On April 12th, we Basques will experience a very unusual Aberri Eguna (Basque Homeland Day). For the first time in many years, we will not be celebrating the Basque Country’s national holiday on the street. The damned coronavirus will achieve what the Franco genocidal regime did not achieve, preventing Aberri Eguna (during the Dictatorship the Basque patriots – whilst still suffering fierce repression – went out that day, without flinching). Because both in the North and in the South of the Basque Country, compulsory confinement (really necessary) will prevent mass demonstrations and rallies.
Given this situation, in our NAZIOGINTZA group we think that we should act as a Nation on April 12th, putting our national flag, the ikurriña, on our balconies and windows. In these hard times of the coronavirus, the balconies and windows of the Basque Country have been transformed into real spaces for communication, reinforcing our collective ties. In the same way we have to act on Aberri Eguna, showing through the ikurriña our collective personality as a People.
And in addition to that, on April 12th, at 12:30 noon, we invite all Basques to sing “Txoria txori”. Because it is the Basque song that in all Euskal Herria, to the North and South, the Basques appreciate the most, the song that symbolizes not only the desire for political freedom but also – in these times of confinement — the desire for physical freedom. The most appropriate song, in our opinion, for our national holiday and for the situation of dependency in which we live.
It will be a special Aberri Eguna this year, the Aberri Eguna of confinement. A favorable occasion, more than ever, to demonstrate that we are a People. We are going to color our balconies green, white and red (the colors of our flag). Because we are a Nation, because we are neither Spanish nor French.
Gora Euskal Herria askatuta! (Long a free Basque Country!) Gora Euskal Errepublika! (Long live the Basque Republic!)
