From Logroño Prison, jailed Basque leader on winning Gernika Peace Prize

'To put politics at the service of the people you have to play big and leave aside partisanship, sectarianism, the competition for votes'

From Arnaldo Otegi

Logroño Prison, April 29

I WANT to thank you for the prize that you have given me. It is an honour for me and my family to receive a prize that carries the name of Gernika – a task full of honour and responsibility facing the future. I won’t fail you in it.

Once again, a thousand thanks.

The story that began various years ago, in the Sallobente valley of Elgoibar, in the hamlet of Txillare, at a table well supplied by Pello, is in a great way the story that has brought us to the current political situation. With the passing of time I am ever more convinced that those of us who sat at that table began to make POLITICS.

At this table, little by little, leaving aside the elections, electoral results, political calculations, the custom that we have of playing small . . .  we decided to play it big. We said that from that table an agreement had to come based on justice and peace, the agreement that the Basque Country deserves.

The path taken there has brought us to the current situation; the path has given fruit, but not all of it. There is still a ways to go. There is still fruit to be gathered.

I think that the path taken has left various lessons to continue advancing: among others that to put politics at the service of the people you have to play big and do IT and therefore leave aside partisanship, sectarianism, the competition for votes. Leave it all aside and make way for the POPULAR WILL because there is no one or nothing more important than THE PEOPLE.

And the people, my friends, is not just composed of those who think like us; those who don’t think like us are also the people, they are also the Basque Country.

We have to build the Basque Country as the country of all the rights, made up of citizens born anywhere and who think in any form, a free and just nation socially and nationally.

To finish and, yes, just things must be spoken of; I want to end with two points of justice:

1. The first to my family, my wife, children, parents… Without your help, your support, your complicity, my work would have been impossible.
2. Second, to my friend and compatriot Jesus Egiguren… The Basque Country owes a lot to him. His commitment, honesty and loyalty has brought the Basque Country to this current situation. He deserves the prize that you award him. Also to him, his wife, his children, a warm embrace.

And finally, I would like to also name various members of the Abertzale Left who have participated in this enormous task but especially those who with their work have brought us to this new situation and now remain in prison like myself: to the comrades Sonia Jacinto, Miren Zabaleta, Rafa Diez and Arkaitz Rodriguez.

This prize is also theirs and for their families.

From the Logroño Prison, thanks to everyone.

❏  SINN FÉIN President Gerry Adams TD had earlier congratulated Arnaldo, saying:

“Your recent election advances have changed the political landscape in the Basque Country and Spain

“The historic successes of Batasuna, Abertzaile Left, Amaiur and now Sortu is a vindication of your political work throughout the past 40 years.

“You dared to dream and to chart a new peaceful and democratic path to Basque freedom and independence. For that you are now being rewarded.”