The city council of San Sebastian thus wanted to ‘keep alive’ the memory of the ‘victim of violence’ Mikel Zabalza, in an act in which the San Sebastian district also commemorated Idoia Aierbe and Jon Arretxe, who were tortured together with Zabalza.
With a minute of silence, the tribute to Mikel Zabalza began this Saturday in Intxaurrondo, with the San Sebastián City Council placing a plaque in his memory a few meters from the barracks with the text “Mikel Zabalza Garate, Poliziaren ekintzak eragindako biktima, Victim of police action,” along with the date December 15, 1985, the day Zabalza’s body was handcuffed in the Bidasoa River.
After the unveiling of the plaque, the family of the missing person placed white roses, which preceded a large offering of flowers from citizens.
Mikel Zabalza’s sister, Idoia Zabalza, has stated that with this tribute “a great step has been taken in the field of memory” and that she has been “happy and grateful” because in this way “it will be written forever, Mikel was here murdered, in this barracks.”
They also remembered during the event Idoia Aierbe and Jon Arretxe, tortured together with Zabalza in Intxaurrondo.
Since the San Sebastián City Council announced the installation of this plaque, Dignity and Justice (DyJ) and the Victims of Terrorism Association (AVT) have opposed it and have been asking the city council all week to withdraw it. Furthermore, the San Sebastián City Council installed the 32nd plaque without the participation of the Popular Party representatives.
Mikel Zabalza Garate, born in Orbaizeta (Navarre) and resident of Altza, was a driver for the San Sebastián Tram Company and a member of the ELA union. He was arrested by the Civil Guard on November 26, 1985, and after passing through the Intxaurrondo barracks, he was found dead in the Bidasoa River on December 19. He was 33 years old.
In February 2022, the Basque government recognized her as a victim of police abuse and concluded that her death after arrest by the Guardia Civil had a “violent character” and was “the result of torture practices”. The Executive’s ruling stated that the family would be compensated 135,000 euros.
Like the Basque government, the government of Navarra has also recognized Mikel Zabalza as a victim of police violence, and it is precisely these official recognitions that the mayor of San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, has relied on to respond to the associations’ criticism.
In statements to the media, Goia explained that with this new plaque, the San Sebastian City Council takes “a new step” in its work to “restore the memory and visibility in public spaces of the victims of terrorism and politically motivated violence who have lost their lives.” in town.”
Goia has indicated that this plaque aims to “keep alive” the memory of “victim of violence” Mikel Zabalza, based on the city council’s goal of seeking “truth, justice and reparation for the victims”. The mayor of San Sebastián has indicated that Zabalza’s family wanted him to be remembered in this way, and they respected his wishes.
More than a hundred people took part in the event, including the mayor of San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, accompanied by councilors Ana López (PNV), Iñaki Gabarain (PSE-EE) and Juan Karlos Izagirre (EH Bildu). Vice President of the Government of Navarre, Ana Ollo, the President of the General Councils of Gipuzkoa, Xabier Ezeizabarrena, the Director of Human Rights, Victims and Diversity of the Basque Government, Jagoba Álvarez Ereño, as well as relatives of Zabalza and his partner Idoia Aierbe and victims of ETA such as Maixabel Lasa, Gorka Landaburu and former parliamentarian Pili Zabala, sister from, among others, GAL victim Joxi Zabala. The PP did not participate in the event.
EH Bildu has assured in a note that the placing of a plaque “in support of Mikel Zabalza”, a victim of police violence, next to the Guardia Civil barracks in Intxaurrondo (San Sebastián) “affects the memory of this city” and “an important and necessary step”. Moreover, he recalled that, like Zabalza, “there are thousands of people who are victims of torture and continue to wait for the truth.”
The Fernando Buesa Foundation has distributed a message on his ‘X’ account pointing this out The Zabalza family “needs justice, truth and memory”and stressed that “torture is intolerable in a democratic system” and “must be condemned and prosecuted.”
Source: EITB
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
