Eta's ceasefire statement decoded

As someone who has lived in the Basque Country (Euskadi), I am still concerned for the resolution of the long-standing issues in that country. It has some similarities to the NI situation in that there are areas claimed by the hard line separatists which the majority in those areas don't appear to want:

Eta believes that Navarre, now one of Spain's 17 autonomous regions and previously a medieval kingdom that covered much of the Basque-speaking lands in Spain and France, should form part of the Basque Country. Most people in Navarre disagree.

I well remember being in a stadium ringing to the chant "Naparroa Euskadi da!" and even then feeling that perhaps the Navarronese didn't agree, being as how they seemed not to have been a Basque-speaking area for many centuries. Also, given that Navarre appears to have conquered Euskadi rather than the other way round ... (or have I missed something here?) ...
Anyway, it is clear to all but the most hard-line, that depriving a majority of people of liberties because they have the wrong ancestry (is this not racism?) or because they don't speak a particular language is not the way forward. I write as someone who is very sympathetic to linguistic minorities, cultural diversity and greater local autonomy. A negotiated settlement and a modus vivendi is what is needed. Anything else really is an alibi for murder: it's not freedom-fighting it's bullying and murder and it is profoundly anti-democratic. The recent moves by Batasuna to embrace democracy and distance themselves from violence are to be welcomed.
Eta's ceasefire statement decoded | World news | The Guardian:

'Basque land not for sale'

It looks like ETA-stylebombing is now a French problem. Similarly to what happened briefly in Wales about 20 years ago. Note the underlying issue might be asmuch the issue of urbanisation as nationalsim. By 'urbanisation' I'm referring to the way that true rurality is dying in western Europeas the effects of urban wealth and systems reachesoutinto the countryside evermorefully via transport, telecommunications and the economics of home-ownership. :"the current campaign - attacking the villas of French 'outsiders' and firebombing cars with Paris-region number plates - has sparked fears among politicians of a return to the violent campaign of 20 years ago. Then the French Basque movement, Iparretarrak, carried out hundreds of attacks against villas and property firms under the slogans 'No to tourism' and 'Let the Basque country live'."
Of course the effectsare short term and more immediately mosre likely simply to push would-be buyers towardsareaswherethe nationalist factor is not itn the mix. These areaswill then eventually getto enjoy the prosperity and the fact that they don't haveso manyruinedand abandonedbuildings in their landscape. The other interesting thing is to note and learn from the Cymraeg experience: in Wales, somehow, learning Welsh has become importnat even to Saeson incomers...
'Basque land not for sale' - bombers hit holiday homes | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Eta to end ceasefire at midnight

Well, I can understand their frustration to some extent; I have an impression that it wouldn't be hard to interpret some of what has been happening over the last year or so as foot-dragging on the part of the Spanish authorities. Though on the other hand I do think that ETA might do well to think about how their actions and words are likely to come over to those they need to persuade. Indeed, it should reflect on this:

There was little surprise in Spain about the end of the ceasefire. Most Spaniards had felt that it came to an end in December

Clearly ETA have a problem persuading people that they are trustworthy which is a problem for negotiating settlements; after all

When Eta declared the cease-fire last year, it called the truce permanent and said it wanted a negotiated end to the nearly 40-year conflict,

(source: Independent report), . On the other hand, probably that is true of the Spanish government; I can't help thinking that banning Batasuna is a bad idea and that letting elections include such a party (like Sinn Fein in northern Ireland in days gone by) at least gives an idea of strength of feeling. We need some kind of creative, daring way forward out of this impasse. In the mean time, I hope that this prognostication may prove the true one of the alternatives.
"Some have predicted it will opt for a low-scale campaign, perhaps aimed at the tourist industry. This would be designed to avoid killings and so leave the door open for a return to a peace process after next spring's general election in Spain."
Eta to end ceasefire at midnight | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited: