ETA and the Bask question

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna has decided to declare a permanent cease-fire from March 24, 2006. Today. And I am sure many people is really surprised.

The original COMMUNIQUÉ was pronounced in Euskera of course, but here are versions in English.

COMMUNIQUÉ OF EUSKADI TA ASKATASUNA TO THE BASQUE CITIZENS

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna has decided to declare a permanent cease-fire from March 24, 2006.

The aim of the cease-fire is to promote a democratic process in the Basque country and set up a new framework in which our rights as citizens will be recognised, ensuring the development of political options facing the future."

At the end of that process Basque citizens must have the last word and make a decision on their future.

The French and Spanish states must accept the results of the cited democratic process with no sort of limitations. The decisions Basque citizens make on our future must be respected.

We call on different agents to act responsibly and be consequent facing ETA's steps.

ETA calls on Spanish and French authorities to respond positively to this new situation leaving repression behind.

Finally, we call on Basque citizens to commit themselves to the cause and fight for our rights as a country.

ETA shows its desire and will for the open process to reach a conclusion, a real democracy in the Basque Country, overcoming a long-years conflict and achieving peace based on justice.

We stand by our commitment to make moves in the future in agreement with that will.

Overcoming the conflict is possible here and now. This is ETA's desire and will.

Basque Country, March 2006. Euskadi Ta Askatasuna
E. T.A.

I'm sure it's true, since the Madrid bombings terrorism and violence to reach a political goal has been frowned upon even by the Basks themselves, popular support for ETA has simply disappeared. Without the limited popular support the terrorist organisation is doomed, they have realised this and in a desperate attempt to remedy the situation they are trying to score some political points and perhaps rally some support behind the organisation.

ETA should vanish and the people behind it should rightfully be in jail, no question about that. The core issue itself, getting Bask more autonomy is a political goal that i can support if they do not use violence. I think the Spanish goverment is right in being careful and I believe that ETA should be shunned from the process. ETA is a past chapter, they have almost no public support and are trying now to legitimise violence as a political tool.

hush them to oblivion I say, ignore them and start dealing with the issue itself, talk to political parties and non violent Bask organisations, here is teh chance to show terrorists that violence has no part in a political process. Sadly the EU sends different signals all the time, one example being continued support for Hamas and the PA.

No comments

http://belarus.blogsome.com/category/1/

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

Volvo and Nissan opens China

Just fascinated to see a Swedish company in such great condition, Volvo truck division (the part Ford didn't get) is buying 13% in Nissan Diesel.

I think this is interesting from two perspectives.
1. It increases Volvo on the important Chinese market
2. It shows that Japanese companies finally opened up for foreign owners.

Japan has been extremely shy to open up the market or sell their businesses to foreign interests, so will we see the Japanese economy grow more now? I believe it will, after a long slump it will pick up and perhaps increase more (China is on it's heels for the "second largest economy" in the world prize).

This deal makes Volvo the second largest truck manufacturer in the world.

Can this move be seen as a substantial shift in Japanese dogma? Will the country open up more for foreign investments? After the sale (privatization) of the worlds largest bank (Japan post) and the fact that Howard Stringer became the first non-Japanese CEO of a Japanese electronics and entertainment company when he was voted in by Sony.

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

Alcohol and Mary Jane

I was thinking about how violently things can be in Sweden and Finland when people get a few drinks. Much nicer here in China and Asia in general, the Asians can't really hold their liquoer but all they want to do is sing Karaoke.

Europeans though, and when I say that I mean Swedes, Finns, English, Scottish and to some degree Irish become very violent when they drink (Nordics really are in a league of their own though).

So let's look to the Nordics, why is it that "we" react differently than almost everybody else if we generalise a bit. I believe it is because we are not trusted by our society, society tells us that we can't buy a beer before 20 and thus we shouldn't really be surprised when poeple behave like children, because that is how we are treated.
So back to the thing, I have on occasion visited Amsterdam and since I spent a good two years in NY I have also there been exposed to the beneficial impact of Mary Jane (haven't tried it myself but...). People that have had a green day rarely wants to fight, they rather sit on a couch and just kind of enjoy the world.

I believe therefor that MJ should be legal and alcohol illegal for just these reasons, think of the savings for society.
Alcohol related diseases would drop, accidents and abuse would drop, assaults and shootings would decrease.
And above all, that 3 am booty call would never be made to your ex girlfriends best friend or a call to your boss.

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

China is short of...

China is suffering...
They are suffering from a shortage of workers, unbelievable as it may seem to the leftists the average wage has actually increased 40% over the past year. Where are now the left with their screams of fair trade and Manchester capitalism?

We see here how market economy actually works to benefit the workers, how the Chinese workers have been getting a better and better economy and future thanks to the world investing in China and expanding the trade. This development would have been impossible if the socialists had gotten their will and limit the free trade to China in demands for "better work situations" for the Chinese. Had they gotten their will China would still be a rural society with scores and scores of poor people without the chance to earn a living.

There are of course still things that need correcting but as of now market economy and Capitalism has taken a country consisting of a billion people away from poverty to prosperity and a chance at a future without starvation.

Strangely enough socialists have opposed this idea of killing poverty by enabling the country to export and thrive themselves, socialists believe that there is a need to regulate and stifle, had they gotten their way China and India would be in tatters by now, luckily the world has stopped listening to these asinine ideas.

With a more prosperous population that can move up the Mazlov ladder we will soon see a liberalisation of the political world as we have seen a liberalisation of the economy. The worlds largest dictatorship will soon be no more, and all that thanks to market economy, Capitalism and not listening to Socialists.

Read more
Business Week

Also the new development with less margins has forced factories to ensure that they re invest profit into manufacturing and energy savings, thus enabling more environmentally friendly processes.

To quote a fellow blogger:
The negative aspects of Globalisation in other words are:
Better wages, better working conditions, higher education and environmental friendly manufacturing...
The horror!

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

Is Kohl making a bobo?

According to Iranian media former chancellor Kohl has agreed with Iranian president that the holocaust is a myth...
I was baffled when I read this, I do not believe that Kohl would be stupid enough to say this even if he believed it. I could get on a rant here and discuss the whole ludicrous notion that a event as well documented and witnessed as the holocaust is deemed a hoax.

So should we believe this? Of course not but still it needs to be addressed and I want to put the spotlight on Kohl, he has done some stupid things but this borders on insanity. Probably good he had to go.

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6085

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

Sweden and economy historically

Johan Norberg, the Swedish pro Globalist and author of "In defense of capitalism" has yet again hit the nail on the head.
He has written a short essay for the Liberal party of New Zealand. The Essay details how Swedens great economic history has more to do with it's liberal attitude towards free trade and market economies. As Johan shows it is not until the 70's that the economy takes a downturn.

As late as 1950 Sweden ’s taxes and public expenses were lowerthan in the US and in West Europe as a whole. And in contrast to most other countries, Swedish parties on both sides always saw the benefits of free trade, and never turned away from international markets. The trade unions were relatively positive to competition and restructuring, and allowed old sectors to pass away without government support and protection, as long as new jobs were created.

It is actually a quite sad read from here on out, in the end the recommendation is:

Sweden is not a puzzle or a paradox, it’s actually pretty clear cut: Sweden does very well in sectors with market incentives and competition. And it does very bad when it comes to the spheres ruled by an anti-market logic. So the rest of the world should look at Sweden , but not just to learn from our successes, but also our failures.

Read the whole story at:
http://www.nzcpd.com/guest13.htm

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood

Hope for the Arabnations

In these times when we surf around the net there are numerous pages about intolerance, anti semitism, hatred, racism, islamophobia and several other diseases of the mind. One might actually be assuming that the "cultural" war between USA/Europe and the Arabnations is soon to happen, however from time to time we hear from the moderates, sadly they seem to exclusively live in Europe or USA, but this time there is one brave soul in Middle East itself:

Former Dean of Islamic Law at Qatar University, Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari: The Gulf Countries Address the World in the Language of Human Rights, But Address Their Own People in an Oppressive and Racist Language

Following are excerpts from an interview with former dean of Islamic law at Qatar University, Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari. The interview aired on Anwar TV on January 25, 2006.

Interviewer: Do you think that we are facing great changes in the Gulf countries, or are these merely cosmetic changes, intended to adjust to the prevailing global trend?

Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari: I accept the latter option, that these are merely adjustments for the sake of appearance, but with no real substance. This is how I analyze this.

As I told you, the governments are smart enough to address the world in the language it understands. I call it a "globalized language," which means the language of the modern age, of common interests, human rights, women's rights, and respect for minorities.

On the other hand, [the governments] address their own people in a language that is oppressive and racist. This oppressive, racist, and backward language reflects the education, legislation, religious discourse, and upbringing.

[...]

I support the so-called "positive [international] intervention" – intervention in the form of criticism. If we neglect human rights and do not treat people equally – how can we expect the international community to remain silent? If it does not, when will the situation be rectified?

We too interfere. The Gulf countries interfere in other countries' affairs. We criticize America for its actions and policies.

[...]

The Arab countries interfere in Iraq's affairs, and so do the other countries in the region. This interference assumes various forms such as encouraging those rebels, whom they refer to as "the resistance," providing moral support and the support of the media. As you know, the Gulf media refers to what happens in Iraq as "resistance" and "Jihad." If, for example, someone blows himself up in a mosque, in a mourners' gathering, in a hospital, or at a bus station, the media calls it martyrdom-seeking and Jihad.

This kind of incitement and influence... I believe that if these [rebels] lost the moral support of the Gulf countries, terrorist operations would decline.

Brave man, Europe should support him and his friends in their struggle for more democracy and we should stop yield to extremism and intolerance, if we don't stand up to them how can we expect their "brothers" will.

Sincerely
Mr Silence Dogood