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Well the ideology behind ETA, that is Basque Nationalism + "Democratic popular bottom-up" Socialism + Marxism + Internationalist solidarity with oppressed nations + Environemntal concerns + Direct Action, still has many adherents in the Basque Country. Over the last 30 years, Batasuna's support in the elections (under the three brands it has used, i.e., Herri Batasuna, Euskal Herritarrok and EHAK) oscillates around 15% of the total votes, its best result being the 18.33% achieved in 1990 and the lowest the 10.12% of the total votes obtained in 2001 If you add to this the 6-8% won by various small offshoots of the Euskal Arbatzale movement, you end up with around 20-26% of Basques CONSISTENTLY (whatever the circumstances) in favour of this ideology. So dismantling the "official ETA" armed wing may not in fact mean the end of Arbatzale armed attacks. But it is, IMHO, a good idea. They have tried to by-pass the Basque Parliament by organizing a "grassroots union of Basque Municipalities" with the support of various local councilors and union leaders, but the crackdown by the Spanish authorities proved too much. In Spain, any elected official who refuses to condemn armed separatism loses his seat. There has long been a lot of pressure put on the Supreme Council of ETA to disband and let political parties and unions grouped under the umbrella "EH" movement lead a "political struggle" against the PNV (the main, conservative Basque party in power in the Basque Parliament). But again, I think various breakaway groups will emerge from the official ETA tree and continue to set off bombs. There is such a reservoir of die-hard "Arbatzale" activists that this outcome is inevitable. Whether Batasuna can crack the PNV nut and become the greatest political force in Euskadi remains to be seen. The PArtido Nacional Vasco and its conservative, pro-clerical, supporters still receives over 50% of the vote. The PNV is anti-Spanish, in favour of greater autonomy but also staunchly anti-ETA. ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@greenhouse.economics.utah.edu Set your options at: http://greenhouse.economics.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
