Eta 'will not lay down arms'

[CHIMO]

Eta, the Basque separatist group, says it will not lay down its arms until the region obtains full independence from Spain, sparking concerns over its six month ceasefire with the government.

Three masked Eta members read out a statement on Saturday night at a pro-Eta rally saying the group "confirms its commitment to continue to fight... until independence and socialism for the Basque country is won," local media reported.

"The fight is not a thing of the past. It is the present and the future," the group said.

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Spain's prime minister, said in a speech on Sunday that Eta and its supporters should reject violence and "engage in politics and nothing more than politics".

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8B366A46-802A-4313-8FA7-D03CB344A9CA.htm

[Redstone]

1. What the fuck is wrong with those people? Post-Franco, it's not like

they've been repressed. The Spanish government lets them do whatever they want to do, speak as much Basque as they feel like speaking, so what are they bitching about?

Redstone

[Kagemusha]

2. And people were wondering why they're on the official terror list.

It's not for nothing..

[Redstone]

3. Well, THANK you. Good to know that there's someone else who

understands that not EVERY minority group is indeed as down-trodden as they claim to be.

The Spanish government has gone WAY out of it way to acommodate the Basques. It's as if they're Yemenis, and just can't STAND the idea of not feuding with SOMEONE.

Some people just thrive on conflict.

Redstone

[Kagemusha]

5. Yes, some people really do thrive on conflict.

The ETA types feel like they're the oldest nation in Europe and shouldn't have to take guff from these wannabe Romans trying to dominate them from Madrid with a foreign language and delusions of relevance. To some people, that kind of pride is worth killing for.

Of course most of the populace isn't interested in a war but, not like they're in a hurry to turn in their own kin either, so on it goes.

[Redstone]

6. Well, Spain should tell them the same thing that the rest of Canada

said to Quebec some time ago: "You want to leave? Fine. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out."

Redstone

[Kagemusha]

7. ...Canada said that to Quebec?

I must've missed it.

[Redstone]

8. They sure did, when the Separatists were in charge in Quebec..

Of course, these days, it would be a good thing...New England and Quebec forming a country would not be a bad deal at all.

Redstone

[Kagemusha]

10. That's not what I heard. Not out of the government...

Sure, I heard a lot of private individuals talk that way, but not the country itself.

Not that it's all that relevant to this discussion, mind you. The ETA is definitely trying to stay relevant even though ordinary Basques live much better than before (think Hezbollah/Lebanon).

[Redstone]

11. I did mean that it was the Canadian on the street. I do like Quebec a lot,

but if it had come to a showdown, the Canadians on the street would have made the government let La Belle Province go it alone.

Maybe they'd have been OK in that position, especially with all the hydropower - who knows? It's just a good thinng we never had to find out.

Redstone

[CHIMO]

4. Very, Very

Strange. One has to wonder what on earth is going on in their minds.

[marmar]

9. Peace is so not vogue these days...

:sarcasm: