The Social Movement Explored as ETA - Research Paper Example

ETA Introduction The social movement explored is ETA which was a terrorist group that promoted a traditional Basque culture with the main goal to gain independence from Spain. This separatist organization fought to have their self government for their homeland and was located on secret bases of Basque hills and the boarder of France. The group that was founded in 1959, consisted of approximately 800 members and was known for their terrorist attacks killing more than 820 innocent people. The ETA had a long fight with Spanish government and created much conflict and violence in the country. As per ( Douglass, 2008,pg.238-257.) “The modern Basque nationalist movement was founded in the last decade of the nineteenth century by Sabino de Arana. The motivation to form this group was fear of extinction”. According to (Allen, 2008)“The movements full name is Euskadi Ta Azkatasuna, which stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom”. It began in the 1960s as a student resistance movement against the dictatorship of France. ETA had a profound effect on the Spanish, French, British and American authorities, as thousand of people feared to be kidnapped ir attacked by the White Mass Terrorist organisation. The group was dominant enough to be labelled as a terrorist group by the Spanish Government. This group wanted democracy and hence demanded freedom from Spain. The group committed sabotage, robbery and murder to acheive its political goals. However, vast majority of the Basque society rejected the violence of ETA actively. ETA means “Basque Homeland and Freedom” and they wanted an autonomous region with unique culture, language and religion. Since late 1960s the group, has led to 800 deaths and had the primary tactics of assassination and bombings. They have assassinated political figures like Prime Minister of Spain, civilians and policemen. ETA is an offspring of the Basque nationalist movement which was a non – violent political party. The ETA wanted a national liberation and believed that violence was a justifiable pursuit. The groups were originally formed as a student discussion group in 1952 at the University of Deusto, in Bilbao and they had Marxism ideology. The Basque terrorist group was in a dirty war with Spanish government. ETA was a leftist group and they targeted government officials and their first victim was a police officer who was killed in 1968. According to (Bhattacharjee ) In 1973, ETA operatives killed Francos apparent successor, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, by planting an underground bomb below his habitual parking spot outside a Madrid church. ETA usually calls and warns the victim before they were killed and they also targeted Spain’s tourist attractions. They allowed warning calls to evacuate people due to explosions as their target was government and not the public. They have attacked tourist bus, stadiums and trains. It is estimated that over many years, they have killed 800 people. This group has been a big threat to the nation. The Spanish government wanted to cease the activities of ETA but the challenge was that this group had an atomistic cellular structure with unconnected local groups. This made it difficult for the Spanish police to penetrate into the ETA. According to ( Mesquita, 2004, pg.234-40) “The history of ETA (Euzkadi ta Askatasuna or Basque Homeland and Freedom) terrorism is a case in which counter-terror failed and resources did not diminish. The expectation, then, is increased terror”. ETA had many ways to acquire finance and this was through money laundering, looting and other illegal businesses. This group was ferocious enough to create war for a long period with Europe. The social movement had impact both on political and military as the Spanish government was using all the security force and police against ETA. Also the French police, Interpol were tracking this terrorist group. The government of Spain has considered ETA as a terrorist organization. They had extreme policy to eliminate ETA completely. As per( Anderson,2003,pg.4 )“However, after several declared ceasefires, the group decided to step back 3 years ago, through a video declaring political peace”. The group had decade long war with Spanish and French militants and it was the longest of the civil war. This terrorist group threatened the industrialist and other business people of the region .As the group had motive to evacuate all the migrants there were a considerable threat to all the foreign people in the province. The terrorist group had committed many crimes and devastated the country and was threat to the humanity and their own race and many looked at them with hatred and despise. Because of the violence created by ETA, the Spanish government faced many problems .They could not maintain the harmony and peace in the country. Being a violent social movement they created much chaos and destruction in the society. The ETA consistently attacked the country in the form of bomb explosions, murder and protest. This was a threat against the peace and harmony of the society as many people were scared to move freely in public places. They often planted bombs at railway stations, cars and government organizations .Moreover, maintaining the integration of the country was a challenge for the government. Because if a province is demanding cut off from the country it can create regional and political tension in the country. Another challenge imposed by ETA terrorist group was the promotion of tourism in the country. This terrorist group had targeted tourist spots and facilities as a way to attack the government. Their aim was to torture the government so that their goals are achieved. So they attacked tourist buses and other areas of tourist importance .So the government had a problem of attracting the tourist to a place where there is chaos and violence. The government also faced the problem of tracing the sources of the terrorist group as they were too assimilated into the society .They operated in a typical manner which the police and military had problem in tracing out. The ETA was addressed by government, society and individuals in a resentful manner. The Spanish government wanted ETA to disband itself and disappear. But this armed group could not stay out of business without the co – operation of the government. ETA possessed substantial amount of explosives, detonators and weapons. So the ETA had to maintain commandment and control of the group until it is fully wrapped up.So dismantling the group was not easy as they wanted to control the materials possessed by the group. The government insisted that they would not help ETA and would demobilize them. Also the Spanish society wanted the dissolution of ETA without concessions and conditions. Most part of the society is against ETA and considered them as a terrorist group including the Basque community. The business organization and government organization were also intimidated by ETA terrorist group. Since ETA prompted much violence and conflicts in the society, the business organization was against them in every way. Many migrants to Basque faced problem due to the violence of ETA and they could not settle well with their business motives. The government officials were also threatened by ETA because many of them were the main target of this terrorist group. These government officials were scared to travel inside the country as they could be assassinated by the ETA and hence wanted this terrorist group to be dissolute. However in 2003 this party was banned by Spanish government but were legal in France . Conclusion ETA was a terrorist group who only represented a minimal fraction of the Basque community. They did not receive much support from the Basque community and had to fight on their own. Their fighting era lasted for four decades and around 843 murders, hundreds of injuries, bomb explosions and many bank robberies have been committed by this terrorist group. ETA was the fourth most active terrorist of yesteryears and was responsible for 2000 attacks from 1970 to 2000 and caused heavy burden on Basque like Ottamendi who was trying for separation by political means. The origin of Basque was of not much clarity as it had roots to antiquity and thus this indigenous group wanted a distinct region and identity. In 2003, when the group disappeared there was relief and serenity in the society. The ETA has gained very little from their violent means and that also did not last for long. Their goals were overshadowed by their horrific and senseless actions. In 1980, they got detached from reality by dwindling from real goals and transformed from nationalist group to a terrorist group. However, by fighting in the country for long years without serving any practical purpose the group was losing its value. Still they were not surrendering because they were too far into the battle without having achieved their mission. Many of them ended up in prison and the group was losing strength. Many of them ended up in prison and the group was losing strength. And with less support from all around the country the terrorist group had to fall apart. Work Cited Anderson, W. (2003). The ETA: Spains Basque Terrorists (p. 4). New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Allen, N. (2008). The long history of Basque terrorism . In http://www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/eur ope/france/3129053/The-long-history-of-Basque-terrorism.html Bhattacharjee, Preeti. "Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) (Spain, separatists, Euskadi ta Askatasuna." http://www.cfr.org. N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.. Douglass, W. A. (2008). The history of ETA (Euzkadi ta Askatasuna or Basque Homeland and Freedom) terrorism is a. Cambridge University Press, 32(2), 238-257. Mesquita, E. B. (2002). Conciliation, Counter-Terrorism, and Patterns of Terrorist Violence:. Harvard University, 13(4), 234-240. Read More