MEPs denounce the humiliation of ETA victims

USPA NEWS - Since the death of dictator Francisco Franco on November 20, 1975, the Basque terrorist organization ETA has murdered 669 people. Almost 400 of those crimes remain unsolved. A delegation from the European Parliament visited the Basque Country this week to investigate these crimes. The experience, they said at the end of their visit, was "devastating."

After three days of interviews with politicians, members of the Police and the Civil Guard, journalists and victims of ETA, the delegates of the European Parliament assured to share the "frustration" of the victims for the "impunity" enjoyed by the terrorists and asked to the Spanish and Basque governments to stop "humiliating the victims" of the terrorist organization ETA.

"We share the frustration of the victims. We leave deeply moved. We recognize the work of judges and police," Agnès Evren, the French MEP who chaired the European delegation, said on Friday. Although she admitted that not at all times there has been the same disposition or the same means to investigate crimes, especially in the 80s of the last century, when the worst results were obtained in the clarification of ETA crimes, the French MEP said that they had verified that the Spanish and Basque governments have granted prison "benefits" to terrorists who have never collaborated in the clarification of their crimes.

The MEPs traveled to Spain at the initiative of the Dignidad y Justicia association, which gave them a dossier containing possible avenues to investigate 35 ETA bosses who could be prosecuted for 65 unsolved murders that have not yet prescribed.

"It has been a difficult and painful visit", explained the French MEP at the end of the visit. "The victims need justice, truth, dignity. The victims want no more humiliation. They do not seek revenge, only Justice," she insisted. Evren denounced the new victimization of the victims each time there is a tribute to ETA released prisoners: "The victims need to know who has killed their own. Each tribute is another victimization."

Within a period of three months, the delegation will issue a report with recommendations for the clarification of the unsolved crimes of the terrorist organization ETA. "We ask for memory, dignity, justice and that the whole truth be known, that impunity be ended. We are committed to helping the victims to alleviate their pain and frustration, this has been an extremely positive mission," concluded Evren.