Giving Peace A Chance
21/10/11 17:34![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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talkpoliticshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15393014
The Basque separatist group Eta says it has called a "definitive cessation" to its campaign of bombings and shootings.
"Eta has decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity. Eta makes a call to the governments of Spain and France to open a process of direct dialogue which has as its aim the resolution of the consequences of the conflict and thus the conclusion of the armed conflict. With
this historic declaration, Eta demonstrates its clear, firm and definitive purpose."
This is nice news. Not that Eta have been a big deal recently. The world has other priorities these days and it's not as if the Basques were ever going to get their own country anyway. Or whatever the hell it was they wanted. But given that they were being hit hard by a security crackdown I can't help but wonder if this wasn't a move to try and get SOMETHING. while they still had something worth a damn to bargain with.
Whatever the case, I can't see a real return to violence at this point as a realistic possibility. This is like seeing a problem from a bygone age being crossed off the list. It's good that it happened, but it's amazing that it managed to stay even slightly relevant in this day and age.
The Basque separatist group Eta says it has called a "definitive cessation" to its campaign of bombings and shootings.
"Eta has decided on the definitive cessation of its armed activity. Eta makes a call to the governments of Spain and France to open a process of direct dialogue which has as its aim the resolution of the consequences of the conflict and thus the conclusion of the armed conflict. With
this historic declaration, Eta demonstrates its clear, firm and definitive purpose."
This is nice news. Not that Eta have been a big deal recently. The world has other priorities these days and it's not as if the Basques were ever going to get their own country anyway. Or whatever the hell it was they wanted. But given that they were being hit hard by a security crackdown I can't help but wonder if this wasn't a move to try and get SOMETHING. while they still had something worth a damn to bargain with.
Whatever the case, I can't see a real return to violence at this point as a realistic possibility. This is like seeing a problem from a bygone age being crossed off the list. It's good that it happened, but it's amazing that it managed to stay even slightly relevant in this day and age.
(no subject)
Date: 21/10/11 09:57 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/10/11 11:10 (UTC)For example, despite the Good Friday Agreement and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, there are still splinter groups calling themselves "Continuity IRA" or the "Real IRA" who insist on putting bombs in Derry. Most are made up of criminal thugs and borderline psychopaths for whom the criminality and violence, rather than the cause, were what drew them to action in the first place. I mean, what cause are the "Continuity IRA" fighting for now? Civil rights for Catholics? A united Ireland? Or just some perverse pleasure in mayhem and destruction?
(no subject)
Date: 21/10/11 12:43 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 21/10/11 15:15 (UTC)There's no point in sabotaging the Titanic
Date: 21/10/11 16:52 (UTC)— Will Rogers
It's possible that too many individual Basque's just gave up on thier particular tribal identy religion. Collectivism is just a collection of faiths, and faiths can fall out of fashion.
On the other hand, maybe many of the Basques see no point in fighting for secession when Europe is going to come apart at the seams anyway, once the defaults start.
(no subject)
Date: 21/10/11 18:27 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 22/10/11 04:45 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 23/10/11 08:42 (UTC)(Bilbao btw).