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By Engel
20 July
2018
Reflections
of a German who empathizes with the Catalans and Catalonia, a great
people and a wonderful country. Please forgive my insufficient
Catalan, but I hope you will be indulgent with me. Thank you so much!
I have
monitored the relationship between Catalonia and Spain for 30 years.
For a long time I had the feeling that aspiring to independence was
something folkloric. I didn’t take this desire for an independent
state seriously. I was wrong.
Here
there was always talk about infinite Catalan autonomy, although I
never had the impression that the relationship between Catalonia and
Spain was between equals. It was seen from a distance that autonomy
had nothing to do with the autonomy of the Länder in Germany, for
example.
But I
thought the Catalans had accepted the situation. Until June 28 2010:
On that day, Spain and the Constitutional Court broke with Catalonia.
That day it became clear to me that Catalonia would never be an
interlocutor of the same category and Spain does not want a federal
state.
In
large parts of the Spanish population, the word 'nation' linked to
Catalonia causes nausea and anger that makes them lose their heads.
Seen from the outside, it is something that cannot be explained.
Hatred of everything that can be tied to Catalonia is omnipresent and
awful.
On June
26 2010, the PP with its catalanophobia and the Constitutional Court
were very wrong. It was the first red line they crossed. The second
was on October 1, for me the biggest mistake Spain has made in recent
years, revealing its darkest face.
As
early as September 2017 the Spanish state violated fundamental rights
with a straight face. It violated its sacrosanct constitution that it
always tries to respect. On October 1 it became clear that Spain is
capable of doing anything - I repeat: anything - for 'indissoluble
unity', at whatever the cost.
On
October 1, despite Spain’s dirty tactics, the referendum was held,
and for this we have to admire the Catalans. The democratic will and
perseverance of the Catalans are exemplary in the EU. They showed
that no-one, not even a State, can hold back a firm people.
For me,
on October 1 was: It didn’t matter if your party was ERC, JxCat,
CUP or another party. People also voted against independence and
there was no problem. The Catalan people only had the strong will to
vote. And – being as stubborn as it is – it managed!
By the
way in which 155 was applied, by the judicialization of politics and
with the witch-hunt of Catalan politicians, Spain again showed that
it does not respect fundamental rights or its own Constitution, but
only articles 2 and 8 of it.
Unfortunately,
in the last few days we have seen squabbling between the
pro-independence parties. I do not know the secret reasons for this
guerrilla war, nor am I interested. But I know one thing: this is not
about parties! Seeing the attitude of Spain in recent months, this is
about survival!
The
rebirth, or rather, the strengthening of Francoism in Spain and the
implicit or explicit agreement of all parties in Madrid with
neofrancoism should be a warning shot for the
pro-independence parties. Hatred of the Catalans is immense and the
thirst for revenge is insatiable.
Spain
has never broken with the Franco regime. The 'transition' together
with the Spanish Constitution is a total failure. They do not want to
understand that this a country with various nations. The legacy of
Franco, 'indissoluble unity', is what counts. Spanish nationalism
prevents the modernization of society.
As a
foreigner it is not for me to give advice. I'm nobody, but I'm sure,
if the Catalans stop pulling the same rope, they will lose. If the
pro-independence parties do not do what the Catalan people want, they
are mistaken and the Spanish state will win.
Now is
the time to go together and be supportive. Forget the parties. I
repeat again: Now it is a matter of the Catalan people surviving. If
you continue together as you did on October 1, you cannot be stopped.
If you fight between yourselves, the Republic will continue to be a
dream for the coming generations.
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