Peace for the Basque Country

1.-Presentation

This document includes the information bulletin "For peace and dialogue in the Basque Country" corresponding to the month of May 2003. As you know, Elkarri, the social movement for dialogue, accord and peace, is the author of these reflections and proposals. For any additional information related to this bulletin, or on Elkarri's activities, please go to www.elkarri.org. The electronic version of this bulletin can also be found in that URL as well as all the previous issues.

2.-Latest events in the Basque Country

This month of May, the Basque Country is living through a really convulsed situation. Although ETA has not committed any killings during this period, it does maintain unacceptable threats against numerous social and political sectors. . But, without doubt, the most novel event related to the Basque conflict has been the fact that the Spanish Government has carried out the process of illegalisation of Batasuna, the independentist party. This political sector had a history of over 25 years and the support from between 10 and 20 per cent of the electorate in the Basque Country will not be able to run in the local elections that are being held this month of May.

Click here for more information regarding the following.
 http://elkarri.org/en/latestnews/object.php?o=1165#Latest

3.-In defence of pluralism without exceptions

The illegalisation processes that we are living through in the Basque Country affect the bases and basic procedures of a democracy most negatively because they clash head on against democratic principles. They also clash against the guarantee of political pluralism and ideological freedom, and also against the freedoms of expression, association and participation. The judicial process followed for such illegalisations has stretched democratic procedures to undesirable limits. illegalisation is the representation of a false expectation. An analysis of the recent history of our country and the study of other processes of resolution of conflicts allow us to assert that exclusion is in radical opposition to the objective of peace and normalisation of society. The road towards a peace process is based on the opposition to violence, on democratic principles, on dialogue and on the incorporation of the various political sensibilities.

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 http://elkarri.org/en/latestnews/object.php?o=1165#pluralism

4.-A new edition of the Peace Conference

From the month of March and until the next 30th September we are opening a social consultation phase. In less than two months, more than 6.000 people and organisations have answered affirmatively and about one thousand of them have offered to work actively in the preparations. During the next months, Elkarri will periodically evaluate the results of this conference and will inform the public on the decision that is adopted.

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 http://elkarri.org/en/latestnews/object.php?o=1165#Conference

5.-Forms of participation in the Peace Conference

5.1.-Receiving and spreading information. You can collaborate with the Peace Conference Project receiving this monthly information bulletin without any form of additional commitment. If you wish, you can suggest names and contacts of others that could be interested in receiving this bulletin  info@elkarri.org

5.2.-Consulting society. The decision to start a new Peace Conference will only be taken if over 10.000 people answer the following question affirmatively: Do you support the idea of promoting a Peace Conference for the Basque Country as from spring 2004?.

5.3.-Participating in the organisation of the Peace Conference. In addition to the local entities that wish to participate in its development, this social movement is going to create an "International Network of Support to a Process of Peace in the Basque Country". If you wish to contact directly with the person responsible for the network, you can do so by e-mail  international@elkarri.org

Click here for more information regarding the following.
 http://elkarri.org/en/latestnews/object.php?o=1165#Forms