Joxemi Campillo
13-03-2021, BERRIA.
Abstract:
The author, a former activist of the movement in favour of the Basque language “Euskal Herrian Euskaraz”, in this article regrets the evolution that this popular movement has undergone, in his opinion. He accuses the movement for the language of lack of aptitude for the ideological struggle, of demobilization, of scant presence in the street, of abandoning protest actions, of having shelved civil disobedience, of withdrawing too much into itself and having little influence on society, etc. He connects this lack of dynamism to the general demobilisation that has occurred within the Basque Independence Left after the disappearance of the ETA military organisation.
He compares the current situation, of dormancy and lack of strength in the street, with the situation of 1979, the year in which “Euskal Herrian Euskaraz” was created. The early years of the language movement were very active, with ambitious goals. Nothing at all like the current situation. If at that time the lack of ambition of the Basque nationalist political parties on the language issue was criticised, these criticisms have now disappeared, and the movement has become a “politically correct” organisation. And it is not that there are no reasons to criticise the political parties here. But submission and ineffectiveness have been installed in the current language movement, for which the author does not see a bright future.
