Friday, 20 January 2006
The SACP is deeply concerned at what is unambiguously a very tragic turn of political events in the Basque Republic over the last few days. On the 18th
January, at the hearing of the Spanish National Criminal Court case brought against BATASUNA, adjudicated by judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska, a judgment
was passed prohibiting BATASUNA to hold its First National Congress which was due to start later today.
The court judgment restored and further extended the banning of all of BATASUNA's political activities for an additional years. Since the court
ruling, three of BATASUNA's operational premises have been closed down. The court also ordered a blockade of their website and the mass detention of the
Saturday rally organizers if it is to proceed.
It is the view of the SACP that in the light of the situation in the Basque Republic and an existing groundswell inclination by political social forces
including BATASUNA to a peaceful framework, such browbeating, austere measures and quasi-legal maneuvers to the resolution of the Basque
situation, ephemerally upsets the climate for a potentially positive national reflection about peaceful engagements on the internal convulsion.
The proscription of mass based popular interaction aimed at gauging the views of the people on a peaceful framework of engagement only serves to
diminish the significance of dialogue on the subject of restoring democracy, civil and political rights. Such measures will not serve to attenuate
existing conflict but can only meander important role-players into a state of reciprocal siege.
This is a case of wider international resonance by delegates to the congress, including our own organisation. Our delegates with a wealth of
South African experience on political strategies for peaceful resolution of violent conflict were denied travel visas to represent the SACP.
The SACP remains firm to its commitment to share with its international allies and progressive forces, the lessons of South Africa's own peaceful
political transition from a capitalist and minority dominated neo-colonial apartheid era and will continue to make such exchanges.
The SACP also:
?Condemns the political impeding of BATASUNA to determine their future political project by the courts and coercive state security apparatus
?Calls for an end to violence and a strengthening of attempts to obtain national consensus on the proposals of the National Debate Forum
around peace and the rights of the Basque people.
?Calls on the Spanish authorities to recognize the existing relationship between guaranteeing basic democratic freedoms such as the
right to free political activity, ending of repression as important building blocks of a peaceful settlement of the impasse and thereby extend these
rights to all.
We will take up the matter within our country and structures and examine possible modes of local engagement.
We commend BATASUNA resilience in its diplomatic persuasion and for constructing an alternative paradigm centred around peace and legitimate
rights of the people of Basque Society to self-determination, for pressing on about the restoration of democracy, civil and political rights.
Contact:
Kaizer Mohau
Media Liaison Officer
South African Communist Party (SACP)
Tel: 011 339 3621/2
Fax: 011 339 4244/6880
Cell: 076 573 7764
Email: Kaizer@sacp.org.za