40 years ago, the Spanish State shot our comrades in struggle Jon Paredes Manot, “Txiki” and Angel Otaegi Etxeberria, together with the revolutionary militants of FRAP Jose Humberto Baena, Ramon Garcia Sanz and Jose Luis Sanchez Bravo. Since then, on 27 September Gudari Eguna, we pay homage to the comrades fallen along the way, with affection and admiration. Because, as Txiki wrote, they are all wind of freedom.

Franco’s regime ended as it started, using extreme violence, and trying to send, with the executions of Txiki and Otaegi, a message to the Basque resistance: neither in the future would the Spanish state leave the Basque people, Euskal Herria, take its own path peacefully. And so has been since the reform of Franco’s regime, through the lock imposed by the 1978 Constitution.

The Spanish authorities still stand in the same ground. The PP’s government intends to send to the Basque men and women the same message in the last leg of this legislature, there won’t be a just and democratic solution, only the imposition of the Spanish project. Thus, during the operation carried out in Baigorri against ETA and, simultaneously, against those who want to help the process of resolution, it has again praised the police-way and shown absolute arrogance.

ETA, the Basque socialist revolutionary organisation for national liberation, wants to transmit the following analysis to the Basque people and all those who maintain a commitment to the resolution process:

1. The police operations in recent months were aimed at damaging the foundations the resolution process needs. The mere opportunity of a solution being within reached frightens those who do not have just a proposal to offer to Basque people. They persist in the imposition and non resolution because they are afraid of the popular will. With the consequences of the conflict being resolved and the future of Euskal Herria in the center of the political debate, what would they have to say or offer? No big deal, only an exhausted state model, riddled with corruption, violation of rights and domination. In Catalonia we have a clear reflection of that historical failure.

2. Despite the attacks, and given that the Basque Country has to make a fruitful path, ETA remains committed to the generation of new scenarios. Apparently, the Spanish Government, with the help of the French, intends to force ETA. However, what has really “forced” our organisation, to take the decisions it has taken so far and to take those it will have to take from now on, is something else: is the desire and the will to advance the process of liberation. Regarding the repressive and provocative action by both states, some might think that these decisions could be of another kind. But that is not the case. As we have stated on more than one occasion, it is time to strengthen the current political cycle that aims at the full freedom of Euskal Herria, and to accumulate forces around a renewed future project. ETA will limit itself to facilitate that this challenge is addressed in the best possible conditions.

3. Therefore, ETA wants to let the international actors know that ETA keeps all its commitments and has sufficient capacity to meet them, but ETA has to alert also about the severity of the attacks being suffered by the resolution process, among other reasons, because the states are even putting in question the model for the ordered destruction of weapons and dismantling of stockpiles.

4. The actions of the French Government are very surprising, fully aligned with the irresponsible position of Madrid. It’s amazing that the French Government so follows actions that carry with them the risk of weapons and arsenals getting out of control.

5. Fortunately, there have also been those who have shown responsibility and commitment to arrange the necessary foundations and resources to meet this peace effort. ETA wants to highlight the generous contribution made over the years by citizens to help in that effort.

6. In any case, ETA, which has already covered most of its career, is fully aware of where the challenge for the future of the Basque Country lies, which is none other than to raise the political and popular process leading to the constitution of the Basque state. A challenge for which the pro-independence left has a decisive contribution to do with trust, unity and courage.

GORA EUSKAL HERRIA ASKATUTA! GORA EUSKAL HERRIA SOZIALISTA!

JO TA KE INDEPENDENTZIA ETA SOZIALISMOA LORTU ARTE!

Euskal Herria, 27^th September 2015

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna

E.T.A.

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