Arnaldo Otegi:
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Basque Abertzale Left - Present and future of the Basque Country - Arnaldo Otegi
The State refined a strategic plan
after the Lizarra-Garazi Declaration.
The State was conscious that all the red scares
had burned out
and that a popular and democratic process was being led,
among others, by the pro-Independence Left
which demands a national and democratic model
for the country.
And the State focused on two objectives:
to neutralise the pro-Independence Left through repression
and to to redirect the Basque Nationalist Party
to a position of a pact with the State,
of contract with the State,
to converting itself into a regionalist force within the Spanish state.
And the State
has managed, to an extent,
something that we, from our point of view,
also need to say,
without any kind of apprehension or expectation of defeat:
while it’s true that we have been capable of wearing away its models,
they have been capable of blocking
the dynamic which permits the construction of a new model.
But today,
it needs to be said, loud and clear,
that such is only a partial victory because, from our point of view,
it continues to be crystal clear
that conditions continue to exist in the country,
both objective and subjective,
for political and social change.
There continues to exist here a majority that wishes
to have its national identity respected,
that wishes respect
for its right to decide;
here there exists a popular majority
that wants a political change in social and national terms.
Today, the pro-Independence Left, despite being aware that
we have difficult objectives and
despite knowing that they have managed to partly block
the process of national liberation,
have to say loud and clear:
the conditions for political and social change exist
in the Basque Country;
we wish to say today
to the Inquisitionists of the XXI Century,
to those who think that they can put gates on land and on the sea,
that the pro-Independence Left, in spite of all,
was not born in this country in order to resist nor even to respond.
WE CAME INTO EXISTENCE IN ORDER TO WIN! AND WE SHALL WIN!
We must link our forces to the left of the PNV.
We need to construct a historical block alliance
led by the pro-Independence Left together with others
to bring the national liberation process
to conclusion.
And it needs to be done slowly
and gradually,
because that is not going to be a process
without contradictions;
he problem of contradictions is knowing how to negotiate them.
But the process, for its unblocking,
starting up and for its development,
needs an accumulation of forces.
And it is necessary to accumulate forces
in order to change the balance of forces with the state
and it is also necessary in order to build unity with the left of the Basque Nationalist Party
in this country.
That is the second of the great tasks assigned
to the pro-Independence Left
and we are going to begin it, despite the repression
and all the other obstacles that are put on the table,
patiently and without rushing,
but taking effective steps
to build a workers’ block,
a popular block which will claim with clarity
the national independence of Euskal Herria (Basque Country).
That is our second great challenge.
Our third great challenge is that we have to strengthen
our relationship with the international community.
We have always said
and today we reiterate
that the resolution of the political conflict
has to be achieved in a European context
and should engage the participation of the international community.
That is work which the pro-Independence Left
has been developing for years,
which we have not abandoned
and that we are going to renew in the coming months
n order to achieve the involvement and support
of the international community
in search of a democratic solution to the conflict.
And finally, and I say “finally” in that order,
the second half of the match will need to be played,
that which some people abandoned in a central European city
in the previous negotiation process.
And it will have to be done because there is no other solution than that of negotiation,
and because of that we need to say, when Mr. Rubalcaba says
to us “Leave it or leave it”, we wish to say:
NEGOTIATE OR NEGOTIATE!
NEGOTIATE OR NEGOTIATE!
I wish you to know that the Basque workers
and the popular forces of this country,
in which we are organised in order to build a
national and social liberation process in this country,
that we will never forget the example that you have given,
the commitment that you have given
and to which you have stuck and which you have also put forward to seek a dialogue and political solution
to the conflict
which puts Euskal Herria in confrontation with the Spanish State.
In our eyes, you are the best...
and you will always be the best!
As when 30 years ago a man presented himself in the United Nations,
today also the pro-Independence Left presents itself to the states of the world,
before its people and in front of the international community
with an olive branch in hand.
Let no-one drop that olive branch!
LONG LIVE A FREE EUSKAL HERRIA!