euskalkultura.eus

Boise, Idaho.  Last Friday the House State Affairs committee of the House of Representatives of Idaho approved a declaration regarding the current situation in the Basque Country.  The Declaration was presented by members of the local Basque community, with the former Secretary of State of Idaho, Pete Cenarrusa, at the head.

The declaration that passed in committee welcomed the end of ETA’s activities, and urges the governments of Spain and France, as well as those in Euskadi and Navarre, “through their actions to promote dialogue in the Basque territories to achieve a lasting peace.”  The proposal also offers its support for these "democratic Governments" in the development of "their efforts to establish a negotiation process to create a lasting peace, recognize all the victims of terrorism, and take into account all democratic forms of referenda on the constitutional future of the Basque territories.”

Gloria Totoricagüena, member of the Cenarrusa Foundation for Basque Culture, declared during the presentation of the proposal that this be “the last push.  We hope that this is the last time that we have to come before you all regarding this matter,” she explained to the representatives in the Chamber.  For his part, lawyer and lobbyist Roy Eiguren reminded them that Idaho’s Basque community and its lawmakers have long been strong advocates for peace and autonomy.

It is worth noting that the House of Representatives of Idaho has approved various similar initiatives since 1972, many under the leadership of prominent Basque-American politician Pete Cenarrusa as Secretary of State of Idaho. Cenarrusa, who is now 95 years old, has been one of the promoters of this new declaration "with confidence that it will be definitive.”