Catalonia threatens to enact independence as Spain threatens direct control

Early this morning, Catalonia’s President Carles Puigdemont stated that unless Spain makes a commitment to engage in further dialogue on de-escalating ongoing tensions stemming from the Catalan independence referendum from the 1st of October, he will enact a full and immediately effective declaration of independence.

Puigdemont said,

“If the government continues to impede dialogue and continues with the repression, the Catalan parliament could proceed, if it is considered opportune, to vote on a formal declaration of independence”.

This comes as Spain issued an ultimatum, stating that Catalonia must clarify its position on independence by Thursday morning with a ‘yes or no’ answer. Last week, Carles Puigdemont and the Catalan parliament passed a declaration of independence, but delayed its ascension, making it effectively, a declaration of intent.

The next day, Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish leader, stated that Spain will not engage in any dialogue regarding the independence issue. Spain later threatened to invoke the infamous Article 155 of the Spanish constitution and abolish Catalonia’s autonomous status.

While Carles Puigdemont’s has reaffirmed that for the moment, Catalonia’s independence declaration is still suspended, Spain has already made moves to being the process in sipping Catalonia of autonomy. This could have the effect of Puigdemont enacting measures to achieve independence in the near future.

Unless a literally last minute compromise can be reached, the crisis may deepen within the coming hours.

The Duran has published several pieces both in support of and opposition to Catalan independence.

Catalonia: a ticking time bomb for the EU

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Independence leaders imprisoned by Spain on grounds of ‘sedition’, EU silent.

Spain jails Catalonia’s civil society leaders for organising peaceful demonstrations. Sadly, we have political prisoners again

— Carles Puigdemont (@KRLS) October 16, 2017

Jordi Sanchez of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Jordi Cuixart of Omnium Cultural, two organisers of the 1st October independence referendum, have been arrested on the order of the Spanish National Court on sedition charges.

They are currently in jail with no condition of bail being offered.

This comes as Madrid has expressed confusion over the nature of Catalan President Carles Puigdemont’s intentions to form an independent Catalan Republic.

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Madrid continue to refuse negotiations, Puigdemont seeking the diplomatic approach.

Last week, Puigdemont officially signed a declaration of independence, but immediately thereafter delayed its ascension, thus practically making the document a statement of intent than a fully fledged declaration.

Puigdemont has called for dialogue over independence while Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy claims that Madrid will not discuss the matter in any way shape or form. Madrid has issued an ultimatum to Catalonia that unless Puigdemont  rebukes any intention of independence by the 19th of October, Spain may suspend Catalonia’s parliament and invoke direct rule.

While the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and even the Spanish King intervened to state that the Catalan exercise in democracy had no legitimacy on constitutional grounds, one must realize that all constitutions, like all currencies not pegged to a metallic standard, are only valid if a consensus of peoples are willing to bestow them with legitimacy. The United States for example, violates its constitution on a daily basis and this is now accepted as a status quo. Just ask the detainees in Guantanamo Bay about the sanctity of the US constitution.

Spain knows a diplomatic, democratic approach will lose them Catalonia.

In this sense, the Catalonia referendum on independence was equally a referendum on the legitimacy and more specifically, the lack of legitimacy of Spain’s perennially controversial 1978 constitution.

Catalonia’s citizens take to the streets, rallying a cry for independence.

While the Catalans want a debate, Madrid answered with an anti-democratic campaign of police brutality in a country that is not anywhere near a war zone. There was no excuse for the violence and indeed, the violence was totally condemned by the Catalan President in his speech.

Thus far, Spain has rejected all offers of mediation, including one from Switzerland.

Ticking time bomb threatens to martyr grassroots nationalist movements in Europe and paint the EU as a bogeyman.

If Spain buries its head in the sand even further than it already has, whatever happens can only be blamed on Madrid. If the EU continues to exercise the same attitude as Madrid, Brussels too will share a substantial portion of the blame.

Carles Puigdemont retweeted this in an obvious reference to the EU’s silence on the crisis:

Hello Mr. @JunckerEU. Just for you to know that there are political prisoners in Catalonia again. And they are European political prisoners. https://t.co/uahrEcH7fc

— Jaume Clotet (@jaumeclotet) October 16, 2017

While the dispute between Madrid and Barcelona cannot be compared to the Israeli occupation and ethnic cleansing of Palestine, Carles Puigdemont’s attitude to Madrid was rhetorically reminiscent of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s statement to the United Nations in 1974.

During his first address to the UN General Assembly, Arafat said,

“I come to you bearing an olive branch in one hand and a freedom fighter’s gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand”.

EU Silent on Catalonia Crisis

The EU has refused to condemn Spanish state violence against secessionist region, Catalonia.

MEPs have slammed the EU for its indifference towards the crisis, pointing out Spain’s status as a core member state likely granting it unfair preferential treatment.

Among MEPs, Nigel Farage has been a critical voice, blasting the EU’s on-the-fence attitude, and its reiteration of the Spanish government’s line that the referendum is ‘not valid’.

“A sincere dialogue is what the international community wants and what Catalonia expects, not confrontation and new threats.”

— Oriol Junqueras, Catalan Vice-President

The EU, supposedly a mediating body to prevent European conflict, has called the crisis a Spain-related ‘internal affair’ rather than a humanitarian crisis of state-imposed, anti-democratic tyranny — which it appears to be.

Despite Catalan calls for negotiation, Spain’s PM, Mariano Rajoy has flatly refused any working dialogue; instead threatening article 155 to forcibly seize Catalonia.

The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, described in a tweet how his push for peaceful negotiations with Spain have been futile:

“We ask for dialogue and the response is to put article 155 on the table.”

— Carles Puigdemont, Catalan President

In a shock move, the Spanish King, Felipe VI, who rarely talks politics, condemned the move for self-determination; with no mention of support for democracy:

 “They (Catalan leaders) have infringed the system of legally approved rules with their decisions, showing an unacceptable disloyalty towards the powers of the state.”

— Felipe VI, King of Spain

It appears the Spanish state have jumped on the referendum’s apparent illegality, and are clinging to that narrative to downplay the idea a legitimate one will ever take place.

Spain is acting in its own best interests: not in the support of democracy.

Of course, it is in the best interests of a governing body to retain all of its regions, but if a civilized world is to be recognized; democracy must be acknowledged and upheld — and mediating bodies, such as the EU, instated to prevent conflict, must act accordingly, or cease to have relevance.

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Mr. Rajoy stated that there could be no discussion of Spain’s national unity, as guaranteed by the country’s 1978 constitution; an anti-democratic ruling.

Despite Spain’s hardline position, Mr. Puigdemont’s stance is clear:

“We’re not criminals. We’re not mad. We’re not carrying out a coup… we’re normal people who want to be able to vote and who have been prepared to engage in whatever dialogue was necessary to do so in a mutually agreed way.”

Catalonia: not an isolated example of secession.

The ever-closer EU ‘federation of regions’ has caused a resurgence in national self-determination across the continent. Catalonia was fueled by anti neo-Francoist sentiments pooled in a liberty-leaning, wealthy Catalonia:

This map shows you just how BIG the #separatist and autonomous movements are all over #Europe and not just in #Catalonia pic.twitter.com/a6oZTRVZTc

— RT (@RT_com) October 12, 2017

(The crisis) threatens “the spirit of European integration, even more than Brexit.”

— Philippe Lamberts, MEP

Referendum result is an under-representation rather than a misrepresentation.

Officials said that 90% of votes cast were for independence. The Catalan government’s spokesman said that an estimated 770,000 votes were lost as a result of 400 polling stations being raided by Spanish police which placed the official turnout below 50%.

In what is apparently a bid for self-determination, the Spanish government insist it is the opposite.

“This is not about independence, yes or no,” Mr. Rajoy said. “This is about a rebellion against the rule of law. And the rule of law is the foundation of coexistence, not only in Spain but in Europe.”

But Puigdemont’s appeal for mediation and negotiation paints a different picture than that of ‘rebellion’. Rather, Madrid’s court-sanctioned police brutality paints the picture of the real aggressor in this fracas.

Recent events show the Madrid administration for what it is, a self-interested entity that refuses to represent the regions of its dominion. The referendum is a natural result of that.

The story continues…