Self-Determination in the Basque Country Essay -- Persuasive Argumenta

Self-Determination in the Basque kingdom The Basques, settled on the Franco-Spanish border, are a pot who do not have a country that exists as an entity of its own. They are not recognized internationally. Their borders are not well-thought-of, and their culture is repressed. Thus the history of the Basque Country is one of contentious protest against imposed conditions, unremitting effort in defense of its identity and a relentless search for a means of democratizing national life. They have not been able to practice or pursue the right to self-determination as stated in the international covenants on human rights (above) and the widely distributed Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples from Algeria, July 4th, 1976, that, Every people has the fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination. It defines its political status in all freedom, without any external foreign interference. Spanning approximately 20,000 square(p) kilometers, with three provinces in the north under French rule, and four provinces in the south under Spanish rule, the Basque people enjoy a strong smell of pride in their culture. This pride stems mainly from their unique language the true essence of Basque identity. Its roots trace to before the invasion of the Indo-Europeans, around 4,000 years ago. Therefore, it is the oldest know language in all of Europe. The Basques have struggled to keep language as the cornerstone of their culture. However, under Spanish rule this has been greatly challenged, especially in the twentieth century. In the first decades of the last century, children caught speaking Basque in schools were beaten as a means to discourage the use and growth of the language. And while the majority of the... ...on should get through autonomy and independence, yet others, as is the case of the Basque Country, should not?The Basque people are entitled to self-determination. They have been persecuted and discriminated against for long enough. Their language and their culture deserve to be respected and protected. If this does not occur, attacks will continue, their anger will fester, and all their passion and frustration will perpetuate more violence, completing the circle, only to start again. BIBLIOGRAPHY Astrain, Luis Nunez. The Basques Their Struggle For Independence. chiselAcademic Press. Wales. 1997 Sullivan, John. ETA and Basque Nationalism. Routledge. London. 1988. www.elpais.es Zirakzadeh, Cyrus Ernesto. A Rebellious People Basques, Protests, and Politics. University of Nevada Press. Reno. 1991.