The Centre Delàs on the situation in Catalonia due to the referendum of October 1st
Statement from the Centre Delàs de Estudis per la Pau on the situation in Catalonia due to the referendum of 1 October
The Delàs Centre for Peace Studies is very concerned about the serious events that are taking place in Catalonia since the call for the referendum on October 1, as they represent an attack on peace and social coexistence. The attitude undertaken by the Spanish Government of the Popular Party to prevent the referendum from taking place is a violation of fundamental rights and freedoms.
In this regard, our Center adheres to the statement of Lafede.cat where it is stated that the right to a fair trial and effective judicial protection, the right to privacy, the inviolability of the home and privacy of communications, the right to freedom of expression and information, and the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration are violated. Repression is taking the form of judicial and police actions, as well as threats and warnings, against individuals, civil and political organisations, the media, elected political officials and the Catalan institutions democratically chosen by the citizens of Catalonia.
Furthermore, as an entity that defends and is committed to the culture of peace, human rights and democracy, we denounce and express our concern about the sending of thousands of members of the Guardia Civil, a militarized body, and of the National Police in Catalonia. In the same way, we warn of the dangerousness of the false story that is being constructed by the Spanish government and by a significant part of the media. This story, which in no way corresponds to the social and political reality that we are experiencing these days, may be generating the sensation in other parts of the Spanish state that violence is taking place in the streets of Catalonia, despite the peaceful and festive nature of the mobilisations, possibly to legitimise the use of force by the state security forces between now and 1 October.
Therefore, in response to the serious situation that our country is experiencing and the forecast of an intensification of the wave of repression in the coming days, which to a certain extent is producing a situation of state of emergency, and being faithful to our pacifist values, we call for the transformation of the political conflict between Catalonia and the Spanish State by peaceful and political means. In this regard, we call on the Spanish and Catalan governments, the European Union and international political organisations to participate in this transformation. Even so, we demand, above all, dialogue within the Spanish government, which in our opinion is the main responsible for the conflict having degenerated up until now due to its refusal to understand it and to negotiate with the Catalan political leaders.
Finally, we want to make our defence of the Right to Self-Determination of all peoples clear. The Catalan people are no exception, and we therefore believe that a referendum to decide on Catalonia’s political future is currently the only solution to the conflict. This proposal would comply at the same time with the pacifist, democratic values, the defence of human rights and the right to self-determination with which the Centre Delàs feels identified.
Centro Delàs de Estudios por la Paz
Barcelona, the 28th of September 2017
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