March 31st, 2007 – The Spanish government has once again foiled a diabolical plan by Basque separatists. An elite ETA commando unit (8 people) was apprehended and their bomb-making equipment confiscated. These evildoers were said to have been directly responsible for 24 terrorist actions between 2004 and 2006.
The Basques are a distinct cultural race that inhabits the north-eastern part of Spain (Catalonia) as well as a small part in south-western France. The ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or Basque Homeland and Freedom) is a vigilante organisation that was founded in 1952 as a student movement against the fascist oppression of Franco. In the 1980s and 1990s, they have claimed responsibility for many terrorist actions but have been quieter in the last few years. Furthermore, a ceasefire was even signed in 2006. Their leftist nationalism has been banned from Spanish parliamentary instances and therefore their interests are not observed or represented on a national level. One direct consequence of this ‘shunning’ is the general ignorance among the international community that these people even exists. Granted, we all have our own national, political, ideological, sexual, health and matching socks problems but a special attention could be paid to a conflict that has caused death and suspicion for decades now.
In parallel, it can be said that the Russian federation has had and still has similar problems within its borders, notably, with the Chechen “State”. Chechen separatists operated by means of terrorist attacks (lacking the means for a direct assault) which eventually targeted schools and public establishments to provoke popular outrage towards the Putin government. Unfortunately, these cowardly attacks on civilians have had the opposite effect. In the underground circuit, Vladimir Putin is called the “Butcher of Grozny” because he is responsible for eradicating the Chechen capital and decimating over 75% of their population in the past decade. The Chechen attacks on the Beslan school in 2004 caused the deaths of 186 children, it is only natural that Putin now looks like a hero that pioneered the war on terrorism.
The Basques have mostly learned how popular favour works so they usually stay away from massive public attacks and target governmental and military objectives. They also display strength through bombings of highways or deserted buildings but on the media front, the “milk the victim attitude” to gain support for all it is worth. The problem is, Aznar’s government until 2004 and Zapatero’s government since then, have treated the Basque question with targeted police action, due trials and fair sentences. Not even a Guatanamo camp! The ETA have thus a lot less support due to the sensible and ruthful response of its terrible oppressors.
One faction is cautious and the other strictly applies fair justice. This is another prime reason why this conflict has little media coverage. A policy of ‘laissez-faire’ will not work forever. Reaction can be unfair and hasty as we have seen in Iraq, Grozny and soon in Iran and Geneva. But perhaps a pre-emptive action could be taken? Iraq seems a bad example once again. Perhaps the Spanish government should simply give the Basques a separate state and let them fight over power amongst themselves for the next century. It IS what we have done in Africa and apart for a genocide or two, very little that they do to each other seems to affect us today. Apathy (or as the UN would have us call it “non-interference”) seems the best way to keep safe. To quote the great philosopher McCartney: “Live and let die”.
(Pictured: Grozny today, Mauléon, a Basque village, One of the two terror groups seem to have more to be victims about)
End.
March 31st, 2007 – The Spanish government has once again foiled a diabolical plan by Basque separatists. An elite ETA commando unit (8 people) was apprehended and their bomb-making equipment confiscated. These evildoers were said to have been directly responsible for 24 terrorist actions between 2004 and 2006.
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