ETA's 2006 ceasefire declaration

The ETA's 2006 "permanent ceasefire" was the period spanning between 24 March and 30 December 2006 during which, following an ETA communiqué, the Spanish government, led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero on one side, and the militant group on the other, engaged in talks as a means to agree on a formula to voluntarily disband the latter. It was terminated as a result of the 2006 Madrid Barajas International Airport bombing.

Background and declaration

At the time of ETA's declaration, the most recent to date of its killings had been committed on 30 May, 2003, whereas its last proven assassination attempt occurred on 17 February, 2005. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/europe/4273231.stm 'Eta cell' was planning attacks] , BBC News / Europe, 17 February 2005.] ETA had been briefly blamed for the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings, but it soon became clear that the attack was the work of radical Islamists. For the next two years, there had been some conjecture whether ETA was refraining from their previous level of violence out of weakness, out of a change of heart or tactics, or because the 11 March attacks had undercut support for violent political tactics.

On 22 March 2006 ETA sent a DVD message to the Basque Network Euskal Irrati-Telebista [ [http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/politics/effective-on-march-24-eta-cease-fire?itemId=D20829&cl=%2Feitb24%2Fpolitica&idioma=en ETA cease-fire] , "eitb24", 23 March 2006.] and the journals "Gara" [es icon fr icon eu icon [http://gara.net/idatzia/20060323/art156940.php ETA declara un alto el fuego permanente para impulsar un proceso democrático] ("ETA declares a permanent ceasefire to give impetus to a democratic process"), "Gara", 3 March 2006 (article in Spanish, text of announcement in Basque, Spanish and French.] and Berria with a communiqué from the organization announcing what it called a "permanent ceasefire" that was broadcast over Spanish TV. According to the spokeswoman for the organisation, the "ceasefire" would begin on Friday 24 March. In their communiqué, they stated that the French and Spanish governments should cooperate and respond positively to this new situation. On 23 March, Gara published an extended version of the communiqué. The calculated ambiguity of the term "permanent" (which was a novelty when compared to previous "ceasefire" declarations) was widely discussed by most observers, even though it was mostly regarded as a positive sign of ETA's will to quit its violent activities.

Reactions to the declaration

Most political parties welcomed the news of a ceasefire on the part of ETA. The government (under the PSOE administration) displayed an optimistic and hopeful response to the announcement, although in official statements president Zapatero called for "prudence".

PP: The People's Party (headed by Mariano Rajoy) showed pessimism with regards to this announcement and claimed that it was only a pause for ETA, probably in the same fashion as the previous truce (declared by ETA in 1998, under president Aznar's administration). Rajoy called on the government to continue "fighting terrorism" and reject negotiations.

Basque Government: Juan José Ibarretxe called for the establishment of a negotiation table "without exclusions" (i.e. involving all the concerned political sectors, i.e., Batasuna, which is currently illegal).

Batasuna's position evolved from a cautious optimism into increasingly serious warnings against what they considered "a lack of resolve on the part of the Spanish government" and what they believed was "a will not to solve the conflict but to erode the Nationalist Left". The harshest of such warnings was issued in December 5 2005, when they gave a press conference denouncing "continued repression" (in reference to the detentions of ETA members by the police) and warning that the peace process could "hardly continue in such conditions". [ [http://gara.euskalherria.com/idatzia/20061206/art192140.php "Batasuna afirma que "el proceso es inviable en estas condiciones" (Gara daily)] ] After the Barajas bombing, Batasuna remained the only political party that considered that the "ceasefire" was still viable. An ETA communiqué released soon after the Barajas bombings stated the terrorist group's apparent will to continue negotiations. [ [http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/189753/0/ETA/comunicado/gara/ "ETA comunica que "el alto el fuego sigue vigente" pero que responderá a "agresiones" 20 Minutos, Miércoles, 09.01.2007 - 20:23h"] ] Five months later, on the 5th of June 2007, ETA released a statement affirming it considered the "ceasefire" to be over, warning attacks would be resumed at midnight that same day [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/ETA/da/finalizado/alto/fuego/partir/medianoche/elpepuesp/20070605elpepunac_2/Tes] .

The 2006–2007 ETA "ceasefire" was a period of heightened political tension in Spain. The strategic interests of the concerned political parties and the mutual recriminations between Spanish politicians of acting with hidden agendas were often at the forefront of the discussions. [ [http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2007/03/22/espana/1174533048.html "Políticos ante el alto el fuego de ETA: De la esperanza al desencuentro" (El Mundo, martes 05/06/2007 08:29)] ]

Negotiations and incidents during the "ceasefire"

On September 23 2006 masked and armed ETA members took part in a political act in Aritxulegi (Guipuscoa) and declared that the organization will "keep taking up arms" until achieving "independence and socialism in the Basque country". The militant claimed that "the fight is not a thing of the past. It is the present and the future" [es icon [http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/09/24/espana/1159091695.html El Mundo] 24 Sept. 2006] . The statement was regarded by some as intended to put pressure on the talks with the Spanish government, [Daniel Woolls, [http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1747147.ece Eta to 'keep taking up arms' in secession war] , "The Independent", 25 September 2006.] which were announced on September 17, [ [http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/politics/media-ampldquoel-paisamprdquo-affirms-eta-and-spanish-government-?itemId=B24_10242&cl=%2Feitb24%2Fpolitica&idioma=en ETA and Spanish Government to initiate formal talks in a month] , "eitb24", 17 September 2006.] and by some other analysts as a declaration of ETA's ultimate intentions, making clear that the organization will not disarm until every single one of their goals have been completely achieved. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5375834.stm Basque militants refuse to disarm] , BBC News, 24 September 2006.] Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero stressed in the Spanish Parliament that the Spanish Government would still keep its offer for talks despite the militant's statement. [ [http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/politics/parliamentary-session-spanish-pm-stresses-basque-peace-process-st?itemId=B24_12467&cl=%2Feitb24%2Fpolitica&idioma=en Spanish PM stresses Basque peace process still on track] , "eitb24", 27 September 2006.]

In June, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced that his government would begin negotiations with the ETA.

On October 24 2006 a suspected ETA cell stole some 300 handguns, ammunition and spare parts in France. [es icon [http://www.gara.net/idatzia/20061025/art186010.php La Policía sospecha que fue ETA quien robó anteayer 350 pistolas en Nimes] ("The police suspect that it was ETA who stole 350 guns yesterday in Nîmes"), "Gara", 25 October 2006]

On November 4 2006 Gara newspaper published excerpts of ETA's bulletin "Zutabe" no.111, in which the organization pondered that "if the Spanish government doesn't fulfill its compromises and there are no visible steps, the peace process will be broken". ETA also announced that they would "make a renewed effort towards the negotiations with the Spanish government". ETA "laments that in the time elapsed since the March declaration of ceasefire (…) precious time has been wasted". They demanded from Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero "to give a positive answer" to two central issues: (1) "to the specific demand of the fulfilment of the commitments he adopted on leaving aside repression and ceasing attacks" and (2) "he will have to commit clearly to respect the will for an [independence] process in Euskal Herria, that is: the will of Basque citizens". [es icon [http://gara.euskalherria.com/idatzia/20061104/art187359.php ETA constata la crisis del proceso y anuncia «un nuevo esfuerzo»] ("ETA confirms the crisis of the process and announces 'a new effort'", "Gara", 4 November 2006]

On 14 November, the Socialist Party admitted that the peace process was fraught with problems. Batasuna’s staunch refusal to condemn terrorism did not help. Also, the hunger strike of ETA activist Iñaki de Juana Chaos led to street hooliganism by some in Batasuna's youth branch. On 14 December, Batasuna’s Pernando Barrena said that the peace process was “going nowhere.” He accused the Socialist Party of making excessive demands to Batasuna.

End of "ceasefire"

On December 30 2006, at 9:00 in the morning, after three confusing warning calls, ETA detonated a van bomb in a parking building at the Madrid Barajas international airport. The explosion caused the collapse of the building and killed two Ecuadorian immigrants who were napping inside their cars in the parking building. [es icon [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/ETA/cargo/bomba/Barajas/200/kilos/explosivo/elpepuesp/20061230elpepunac_1/Tes ETA cargó la bomba de Barajas con al menos 200 kilos de explosivo] El País, 30 December 2006] [es icon [http://elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/12/30/espana/1167508417.html ETA colocó 200 kg de explosivos en la T4; siguen buscando a los dos desaparecidos] El Mundo, 31 December 2006] At 6:00 P.M., José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero released a statement informing that the "peace process" had been discontinued. [es icon [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Zapatero/He/ordenado/suspender/todas/iniciativas/desarrollar/dialogo/ETA/elpepuesp/20061230elpepunac_4/Tes Zapatero: "He ordenado suspender todas las iniciativas para desarrollar el diálogo con ETA"] El País, 30 December 2006] [es icon [http://elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/12/30/espana/1167499665.html Zapatero suspende el diálogo con ETA pero elude hablar del fin del proceso] El Mundo, 31 December 2006]

In November 2006 ETA warned the Spanish government that the so-called "peace process" was "in crisis." [ [http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Nov04/0,4670,SpainETACeasefire,00.html FOXNews.com - ETA: Peace Process Is in Crisis - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News ] ] The concessions sought by ETA and its political supporters (which included the relocation of ETA inmates from jails all over Spain to penitentiaries located in the Basque region and the halting of arrests and trials of ETA suspects) had not been attended. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,240659,00.html FOXNews.com - Ruling Spanish Socialists: Peace Process With Basques 'Dead' - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News ] ] It was reported [ [http://www.abc.es/20061231/nacional-terrorismo/banda-recordo-ejecutivo-precedente_200612310243.htm ABC.es l Página no encontrada ] ] that, before the attack, ETA reminded Rodríguez Zapatero about the 2004 Madrid train bombings (as a way to pressure the government with the possibility of an attack before upcoming elections), even though the source also states that ETA 'had nothing to do' with the attack itself.

On January 4-5, 2007, the Ertzaintza found a cache of 350 pounds of explosives in Atxondo (Biscay). Out of these, 220 pounds were ready for immediate use (only lacking a detonator). [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070105/ap_on_re_eu/spain_bombing] ]

On January 9, 2007, newspaper Gara published a letter on behalf of ETA, claiming responsibility for the December 30, 2006 bomb at Barajas airport in Madrid. ETA also claimed that the ceasefire was still in place despite the bombing. ETA extended their solidarity to the "collateral damage" (the two Ecuadorian immigrants killed by the explosion), assuring that the "objective of this armed action was not to cause victims" and blamed the government for the dead, in view of the alleged lack of diligence evacuating the building. They also accused the Government and the PSOE political party of creating obstacles for a democratic process. [ [http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2007/01/09/espana/1168348140.html?a=8820e184a520a8c89dc2a95e237ac798&t=1168352723 ETA dice que el alto el fuego sigue 'vigente' y que no quiso 'causar víctimas' en la T4 | elmundo.es ] ] [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/ETA/asume/autoria/atentado/Barajas/asegura/alto/fuego/continua/vigente/elpepuesp/20070109elpepunac_8/Tes ETA asume la autoría del atentado de Barajas pero asegura que el alto el fuego continúa vigente · ELPAÍS.com ] ]

Formal ending, subsequent ETA attacks and reactions

Despite the fact that all political parties and analysts in Spain -including those in the Basque country- and abroad considered the "ceasefire" ended with the Barajas bombing (accordingly, the negotiation tables were not resumed ever since that date) it was only weeks after, on June 5, 2007, that ETA released a communiqué through the Berria newspaper's web site formally announcing the end of the "permanent ceasefire" by midnight. ETA also announced that it would "act in all fronts in defence of Euskal Herria". [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/ETA/da/finalizado/alto/fuego/partir/manana/elpepuesp/20070605elpepunac_2/Tes ETA da por finalizado el alto el fuego a partir de medianoche · ELPAÍS.com ] ]

On June 21, 2007, Spanish police found 130 kg (285 pounds) of explosives in a car parked in the town of Ayamonte, near the Southern Portuguese border. The cache was suspected to belong to ETA, stoking fears that attacks would be imminent after the group announced the end of the "permanent ceasefire" on June 5, 2007. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6229548.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Basque grievances nourish Eta ] ]

On October 9, 2007, ETA members placed a bomb under the car of the bodyguard of a PSE-EE (Socialist Party of the Basque Country) council member of Galdakao. The bodyguard, Juan Carlos Domingo Galíndez, was seriously injured. [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/ETA/hiere/Bilbao/escolta/concejal/PSE/bomba/lapa/situada/coche/elpepuesp/20071009elpepunac_5/Tes ETA hiere en Bilbao al escolta de un concejal del PSE con una bomba lapa situada en su coche · ELPAÍS.com ] ]

On December 1, 2007, members of ETA shot dead two Spanish civil guards in Southern France. They are the first fatalities blamed on ETA in nearly a year. The two unarmed plainsclothes civil guard officers were in Capbreton, France, to meet with French police about joint operations against ETA, which traditionally uses France as a base for its attacks in Spain. The civil guards entered a cafe for their breakfast where three ETA suspects were by chance. The suspects recognized them and ambushed them on the parking, fleeding then in a car, later leaving it to commandeer a second car. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7123783.stm BBC reports latest to date assassination by ETA, happened in France on Dec. 1st, 2007] ]

At the beginning of 2008, ETA said that it would base its calls for independence on the Kosovo status. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=01&dd=05&nav_id=46703 B92 ETA to follow Kosovo example] ]

On February 21, 2008, two former ETA leaders, José Luis Álvarez Santacristina (former responsible of ETA's politic lines) and Kepa Pikabea (former responsible of ETA's armed actions) both currently serving jail sentences, they released a joint note to the press stating that "ETA did not take into account the opinion of the majority of ETA inmates at the time of breaking the most recent truce" and that the "armed struggle is useless and an obstacle" for Basque nationalism [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Txelis/Pikabea/ETA/tuvo/cuenta/opinion/presos/romper/tregua/elpepuesp/20080222elpepunac_6/Tes 'Txelis' y 'Pikabea': "ETA no tuvo en cuenta la opinión de los presos al romper la tregua" · ELPAÍS.com ] ] . Days before the note was released, they had both been expelled from the ETA inmates collective.

References