textfiles/politics/SPUNK/sp000678.txt

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The information in this file was recently published in FREEDOM -
the fortnightly anarchist journal published by FREEDOM PRESS:
FREEDOM PRESS (IN ANGEL ALLEY) 84B WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET,
LONDON E1 7QX GREAT BRITAIN
Do write for a sample copy or for a copy of our booklist of
publications. We will be putting more of this information out so
watch this spot...
BASQUE COUNTRY
Yet another person has been charged and imprisoned in the
French part of the Basque country - the 70th. Karim Chakroun was
arrested, brought to court and sent down on 7th March this year
having fallen foul of the laws relating to irregular residence
and criminal association relating to terrorist activities.
This latest arrest reveals the willingness of the state to
keep up the pressure on those who have shown solidarity with
political prisoners not recognised as such by the state. Today
the Mitterand/Pasqua system have the Basques in their sights in
the same way as they had the Kurds not so long ago.
Criminalise and terrorise are the objectives of the judge who
decorated by the Spanish government for his contribution to the
anti-terrorist struggle. Now we're not idiots. There is no
documentary evidence. The arrestees are not the 'bloodthirsty
terrorists' portrayed by those in power. To the great regret of
the legal system those in the dock are simply Basque militants,
who, since their rights to assylum were taken away, sought to go
underground rather than risk prison and torture in post-Franco
Spain and the irony is that the locals freely gave of their
support. There will be more Karims! It was the same in May 93
when 20 locals were accused of drinking coffee with or lending a
bicycle to these terrible members of ETA.
Since Karims arrest a support group has been set up which has
issued a press comuniqu, the essence of which is as follows:
So long as the national Basque liberation movement is met with
torture and oppression as a response to its demands its militants
are forced into exile... This latest arrest reveals that despite
their desire to criminalise opposition the French and Spanish
states will not succede in breaking the solidarity that exists
between the people and active individuals... The number of
arrests demonstrates the political dimension of the affair.
Taking account of all these aspects, we reaffirm our solidarity
with Karim and with all those in the same position... and call
for their immediate liberation.
Contact: CSNIDA 17, rue Paul-Bellamy, 44000 Nantes.
Le Monde Libertaire 27/4/94