Basque separatist group announces ceasefire

Basque separatist group announces ceasefire

edition.cnn.com

In a statement published on the Gara website on Sunday, ETA --- which is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its long fight for Basque independence in northern Spain and southwest France -- calls on the Spanish government to "agree to the minimum democratic solutions necessary to start a democratic process."

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This group is responsible for many deaths of their own and Spanish civilians. It is quite surprising that they would make this video to hasten a political settlement with the Spanish government after years of armed conflict?

Almost a thousand people have being killed over the years and many maimed or mutilated. They have had cease-fires from the past, but have been broken with violence. Most recently, in 2006 a car bomb was detonated at a Spanish airport, and thus ending the peace process.

This group is by no means lily-white and are quite vicious with their tactics. They have targeted everything in Spain, including civilians as well as government officials and the military. This group formed in the 50's during Francisco Franco's iron-handed rule over Spain. They have remained active ever since.

Perhaps, Spain's counter-terrorism efforts and France's insistence to disrupt safe-havens for this group in their country have finally backed this group into a corner once and for all? Or it could be a ploy to buy time and take some of the heat off of them as they reformulate strategy and regroup to carry out future attacks?

This seems very similar to what took place in Northern Island some years back with the IRA accepting a cease fire with the British Government and resorting to the democratic process to address their concerns and grievances. I found it interesting that out of the blew this group who have staunch supporters for Basque Autonomy and advocates of extreme violence to accomplish those aims would make this announcement out of blue. We shall see where this goes?

edition.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Edit: to fix inaccuracy: [Iberian Peninsula changed to Spain]

[edit on 5-9-2010 by Jakes51]

Originally posted by Jakes51
This group formed in the 50's during Francisco Franco's iron-handed rule of the Iberian Peninsula.

Just a correction, the Iberian Peninsula is not the same thing as Spain, and Franco didn't ruled over Portugal, Andorra or Gibraltar.

On topic, they have had other cease-fires, but they have also broken them, so I don't really know what to expect this time.

reply to post by ArMaP


Thanks for the correction. I should not have generalized the Iberian Peninsula with Spain exclusively! My apologies! As for this latest seize fire, I really don't know what to expect either? It seems they have made cease-fires and broke them in the past. Perhaps, it is a move to buy more time and to take the heat off of them from the Spanish and French governments?

From what I have read on the topic, they are a brutal and sadistic outfit. They don't distinguish between civilian or government with their attacks. Furthermore, it seems the French are in the process of disrupting their safe havens in France and the Spanish have been tightening the noose on their end. We shall see how this shakes out, but I find this abrupt announcement kind of odd? Thanks for the reply!

They have lost support on both sides of the border, the Spanish people have organised several protests against the attacks and French authorities have become, apparently, more active against them.

They had contacts with the IRA (and many people think they had some kind of exchange plan between them), so that is another thing that is now against them.

I hope they stop, their methods are not supported by the population, so they have nothing to gain.