- Title: Bayonne set to host historic gathering as ETA disarms
- Date: 7th April 2017
- Summary: BAYONNE, FRANCE (APRIL 7, 2017) (REUTERS) ADOUR RIVER AND PEOPLE WALKING ON DOCKS PEOPLE WALKING ON BRIDGE MORE OF BRIDGE BANNER ON DOCKS READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8" SIGN READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8, we are all peaceworkers" DOCK (SOUNDBITE) (French) FOUNDING MEMBER OF PEACEWORKERS ASSOCIATION, JEAN-NOEL ETCHEVERRY, SAYING: "We said that the disarmament would be total, verifiable, and verified so obviously there will be procedures of verification of the reality and the totality of this disarmament and this notably the help of international observers and auditors; it will happens in the coming weeks." SIGNS READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8 we are all peaceworkers" (SOUNDBITE) (French) FOUNDING MEMBER OF PEACEWORKERS ASSOCIATION, JEAN-NOEL ETCHEVERRY, SAYING: "Firstly, by handling the question of disarmament we are removing a massive rock on the road towards this peace process, at least we will move it forward easier and quicker. Plus, the manner we're doing it, it is to say with popular mobilization and this union of every strengths - political, union and social - it will give us a real strength tomorrow when we will raise the others questions; and I think today, the peace process and the necessity of a peace process, a peace which is right, global and sustainable in the Basque country is more than ever at the centre of the debate in the political agenda and this is something new." SIGN READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8 we are all peaceworkers" SIGNS READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8 we are all peaceworkers" VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS AT PEACEWORKERS ASSOCIATION STICKING BANNER ON BRIDGE VOLUNTEER AT THE PEACEWORKER ASSOCIATION CECILE STICKING BANNER AND TALKING TO A WOMAN (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOLUNTEER AT PEACEWORKERS ASSOCIATION, CECILE, SAYING: "Of course, this must be done, it's historical, well I don't know how to say it, it's been decades that there were problems on each sides and now we decide, finally, there it is, cards are on the table, and we are trying to discuss all together. It's not happening somewhere else, it never happened in another way, there was a blockage." SQUARE WITH CARS PARKED AND CAFE TERRASSE SIGN READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8" (Basque) "Bayonne" (French) "We are all peaceworkers" PEOPLE SITTING IN CAFE AND SIGN READING (Basque) "April 8" (French) "April 8" (Basque) "Bayonne" (French) "We are all peaceworkers" PEOPLE SITTING ON TERRASSE OF CAFE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (French) PASSER BY, LIONEL, COOKER, SAYING: "It is true that it allows us to defend a little bit our identity without the usual clichés about ETA and all of that, there are lots of values here that we are trying to keep, so when we have the possibility to carry our voices we are doing it and I think we are many in the same situation." VARIOUS OF TENT FOR GATHERING
- Embargoed: 21st April 2017 20:49
- Keywords: French Basque Spain Bayonne celebrate weapons
- Location: BAYONNE, FRANCE
- City: BAYONNE, FRANCE
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016BEK5S7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The French city of Bayonne was set on Friday (April 7) for a historic gathering on April 8 as Basque militant separatist group ETA had just given up all its arms and explosives.
The group which waged a bloody campaign for independence from Spain for half a century declared it had handed over all its weapons to civilian go-betweens who are due to handover the weapons to authorities on Saturday in Bayonne.
"We said that the disarmament would be total, verifiable, and verified so obviously there will be procedures of verification of the reality and the totality of this disarmament and this notably the help of international observers and auditors," said militant and member of the Peaceworkers association Jean-Nöel Etcheverry, also known as "Txetx", without giving any further details on how the handover would be carried out.
The Basque militant told Reuters the disarmament didn't necessarily mean peace, explaining that the gathering planned on April 8 was a way to raise "others questions".
For Bayonne residents, who will take part in the gathering, the event is also a moment to defend their values and their Basque identity.
ETA declared a ceasefire in 2011, but did not disarm. The group, formed in 1959 during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, has been severely weakened in recent years after authorities arrested hundreds of its members and seized several of its weapons stashes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
