THE SPANISH government, as well as representatives of nearly all political parties, have categorically rejected Eta’s announcement of a ceasefire.
With very few exceptions there has been an almost unanimous rejection of the organisation’s truce. The most widely heard words were “sceptical”, “insufficient” or “worthless”, coupled with the remark that Eta had taken the decision because they had no alternative.
Interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba pointed out that the communique (which Eta entitled “Stand up Euskal Herria – stand up the Basque People”) stated that Eta said they were going to “cease armed action” and not once mentioned a ceasefire or truce.
“What they failed to say was that they took their decision several months ago because they had been critically weakened. Eta has ceased because they can’t continue after the dismantling of their new logistics base in Portugal and their failure to set up another one in Girona,” he said on Spanish television yesterday.
The separatist group has suffered repeated reversals as their leaders and gunmen were detained by security forces in France and Spain and their explosives, arms and ammunition seized. Mr Rubalcaba confirmed last month that more than 60 terrorist suspects had been arrested in the first six months of this year.
He denied any suggestion that the government would consider negotiating with Eta. They would never do so, he confirmed, until they disband and lay down their arms permanently.
Mr Rubalcaba said Eta had announced ceasefires in the past – this is the third in 12 years – and had merely used them to regroup and re-arm before resuming violence. In 2006 they broke a nine-month-long truce and killed two men by detonating a large car bomb in Madrid airport.
“We cannot trust them. The ministry’s anti-terrorist policy remains intact and we will not change one single comma of it. Eta kills and there is no way we can hold a dialogue . We, the state, say over and over again: no, no, no and no!” he said.
There have been suggestions that some members of the radical left in Euskadi had become disillusioned with Eta and realised there was little future in violence. Some cynics have suggested that Batasuna – formerly Eta’s political front Herri Batasuna, banned as a party in 2001 – had decided to distance itself from Eta as part of a ploy to become legal again in order to field candidates in elections.
Mr Rubalcaba had words for Batasuna: “If they want to return to legality they must either make a definitive break with Eta or persuade Eta that they have to abandon violence permanently.”
Patxi Lopez, the Lehendakari, or Basque president, was equally sceptical of Eta’s announcement of a ceasefire.
“They just want time to rearm and resume their violence. They are trying to confuse democrats. They say the ball is in the democrats’ court. This is untrue. The ball is in Eta’s court and they must decide,” he said.
A statement released by the Abertzale (radical) left defended the communique.
“The Abertzale Left considers Eta’s statements a contribution of unquestionable value to the establishment of peace to achieve a resolution of the conflict,” they said.