Now we can know:
the unknown mediator in the attempted Basque peace process of
2006 was William A. Douglass, professor emeritus of the Center
for Basque Studies. Here the behind the scenes story is
told in an interview with the Basque magazine
Argia in an English
translation.
Video clip of interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxmidJph89o
William A.
Douglass, Ph.D., helped to initiate the Basque Studies Program
(now Center for Basque Studies-CBS) and served as its
coordinator for over thirty years from where he retired about a
decade ago. He produced a truly impressive list of
publications,
and has garnered various
awards
for his lifetime of contributions to Basque
Studies. He remains active and continues to inspire
scholars in Basque Studies.
Following his retirement from the CBS, Professor Douglass was
approached by The
Centre for Humanitarian
Dialogue,
otherwise known as the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian
Dialogue, to join in their Basque peace initiative. The HD
Centre proclaims to be: "An independent and impartial
organization whose motivation is to reduce human suffering in
war. We believe preventing and resolving armed conflicts is the
surest means of doing so." While initially hesitant,
Douglass eventually agreed to try and help with bringing about a
resolution to the Basque problem and E.T.A. violence.
In this interview he explains why he joined in this initiative,
because he believed that absent negotiation, there would be no
chance of peace. He also knew that by participating in
this secret endeavor, he was taking a risk with Spanish
authorities because contacting E.T.A. was illegal under Spain's
counterterrorism laws, as well as U.S. law too. Now that
enough time has passed this story can be told.
