Echoes from the Class War (Sep 10) - Spanish political repression against Basques

Basque Country: political repression continues and even grows:

Five activists of the internationalist movement Askapena (just because of being part of it: that's our 'democracy'!): Walter Wendelin, Gabi Basañez, Unai Vázquez, David Soto and Aritz Ganboa are the victims of political trial. Uberka Bravo, Itsaso Lekuona, Rubén Sánchez, Aitziber Martínez de Lagos, Beatriz Ilardia, Humberto Trapero and Naroa Iturri were acquitted in the early hearings but fascist platform Justicia y Dignidad wants bertsolari Rubén Sánchez again in court, maybe for his cultural profile ··> Ateak Ireki[es].

Basque citizen Josu Esparza arrested by France on Spanish request but let free the next day, while the issue goes to court. He is accused of belonging to ghost organization Ekin, a supposed link between ETA and the popular movement, imagined (never proven in any way) by Spanish police in the eve of the political persecution wave that began in the late 90s. His true 'crime' is to be active in the movement of solidarity with the Basque prisoners ··> Ateak Ireki[es].

Demonstration called for tomorrow at Pamplona against the trial of 11 local youths to be held in October. The Inquisition's victims are being asked 10 years of prison each just for being freely organized (no other particular accusation exists: just to be members of Segi, to have political material, to take part in meetings and to take part in the student movement) ··> SA[es].

Spanish Army takes the Txindoki mountain every weekend. The peak, a popular destination for trekkers, is being hijacked for no apparent reason at all, week after week by the Spanish military and their police network. Also a military airplane sparked fear in the Goierri by flying crossing the sound barrier at low altitude ··> SA[es].

Daniel and Xabier Saralegi on trial for alleged 'threats' to escorts. They may be 'ostracized' from their own home for a whole year. They share the apartments' bloc in Pamplona with a city councilor of a Spanish Nationalist party who uses escorts (either policemen or security guards), they never had any issue with the councilor but the escorts, true paramilitary forces in your stairs, are always threatening and pushing the neighbors around. In one of these provocations, they told the escort that "it was enough", to "leave us alone". The escort claims that they made a gesture like clicking on a TV remote control. This trial highlights both the extreme repression that we Basques have to face on day to day basis and also how the Spanish law and tribunals do not protect the presumption of innocence, specially when the accuser is a policeman or akin ··> Ateak Ireki[es].

Adolfo Ares, illegitimate Interior Councilor, threatens Basques with the most severe anti-terrorist repression if we dare to interrupt  the Spanish clone of The Tour, La Vuelta, which is perceived as an imposition and as more institutional violence against the weak Peace Process (after all many may think that ETA was worth it if only because it keep this kind of Spanish Nationalist impositions at bay) ··> SA[es].

Nice collage-video with beautiful light folk music of protests at punished town of Leitza aganist the trial of neighbors Oier Eizmendi, Saioa Iraola and Lurdes Juantorena (from Ateak Ireki[eu]):

The banners read: 

• Occupation forces out of Leitza
• Audiencia Nacional Stop!
• I am Basque and I am proud!
• Go People's Movement! Leave Leitza in peace!
• Solidarity is not a crime
• Building our village/people/nation ('herria'). Go Leitza!
• Above all obstacles, go Leitza!
• Solidarity with the accused. The people [is] with you!
• Occupation forces out of Leitza
• Leave Leitza in peace! Go away! [and the arrow showing the road to the South] 
• Work stop in Leitza on September 8th from 12:00 to 14:00. All to the streets. Leave Leitza in peace.
• Independence!

Basque history: interview at Radio Onda Exapansiva[es] (Burgos) with Juantxo Estebaranz, who has recently written a History of Anarchism in the Basque Country ··> MP3 direct link[es].

 

European Union: beekeepers and farmers defeat Monsanto at court. EU tribunal admits corporate liability when honey or crops become contaminated by GMO pollen ··> Food Freedom. This are good news and therefore rare news but for all those reasons very much welcome.

Greece: 

Protests at the Thessaloníki International Fair ··> Contra Info.

Total objector Athanasios Karageorgiou made public his stand against the military, titled: 'Not even a single hour in the Army' ··> Contra Info.  Greece is one of the few states in the European Union that still keeps a conscription army in spite of long struggles against it (I learned the beautiful Greek word eleftería, freedom, precisely at an antimilitarist demo at Thessaloníki, some 18 years ago).

Italy: Marches through the country against imposed austerity ··> video at PO.

Russia: former major who denounced that soldiers were being fed dog food to jail after farce trial for an alleged aggression that probably never took place at all ··> BBC.

Catalonia: Leave the union, join the struggle banner leads demo at union-called protest, showing that the institutional twin unions UGT-CC.OO. have lost all legitimacy and appeal ··> La Haine[es].

'Leave the union, join the struggle'

Spain: Infamous fascist village of Méntrida organizes 'homage to the fallen for God and the Fatherland', an obvious fascist act. The Spanish Army took part, showing that they are nothing but a bunch of fascists and that for all the ranting about 'democracy' in Spain, it is still a fascist regime under a pretext ··> SA[es].

Palestine: tear gas against Bilin demonstrators, three injured at Al Ma'sara, tear gas at Nil'in and many other demos through the oppressed country ··> Ilan against the Wall.

Bahrain: massive protests (Sep 9) continue demanding regime change ··> video at PO.

Yemen: huge demonstrations against Saleh's regime continue months after they began ··> video at PO.

Iran: fears that Lake Urmia, the largest lake of West Asia (other than the Caspian Sea), may disappear ··> The Guardian.

Canada: call to arrest George W. Bush, because of his key role in torture, when he arrives to British Coulumbia on October 20th, in agreement with the ICC chart signed by Ottawa and most other states on Earth ··>  Global Research.

USA: 

Marcellus Andrews, 19, murdered in homophobic attack at Waterloo, Iowa. The aggressor gang ambushed the young man at the entrance of his cousins' home, insulting and beating him to dead ··> SA[es].

BP could have stopped Macondo spill but let it flow to protect the well for future use. Now at court ··> FOSL, Courthouse News Service.

San Onofre Nuclear Plant shut down because of electric blackout ··> Ex-SFK, LA Times. We are learning that these things are hyper-delicate and won't survive any major disruption. And if they do not survive, you do not either. Turn all nukes off now!

Radioactive manure purchased in Southern California this August ··> video at EneNews.

Record warmest summer in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and many areas in other states. Most country well above normal ··> SD. Climate warming denialists must be having a hard time this year, once the Solar Cycle began again, specially in Texas.

Haiti: 

Wave of illegal, senseless evictions in Port-au-Prince ··> Black Agenda Report.

Brazil may withdraw from UN occupant forces, much discredited since day 1 but even more today, after propagating cholera, raping women and other brutal abuses ··> BBC.

Chile: 

More repression against students by the feared carabineros ··> video at PO.

General Strike called for Thursday ··> video at PO.

Japan: 

Radioactive tobacco sold to the public, media makes fun of complaining smokers ··> EneNews. 

People leaving Fukushima prefecture for (very legitimate) fears of radiation, which are totally unaddressed by the government. However many just don't have anywhere to go ··> M&C.

Australia: Boycott Israel movement gains momentum ··> video at PO, AFOPA, BDS Movement.

Science/Economy: Will future meat be artificial? Is that any good at all? ··> SD.