dimecres, 31 de març del 2010

Northern Catalonia saves Catalan language TV

Finally on March 28 Northern Catalonia received the first digital TV signal in Catalan language. Four channels will be received by the Catalan region nowadays included in the French state. It has been achieved after a long campaign from Northern Catalonia to do not lose the Southern Catalonia channels. It has been a great success because it has not lost the two channels but it wins two more.

The agreement has been reached by tha autonomous government of the South with the northern Catalonian authorities. A similar agreement has been reached in the Balearic Islands too but in València it has been impossible because Spanish unionists are opposited to receive other channels. They prefer to receive only Spanish ones. In spite of these the autonomous Catalonia receives Valencian channels and a big campaign is trying to collect half a milion signatures for a “TV without frontiers”.

dimarts, 30 de març del 2010

International Conference on Self-Determination

CONSEU (Conference of Stateless Nations of Europe) and Udalbiltza, assembly of Basque municipalities, have organized this weekend the International Conference called "Self-determination and diversity in the twenty-first century. Peoples' rights within the framework of human rights". Among the speakers there were three Catalan people:
- Aureli Argemí a veteran activist for the rights of stateless nations from the entity CIEMEN,
- the attorney August Gil Matamala former president of the Association of Democratic Lawyers -- Josep Cruanyes a leading member of the Platform for the Right to decide.
Basque intervention correspond to the Udalbiltza’s president, Loren Arkotxa, the professor Julen Zabalo and Amoroto’s former mayor Marii Ugarterubu.
Apart from Basques and Catalans the conference involved other national delegations. An Irish one from Sinn Féin, a Kurdish one from KNK (Kurdistan Parliament in exile), the lawyer Breton Yann Chouq a long history militant and Rafael Quispe from Bolivia. Quispe heads the Indian national movement called the National Council of Ayllus and Markas from Qollasuyu and has a good relationship with the MAS of Evo Morales. Finally will also intervene William Bowrin lawyer and expert on Eastern Europe self-determinations process. Bowrick is professor at Birkbeck University (London) and President of the European Association of Lawyers for rights and democracy.
 It was a good opportunity to discuss the processes open in the world for the establishment of new states based on national realities. And also to talk about the means of self-determination that is democracy at its purest form. Neither we will remain silent just before the imposition of some undemocratic states. Self-determination is democracy.

dilluns, 29 de març del 2010

Northern Catalonia: only half of the population voted at all

There will be no Catalanist regional councillor at last. While the lists supported by ERC and CDC were defeated at the first round, the second one was won by the Frêche list. Frêche is a racist person who has been expelled from the Socialist Party by his racial comments against Jews, Catalans and Muslims. In spite of these Frêche is well appreciated by the French voters who are the majority in Northern Catalonia as well as in the Occitan region of Langedoc. The final results in Northern Catalonia were:


Frêche 75.442 49,31 %

UMP 46.979 30,70 %

FN 30.581 19.99 %

Being the UMP Sarkozy’s party, supported by Catalan autonomists from Unitat Catalana, and FN,the French Nacional Front, with an imperialist idea of the French state. These results are not the real image of the society because only half of the population voted being the turn out 51,5 %. Only one of two northern-catalonian voted. Is this democracy, at all?.

divendres, 26 de març del 2010

Reagrupament convened its 2nd assembly with success

On Sunday 21st Reagrupament (Rally) convened its second national assembly in Barcelona. More than a thousand people were present. They confirmed the current borrad, lead by Joan Carretero, with 90% of the vote and was approved a roadmap called “Organizing our future free". This document was griten by 653 Rally members months befote the assembly. Reagrupament presented a Constitution for Catalonia both in Catalan and English languages. It is based in the anglo-saxon model and can be consulted the website of the association.

Joan Laporta was invited to the meeting and he said that independence "is not an utopia, but a matter of survival necessity." The President of the Barcelona described the Catalan need for their own state because the Catalans' would need better hospitals, better roads, better schools. (…) the only form of international recognition is to have our own state because this is how is organized the world."
Unionist press reacted very angry against the assembly with some inusual attacks both in TV as well as in the press. Many unionist journalists attacked with angry the meeting of more than 1.000 democratic independentists but they hide that the unionist president deceived 2.000 old people to pronounce a meeting. Elders were invited to a feast with the lunch payed but they were surprised by Montilla speaking.

dijous, 25 de març del 2010

European Commission aids with € 12 M to dubbing of films in Catalan

The European Commission approved on Wednesday 24.03.2010 a plan to subsidize with € 12 million dubbing and subtitling of films in Catalan. The plan is in line with European Union rules allowing government aid for the promotion of multilingualism and cultural diversity. According to figures from the Spanish authorities, is doubling every year about 800 films in less than 25 Spanish and Catalan. European institutions have fully supported too the new Catalan government plant to dubbing films in Catalan language. Nowadays about 3 % of the films are in Catalan but the plan tries that half of the films could be dubbed.

Next week there will probably be more good news for the Catalan language in TV.

dimecres, 24 de març del 2010

Laporta praised by “Le Monde”

The prestigious French newspaper includes an article about Joan Laporta. The paper describes the Barça’s president in friendly words and explains his patriotic feelings far from the Spanish press attacks. “Le Monde” doesn't know if Laporta is the “Catalan Kennedy” or the “Catalan Berlusconi” yet but it is sure that he will be involved in politics this year to defend the right of Catalonia to obtain the independence. The article ends with the next text:

In politics, Joan Laporta expected to take hits. But the man has demonstrated his strong temperament during a particularly turbulent seven of the presidency of Barcelona. Throughout the controversy, most leaders embedded with him have left the ship, denouncing his "authoritarian" and "opacity" of his administration. He survived a confidence motion in 2008 and in 2009 a case of espionage within its own staff, as he stood in 2005 with revelations about the Francoist sympathies of his ex-father - brother, a member of its management team.
On his cellphone, he chose as a ringtone the soundtrack of Braveheart, the film adapted from the story of William Wallace, hero and symbol of Scottish independence. "We can do it, by awakening the conscience and taking action. Without Violence."

“Le Monde” says that Laporta could obtain between 12 % or 15 % and eight to ten Members of the Parliament. Also other papers as the Portuguese “Diario de noticias” show interest by the Laporta’s independentist proposal.

diumenge, 21 de març del 2010

Reagrupament's second assembly: The second impulse

On Sunday Independentist Rally (Reagrupament Independentista) will held its second assembly under the slogan "The second impulse." The association was founded the past year with the intention to form a candidature for Catalan independence, without distinction between political colours (left/right). Its sole purpose is to proclaim the independence of Catalonia. Since then; more than 3,000 people have been associated with this mood.


For months Reagrupament’s members have discussed a political program that will be discussed on 21 March’s assembly in Barcelona. The document, containing the proposals of the Catalan separatist formation, is called "Organizing our free future." It includes measures against the growing political corruption, for example prohibiting banks to finance parties to avoid after receiving in compensation. It also foresees a future with Free Catalonia national army and security services.

Just this week a study reveals that a Catalan state would have a similar level of welfare in Sweden. Just when one part of the country has lived last week without electricity following a snowfall that has damaged the infrastructure of Catalonia. These infrastructures are managed by Spanish companies which prefer to invest improvements in Madrid and have totally neglected the network in Catalonia.

divendres, 19 de març del 2010

Northern Catalan elections: two lists over, one follows

As it was explained recently the French regional elections took place last March 14th. The most important thing is that the turnout was extremely low. The abstention was almost 53 %. Two of the lists with Catalanist candidates are now over because it is necessary to obtain a 10 % to be in the second round.

The results were not good for the Catalanists lists and only Unitat Catalana allied with the Sarkozy prime minister party (UMP) is able to be in the second round. ERC and Europe Ecology obtained more than 10 % in the northern Catalan main city, Perpinyà, but their results in the Occitan region were lightly bad. CDC and the Socialist Party scored a 7 % so are also eliminated.

Only three lists will be in the second round. A list formed by socialists local dissidents, the UMP list supported by Unitat Catalana and the National Front list. Full results for the Catalan region (which includes an Occitan county too called Fenolleda) were.

Socialist dissidents:               30 %
UMP(with Unitat Catalana): 22,9 %
French National Front :        13,6 %

Communists:                        8,8 %
Greens (with ERC):             8,6 %
Socialists (with CDC):         7 %
Right ecologists:                  4,7 %
Right dissidents:                  1,2 %
Trostkists:                           1 %
Far right dissidents:             0,8 %
Ligue du Midi:                    0,5 %

dimecres, 17 de març del 2010

“NY Times” explains why Catalan should be in cinema too

A recent article in “The New York Times” explains the reasons why Catalan language should be in the Catalan cinemas too. Nowadays only 3 % of the movies are doubled in Catalan; the rest are only in Spanish. The article says that Catalan language “is heard just about everywhere except in the movies” and defines the language as the “Catalonian soul”. Spain’s obsession to wound the language is explained too when a Catalan minister explains that, when serving the army, “he spent three days in solitary confinement after officers overheard him speaking Catalan”. It shows, as well, as Catalan and Spanish relations are worst anytime: Catalonia’s Federation of Audiovisual Producers, for instance, last year broke away from Spain’s state organization.

In spite of all of this, Emma Collective has expressed their concern about some aspects of the article in a very interesting note where they say that:” a deep aversion to everything Catalan is still common in Spanish official circles, especially among the military and the police. The case of the young conscript who was arrested in 1977 for speaking in Catalan with his comrades is not a thing of the past. Most recently, Mr Alexander Alland, a former anthropology professor at Columbia who has a good knowledge of the situation in Catalonia, brought to the attention of the New York Times, among others, the case of a young mother who was held by the police at Girona Airport and then charged with disrespect for the authorities because she had addressed the agents in Catalan. This was in 2009” .

divendres, 12 de març del 2010

Northern Catalonia elections

On March 14th will be held the French regional elections. A portion of Catalonia is under French administration since 1.659 when it was conquered by French armies. Nowadays this region, called Northern Catalonia, is part of a French region called Langedoc-Roussillon. This is mainly Occitan speaking and only one fifth of the region is Catalan.

Under this scenario Catalan parties are unable to stand up a electoral proposal by themselves. This elections the Catalan parties have decided to present themselves separated but in coalition with other parties. These are the options:
- Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Catalonia’s Republican Left) is member of a nationalist and autonomist parties alliance at state level. It is called Régions et Peuples Solidarires (RPS). RPS has decided to form a coalition with the Green list, Europe Ecology. This list obtained a strong results in the last European elections. The catalanist candidate is a well-known journalist, Pere Manzanares, who promoted the first radio in Catalan language three decades ago.
- Unitat Catalana (Catalan Unity) is the only party with no counterpart in the Spanish territory. They formed a symbolical coalition with Occitan nationalists (Partit de la Nacion Occitana) but finally they broke it. Some weeks ago they were included in the UMP list. UMP is the party of the French Republic president Nicolas Sarkozy. Virginia Barre is well situated to obtain representation.
- Convergence Démocratique de Catalogne (CDC) was the last to form an alliance. CDC is a RPS member but was no satisfied with the candidates process. So they broke the alliance with EE and they formed a new one with the Socialist Party. This is the biggest French opposition party. Four CDC members are included in the PS list among them the party’s leader Jordi Vera.
Other minor movements, Reagrupament and Maulets have decided not to be present in the regional elections. The first one will send a letter to the candidates asking by their compromises to defend the Catalan identitiy. Reagrupament and Maulets are hard-core independentists as well as ERC. Unitat Catalana and CDC demand a Catalan French region with autonomous powers.

diumenge, 7 de març del 2010

First ever Catalan independentist meeting in unity

On March 3rd the Catalan separatism won a landmark. In Sabadell was performed a meeting clearly derived from the unitary experience of the popular consultation on independence. Vilaweb collected it fully in a video and made a summary too. It was also screened a short film of what could be an independent Catalonia.


Curtmetratge Acte d'Estat (Sabadell, 03/03/2010) from directe!cat on Vimeo.


The meeting was organized by the campaign "I am Catalan, I love freedom" and brought together a 1,100 people crowd paying all these post. It was worth it. Was not important but the number of attendees who spoke of the origin.

Joel Joan represented the platform Progress and Sovereignty and the new civic separatism appeared a few years ago. He said “We can be an state!”. Josep Guia independentism PSAN and historical vision of València. He remembered so many Catalans from València who gave brilliant moments to our culture. Writers as Isabel Clara Simó or Ausiàs March, thinkers as Joan Fuster… We should not forget, Guia said, that the Catalan nation is not only Catalonia.

Alfons López Tena represented the CDC’s independentist sector. CDC is the major Catalan party founded by 23 years Catalan president Jordi Pujol. Tena had a biggest paper in the independence consultations. He’s from València too. He said: "We will be a state, exercising it (…) It is better to have a state, a state that was not conducive, as part of Spain, because if autonomy was so good why not ask the Spaniards in France was their autonomous region?. We can be a state, thanks to the strength of the people, Long live to democracy!".

Joan Laporta, F.C. Barcelona team president, represented the hope of a true leader : “We have achieved the status Catalan because we want the best for our children and all those who come to live and work in our house. Catalonia has to be free. Applauses were bigger than ever. Joan Carretero, Reagrupament’¡s president gave an extremely rational message. Not in vain he’s a doctor. Reagrupament is a movement with less than one year has proven to be one of the busiest and renovators. “Organize consultations is fine, but it is better to win, and more, our Parliament has to represent. I ask you to vote a few months to bring about independence to the legitimate representative of the sovereignty of the Catalan people, the Parliament". Oriol Junqueras, ERC’s Member of European Parliament talked too. ERC is nowadays the main separatist party. Junqueras said that "never the dream of such a state itself is viable" and proclaimed: "Independence is not negotiated, nor agreed. .... It is proclaimed and defended".

Singer Titot the left independence revolutionary character, gave an emotional speech: "I remember one day in Sabadell when I said: "If we had the wonderful lamp and the genie asked what I wanted, doing sit fingers, Catalonia was an independent, I would say not. I wanted to live that, I wanted to enjoy all the sensations of the process, I do not want to lose the final victory, I wanted to live the first night of freedom, that I embrace with hundreds of colleagues fighters. How I would have regretted losing me. That joy was nailed me to the heart and there is no day that I rise not play the same emotions. As I like to remember, first the Principality quickly Menorca, Formentera, Mallorca and Eivissa, València and after the great Higher Cerdanya and Roussillon, and the Andorra’s Valley and the counties west ... It went over what we had filmed. The illusion is a fuel capable of operating heavy machines. And excited we won, could not be otherwise: they had an empire that sank and we build a country. When it was nearly independent, almost everyone was with us. "

Independentists of all backgrounds: liberals, Marxists, socialists and social-democrats. All together. Only through unity we will succeed. The act of Sabadell is a good start. It is not the only one.

dijous, 4 de març del 2010

Western Catalonia indepententism take roots too

The rupturist separatism, that it does not recognize any legitimacy in Spain, has always been difficult to be strong in regions of the West of the Catalonia’s Principality. If we except some local villages and a continued presence in the city of Lleida its continuity has been fragile. In the past there were, especially in the capital, interesting experiences as Ateneu Independentista de Ponent or the local section of Free Catalonia but both ended dissolved.

For nearly a decade, however, several initiatives have emerged that have continuity. Again Lleida has been leading the Ocell Negre (Black Bird), some taverns, the assembly of young independentists member of the national coordination CAJEI or the Candidature of Popular Unity. This new generation, however, is a novelty in slow but very strong, regional presence outside of Segrià (the Lleida’s county).
We have several examples like the appearance of Students Union of the Catalan Countries in in Balaguer but also in Lleida, and local movements in Balaguer (Peter III), Mollerussa (L’Arreu), Tàrrega (Perquè Vull). We have too young people assemblies in Bellmunt of Urgell, Alt Urgell, as well as the national movement Maulets also consolidated in locations as Balaguer, Cervera or Lleida. Just a few months Mollerussa housed one of the most crowded of independence demonstrations with over 300 people breaking the low mobilization of these regions.
Most of these groups found themselves in 2008 in Balaguer and now it has driven the First “Western Catalonia” separatist meeting. It will be held in Bellpuig at the 6th March. Includes an extensive program with discussions on the peasantry, the Franja (Catalan speaking region in Aragon), independence consultation or a sample queries of popular culture. This new test network demonstrates the growing consolidation of the organizational separatism even where it was traditionally weaker.

dilluns, 1 de març del 2010

28F: new massive support for independence: 92 %

Seventy seven villages celebrated on 28th February the third wave of referendums about Catalonia’s independence. The census was biggest than the Spanish one because it included people from 16 to 18 years who could not vote in official elections. It also included migrant people without Spanish nationality but who live and work in Catalonia.

The turnout was 21 % of the people who could vote. It means about 23,5 % of the “official” census. Nowadays the Spanish socialist party is ruling Catalonia with only 15 % of the census support.
The results were clear: 92’33 % voted yes and only 4,88 % voted against a new Catalan state. With these consultations a million Catalans have been convoked; more than a quarter of them have voted and a ninety per cent decided to support the Catalan independence.
Next wave on April 25th with more than a hundred villages.