1Aberri Eguna 2012

The international community continues to in­volve and commit itself for dialogue between the sides as a way of resolving in a definitive and las­ting manner the Basque conflict.

A sign of that have been the different initiatives that have taken place in the past months in di­fferent parts of Europe and the world.

From Idaho we have received the news that the Co­mmittee for State Affairs for the state of Idaho has adopted a resolution which recognizes and praises the declaration by ETA for a definitive cessation of their armed activity. They show their support for the way of negotiation for achieving a lasting peace; for that they recommend that the governments of Spain, France, the Basque Autonomous Community and Na­varre act in order to encourage dialogue in the Basque territories.

In the same resolution they offer their encourage­ment and support to these institutions “in the de­velopment of their efforts to establish a negotiation

process to create a lasting peace, to recognize all of the victims of terrorism and to consider all democratic forms of referendums about the constitutional future and the of the Basque territories.”

Finally, they resolved to send a copy of this resolu­tion to different entities of the United States such as: President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the president of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the congressio­nal delegation of the state of Idaho, to the Spanish Prime Minister, the President of France, the President (Lehendakari) of the Basque Autonomous Communi­ty and to the President of the Foral Government of Navarre.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The Resolution of the Basque conflict continues to be on the agenda of the international community

ABERRITIKABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORAABERRI EGUNA 2012

www.ezkerabertzalea.info / www.basquepeaceprocess.info

ABERRITIKDESDE LA PATRIA VASCA FROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

ABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORAwww.ezkerabertzalea.info

2 Aberri Eguna 2012

FROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

From the Abertzale Left we salute this declaration and we consider it to be a new contribution from the international community and from the Basque Dias­pora to the democratic process set forth in Euskal Herria. We have said it in the past and we will repeat it in the future. Beyond any party manipulation, the majority of the Basque Diaspora supports the politi­cal resolution of the existing conflict in the Basque Country, and its role could be of great importance on the way to achieve that objective. Once again, we can only say Eskerrik asko from the Basque Country.

The Abertzale Left wishes to thank the commitment shown by the institutional representatives of Idaho with the democratic resolution of the Basque con­flict.

In the European Parliament a conference took place

this past March 29th about a possible roadmap for the resolution of the Basque conflict. The title of the conference was “Conference of Aiete, a roadmap for peace in the Basque Country?”

The conference was organized by the Basque Friend­ship (a group that supports the peace process in Eus­kal Herria and is composed of member of the Euro­pean Parliament) and by the Green/EFA group. The main objective of the conference was, according to the organizers, “to continue to deepen in the search for international support for the peace process.” Specially of the EU institutions.

Jonathan Powell one of the endorsers of the Aiete Declaration. He left a clear message for the Spanish government: to reach a fair and lasting solution it is necessary to open up a process, commit oneself and

A JOINT MEMORIAL TO THE PRESIDENT AND SE­CRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESEN­TING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN, THE PRESI DENT OF FRANCE, THE PRE­SIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BASQUE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE FORAL GOVERNMENT OF NAVARRE.

We, your Memorialists, the House of Representati­ves and the Senate of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the Sixty­first Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:

WHEREAS, the State of Idaho is a North American center of the Basque pop12

ulation, and many of those citizens of this state have kept close ties to the homeland of their fore­fathers; and

WHEREAS, from the time of the government of the last dictatorship in Spain until the present, the

Resolution by the house of Representatives and the Senate of the State of Idaho

ABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORA

3Aberri Eguna 2012

www.basquepeaceprocess.info FROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

negotiate. Representatives of different Basque po­litical parties took place such as the Abertzale Left, PNV, EA, Aralar, Ezker­Batua­Berdeak, Alternatiba and the PS.

In the British Parliament, 24 members of Parliament endorsed an Early Day Motion in which they welco­med the declaration of the definitive cessation of armed actions on the part of ETA. They recognized the courage value of the Declaration of Aiete as well as the contribution of its signers to reaching a scena­rio of peace. Finally, they called on the international community to support the achievement of a stable and lasting peace.

They work done by the International Contact Group (ICG) can also not be forgotten. This group made up of experts in facilitating the resolution of conflicts

has made various trips to Euskal Herria with the ob­jective of continuing their work of promoting, faci­litating and easing the resolution of the conflict in Euskal Herria. With this objective they have met with representatives of different Basque political forma­tions with whom they have exchanged observations.

The International Community has an important role to play on the resolution of the Basque conflict, its contribution can be very positive, but the main ac­tor on the resolution process is and should be the Basque society and its political representatives. Be­yond our differences, it is our responsibility to look and find common spaces that would help build a new democratic framework in which a lasting peace and justice scenario can be agreed. The Abertzale Left has taken steps and will continue to walk in that di­rection.

Basque Country has experienced decades of ter ror and violence; and

WHEREAS, in 1972, the Second Regular Session of the Forty­first Idaho Legislature adopted Senate Joint Memorial No. 115 that condemned the gover­nment of the last dictatorship in Spain and urged peace and democracy in the Basque Country; and

WHEREAS, in 2002, the Second Regular Session of the Fifty­sixth Idaho Legislature unanimously adopted Senate Joint Memorial No. 114 that con­demned all terrorist organizations operating in the world and specifically the terrorist organization Euskadi ‘ta Askatasuna (ETA) in Spain and expre­ssed strong support for an immediate end to all vio­lence in the Basque Country and for the establish­ment of peace and freedom through all democratic and lawful means as well as the recognition of the right to self­determination; and

WHEREAS, in 2006, the Second Regular Session of the Fifty­eighth Idaho Legislature adopted House Joint Memorial No. 26 that condemned all acts of terrorism and violence by all organizations and indi­viduals within the Basque Country and throughout the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Session of the

Sixty­first Idaho Legislature, the House of Re­presentatives and the Senate concurring therein, that the State of Idaho recognizes and commends ETA’s statements of a definitive cessation of its armed activity and end to terrorism, and further co mmends the governments of Spain, France, the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre for their actions to promote dialogue on the future of the Basque territories and achieving a lasting peace.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Idaho extends its encouragement and support to their democratic governments in their ongoing efforts to establish a negotiation process to create a lasting peace, to recognize all victims of terrorism and to consider all democratic forms of referenda on the constitutional future of the Basque territories.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President and Secretary of State of the United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, the congressional delegation repre­senting the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States, the Prime Minister of Spain, the President of France, the President of the Basque Autonomous Community and the President of the Foral Government of Navarre.

4 Aberri Eguna 2012

ABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORAwww.ezkerabertzalea.infoFROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

First of all, in the name of the Abertzale Left, I’d like to share with the organizers of this event, the Green Parliamentary Group – EFA, the Basque Friendship Group, the speaker and the signatory of the Declara­tion of Aiete, Mr. Jonathan Powell, our most sincere gratitude for his invaluable contribution for the solution process for the political conflict as a way of advancing towards the construction of a peace scenario in our country.

The Abertzale Left has always considered the participation and implication of the international co mmunity to be indispensable to the resolution of the political conflict and strengthening our relation­ships with them has been one of our main challen­ges, as has been pointed out in the preliminaries to this change of cycle by our comrade Arnaldo Otegi.

The international community has been, together Basque society, the main receiver of the strategic commitment made by the Abertzale Left.

And we can’t forget to underscore and applaud the initiatives put forward by the international commu­nity in these past years; the creation o Friendship in the European Parliament, the Declaration of the Eu­ropean Parliament supporting the Basque resolution process in October of 2006, the Brussels Declaration, the formation of the International Contact Group and the International Verification Commission and, of course, the Declaration of Aiete, a fruit of the International Peace Conference which took place in Donostia this past October.

Three of these initiatives, the creation of Friendship, the Declaration of the European Parliament and the Brussels Declaration came about precisely in this parliamentary seat and that is not a coincidence. In our opinion the European Union can and should have

a determining role in the peace process. We hope that this act contributes to that.

The Declaration of Aiete meant a point of inflection in the recent history of our country and unleashed historic events such as ETA’s decision to definitively cease their armed activity.

The Abertzale Left understands that the conclusions of the Declaration of Aiete set the bases for consoli­dating a scenario of shared democratic minimums in Euskal Herria. A scenario that must propel an inclu­sive democratic solution of the political conflict in all of its aspects, from the causes to the consequences. A scenario that consequently must count on the participation of all political cultures of this country that are necessary for the political resolution of the conflict.

The Abertzale Left believes that the political mo­ment has arrived to assume among everybody, the co­responsibility of contributing common efforts in order to develop a climate of constructive dialogue towards achieving a democratic agreement in Euskal Herria, based on its national recognition and its right to Self­Determination, endorsed by the Basque citizenry.

In this sense the Abertzale Left stays firm in its commitment and responsibility to continue con­tributing to the attainment of this still pending challenge needed for our country: building peace.

Winds of solution are blowing in our country and the Abertzale Left is renewing, from the European Parliament, their commitment to, hand in hand with the Basque people and the international communi­ty, continuing to contribute to the construction of a definitive scenario of peace, justice and democracy in Euskal Herria.

Speech by Abertzale Left’s member in the European Parliament conference

ABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORA

5Aberri Eguna 2012

www.basquepeaceprocess.info FROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

Abertzale Forces have continued to move ahead on the road to unity these past months. Leaving aside party interests they have been able to unite their forces in the demand for the national and social rights of Euskal Herria.

In November the electoral alliance of four Abertzale politi­cal forces of Hego [southern] Euskal Herria: the Abertzale Left, Eusko Alkartasuna, Alternatiba and Aralar, obtained great success in the Spanish general elections,, receiving representation in the four provinces of Hego Euskal Herria and a total of parliamentarians and 3 senators.

Amaiur, the name adopted by this coalition set as an ob­jective during the campaign to go to Madrid as a nation and demand the national rights that correspond to Euskal Herria, insisting especially on national recognition and the right to decide that goes with it.

This is the task that Amaiur is carrying out in Madrid; defen­ding the rights of the Basque people and of their citizens, knowing that these institutions aren’t ours. Our nation is Euskal Herria and in Madrid Amaiur is demanding the poli­tical and economic rights that are systematically denied us, even though they are ours. For that, they are working con­tinuously in the Spanish Parliament, even though it isn’t normalized accordingly.

They are also working on political dialogue and democra­tic pedagogy about Euskal Herria with other political and social forces in the state. The main points are a part of the Gernika Agreement, an agreement for a scenario of peace and democratic solutions signed among different Basque political, trade union and social forces. They are also part of the conclusions of the International Conference of Aiete,

(Declaration of Aiete) in which international leaders set out a road map to resolve the armed conflict and confront the political problem.

Just a few weeks ago Abertzale forces gave a new impulse to this union of forces. Five Abertzale forces, the four that make up Amaiur plus Abertzaleen Batasuna (a political for­ce in Ipar (northern) Euskal Herria) presented a document in Bayonne in which they firmly committed to a confluence of forces to propel national construction and social change in Euskal Herria.

Abertzaleen Batasuna, Alternatiba, Aralar, the Abertza­le Left and Eusko Alkartasuna have set as an objective to elaborate and reach a consensus on a Strategic National Agreement among independentist and sovereigntist forces of the left leading to achieving political and social change.

This National Agreement parts from the respect towards the differences of the rhythm of the different territories that make up Euskal Herria, those that the Strategic Na­tional Agreement will adapt the contents and rhythms, but with a national perspective.

It is also worth mentioning the effort that municipal repre­sentatives of diverse political forces are bringing about to put Udalbiltza in movement again. With this objective and taking into account the new political scenario present in Euskal Herria, council members and mayors of the six he­rrialdes have demonstrated their commitment to give con­tinuation to the Udalbiltza project. Representatives of Bil­du, Abertzaleen Batasuna, NaBai, Aralar and independents consider that these steps have to be taken in the construc­tion and structuring of Euskal Herria and that Udalbiltza is a necessary instrument. DOKUMENTUA >>>>

NATIONAL AGREEMENT

Union of Abertzale Forces

ABERTZALE LEFT’S BULLETIN FOR BASQUE DIASPORAwww.ezkerabertzalea.info

6 Aberri Eguna 2012

FROM THE BASQUE MOTHERLAND

Abertzale Left, EA, Alternatiba, Aralar and AB commit themselves to work together to be able to give a common response

ABERTZALEEN BATASUNA, ALTER­NATIBA, ARALAR, the ABERTZALE LEFT and EUSKO ALKARTASUNA, gathered together on March 14th, 2012 in Bayonne, together we wish to make the following known to Euskal Herria:

The Abertzale Left, Euskal Alkarta­suna, Alternatiba, Aralar y Abert­zaleen Batasuna having plurality as a fundamental base and objective wish to make known that we firmly and strategically commit to a con­vergence of forces. We have decided to do it through the accumulation of forces to propel national cons­truction and the social change of our country, with the objective of advancing towards our objective of having a sovereign and supportive Euskal Herria.

We assess positively the profound changes that are taking place and the new political phase that is opening in Euskal Herria. We consider that we are at a historical juncture for solving the conflict that this country has and at a decisive moment for propelling national construction and social change.

But these objectives that we share are being hindered at different le­

vels. On one side, the systemic crisis and, therefore, the crisis of capita­lism that we are suffering shows us once and again the dominating character of the capitalistic system, which erodes individual and collec­tive rights and hints at the necessity of responding with a socio­economic alternative leading to a new model for society. On the other side the Spanish and French states continue to maintain a stubborn attitude towards Euskal Herria: maintaining a system of multiple forms of do­mination, democratic infringement, institutional obstacles, a repression of many types…

In this situation, the requests that for a long time have been called for are being shown to be stronger than ever. The character of the political subject that belongs to our county or the right that belongs to the citizens to freely decide their political, eco­nomic and social future continues to be denied. The challenges that Euskal Herria has decline differently and at different rhythms in each territory, but they all encompass problems that are national.

Among the most infringed upon rights in our country, we can’t stop mentioning linguistic rights as an essential component of our personal identity. Euskera, a European lan­guage, isn’t recognized in all parts of Euskal Herria. It isn’t recognized

that Euskera can be used normally in all facets of life. For that we demand that Euskara be used in all territories in a free and norma­lized way in all aspects of life. We demand that Euskara be official in all of Euskal Herria and we promi­se ourselves to work in a firm way to reach this objective and for the promotion, in general, of Basque culture in our country and at the international level.

We are convinced that this is the moment to overcome disagree­ments and division that in the past years have existed between parties and it is the time to create a perma­nent accumulation of independen­tist, sovereigntist and leftist forces.

For all the above, those of us who subscribe to this declaration commit ourselves to work together in a permanent and profound way to be able to give a common response to the different problems that our country has. For that, we are setting as an objective to elaborate and reach a consensus in a short amount of time a National Strategic Agree­ment among independentists and leftist sovereigntists aimed at ob­taining political and social change. This Agreement for all Euskal Herria will adapt its contents to the times and characteristics of Iparralde and Hegoalde.

Document