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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/06/referendum-sbotaged-catalonia-mandate-independence
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Before the violence, Catalonia already had a mandate for independence | Before the violence, Catalonia already had a mandate for independence |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| What we Catalans had hoped would be a celebration of democracy turned out to be far from that as the Spanish national police launched a widespread crackdown on Catalonia’s self-determination referendum, during which almost 900 voters were injured. Madrid used electronic sabotage to try to shut down the referendum’s IT system, and sent security forces to break into polling stations and confiscate ballot boxes by force, using a level of violence against its own citizens that is highly unusual in a European Union member state. | What we Catalans had hoped would be a celebration of democracy turned out to be far from that as the Spanish national police launched a widespread crackdown on Catalonia’s self-determination referendum, during which almost 900 voters were injured. Madrid used electronic sabotage to try to shut down the referendum’s IT system, and sent security forces to break into polling stations and confiscate ballot boxes by force, using a level of violence against its own citizens that is highly unusual in a European Union member state. |
| That the Spanish government does not consider its intervention heavy-handed – and defends itself by saying that it acted with moderation – is irresponsible and far from what the world expects from a democracy. The parliamentary spokesman for Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s governing Partido Popular (PP) went so far as to accuse the Catalan government of showing fake pictures of non-existent violence, even stating that some of Catalonia’s political parties “are looking forward to deaths in Catalonia”. | That the Spanish government does not consider its intervention heavy-handed – and defends itself by saying that it acted with moderation – is irresponsible and far from what the world expects from a democracy. The parliamentary spokesman for Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s governing Partido Popular (PP) went so far as to accuse the Catalan government of showing fake pictures of non-existent violence, even stating that some of Catalonia’s political parties “are looking forward to deaths in Catalonia”. |
| Experts and human rights organisations such as the UN, the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and Amnesty International have condemned the violence and called on the Spanish authorities to ensure respect for the fundamental freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression. International electoral observers were “stunned that armed, masked officers entered polling stations with the purpose of preventing a peaceful democratic process”. | Experts and human rights organisations such as the UN, the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and Amnesty International have condemned the violence and called on the Spanish authorities to ensure respect for the fundamental freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression. International electoral observers were “stunned that armed, masked officers entered polling stations with the purpose of preventing a peaceful democratic process”. |
| Violence can never be the answer; we have to solve this through dialogue. This has always been the desire of Catalonia’s politicians. And now, once again, we are calling for dialogue and seeking international mediation to resolve the conflict. However, the Spanish government refuses to sit down and talk, and rules out any possibility of mediation. Instead, it escalates the repression and tensions, and threatens to suspend Catalonia’s regional autonomy without any dialogue at all. | Violence can never be the answer; we have to solve this through dialogue. This has always been the desire of Catalonia’s politicians. And now, once again, we are calling for dialogue and seeking international mediation to resolve the conflict. However, the Spanish government refuses to sit down and talk, and rules out any possibility of mediation. Instead, it escalates the repression and tensions, and threatens to suspend Catalonia’s regional autonomy without any dialogue at all. |
| Through courts and police forces it is trying to annul our devolved powers, instead of seeking political and diplomatic solutions. Even the Spanish king, Felipe VI, has spoken out against Catalonia instead of acting as the statesman he is meant to be. Rather than condemning the violence, and calling for dialogue and mediation, he opted for escalating the tension. | Through courts and police forces it is trying to annul our devolved powers, instead of seeking political and diplomatic solutions. Even the Spanish king, Felipe VI, has spoken out against Catalonia instead of acting as the statesman he is meant to be. Rather than condemning the violence, and calling for dialogue and mediation, he opted for escalating the tension. |
| In Catalonia we currently live in an undeclared state of emergency. There are more than 10,000 Spanish national police and paramilitary agents in Catalonia. They were brought to Catalonia, according to the Spanish government, to maintain order during the referendum voting on Sunday, but they are still here; and instead of withdrawing the police forces, Spain is extending their stay until 11 October. | In Catalonia we currently live in an undeclared state of emergency. There are more than 10,000 Spanish national police and paramilitary agents in Catalonia. They were brought to Catalonia, according to the Spanish government, to maintain order during the referendum voting on Sunday, but they are still here; and instead of withdrawing the police forces, Spain is extending their stay until 11 October. |
| Despite the heavy-handed actions of the Spanish authorities, and with many polling stations closed by brutal police action, more than 2.2 million Catalans voted in last Sunday’s referendum; 90% of them voted in favour of an independent Catalonia. Despite a state of siege during which almost 900 people were beaten, assaulted and insulted, more than 42% of the electorate did manage to vote. | Despite the heavy-handed actions of the Spanish authorities, and with many polling stations closed by brutal police action, more than 2.2 million Catalans voted in last Sunday’s referendum; 90% of them voted in favour of an independent Catalonia. Despite a state of siege during which almost 900 people were beaten, assaulted and insulted, more than 42% of the electorate did manage to vote. |
| However, many were unable to and more than 770,000 voters were registered to vote at the approximately 400 polling stations that were closed by force. Tens of thousands of votes were stolen by the Spanish police – they are impossible to count. The Catalan government believes that turnout would have comfortably exceeded 50% if the referendum had taken place in normal democratic conditions – as such, its results must be taken seriously. | However, many were unable to and more than 770,000 voters were registered to vote at the approximately 400 polling stations that were closed by force. Tens of thousands of votes were stolen by the Spanish police – they are impossible to count. The Catalan government believes that turnout would have comfortably exceeded 50% if the referendum had taken place in normal democratic conditions – as such, its results must be taken seriously. |
| It is of the utmost importance to emphasise that Catalonia already has a clear mandate for independence, achieved in the parliamentary elections on 27 September 2015. On that occasion, around 75% of Catalan voters had their say in the most participative elections ever in Catalonia, in which the pro-independence parties came out with an absolute majority in parliament: 48% of voters supported pro-independence parties, whereas 39% opted for unionist ones. The remaining 13% voted for lists that did not align themselves with either the “yes”or “no” campaigns. | It is of the utmost importance to emphasise that Catalonia already has a clear mandate for independence, achieved in the parliamentary elections on 27 September 2015. On that occasion, around 75% of Catalan voters had their say in the most participative elections ever in Catalonia, in which the pro-independence parties came out with an absolute majority in parliament: 48% of voters supported pro-independence parties, whereas 39% opted for unionist ones. The remaining 13% voted for lists that did not align themselves with either the “yes”or “no” campaigns. |
| Nevertheless, the Catalan government decided not to implement this mandate and, instead, proposed a single-issue vote on independence to confirm that a majority of Catalans support independence, and to ensure the legitimacy of this process. If the government of Spain now does not accept the outcome of last Sunday’s referendum, it should bear in mind that the 2015 Catalan election – in effect a proxy vote on independence – already offered a democratic mandate for statehood. | Nevertheless, the Catalan government decided not to implement this mandate and, instead, proposed a single-issue vote on independence to confirm that a majority of Catalans support independence, and to ensure the legitimacy of this process. If the government of Spain now does not accept the outcome of last Sunday’s referendum, it should bear in mind that the 2015 Catalan election – in effect a proxy vote on independence – already offered a democratic mandate for statehood. |
| • Albert Royo-Mariné is the secretary general of the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat) | • Albert Royo-Mariné is the secretary general of the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat) |
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