The more time passes after ETA’s ceasefire announcement, the less likely this ceasefire is a first step to the group’s disbanding looks. A process built on a succession of lies can only produce a peace of lies.

 

The first lie is that there were no previous conversations to build toward this announcement. In just a few hours, it has become very clear that ETA and the Prime Minister negotiated this announcement. This fact means the government was hiding its dealing with the terrorists from public opinion and systematically denying in Parliament any contact with ETA. The whole process started out hobbled by this huge inicial lie.  

 

The second lie is the government’s claim that it isn’t going to pay a political price to get ETA to disband. In truth, the government has already paid a high political price for the terrorists to announce their ceasefire: it did not outlaw the Communist Party of the Basque Lands, ETA representative in the Basque Parliament; it has done nothing to stop Batasuna’s activity over the past few months despite being considered a terrorist organization; the national Parliament inviting ETA to start negotiations. This was Zapatero’s down payment to get the terrorists to declare a “ceasefire.”

 

A judicial price was also paid: Fungairiño was fired because he opposed Batasuna holding a convention, going against the Attorney General; the Supreme Court’s attorney favoring the position held by ETA lawyers in favor of reducing members’ jail time; and failing to demand sentences for various the instigators of conflicts that took place during the strike called by Batasuna.

 

If this is what was paid while the terrorists got tired of placing bombs, it is easy to image what the government is willing to pay in the wake of the ceasefire announcement: the legalization of Batasuna; the recognition of the Basque nation; ambiguous formulas admitting self-determination in the new Statute; the creation of some kind of super-structure encompassing the Basque Country and Navarra; and the release of terrorists from jail.

 

The third lie is the government’s commitment to maintaining the rule of law. Only a few days have passed since the announcement and the Attorney General has already sent out a message calling for judges and lawyers to keep the new situation in mind while carrying out their duties. The Secretary General for PSOE capped off this position saying: “judges must row in the same direction as the government.” The National Police has already said it has taken note of the new situation, even before the ceasefire was official, stopping itself from writing even minimally rigorous reports concerning on-going cases like the outlawing of the PCTV, the Batasuna convention or the general strike. This lack of due diligence among the political leaders in the General Commissary for Information is demoralizing many of its members. The process underway could not have a more deceitful foundation.