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70———Basque Separatists

Further Reading robberies. In particular, the ETA targets members of
the People’s Party of Madrid and others that advo-
Sullivan, J. L. ETA and Basque Nationalism: The Fight for
Euskadi, 1890-1986. New York: Routledge, 1998. cate the unity of Spain, such as King Juan Carlos. In
Zulaika, Joseba. Basque Violence: Metaphor and Sacrament. the year 2000, a youth wing of the ETA called Haika
Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2000. was formed from a merger of Spanish pro-Basque
independence youth group Jarrai and its French
counterpart Gasteriak, and they have increased the
BASQUE SEPARATISTS violent activity in France. Spain and France have
recently augmented their efforts to apprehend the
Basque terrorists.
Basque Separatists are natives of the Basque region In the Basque parliament elections of May 2001,
who are campaigning for national sovereignty and moderate members of the Basque Nationalist Party
cultural independence from the surrounding nations of (PNV) won more seats in the regional Parliament than
Spain and France. In the past 30 years, the campaign any other political group, including the political wing
has taken both a political route and a terrorist route to of ETA. This election was seen as an indication that
achieve its goal. the Basques are ready to pursue their separatist goals
The Basque people have lived in the western region through more peaceful measures.
of the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France
See also BASQUE FATHERLAND AND LIBERTY
since the Middle Ages. They speak their own lan-
guage, Euskara, which is one of the oldest languages
in Europe, and maintain a degree of ethnic insularity. Further Reading
They were independent throughout the 1700s; around Jacob, James E. Hills of Conflict: Basque Nationalism in
1800 they were divided, to be partly ruled by both France. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1994.
France and Spain. Almost immediately, a strong sepa- Núñez, Luis C. The Basques: Their Struggle for Inde-
ratist movement was formed that still exists today. pendence. Translated from the French by Meic Stephens.
Resentful that they were no longer self-governed, the Cardiff, Wales: Welsh Academic Press, 1997.
Basque Separatists formed a political party called
the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), held widespread
protests, and committed a variety of violent acts. BERENSON, LORI (1969– )
Although the movement consists of Basques from
both neighboring countries, the Spanish separatists
were and currently are more active than the French. American journalist Lori Berenson is currently in
Spain has resisted granting full independence to the prison in Peru for alleged terrorist activity, in associa-
Basque region because it contributes to the gross tion with the guerrilla organization known as the
domestic product and offers valuable resources. Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (Movimiento
When dictator General Francisco Franco formed Revolucionario Tupac Amaru; MRTA). While others
the Spanish Republic in 1931, he stripped those in the believe Berenson to be a political prisoner, her contact
Basque region of many of their civil rights, including and association with members of the MRTA led a
the right to use their language. After Franco’s death, military tribunal to sentence her to life in prison for
the Basques refused to ratify the Spanish constitution treason.
that both restored the monarchy and established Born and raised in New York City, Berenson
democracy until Spain conceded them the right to attended college at the Massachusetts Institute of
have their own limited government. The Basque Technology (MIT). In 1992, she moved to El Salvador
region has since elected its own parliament to govern as their civil war was winding down. She became a
various affairs. However, they are not completely secretary to a top leader of the group rebelling against
autonomous, and many Basques still desire absolute the government, the FMLN, as the two sides worked
freedom from Spain. toward peace.
The Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA), or Basque In 1994, Berenson moved to Lima, Peru. She
Fatherland and Liberty, is a terrorist group of radical lived in a large house with many others in the
separatists that have killed more than 800 people in middle-class neighborhood of La Molina. In
various bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, and November 1995, Peruvian police raided the house