Today Saturday from 22h, Santiago Espot (president of Catalonia Action) Tele5 (Spain) of the Great Debate: "The independence of Catalonia"
September 09, 2012
Demonstration 9/11. March for independence. March over Barcelona
This demonstration means, and it will mean, several things for the Catalan Nation and for all Catalans. These are numbered below:
- It will open the process to constitute a new Independent Catalan State.
- It will open the process of national regeneration. Freedom, territories and language. Restitution of the two most battered pillars of the country: Territorial union and linguistic integrity.
- It will open the inner and communal reinforcement against ingenious criteria from supposedly progressist always against Catalonia.
- It will open the process for the delegitmization of all those actors for independence who do not deny the profits from the Old Order. All charges and titles from the autonomic Hispano-Catalan era are not valid in the New Order.
- It is necessary then, to start a process around a Constituent table in which elements from ANC -Catalan National Assembly, AMI -Association of Municipalities for Independence, political, patriotic, sports, social and cultural organizations, Trade Unions, political parties that have denied from the old order and want to put their wheels in motion for Independence. In a clear manner, precise and with no deceptions that scare them away.
- It will bring a new hope to Catalonia. From now, a start of a movement to reinstate our freedom, increase our self-esteem and the spiritual and material wealth of our Nation and our people.
Once we have crossed this door, nothing will be the same for Catalonia and Catalans. There should have been established the rupture that will mark the before and after. A before full of arguments, lies and sterile fights. An after of lucidity and courageous determination. We only have an objective: get free, regenerate and become a free Nation among the rest of free Nations.
Salvador Molins, Counsellor Catalunya Acció
Labels:
#11S2012------------------------------
September 07, 2012
Let's take Barcelona on the 11th!
For independence.
Independence of Catalonia
President Mas shows as a coward servile maid at Spain's service.
Timorous and unable to defend the interests of Catalans. This is what he
learnt from Jordi Pujol; to bend over in front of Spain and save his
arse, but not Catalans.
Now, Spain does not need Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya and Rome does not pay traitors. The decadence that we are living now. at political as well as economical level. is the result of thirty years of indignant regionalistic government, that had the objective of boxing Catalonia into Spain, modernizing Spain and teaching Spain.
Well, the most stupid and irresponsible thing ever to be thought by a Catalan.
And now, we see the results. when abjection rules.
Josep Castany
President Catalunya Acció
Now, Spain does not need Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya and Rome does not pay traitors. The decadence that we are living now. at political as well as economical level. is the result of thirty years of indignant regionalistic government, that had the objective of boxing Catalonia into Spain, modernizing Spain and teaching Spain.
Well, the most stupid and irresponsible thing ever to be thought by a Catalan.
And now, we see the results. when abjection rules.
Josep Castany
President Catalunya Acció
Labels:
#11S2012
August 27, 2012
Alfons Lopez Tena. The democratic principle versus self-determination
From the juridical point of
view, a new State needs to be recognized by the other existing States.
[...] However, in front of the contemporary process of generation
described, the normal dynamics by the existing States is simple,
recognizing the emerging ones. And the process to achieve it is
juridically expressed within the sentence by the International Court at
The Hague about Kosovo.
This country [...] proclaimed independence from Serbia through a totally unilateral declaration that was not a referendum nor through via the Parliament this is, the same way that the United States of America declared independence from the United Kingdom two-hundred years before. Its democratically elected representatives met and declared independence, not in a formal Parliamentary meeting. In Kosovo, it was done by a very large majority of members of its Parliament as well as its Prime Minister, without a vote, signing a document. As if now, a majority of the Members of the Catalan Parliament joined a meeting and signed a document proclaiming independence, being it all. So that, even and the lack of parliamentary formality that might have threat the legality of the act, the Hague's Tribunal fully endorsed it.
Some interesting points from that sentence and the concurring favourable opinions are that full legal legitimacy is given to the act because is performed by the democratically elected representatives of the people, without entering in the disquisition whether there is the right of self-determination or not, who is the subject of this right nor where or who is applicable to. Contrarily, the opinions of who deny the recognition of Kosovo -Spain, Russia and China, were founded precisely in the negation of the existence of the right of self-determination by Kosovo, under the base that this right is only applicable when in colonial situations and that the relationship Kosovo-Yugoslavia was not of colonial character.
It must be said that the Court not even entered in considering if Kosovo had the right or not, but simply if there was any international principle of law contrary to the proclamation of independence just made by the democratically elected representatives of the people of Kosovo.
Secondly, the Court proclaimed that in case of a proclamation of independence, juridically legitimate, by one territory, it is immediately recognized by the existing States, and that was the guarantee for an independence based on the democratic principle. In spite of the Yugoslavian Constitution proclaiming that Kosovo was an integral part of the Serbian Nation and that its independence required a reform of the Constitution. As Kosovars were a minority in respect with the total Yugoslavian population, the reform of the Constitution -albeit was formally possible, in fact appeared blocked.
The sentence at The Hague's Court continues with the line pointed the Canadian Superior Court, as enquired by the Canadian Government. They wanted to know if a clear majority in favour of independence in answer to an explicit question in Quebec about independence would be binding for the Canadian Federal Government. The Court answered fistly, not to enter within the right of self-determination -that is very badly defined in terms of international law, and secondly, reaffirm the democratic principle; when there is a clear majority that pronounces democratically, the Canadian Government must entertain this pronouncement and negotiate the conditions of secession in good faith.
This is the judicial framework that has guaranteed the latest independences, such as Southern Sudan, possible through a referendum and the Dutch Antilles, through Parliament.
In summary, from the legal point of view it is clear. Democratic principle guarantees the independence of the new State, whether it is decided by its population through a referendum or indirectly through their democratically elected representatives, be it via a formal parliamentary session or via a non-parliamentary meeting by its elected members. And about this topic there is already jurisprudence and cases that not only guarantee the legality of the declaration, but also the international recognition by the other States.
The steps, in any case, must be as follows:
Let's go straight. There is no reason why not. Only fear -cultivated during 300 years, makes us try uncertain and bendy pathways with excuses of prudence and false securities. Declare first independence and then validate it with a referendum made under our wills and without the direct pressure from Spain.
Alfons Lopez Tena
Catalan MP for Solidaritat per la Independència de Catalunya (SI)
This country [...] proclaimed independence from Serbia through a totally unilateral declaration that was not a referendum nor through via the Parliament this is, the same way that the United States of America declared independence from the United Kingdom two-hundred years before. Its democratically elected representatives met and declared independence, not in a formal Parliamentary meeting. In Kosovo, it was done by a very large majority of members of its Parliament as well as its Prime Minister, without a vote, signing a document. As if now, a majority of the Members of the Catalan Parliament joined a meeting and signed a document proclaiming independence, being it all. So that, even and the lack of parliamentary formality that might have threat the legality of the act, the Hague's Tribunal fully endorsed it.
Some interesting points from that sentence and the concurring favourable opinions are that full legal legitimacy is given to the act because is performed by the democratically elected representatives of the people, without entering in the disquisition whether there is the right of self-determination or not, who is the subject of this right nor where or who is applicable to. Contrarily, the opinions of who deny the recognition of Kosovo -Spain, Russia and China, were founded precisely in the negation of the existence of the right of self-determination by Kosovo, under the base that this right is only applicable when in colonial situations and that the relationship Kosovo-Yugoslavia was not of colonial character.
It must be said that the Court not even entered in considering if Kosovo had the right or not, but simply if there was any international principle of law contrary to the proclamation of independence just made by the democratically elected representatives of the people of Kosovo.
Secondly, the Court proclaimed that in case of a proclamation of independence, juridically legitimate, by one territory, it is immediately recognized by the existing States, and that was the guarantee for an independence based on the democratic principle. In spite of the Yugoslavian Constitution proclaiming that Kosovo was an integral part of the Serbian Nation and that its independence required a reform of the Constitution. As Kosovars were a minority in respect with the total Yugoslavian population, the reform of the Constitution -albeit was formally possible, in fact appeared blocked.
The sentence at The Hague's Court continues with the line pointed the Canadian Superior Court, as enquired by the Canadian Government. They wanted to know if a clear majority in favour of independence in answer to an explicit question in Quebec about independence would be binding for the Canadian Federal Government. The Court answered fistly, not to enter within the right of self-determination -that is very badly defined in terms of international law, and secondly, reaffirm the democratic principle; when there is a clear majority that pronounces democratically, the Canadian Government must entertain this pronouncement and negotiate the conditions of secession in good faith.
This is the judicial framework that has guaranteed the latest independences, such as Southern Sudan, possible through a referendum and the Dutch Antilles, through Parliament.
In summary, from the legal point of view it is clear. Democratic principle guarantees the independence of the new State, whether it is decided by its population through a referendum or indirectly through their democratically elected representatives, be it via a formal parliamentary session or via a non-parliamentary meeting by its elected members. And about this topic there is already jurisprudence and cases that not only guarantee the legality of the declaration, but also the international recognition by the other States.
The steps, in any case, must be as follows:
- Win an election.
- Form a Government with the intention to either call a referendum or proclaim independence.
- Call for international recognition of the new State.
Let's go straight. There is no reason why not. Only fear -cultivated during 300 years, makes us try uncertain and bendy pathways with excuses of prudence and false securities. Declare first independence and then validate it with a referendum made under our wills and without the direct pressure from Spain.
Alfons Lopez Tena
Catalan MP for Solidaritat per la Independència de Catalunya (SI)
August 02, 2012
Catalonia wants independence, not Spanish austerity
Spain's dual crises of social and economic unrest,
paired with an unprecedented loosening of the bonds that tie it together
as a nation, make it perhaps the most apt microcosm of today's European
Union - warns think-tank
Thousands of miners entered Madrid
last week, singing loudly, setting off fireworks and waving signs and
banners. Some walked as far as 250 miles from the mining regions along
Spain's northern coast. The marcha negra - black march - ended with a
violent clash with police in front of Spain's Industry Ministry
building. Over the ensuing days - labourers and civil servants rallied
throughout the city, blocking streets and railways. Some women wore
black veils as though for a funeral. The target of these protests was
the austerity package passed last Wednesday, by the embattled government
of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy - whose future, the miners
reminded him, was "darker than our coal".
The €65bn package
consists of European Union-recommended tax increases, public sector
spending cuts, city and regional government overhauls and the
liberalisation of the transportation sector. The hope is that these
measures will help the country, having recently requested up to €100bn
in European aid for its banks and avoid an international state bail-out
along the lines of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. With government
revenues and housing prices falling and debt on the rise though, it may
well prove to be a doomed effort.
And yet as workers from
throughout the country converge on Madrid for protests - a second,
altogether different, movement is gathering strength in one of Spain's
wealthiest autonomous regions - Catalonia. There, thousands have
gathered throughout the summer in towns and villages to call for much
more than an end to austerity. Their goal is complete independence for
their region of over 7.5 million from the Spanish state. Catalonia, like
the Basque Country, has a long and complicated history with
Castillian-dominated Spain. But the crippling economic crisis,
resentment over transfers of roughly 8 to 9 per cent of Catalonia's
gross domestic product to poorer parts of Spain - and incidents such as
recent Spanish Supreme Court opposition to Catalan language-immersion
programmes in the region's pre-schools has combined to form a
three-layered gift for the independentistes.
According to recent
polls conducted by the Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió, 51 per cent of all
Catalans would vote for independence from Spain in a hypothetical
referendum. This represents a six-point percentage increase in the past
four months alone. When asked the broader question of what Catalonia
should be vis-à-vis Spain, 34 per cent said "independent" - a 20-point
percentage increase since the pre-crisis days of 2006. Following the
release of the polling data, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz
de Santamaría called on all Spaniards to understand that with the
country's other concerns "now must be a time for stability". Catalan MP
Josep Antoni Duran sought to downplay the results, arguing that a
majority of Catalans would still prefer increased autonomy over outright
independence.
Yet between now and September, more than 200
pro-independence rallies and marches are scheduled to take place across
Catalonia; building up to a massive demonstration on September 11, the
region's national holiday. The plan from there, according to the Catalan
National Assembly - or ANC - will be to organise a referendum on
Catalonia's status for the following year and proclaim full independence
in 2014. "For us, independence is a question of dignity," says Carme
Forcadell, head of the ANC. "We don't want to live on our knees within
Spain when we could stand on our own feet in Europe."
Spain, with
unemployment rates of close to 25 per cent, youth unemployment over 50
per cent, increasing emigration and expectations of long-term recession
and austerity - should be watched very carefully by policy-makers in
Brussels and Washington. Its dual crises of social and economic unrest,
paired with an unprecedented loosening of the bonds that tie it together
as a nation, make it perhaps the most apt microcosm of today's EU. As
the country drifts towards a possible state bail-out - the tightening
screws of la crisis are threatening to drive fissures through every
aspect of its social, political, and economic life; and push it into the
uncharted waters of possible, although still unlikely, disintegration.
During
the recent Euro 2012 football tournament, the uglier side of
pan-European tensions was often on display. "Without Angie, you wouldn't
be here," chanted German fans during the game with Greece, referring to
German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "We'll never pay you back," replied
the Greeks. At a wedding I recently attended in Catalonia, I found only
one fellow guest tracking the status of the ongoing match between Spain
and France and he was quietly rooting for France. "We Catalans are tired
of seeing our tax money go to Spain," he said, cringing as news of
another Spanish goal popped up on his phone. "I guess you could say we
understand how Germany feels."
Nicholas Siegel is a senior
programme officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States
think-tank, which originally published this paper as part of its Transatlantic Take series
Labels:
Economic plunder
July 31, 2012
Homage to Catalan Patriots.
Only great men, with strong
character, men with vision and profound convictions can transform
moments of crisis like we are living now in unique opportunities that
culminate in victory.
This is the immediate challenge that we are presented with who love our Catalan nation. Strong leadership must emerge, with men and women with strong character who lead the way to face Spain and France, transforming this suffering defeat into the last push for independence.
This leadership must not come from the actual political parties representing the Spanish legality that wants us assimilated and converted in provinces. Therefore, it must not emerge from the actual regionalist parties, or from those who are supporters of independence by mouth but not acting towards it, those whose ambivalence allow the assimilation process, and the impoverishment of our nation.
This leadership must come from the full support for independence, men and women who have their heads, hearts and actions committed to one only objective, the independence and reunification of the Catalan nation.
To make this leadership afloat, as it is impossible to capitalize the success of independence, we must reaffirm in the character of all those who are immersed, expelling the spectrum of the regressive uniformization, heritage of the state leftism, that softens determination, stops and suffocates the most lucid and courageous voices, and still nowadays resists to pointing at any clear strategy that is killing us, or who carry them out and permit them.
Only the emergence of this courageous and strong leadership, who is able to calling things by their name and ultimately willing to reach the end despite any obstacles in the way, will be able to vertebrate unity, known by all as necessary to the constitution of a dignified independence. Real unity is founded in the recognition of the authority of the most integral and the most able.
A nation cannot go further from where its leaders go. We have bitter memories about this. When leaders are weak, the nation becomes weak too. When leaders are traitors, the nation becomes humiliated. When the leaders are pure mediocre administrators, lacking any love for their country, chaos surfaces being the broth for growing far right forces. But when they are real leaders at the nation's service, this blooms all its possibilities and lives glorious times. We need leaders faithful in the country. To break up corsets, the asphyxiating limitations imposed by leaders unworthy of the Catalan nation, and to take it by their strong hand towards independence.
It is now time for those who want a free Catalonia to act with wisdom, responsibility, generously and loving our Nation, making possible the emergence of the most courageous, most lucid and more committed.
This is a homage to all those who died defending the liberties of Catalonia, and who all honour today, expect from us, from who are living critical and fascinating moments of our history.
Visca Catalunya Lliure!
Maria Torrents, cousellor Catalunya Acció
This is the immediate challenge that we are presented with who love our Catalan nation. Strong leadership must emerge, with men and women with strong character who lead the way to face Spain and France, transforming this suffering defeat into the last push for independence.
This leadership must not come from the actual political parties representing the Spanish legality that wants us assimilated and converted in provinces. Therefore, it must not emerge from the actual regionalist parties, or from those who are supporters of independence by mouth but not acting towards it, those whose ambivalence allow the assimilation process, and the impoverishment of our nation.
This leadership must come from the full support for independence, men and women who have their heads, hearts and actions committed to one only objective, the independence and reunification of the Catalan nation.
To make this leadership afloat, as it is impossible to capitalize the success of independence, we must reaffirm in the character of all those who are immersed, expelling the spectrum of the regressive uniformization, heritage of the state leftism, that softens determination, stops and suffocates the most lucid and courageous voices, and still nowadays resists to pointing at any clear strategy that is killing us, or who carry them out and permit them.
Only the emergence of this courageous and strong leadership, who is able to calling things by their name and ultimately willing to reach the end despite any obstacles in the way, will be able to vertebrate unity, known by all as necessary to the constitution of a dignified independence. Real unity is founded in the recognition of the authority of the most integral and the most able.
A nation cannot go further from where its leaders go. We have bitter memories about this. When leaders are weak, the nation becomes weak too. When leaders are traitors, the nation becomes humiliated. When the leaders are pure mediocre administrators, lacking any love for their country, chaos surfaces being the broth for growing far right forces. But when they are real leaders at the nation's service, this blooms all its possibilities and lives glorious times. We need leaders faithful in the country. To break up corsets, the asphyxiating limitations imposed by leaders unworthy of the Catalan nation, and to take it by their strong hand towards independence.
It is now time for those who want a free Catalonia to act with wisdom, responsibility, generously and loving our Nation, making possible the emergence of the most courageous, most lucid and more committed.
This is a homage to all those who died defending the liberties of Catalonia, and who all honour today, expect from us, from who are living critical and fascinating moments of our history.
Visca Catalunya Lliure!
Maria Torrents, cousellor Catalunya Acció
------------------------------
June 07, 2012
Capitalise the convulsion
Historically, great changes always happened in moments of great political convulsion. The moments when all the structures that seemed unchangeable become vulnerable. Another feature of this type of situations is the great speed in which it occurs, like a glimpse. This is the moment of those who are pursuing to turn the events over, as long as they have the shrewdness and the cleverness to see and face them. And now, Catalonia is starting to have, in front of the eyes, another of the opportunities to reverse its History and become an independent nation.
No doubt that the economic downturn embraces Catalan politics, and every day more people see that Catalonia, without the looting perpetrated by Spain, would not be in the actual situation. The protest of this ignominy officially called "fiscal deficit" has begun to materialize in the campaign against tolls (I don't want to pay). Moreover, this is a direct attack against the financial power of Catalonia -la Caixa is the biggest shareholder of Abertis, that passively collaborates with Spain perpetuating the robbery against Catalonia. When the people defy their oligarchy, everything is possible.
And political power is worse than the financial power. Let's see how damaged the maximum Spanish authority has resulted from his African adventure. All the slimy propaganda from the political class and journalists, consisting in spreading Juan Carlos I's virtues of statesman have demonstrated to be a vulgar lie. It is more clear than ever that the Monarch is a scoundrel, exactly like everyone in his dynasty. Spanish monarchy is discredited due to a series of turbulent affairs.
Meanwhile, Spanish People's Party government accentuates its colonial politics against Catalonia and Catalan president Mas has every day less margin to manoeuvre. Rajoy and his team have abandoned any disguise against Catalonia because the Spanish public opinion is eager to finish with the minidevolution in Catalonia. In front of this offensive, CiU continues with its 5th division tactics, based on throwing periodically a message, allegedly for independence, but that nobody believes, neither in Madrid nor in Barcelona. It is clear that we are close to a power void, because it is very difficult to see anybody who could guarantee that Catalonia would not turn against Spain.
Everything is making everybody feel a collective climate of tiredness of a situation that everybody knows impossible to sustain. Now it is the time of new plans, courageous attitudes and, especially, to stage and assume the conflict we have with Spain. Bury our heads in the sand, saying that this is a simple game in Parliament is not believable any longer. We must say now that this is a conflict between two nations. One that wants the suffocation of the other, by any means at reach. In the past it was through cannons and shootings at dawn, now it is through judge's verdicts.
Santiago Espot
Executive President Catalunya Acció
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