The Brown & White

The people of Basque are succumbing to terrorist methods in an attempt to establish their own government, said an Irish author who lectured in Maginnes Hall Thursday night.

Paddy Woodworth addressed the growing tensions between the Spanish government and the people of Basque, a territory spreading over parts of north-central Spain and southwestern France, who want to break from their country.

Woodworth examined the unremitting conflict between the Spanish and Basque populations in his lecture.

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, or ETA, which is Basque for "Basque Homeland and Freedom," consists of Basque nationalists who have employed terrorist techniques in order to convey their message, he said. Their main objective is to carve out a separate territory free from Spain and France, he said. In order to squelch their violent efforts, officials of the Spanish government established an "Antiterrorist Liberation Groups," or the GAL, which he said is a death-squad organization that financed aggressive action against ETA.

"State terrorism is very dangerous and this applies not only to Spain, but the world," Woodworth said.

Woodworth began his discussion defining the Basques and the difficulties they encounter as a divided culture.

Woodworth said the Basques agonize over their identity.

Even though their own distinct civilization is vague, the Basques have a culture rich in local traditions that are unique to a particular town, Woodworth said. The Basques celebrate customs through different festivities that are a combination of ancient and modern tradition.

He said there are also many small things about Basque culture that are imbued with political significance.

Woodworth went on to discuss the political strife that came to life after the state-supported GAL launched its death squads.

"The question we have to ask ourselves is, 'are these not only morally or ethically justifiable, but pragmatically do they work? Do they make terrorist actions less likely?' " Woodworth asked.

The root of the problem, Woodworth suggested, is Basque territory is extremely valuable to Spain, economically, culturally and aesthetically.

"If the Spanish state is a palace, they would recognize that [the Basques] occupy some of the most comfortable rooms," Woodworth said.

Woodworth proposed another source of this crisis lies in the Basque's fear of possible termination of their society.

"There is something underlying," Woodworth said. "They feel that without this radical movement, something will disappear."