque Country.

According to media reports, among those arrested is Walter Wendelin (who I met briefly when I was over there), who does a lot of solidarity work with Latin America. Many of the reports in the Spanish media make clear that the police operation is trying to target the relationships of the Basque pro-independence left with Latin America, and they’ve spoken of “finding information relating to the link between ETA and the FARC.”

Also arrested was Ruben Sanchez, like Walter in Gasteiz; Gabi Basanez in Getxo; in Barakaldo Unai Vazquez; Itxaso Lekuona in Renteria; David Soto in Iruña; and in Arruazu Ganboa Aritz.

Santa is not a terrorist: Walter Wendelin, who was arrested yesterday

Reports have also spoken about how the police are seizing documents that will help them understand what parts of the world Askapena are working with. Although it seems their operation is primarily focused against Latin America, we wonder if they’re finding anything interesting about Scotland and SSY – we’d just like any cops reading this (Spanish or Brit) to know that we’re proud to consider ourselves comrades of the Basque pro-independence left!

This new bout of repression is of course ridiculous and unjustified. Askapena is a peaceful group that organises international brigades to meet other peoples in struggle, and maintains good relations with friends of the Basque Country around the world. Trying to paint it as a terrorist group is pathetic. Even if we accept the argument of the Spanish state that Askapena is just part of the apparatus of ETA, the Basque armed group recently announced a ceasefire, and its willingness to permanently end armed operations as part of a genuine peace process for the Basque Country.

The response of the Spanish state has shown that they don’t want peace, fearing that it could endanger their ability to keep the Basque Country under military occupation and hold back the fight for independence and socialism. Already this month they arrested another nine activists, and the latest operation takes the number of those arrested this year to 74.

This is a key time for the struggle of the Basque Country, with the pro-independence left initiating a new, peaceful strategy of building unity for mass action by all those who want peace and independence. The new strategy clearly scares a Spanish state which knows the majority of Basque citizens want independence, and they are determined to try and crush their desire for self-determination. The question for us in Scotland is what we can we do to show solidarity? I am going to see what we can organise today, keep checking back on this article for any details and news updates, we’ll be updating the piece as more info comes in.

Update: The Basque trade union federation LAB have launched an international petition for trade unionists and solidarity activists around the world to sign. Presumably we’d all be fine with SSY adding our name to the list of organisations, it’d be good if we could get loads of named people as well, so if you’re up for it add your name in the comments and I’ll email them back at the end of the day.

Here’s their message:

:

You can see more information in Spanish here:

http://www.gara.net/azkenak/09/223295/es/La-Policia-espanola-detiene-siete-miembros-Askapena

“NO MORE BANNINGS HUMAN, CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS FOR EVERYONE

We demand

1.- The halting of  all the states of exception  or violence. The cancellation of all the actions that cause violation, limitation or denial of rights, in order to reach a new scenario in which everyone’s rights will be respected in the whole Basque Country

2.-The guarantee to exercise civil and political rights, human rights, both individual and collective, and specially:

-Right to life and to liberty

-Basque prisoners to the Basque Country. Release of those who have already served their full prison terms or are ill

-Immediate cancellation of the incommunication regime and torture

-Freedom of speech: all the people, all the projects, all the options

-Immediate legalisation of outlawed political parties and organisations, and the resulting de-activation of legal proceedings, trials and sentences derived from those illegalisations”

Thank you in advance for your solidarity,

International Relationships Secretary of LAB Basque trade union