Ógra SF highlight human rights abuses in Basque Country

[Red1916]

Got this of Ógra SF website, www.osf.pro.ie, the Basque youth Movement is really vibrant and a testament considering the repression that they endure. The torture and human rights violations by the Spanish Govt. in Euskal Herria must be highlighted and brought to an end!

Ballymoney Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí McKay has just completed a speaking tour of the Basque Country. The Rasharkin man, who was there representing Ógra Shinn Féin, was to be accompanied by a member of the South African ANC but they were refused access to the region by the Spanish Government. Journalists who were to interview the Sinn Féin man were also subject to harassment from the Spanish authorities. On Friday Cllr McKay gave the opening address - in Basque - at the Basque Topagunea Festival, the first big festival since the ETA Ceasefire and which was attended by over 20,000 people.

Speaking on his return Cllr McKay said:

"The week's events were a very useful insight into the current situation in the Basque region and it is quite clear that Spanish State Torture, which has been highlighted by both the UN and Amnesty International, is still continuing unabated.

"The trip was also a very useful insight into the Basque Youth Movement, which is without doubt, one of the best organised and vibrant youth movements in Europe. The Topagunea Festival, which was held in Etxarri at the weekend, is organised entirely by young people involved in the Basque Youth Movement and is testament to the resilience of young people here who are continually the subject of state harassment and sometimes torture.

"We have been speaking to some young people who have been imprisoned for years without trial, effectively Spanish Internment, and who have also been victim to the Spanish and French Prisoner ‘dispersal’ policy.

"This is when the Governments concerned remove Basque Prisoners from their local areas and place them in prisons as far away from the Basque Country as possible. The result of this is that Prisoners’ relatives have to trek up to and over 1,000km to see their loved ones and this can often involve days on buses at great expense to low-income families. It has also involved in deaths on the roads, one prisoner who we were talking to spoke of how his mother died from sheer exhaustion and obviously stress whilst on the long journey to see her son."

Cllr McKay also spoke about the Irish Peace Process and drew parallels between both the Basque and Irish conflicts,

"We are keen to see this peace process work and key to this is the lifting of the Spanish ban on Basque political parties, youth groups, trade unions, language groups and newspapers.

"One of the things I highlighted to Basque audiences this week was that a successful peace process relies on positive moves on all sides. In that regard it is clear that the onus is now on the Spanish and French Governments to move this process forward.

"There is also an onus on the International community, and in particular the International media to start covering the human rights abuses that are occurring in this so-called Western democracy, as their efforts to do this have thus far been non-existent."

[badinage]

what exactly are the acts of "Spanish State Torture" Ogra SF have highlighted?

Are they highlighting, or just alledging it?

[Carrier]

There are cases of prisoner abuse and of prisoners' families having to travel long distances to see their jailed relatives occuring closer to home. Unfortunately Ogra SF didn't respond to emails requesting help with regard to Irish republican prisoners.

[Prophet&seer]

what exactly are the acts of "Spanish State Torture" Ogra SF have highlighted?

Are they highlighting, or just alledging it?

Kneecappings, shooting people who joyride etc, even killing a mother of ten for helping a dying soldier.

[Red1916]

Spanish torture is widely known fact - many studies exposing and condemning the barbarity of the torture, have been published by various human rights organisations in Euskul Herria and Internationally, including the UN and Amnesty International.

From viewing various press and websites, i see that Ógra SF organise regular mobilisations to the Basque Country and Basque youth to Ireland in return, organise protests and information events across Ireland, and have in conjunction with the Basque Committess of Ireland organised various events highlighting the human right violations by the Spanish Govt.

The Irish Basque Committees have launched a new website.

The website contains up-to-date information on the Basque struggle and news, discussions and events organised by Irish Basque solidarity groups.

You can access the website at: www.irishbasquecommittees.blogspot.com

Have you ever visited the Basque nation? Why do you have a Spanish flag in you profile?

[Carrier]

Red1916, can you tell me why Ogra SF declined to participate in the Aiden Hulme repatriation picket yesterday?

[Red1916]

I am not a member of Ógra SF, but i wouldn't believe that Ógra SF would not support the repatriation of an Irish person in an English gaol.
Regardless of strategy differences - this is an issue of human rights violations and I'm sure Ógra SF as would SF support Aidan Hulme's campaign on that basis.
Who were you in contact with from Ógra SF? How do you know they didn't support the campaign?
How did it go anyhow - was there a big participation?

[Carrier]

I am not a member of Ógra SF, but i wouldn't believe that Ógra SF would not support the repatriation of an Irish person in an English gaol.
Regardless of strategy differences - this is an issue of human rights violations and I'm sure Ógra SF as would SF support Aidan Hulme's campaign on that basis.
Who were you in contact with from Ógra SF? How do you know they didn't support the campaign?
How did it go anyhow - was there a big participation?

I know they didn't support it because I'm involved in the Aiden Hulme campaign and I organised the picket. I emailed Ogra about participating but I didn't get a response so I've no idea who read the email I sent. It's a shame because I thought that this was something that Ogra in particular would have gotten involved in. It went quite well though and there were a couple of SF members present. Some in SF have been extremely helpful with it.

It went very well. Got a good turnout.

[edifice.]

I am not a member of Ógra SF, but i wouldn't believe that Ógra SF would not support the repatriation of an Irish person in an English gaol.
Regardless of strategy differences - this is an issue of human rights violations and I'm sure Ógra SF as would SF support Aidan Hulme's campaign on that basis.
Who were you in contact with from Ógra SF? How do you know they didn't support the campaign?
How did it go anyhow - was there a big participation?

I know they didn't support it because I'm involved in the Aiden Hulme campaign and I organised the picket. I emailed Ogra about participating but I didn't get a response so I've no idea who read the email I sent. It's a shame because I thought that this was something that Ogra in particular would have gotten involved in. It went quite well though and there were a couple of SF members present. Some in SF have been extremely helpful with it.

It went very well. Got a good turnout.

Any pics?

[badinage]

Can anyone detail (recent) examples of this Spanish State Torture? I'd expect a thread on the subject of Ogra SF highlighting it would have some description of what they're highlighting.

I certainly don't consider sending prisoners to prisons long distances from their families to be "torture", especially if they're part of an organised armed group and therefore there's a potential security risk. Any details on the "prisoner abuse" Carrier referred to?