The General Secretary (GS) of the Celtic League attended a demonstration in the Basque town of Lizarra last Sunday to support the Basque peoples' right to decide on their political future.

The protest - one of a series of demonstrations to take place over the course of the last week throughout the Basque Country - was organised following a decision by the Spanish Constitutional Court in September 2008 to declare illegal a political consultation bill passed by the Basque Parliament. The bill was passed by the Parliament in June 2008, as reported by the League, and sought to consult the electorate in the Basque autonomous community on the political future of three of the seven Basque provinces (the Basque Parliament does not have jurisdiction over the other four provinces).

The first part of the consultation was due to be held last week (25th October 2008) and intended to ask if people were in favour of a 'negotiated solution' to the ETA conflict if the armed group ended its violence. The second and final part of the consultation was due to be carried out next year and would ask if all Basque political parties should work toward an agreement on what it calls the Basques 'right to decide their future'. Despite the fact the Basque Government said that the consultation would be non binding the Spanish Government sought a court order against the move, on the grounds that such a consultation would be unconstitutional and that it was, in reality, a veiled attempt at a referendum on independence.

Now the Basque Government, in response, have taken the case to the European Court of Human Rights, saying that it is their right to hold a political consultation of this kind in a democratic Europe. The Basque Country Premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe said:

"This is an extraordinary snub to the Basque parliament and its powers, and is also, politically and socially, an abuse of democracy."

Demonstrators last week called for the 'Bai Erabaki' (yes decide) and asked members of the public to sign forms in support of the public consultation. In addition to protests in the Basque autonomous community from Gernika/Guernica to Gasteiz/Victoria, there was also a demonstration in the town of Lizarra/Estella, in the Basque province of Navarre. The Basque province of Navarre would not be included in the consultation, but nevertheless has a symbolic resonance for Basque nationalism, as it was the site of the approval of a joint statute of autonomy for the Basque territories in 1936; a statute that was never honoured.

Reporting from the Basque Country the GS, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, said:

"It was great to see so many people, both young and old, out in Lizarra supporting the campaign. The Spanish Government has still not recognised Kosovo and were against its declaration of independence earlier this year, because of the possible inspiration that could be drawn from it by the nationalist movements within its own state territory. The Spanish Government is scared to death of the independence movements in the Basque Country and Catalonia, two of the most prosperous autonomous communities in the state, which goes some way to explain why so many organisations have been outlawed over the last ten years.

This time however, the Spanish Government is attempting to stifle a very popular initiative by the Basque Parliament, in contravention to democratic rules, on the basis that it infringes the Spanish Constitution. Ironically, it seems that written constitutions in the EU stand in the way of the right of people to decide on their political futures. The French Republic's Constitution certainly has held up the political, cultural and linguistic progress of Brittany. The Lisbon Treaty - in effect a Constitution for Europe - would probably have also jeopardised the right of the Celtic peoples to win independence for their respective nations, at least in its current form.

The UK, fortunately, does not have a written constitution, making it easier perhaps for the Celtic nations, within this state, to pursue self determination. Indeed this will be put to the test in 2010 with the Scottish referendum. Kernow/Cornwall of course has its own constitution, which successive UK Governments have chosen to ignore as it suits them.

There is much to learn from the Basque situation by the nationalist movements within the Celtic countries, the breadth and depth of their commitment to their homeland is inspirational. I was pleased to be able to offer my support to the cause of greater freedom and democracy."

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League 02/11/08

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