Galizan Nationalist Bloc (BNG) September 2019 International Newsletter nº 7 The BNG holds a massive Galizan National Day demonstration Galiza, a country with a future This year’s Galizan National Day demonstration organised by the Galizan Nationalist Bloc (BNG) under the heading “A new drive for Galiza. Sovereignty / Work / Democracy” once again rallied masses of people. Addressing the packed main Quintana Square, the BNG National Spokesperson, Ana Pontón, outlined the current political, economic and social si- tuation in Galiza, marking out the main challenges ahead for Ga- lizan nationalism, including the possibility of repeat Spanish and early Galizan elections. The BNG National Spokesperson stated that “if we want a future for our country, capable of governing itself, we need free parties and the ty (PP), Socialist Party (PSOE) and world without turning its back on only free political organisation in Podemos alike, “this country is of its language. This is the Galiza we Galiza is the BNG”, before going no consequence”, which is why want to build: it is not an impossi- on to underline the idea that if we we must “listen and act with hu- ble utopia”. are to overcome to the challenges mility and boldness to channel which lie ahead such as globalisa- the current mass disappointment International delegations from tion and climate change as well as in the face of the lack of solutions several countries also took part in combatting job insecurity, emigra- for Galiza on the part of the Spa- the demonstration, including ERC tion, social and gender inequality nish parties who do nothing more and the CUP (Catalonia); EH-Bildu, and the demographic crisis, we than dish out sedatives”. Eusko Alkatasuna, Sortu and the need “political power, economic PNV (Basque Country); Més per power and the capacity to decide In the light of the upsurge of the Menorca, Unidad del Pueblo (Ca- for ourselves. That is the future: a BNG and convinced that the ma- narias), Puyalón de Cuchas (Ara- stronger Galiza, with sovereignty jority of society wants a real chan- gon), Izquierda Castellana (Casti- in a global world”. ge in Galiza, the BNG National le), Plaid Cymru (Wales), the Bloco Spokesperson ended by saying de Esquerda and the Portuguese She went on to decry the Spani- that “another Galiza is possible, Communist Party; the Cuban Con- sh political organisations, which with capacity to decide for itself, sulate in Galiza, the Popular Front have only aggravated the discri- looking to innovation to crea- for the Liberation of Palestine, the mination suffered our country, te quality jobs, working to bring Human Rights Foundation for the plunging it into political irrelevan- young people back from abroad, Rif (Morocco) and the European ce, stating that Galiza is absent a Galiza which looks after its land Free Alliance, together with other from the debate in the Spanish and combats climate change, a fe- political and grassroots organisa- State because for the People’s Par- minist Galiza looking to the wider tions. 2 Round Table on Stateless Nations The Galiza Sempre Foundation with the support of the Coppieters Foundation hosted another round ta- ble on stateless nations within the Festigal festival under the heading “The myths of pan-Spanish ideo- logy”, where Pernando Barrena (EH-Bildu), Eduard European elections López (ERC) and Ana Miranda (BNG) discussed the political situation in their respective nations and the common challenges posed by a central govern- The BNG, together with ERC, EH-Bildu and other ment which refuses to acknowledge the plurinatio- pro-sovereignty organisations from the Spanish nal nature of the Spanish State. State set up an electoral coalition for the recent European Elections under the name “Republics Now”. The BNG received over 170,000 votes in Gali- za, effectively doubling its score at the previous elections. In the whole of the State, the “Repu- blics Now” coalition totalled over 1,250,000 votes, securing 3 MEPs and enabling Ana Miranda to continue to be the voice of Galiza in Europe as the BNG’s ongoing elected MEP. Participation in the Basque National Day with EH-Bildu On 21 April, the BNG took part in the political event organised by EH-Bildu as part of the Aberri Eguna (Basque National Day) demonstration held in Iruña (Pamplona), emphasizing the need to strengthen For Galizan nationalism, this is more than an the ties between Galiza, the Basque Country and the alliance of circumstance, going beyond the elec- Catalan Lands. tions themselves. “Republics Now” is a strategic alliance set within the long-standing tradition of international solidarity and fraternity between our peoples, beginning with the Triple Alliance of the 1920s, later becoming the republican Galeuzca and continuing until the present day. This coali- tion has enabled our three nations to join forces in a united front against the constant refusal of the Spanish State to acknowledge our right to decide our own future freely for ourselves. 3 SUPPORT FOR THE CATALAN SOVEREIGNTY PROCESS Participation in the Catalan National Day Celebrations Once again, the BNG took part in the Catalan National Day celebrations held under the banned “Let’s make the Catalan Republic”, with a delegation comprised of the Head of Organisational Affairs, Bieito Lobeira together with the members of the National Executive responsible for international relations, Ana Miranda and Rubén Cela. By taking part in this demonstration together with mem- bers of the BNG li- ving in the diaspora, European elections Prisoner visits and the BNG sought to reiterate its unstin- denunciation of a sham trial ting support for the Catalan people to The BNG has shown its support for and vi- exercise its right to sited the Catalan political prisoners since decide its own fu- they were unfairly imprisoned. The Natio- ture freely and with nal Spokesperson for the BNG, Ana Pon- all legal guarantees tón, the MEP, Ana Miranda, and the head regarding its relations with the Spanish State by holding of international relations for the Spanish a referendum on self-determination. State, Rubén Cela, have all visited the Ca- talan political prisoners held at Lledoners, Puig de les Basses, Mas d’Enric and Alcalá Participation in Madrid in the Meco on several occasions. Demonstration “Self-determination The BNG has also repeatedly denounced the undemocratic nature of the sham trial is not a crime. Democracy means of the Catalan political prisoners who, even in the absence of a formal conviction On 16 March, the BNG, together with the other political have been deprived of their basic rights, and grassroots organisations that make up the Galiza including their right to take their seats as with Catalonia Platform, made up a Galizan cortège at MEP and to act as elected representatives. the international demonstration organised by the Ca- talan pro-sovereignty organisations, ANC and Òmnium We have also taken part in all of the uni- Cultural, in Madrid under the banner “Self-determination ted protests organised by the Galiza with is not a crime. Democracy means deciding” which drew Catalunya Platform of which the BNG is a over 100,000 people. member. 4 Condemnation of the attempted coup in Venezuela Support The BNG issued an unequivocal condemnation of the last in a long line of attempted coups in Venezuela for the Sahraouian People and other acts intended to destabilise the country ca- rried out by the USA. For the BNG, the stance adopted In early July, the MP for the BNG, Montse Prado, took by the Spanish government and the EU are wholly un- part in a Galizan Parliamentary Delegation that tou- acceptable and incompatible with democracy and a red the refugee camps in Tindouf (Algeria), home to relationship between peoples on an equality footing. some 200,000 Sahraouians. The main aim of the vi- Once again, it has become clear that the foreign policy sit was to help to break the media blockade, to see carried out by the EU and its member states merely for themselves the living conditions there 44 years bows to the dictates of the USA, effectively abetting on and to show solidarity and support for their fi- imperialist meddling in a sovereign state by their ac- ght. The Sahraouian people has seen no progress tions or their omissions. towards a resolution to the conflict with no sight of the promised Self-determination Referendum and a failure to comply with the resolutions which sta- te that Morocco has no rights over the territory of Western Sahara which it is effectively occup- ying illegally. The Sa- hraouian people which seeks only to exercise its right to decide its own future and its so- vereignty has seen how the ‘international com- munity’ has been an ac- cessory to the current situation. Acting on behalf of the BNG, Ana Miranda also Against imperialist aggresion recently met again with the Galizan Association in Syria for Solidarity with the Once again, Galizan nationalism took to the streets to Sahraouian People (SO- denounce the renewed imperialist attacks unleashed GAPS), the delegate of the Polisario Front in Vigo and by the United States, France and Great Britain against the President of the Galizan Friendship Association the Syrian people who have been enduring this type with the Sahraouian People, Maite Isla, where she of attacks by the US and its EU allies and the Araba repeated the BNG’s support in the face of the repres- dictatorships for years intended to destabilise and di- sion suffered in the occupied territories of Western vide the country. We also condemn the attacks and Sahara. the economic blockade