• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

ETA Announces Permenant Ceasefire

GarzaUK

British, Irish and everything in-between.
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2005
Messages
3,688
Reaction score
631
Location
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4835906.stm

ETA says they have given up violence to "liberate" themselves from Spain. Spain are cautious however. Is this the end of European terrorism in the West with the IRA and ETA giving up?
It will be interesting.

Not only that ETA apprantly were influenced to go into the politics by the peace process in Northern Ireland, so says Father Reid. For any who don't know Father Reid called the protestant population in Northern Ireland nazis. lol
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4835314.stm
 
This time the cease-fire could work, I'm rather optimistic about it.
Their terrorism campaigns did not work, it only made people angry.
 
I'm personally more optimistic about the current Spanish administration's ability to handle negociations with ETA than most previous ones.
The Basque country's such a beautiful region, and such marvellous warm people, it's tragic that they have an image abroad tainted by the activities of ETA. I sincerely hope this is a page turned.
 
You have to remember that they started as "freedom fighters" against a brutale dictaturship. It was therefor sad that it could be no peacful solution then Spain became a democratic country. That the violence had to countinue for twenty years. But it's very typical for oppression that you can overcome it but it's much harder to overcome the results of it. But hopefully it can be a end of the violence now. The reason behind it I think was that ETA got more marganilised and the efficient use of both the stick and carrot by the spanish goverment.
 
That's not the first time ETA announces a Ceasefire. The difference is that, for the first time, it has no choice : its heads are dead or in jail, it has no money and it has lost its power on the Basque people.

I hope some extremists more violent than ETA won't continue the fight.

Wotk
 
I'm not terribly well informed about ETA, it's my understanding that they've been hit hard by anti-terror investigations and financing issues, as stated above. Fact is, post-Madrid bombing terrorism ain't gonna win them any friends or support.
As for the IRA, anyone who thinks they've just hung up their guns to be 'good little oirish fellers' is deeply deluded. Terrorists cannot adjust to peace, without the guns and dirty money coming in they're nobodies. They won't go get a job flipping burgers, and only so many can pretend to be politicians. Instead they use the skills and hardware stashed to go into organised crime, fact is the IRA's been one of the biggest narcotics rackets in Europe for decades, originally a revenue stream, think that's gonna stop for the peace process? KGB did the same thing when the Iron curtain came down, government service didn't pay as well as crime so loads left to deploy their skills elsewhere, many in Europe and the US. Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein may be good boy's, in public at least, but the rest of 'em? Ha Ha, just suggesting it is hilarious!
 
Jay R said:
I'm not terribly well informed about ETA, it's my understanding that they've been hit hard by anti-terror investigations and financing issues, as stated above. Fact is, post-Madrid bombing terrorism ain't gonna win them any friends or support.
As for the IRA, anyone who thinks they've just hung up their guns to be 'good little oirish fellers' is deeply deluded. Terrorists cannot adjust to peace, without the guns and dirty money coming in they're nobodies. They won't go get a job flipping burgers, and only so many can pretend to be politicians. Instead they use the skills and hardware stashed to go into organised crime, fact is the IRA's been one of the biggest narcotics rackets in Europe for decades, originally a revenue stream, think that's gonna stop for the peace process? KGB did the same thing when the Iron curtain came down, government service didn't pay as well as crime so loads left to deploy their skills elsewhere, many in Europe and the US. Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein may be good boy's, in public at least, but the rest of 'em? Ha Ha, just suggesting it is hilarious!

Are their any internet sources i can read more about this? Such as BBC or guradian etc.
 
Sorry, that's an old post, I wasn't aware anyone had followed it up.

If you're interested you could start by reading around that bank robbery that took place in Ireland... umm... last year? Think so. You want to look for commentator opinions on it to find mention of IRA involvement in that and other organised crime. Earlier this year there was an arrest in Manchester of a man supposedly with very strong IRA ties who was well into property development. Irish troubles is not something I've studied extensively, those are two recent cases you should be able to dig up.

As for the IRA and narcotics you'd have to be really into studying the history of the organisation, you'll need specific books for that, can't help you there I'm afraid. The IRA forged ties in Latin America for weapons, training, explosives, all sorts, there was another high profile incident years back of a couple of IRA members getting picked up working with Columbian revolutionaries.

Sorry I can't be of more help, hope that get's you started anyway.:2wave:
 
I don't think ETA should be considered terrorists. From personal experience with them and from what I've heard, they never really harm anyone. I may be wrong but once when I was in San Sebastian, Spain visiting family I was taking a bus and some guys stopped it and got everyone off, and than troched the bus. I was very little but I remember it pretty clearly.
 
I highly doubt their "methods" of today, bombings and so on, are working on the goverment. The ETA have been doing the same thing for so long that people are used to them, they're not as scary today as they probably were in the past. The idea that they're going to get their wants through by continuing that way is ridiculous, and I'm glad they've come up with a new plan. However, I don't trust it. This needs to be solved through, for example, voting about it. People should have their say and not ETA only...
 
HumbertHumbert said:
This needs to be solved through, for example, voting about it. People should have their say and not ETA only...
There are two parties who have ideas which are partially compliant with ETA ideas. One of them is legal, this is Euskal Herrialdeetako Alderdi Komunista (EHAK),the other one, Batasuna, is legal in France, but not in Spain. Lists which are close to Batasuna like Autodeterminaziorako Bilgunea and Herritarren Zerrenda are not legal in Spain. I don't know of any proves of links between EHAK and ETA or Batasuna and ETA.

EHAK got 12.5 % during the last elections for the Basque parliament in April 2005.
 
Back
Top Bottom