Sir, - Rogelio Alonso (July 23rd) raises several interesting points in his response to my first article on the background of the Massive demonstrations against ETA's killing of Miguel Angel Blanco.
I agree wholeheartedly with his assessment of the courage and dignity, and the political significance, of Basque peace groups, a point I have made in previous articles, and indeed in a subsequent one published last Saturday.
However, I must reject his rhetorical implication that I believe that the people who killed Miguel Angel Blanco in cold blood acted with courage and dignity. I was referring to the attitude of individuals I had interviewed previously, who had been victims of state terrorism, towards their own experiences. I was trying to give some idea of the complexity of the situation in the Basque Country.
More importantly, Mr Alonso's assertion that this state terrorism or "Dirty War" "claimed the lives of 27 ETA activists" is seriously inaccurate. Nine of the victims, including a 16-year-old girl, had no connection whatever with ETA. Two ETA members were kidnapped, tortured for weeks, forced to dig their own graves, shot and buried in quicklime. A senior Socialist Party politician is currently charged with direct participation in their torture. Other high-ranking Socialists have already admitted organising the "Dirty War", and former Ministers also face charges.
The use of torture and murder by a democratic administration is more dangerous than terrorism by disaffected revolutionary groups, because such state terrorism undermines the legitimacy of that democracy. The legacy of the Spanish "Dirty War" is not the main reason that ETA continues killing, but it is certainly a major factor in justifying ETA's continued existence, if not its individual operations, in the perception of many Basques. Any resolution of this grim and dangerous conflict must take that perception into account. - Yours, etc.,
Paddy Woodworth, Manor Place, Dublin 7.