... and the region has all the independence it would want, it is (apart from Catalunya) the region with the most independence in this beautiful country.
The problem is in the elections: ETA has driven out sooooo many Basques from the region that do not follow their scheme (imagine: Your daugther will get violated or your mom killed when you dont pay the "revolutionary" tax, plain blackmail to make money like any other mafia on the planet, wont you rather leave?), but as they now live in Madrid, Mallorca or elsewhere, they are not allowed to vote over there.
The people that stay (and shut up and pay) indeed vote the Basque Nationalist Party PNV in their mayority, so PNV claim they got the right to rule the region as they are the most voted group.
The numbers contrast this: There are currently around 2.5 million people living in the "Pais Vasco", but there are more than 4 million Basques living outside of the territory. There is a strong movement to give those Baques a right to vote in Basque territory (and, of cause, take their right to vote in Madrid, Barcelona or elsewhere), but this would need a constitution change (and a hard to propagate one: Spanish citizens would be treated different in Spain by law, depending where they origin from, that is a potential "Pandoras Box" you dont want to have opened if you dont really are very clear on how to handle it: Why not treat Mallorquins differently, or Andalusians? Are we not all alike in front of the law, etc...?), for which the votes of the Basque Nationalist Party PNV in the central parliament would be necessary (constitution changes with 66% quorum only) but which of cause they will never cast.
So, it comes back to "every people has the politicians it deserves", as long as those exile Baques dont go back and front uzp to ETA nothing will change...
Sad, but probably the way of the world always (I remember the "High Noon" movie, where basically the same was depicted when everybody didnt support the Sherrifs effort, while reduced to a village it is the same situation, and you cannot even blame those people as cowards that run from harms way).
Now, since 2 years or so, for the first time in the territory the PNV is not ruling, because the other two parties together have a one vote majority (under a Socialists President who does excelent work: Patxi Lopez), and things are changing: The police, which obviously had been obliged to work *with* rather than contra ETA by the old government has had their top charges exchanged (the results can be seen by a series of the first ever detentions of ETA members *inside* Basque territory and the end of the radicals political wing burning buses and banks every day right in front of the inert police); the bicycle "Tour Of Spain" for first time ever passed through Basque territory; also, the ever present photos of the imprisioned terrorists depicting them as "martyrs" had to go from public buildings, and the Spanish flag, for the first time (and following the laws obligation) flies at side of the Baque one on public administrative buildings; what is more, also the Spanish National Soccer team played a friendly inside Basque territory (though the radicals were acosting them big time in the stadium of Atletico Bilbao - the only club in first league that has *only* Baque players...), etc.
Now, what is happening with all those apparent successes and improvements?
Our president, Mr. Zapatero, needing the two PNV votes in central Madrid parliament to pass any law, has in exchange for the PNV votes to support the budget agreed to make a new law for the Basque territory
which will prohibit coalitions manifesting that *always*
the party with the most votes will have to govern in this region, which will of cause cement PNVs rule forever:
PNV, with its 37% currently will be the strongest party opposed to the 27+ and 28+ respectively of the the other biggies, so in the end 37% of the votes (of cause only of of the
resident Basques that are left after the non-nationalist Basques have been driven out) will run the region "democratically", giving back the save havens to the terrorists etc. as before.
A shame, and a kick in the back by my own socialist goverment into the rear of every sensible and true democrat: If 63 percent do *not* want to rule PNV, how can we as democrats make a law that prescribes it has to be the other way around, and how can a president claim he is acting in the will of the people when it is so obvious that he is not? A political whore, from my POV, and I have lost all respect and will in the next elections publically ask my socialist friends to vote in blank (I cannot vote Mr. Rajoy neither, he is the anti opposition for a democracy) to make clear what we true democrats think of such moves.
FWIW,
Rattler
P.S.: Another Basque who had to leave (and all his family after severe attacks on them, their cars, daughters, etc), but his example of taking it on personally with a hammer on one of the (at this time, under PNV rule still tolerated) political offices of ETA when they had just blown up his home as collateral damage of an attack on a Socialist party office, was a point of reflection for many voters,
especially *as he had to leave* (see this old thread for details):
http://www.warandtactics.com/smf/planet-earth-the-serious-stuff/an-eye-for-an-eye/
The worst is that under the PNV rule the terrorists (who by now
have killed 820 mostly innocent people including many kids) could come out in a demonstration under the theme of "Stop Fascist Terrorism" addressed at this desperate neighbour predsenting themselves in a most cynical way as terror victims because of the hammer attack on one of their offices... Of cause, covered by our right of Free Speech, which I absolutely support as a basic idea of demcratic ways. Still it hurts to see the bigotry of terrorists claiming to be victims of terrorism after someone just could not bear the pressure any longer and had a short circuit:
JFTR, the guys that blew up his home were not found yet, but the gentleman with the hammer got sentenced to 2 yrs of prison (which means he did not have to enter, as up to two years you automatically come out on probation).
Here what this gentleman later himself wrote up, I agree 100%, and we do not want to have the PNV rule back over there (translation by google edited by me):
http://justicierolazkao.blogspot.com/First I would like to show my deepest of thanks to all those people who have supported me all the time. Please know that to be surrounded by all of you has been very important to me. This should not be forgotten and it will always be present.
To all the caring people, all people who participate actively to help people in need and offer your unconditional support, tell them they are the real heroes. Your emotional support makes it easier to move forward, to regain the hope and future projects that terrorists again attempted to snatch from us.
All people who have suffered the cold dish served by ETA, I wan to give them encouragement and tell them they have to be strong and move forward. There is no other option. And that's why we're all to help as needed.
Tell all the people who do not condemn terrorism that I hope they never have the misfortune to have to try their own menu.
Tell them
- That based on bombin, killing people and intimidating everyone who does not think like them all they are achieving is to destroy the Basque Country and the lives of many families.
- People want to live without fear, calm, peace and freedom.
- Let us not listen to your tales of liberating Basque Country.
- That the Basque Country has and is been built by working men in all our effort and sweat, not by terrorists.
- The only thing that achieve the terrorists is to take away the fun to live.
- ETA that the its struggle is meaningless. We're tired of suffering.
- ETA that it has to disappear.
R.
