User loginNavigationAnarchist Events
Action!Donation |
Spain OKs reparations to civil war victims
The legislation, prepared by an ad hoc government commission, is expected to gain the majority approval required in Parliament. It was uncertain whether it would go before lawmakers by the end of the year. All victims of the civil war launched by Franco's revolt against the republican government and his dictatorship — including exiles, former prisoners and relatives of those executed — would have a year to request reparations. A total of $25 million would be made available for payments. After Franco's death in 1975, Spaniards adopted what has been called a pact of silence to not focus on unhealed wounds, preferring instead to work toward rebuilding a shattered nation. Conservatives have opposed the bill, saying it goes against the reconciliatory spirit of the democratic transition. "Revising history is a great mistake," said Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy. "Spain has to look at the future and resolve the problems that people are really interested in. The vast majority of Spaniards don't want to talk about the civil war or Franco." Some leftist parties and victims' associations argue the bill does not go far enough, saying it lacks a condemnation of the Franco regime and measures such as the annulment of summary trials during the dictatorship. The bill urges local authorities to help relatives exhume loved ones who were buried in mass graves, and calls for the organization of government archives on the period to improve access to documents scattered around the country. It also prohibits political events at the Valley of the Fallen, a colossal monument outside Madrid that includes Franco's tomb and is the most potent symbol of his regime. Both sides in the 1936-39 civil war committed atrocities, including executions of civilians. The war pitted soldiers loyal to an elected Socialist government against troops who backed Franco in his military uprising that ultimately prevailed. |
PollNews comments
Recent blog posts
SearchCheck out the Anarchist News newsletter. |