Picture: Arnaldo Otegi
One of the things that I like about Féile an Phobail is its capacity to look at other problems than our own. For example, the problems for those living in the Basque region of Spain.
In ways it’s understandable, in that the Basque struggle for independence in some ways mirrored what was happening here during the period of conflict. Just as the IRA declared its ceasefires in the early 1990s, so the Basque guerrilla group ETA declared an end to its armed conflict in 2011. And just as some people (think Jim Molyneaux) saw peace as a more severe threat than conflict, so the Spanish authorities saw ETA’s rejection of violence as a real danger.
And that’s where the parallel ends. While Sinn Féin was accepted (however grudgingly) as a legitimate political party, Batsuma, the political party that grew out of ETA, was banned. That’s why Batsuma’s leader, Arnaldo Otegi, is in prison in Spain, along with over 500 of his party members. When I say ‘along’, that’s not quite accurate and that is part of the problem. Not only are these 500 party members imprisoned, they are imprisoned as far away from their friends and relations as possible, thus making visiting or any sense of solidarity cripplingly difficult. To say that the Spanish government has turned its back on the possibility of a peace process, such as we have here, is to understate the case.
Will I tell you a secret? I’m ashamed of how little I know about the whole Basque problem. Maybe you wish you knew a bit more as well. If so, I’ll be chairing a panel of speakers in St Mary’s University College on the Falls Road tomorrow, Wednesday, at 4.15 pm. There’ll be three panellists: Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly, Rev Harold Good and Senator Urgo Aiartza. Be there and I promise I’ll take your photograph with my brand new camera…
I too am embarrassed by just how little I know of the Basque situation, I obviously remember their campaign and the reactions of the French and Spanish states, but I had blithely assumed the war there had ended much like our own, with a negotiated settlement, probably as imperfect as our own, but a settlement nonetheless. I find it incredible that there are still hundreds of political prisoners being held in Spanish jails. Is there a dissident element? Do the Spanish/French have securocrats like the British, people who just can`t stop themselves from trying to humiliate their (former?) enemies? Maybe disgruntled spooks and ex members of the civil guard?
Good to see that you support the Basque movement after all their aims are just like Unionism aims not to be part of a bigger state that would discriminate against them….circa 1912-22…
However the Basques do not pledge their allegiance to a foreign power that has no interest in them. As for discrimination, kettle? pot? black?
Is it safe to assume that you are a supporter of Basque claims for independence then Neill?
Whilst we are talking independence and whatnot can you maybe answer the question I put to you a little while back, one which you ignored, and explain to me how the creation of the Northern Irish state was democratic?
Neill it’s quite evident to me that you don’t really go in for joined up thinking. You claim Unionists wanted nothing to do with the Irish free state because they would have been subjected to discrimination (I’m not quite sure what you base that on) but yet on the basis of your commentary on various blogs of Jude’s you seem to be in total denial that the Unionists controlled a state that was sectarian and discriminatory in nature. Perhaps I’m wrong and you have accepted this viewpoint?
I don’t think that this is actually true as the Basque Country is split between three different states/regions Navarra and the Basque Automous region of Euskadi in the Spanish state and Iparalde in the French State. There are lots of people there in those three regions that would prefer to remain part of Spain and France much like irish unionists past and present would prefer to remain part of the UK. In the Basque country, however there is no religious grouping that want automony because of percieved threats to their religious and civil liberties. Although Franco did persecute some of the Basque clergy.
There are those that seek independence by reason of the unique language and culture in the Basque country and feel that they can’t live within the French and Spanish states because of persecution on the same langauge and culture. That is, that Basques who stuck to their own culture were labels as rebels and persecuted. This would be more reminiscent of similar cultural and linguistic movements in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Also the Basque nationalists are left leaning for the most part, where as the unionists here in Ireland are right leaning for the most part. But your point does show that there are no direct parellels with the situation here in Ireland. I have found, however that irish nationalists seem to be inclined support left-wing liberation movements throughout the world, unionists always seem to take the opposite view. I have never understand why this is.
[posted for a second time because of typo]
I don’t think that this is actually true as the Basque Country is split between three different states/regions Navarra and the Basque Automous region of Euskadi in the Spanish state and Iparalde in the French State. There are lots of people there in those three regions that would prefer to remain part of Spain and France much like irish unionists past and present would prefer to remain part of the UK. In the Basque country, however there is no religious grouping that want automony because of percieved threats to their religious and civil liberties. Although Franco did persecute some of the Basque clergy.
There are those that seek independence by reason of the unique language and culture in the Basque country and feel that they can’t live within the French and Spanish states because of persecution on the same langauge and culture. That is, that Basques who stuck to their own culture were labels as rebels and persecuted. This would be more reminiscent of similar cultural and linguistic movements in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Also the Basque nationalists are left leaning for the most part, where as the unionists here in Ireland are right leaning for the most part. But your point does show that there are no direct parellels with the situation here in Ireland. I have found, however that irish nationalists seem to be inclined support left-wing liberation movements throughout the world, unionists always seem to take the opposite view. I have never understood why this is.
Jude, I have read a little about the Basque Situation, and I think the Spanish state do not wish peace for an answer.
I wish to digress, but my time is pressed presently. Given the esteem in which you are widely, and justly so, I thought your forum may allow for a pragmatic proposal, its merits to be judged now. I wish to propose on this thread that we as Irishmen and women, or from elsewhere, join the British Labour Party to push Jeremy Corbin over the line in the labour party leadership race. We cannot vote on our own President in Ireland, but with one member one vote, we can get rid of the Vestiges’ of New Labour, and bring to further prominence, a real friend to Ireland, and a real Socialist. Jeremy Corbin brought Gerry Adams to Westminster after Brighton. He is a fervent supporter of the Basque cause, and other struggles around the world where social justice is wanting, and poverty culls our peoples. This is one chance that we as Irish people can directly influence the outcome of a leadership contest between the left and right in the main opposition, and pragmatism requires we seize the moment before its gone. The join them, it is pence, but all members, whether Westminster or Cork, have one vote each……
What would Larkin or Connolly do. Call it Trojan Horse, call it comradeship, call it whatever, here now we have a true Socialist, and he needs our votes to try to push him over the line in this leadership contest. Corbin is Larkin incarnate. join.labour.org.uk now we have a chance to bring a Republican Socialist and his agendas to greater horizons. The rag Daily Telegraph I believe are urging people to join for their own reasons, lets join for ours!
I think Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon are the most exciting politicians produced by the UK in decades.
Couldn’t agree more, Another Jude.
Correct me if i’m wrong but I don’t think people living in Ireland are permitted to join the British Labour Party. Because of their stance on irish unity they do not organise in ireland and hence don’t contend elections here. So i’m afraid that we would all have to move to England, Scotland or Wales for this to happen.
I have already joined Colman. We are eligible to join, and to vote. Indeed, looking at the membership link up, I don’t think there are many restrictions geographically anywhere for membership in the world. A needed thing if we wush to push Corbyn over the line in this race.
Thanks Francis. Best of luck with that. On a matter of principle I cannot and would not join the British Labour Party at any rate since I believe the England is a different country and deserve to have autonomy without foreign interference.
I fully understand, Colman. Westminster however dictates our Budget, and Whitehall has macro control of our policing. I feel it almost counterintuitive to join a British political party, as an Irishman. However, this is only a temporary membership until the vote on the Labour leadership is to be cast. I would rather as a Pragmatist vote in an English Republican, and good friend to Ireland, than let the opportunity pass and the feild left between the Tories on the Right on one hand, and New Labour on the Right on the other. I am not British, neither was Parnell. I think if we miss this possible chance, we will have a generation of despair with Toryism dictating our Budget, and continuing to tax the poor to bolster the vested interests of the few. Larkin sought unity Among the working classes, and it is my political view that like him and Connolly, we must likewise forge such alliances, for the betterment of all.
I understand your stance Coleman, but since Westminster Tories dictate our Decreasing Austerity budget in this Part of Ireland, and Whitehall have Macro Control of the statelet, we are very much still ensconced in foreign interference still ourselves. Better to do like Parnell on this one, and pragmatically help if we can bring an English Republican friend of Ireland to a powerful position, than maybe miss the boat and see two shades of Tory mimicking each other for another son, niether a friend to Ireland, or the Increasingly marginalised. I believe we have to be firm and brave on this one. I donated money to the SNP, pre referendum, but I’m not Scottish. It wasn’t easy joining, but until I cast my vote for Corbyn, I’m there only in shadow.
Otegi is in prision because he is a terrorista killer. The basque people are spanish, and there has not been a war between ETA and Spain. Just ETA, as a terrorista banda killed and injured more than 1.000 people.
Where have we heard similar talk before?The spanish state was up to its neck in a dirty war which no doubt you will say never happened.
Not the least fascinating aspect of the Basque nation, Esteemed Blogmeister, is its mysterious language, Euskara.
Truly is this the Fungi of tongues, a Dingle singleton in a sea of speech, which continues to tantalise linguists endlessly, the loner dolphin among the dialects of Ocean Babel.
The origins of this orphan argot are uncertain, but it is generally believe this language isolate is one of the few remaining pre-Indo-European tongues and the only one surviving in Western Europe.
A hardy language, so, not unlike its speakers.
It seems that not many Euskara words became entangled up in the petticoats of that most promiscuous of languages, the Q’s English.
One which did, however, is ‘bilbo’. Meaning a medieval sword made in Bilbao, it was used by Falstaff while J.R.R. Tolkien pilfered it for one of his fabled characters.
(The mention of Falstaff refers to the inferior, pre-DruidShakespeare text of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’).
Anchovy is a word of Euskara origins while two words have a particular relevance to the preternaturally paradoxy concept know as The Free Southern Stateen.
They would be: bizarre and jingo.
Bizar is the Basque word for beard while jingo is derived from the Basque word for God.
Now, one needs no reminding that the GHW in the FSS is the S-word: Subversion. And this is where both bizarre and jingo come into their own.
(GHW being the Great Hate Word).
For a component element of this S-word is Erse which – anam an diabhail ! – according to that sacred text of anti-subversion Bunreacht na hEireann / Constitution of Ireland is …..THE First Official Language.
More honoured, in its lack of speech, as DruidShakespeare might remark, than in its observance. And into which vacuum every natural-born lingo jingo (invariably monoglots in the Q’s E. and many with egg-shaped accents) sweep to badmouth the bog dialect of the turf surfers.
Scarcely an accident that of the nine (9) areas NOT protected by anti-hate legistation in the FSS, the linguistic area is protuberant by its absence.
Wonder what the Euskara for the old leprechaun seanfhocal/ saw is, the one that goes: Is olc an chearc a chacann ar a huibheacha fein / Tis a bad hen does a number two on her own eggs.
Expect to see a Basque flag or three in the Mayo terraces in Pairc an Chrocaigh this Saturday: they share a common colour combination: the red and the green.
Unless of course the lingo jingos, those unflagging opponenst of subeverssion,go bhFoire Dia Orainn, aka Enda’s Endgamers get to confiscate them first.
Ar ndoigh.