Independentzia!

A demonstration was held recently in Dublin in co-operation with the Irish Basque Committees regarding the arrest of 22 members of the Basque leftist, independendtist movement Batasuna. The 22 members of Batasuna’s leadership were arrested in an effort by the Spanish Government to cull the growing strength of the leftist, independentist movement in the Basque country. This move provoked widespread anger in the Basque country and among Republicans here in Ireland that an independent political voice be muffled in this way. The arrests came following months of stalling by the government in Madrid in relation to the Basque political process.

In response to the actions of the Spanish Government Ógra Shinn Féin Cúige Laighean in conjunction with the Irish Basque Committee in Dublin organised a demonstration outside the GPO in Dublin calling for the release of the 22 incarcertaed political leaders, as well as the re-initiation of the Basque political process. There was an excellent turnout for the demonstration, attracting the attention and support of hundreds of passers-by. The activists present displayed banners supporting the movement in the Basque country, and calling fro the release of the jailed leaders. Much literature was also disseminated in order to inform the Irish people of the crimes directed and carried out by the Madrid government.

Speaking to the assembled group following the demo, a member of the Irish Basque committee thanked Ógra for the help they had provided,

“The continuing support of Sinn Féin and Ógra Shinn Féin is a source of hope and comfort to the movement in the Basque country. We know that we can rely on your support in good and bad times and we are grateful for that. The Basque leftist, independendist movement will remain resilient and will do everything in our power to ensure the continuation of the political process in the Basque country. Tiocfaidh ár lá”

In response Ógra Shinn Féin Laighean representative, Áine Ní Dhubháin, thanked the committee pledging the continued support and co-operation of Ógra Shinn Féin.

“Ógra Shinn Féin are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Basque country and her people. We will, in tandem with our comrades in Sinn Féin, continue to do all that we can to see the progression of the Basque political process. We empathise with the people of the Basque country in the most sincere way. Like you, our country suffered for centuries under the wrath of a foreign tyrant, whose aim was to subvert us and control our people by whatever means possible. The right of the Basque Country to indepenence and sovereignty is a right that cannot be revoked by any amount of oppression. Jo ta ke!”