Chapter 6

Babette Protz

University of South

Carolina Lancaster

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: NATIONAL AND ETHNIC

MOVEMENTS

Explain the nature and characteristics of nationalistic and ethnic separatist terrorism.

Describe the emergence of the modern IRA and terrorism in Northern Ireland.

Outline the basis for negotiating peace in Northern Ireland.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: CHAPTER 6

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Summarize the nature of Basque culture and its separateness from Spain.

Explain the impact of the Spanish Civil War on the Basque region.

Summarize the birth and evolution of the ETA. Explain the rise of the GAL.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: CHAPTER 6

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Outline the Spanish government’s approach to Basque separatism.

Describe the rise of the LTTE and the role of the Tamil Diaspora.

Summarize the unique aspect of LTTE suicide bombings.

Describe the end of the LTTE and the danger of possible reconstitution.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: CHAPTER 6

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Ethnic terrorists are usually more nationalistic than religious terrorists

Ethnic terrorists try to forge national identity; they appeal to the nationalistic background of a particular ethnic group

Peaceful negotiated settlements have proved to be the most effective method for ending ethnic and nationalistic terrorism

ETHNIC AND NATIONALIST TERRORISM

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Ireland Incorporated terrorist techniques into their revolt against

British rule

Basque region of Spain The Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) is Europe’s longest

surviving ethnic conflict

Island of Sri Lanka Tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamils

ETHNIC AND NATIONALIST SEPARATISM

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The movement was aimed at achieving adequate housing and education among Ulster’s Catholic population in an attempt to improve economic growth

The IRA had not been dormant throughout the civil rights movement, but it had failed to play a major role Turmoil in Belfast and Londonderry halted by the British

army acting as peacekeepers

IRA AND THE MODERN “TROUBLES”

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-T_8SvNRhk&feature=related

Discussion: It appears that IRA is now engaged in criminal activities through black market operations. How does the information presented in the video align to

the IRA’s stated mission of an Independent Irish state? Do you believe there is a cover-up of the IRA criminal

activity? Support your view.

IRA

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Early policies of the British army played an important role in the rebirth of the IRA British army had little or no appreciation of the historical

circumstances behind the conflict

The British army mistakenly allied itself with one of the extremist positions

The policies the British army had done much to set hostile forces in motion

THE ARMY AND OVERREACTION

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Unionist organizations have a long history of terrorism; they represent the Unionist and Loyalist side of terrorism

Historically, it has appeared in three forms Repression Vengeance Revolutionary violence for political change

UNIONIST TERRORISM

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Belfast Agreement Independent human rights investigations, compensation

for the victims of violence, and decommissioning of paramilitary groups

Independent Monitoring Commission Police Service of Northern Ireland

NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS

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Terrorism in Northern Ireland no longer grabs attention as it did in the past

The major campaigns are over and the groups have disbanded

The situation remains volatile Unionist and Republican activists carried out 124 attacks

against each other in 2009 Two British soldiers were killed

RATIONAL POLITICAL GOALS AND NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS

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Basque separatists beliefs Develop a homeland in Spain Maintain a separate culture and language

War of the Spanish Succession The new monarchy granted the Basque region

semiautonomy within the realm Although the Basques considered themselves “un-

Spanish,” Spanish power gradually enfolded the region into the twentieth century

BASQUE NATION BACKGROUND

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Francisco Franco forcibly campaigned against Basque national identity

Many Basques believed the Allies would assist their bid for independence US courted Franco’s fascist government in return for

American air bases in Spain

This resulted in a resurgence of Basque nationalism during the 1950s

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

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Basque separatists want a homeland completely independent of Spain

Basque region has its own language and culture, though it has never been independent

ETA began a campaign against Spain in 1959 They were responsible for assassinating Franco’s

probable successor and many other officials ETA declared an end to hostilities in October 2011

THE BASQUE CONFLICT

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In 1968, the group started a true terrorist campaign, although members did not view terrorism as a full-time activity Most members engaged in terrorism for only about three

years, then returned to their full-time occupations

As ETA violence expanded, women grew more active in the movement

THE ETA TURNS TO TERRORISM

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As Spanish repression increased in the 1970s, the ETA escalated its attacks The ETA began a Marighella-style campaign of

assassination, robbery, and banditry Government responded with martial law Death squads, such as Warriors of Christ the King

and the Basque Spanish Battalion, began to torture and murder suspected terrorists and their supporters

ETA TACTICS AND SPANISH DEATH SQUADS

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUhbXMUYTbM&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFISCVWr2-o&feature=player_embedded

Discussion: How much of the information presented were you aware of prior to

watching the video? Do you consider ETA to be a terrorist organization or freedom fighters

for the Basque peoples? Support your view. Do you believe that the Basque region should be given the

independence it once had and want to have returned? Explain your view.

HISTORY OF ETA TERRORISM PARTS I & II

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Government tried to delegitimize the ETA by fostering democracy in Basque region Creation of a Basque national police Basques were given total control of the educational

system The ETA and its political wing became more

entrenched in working-class ideology In 2011, the ETA announced that it was abandoning

its military campaign

REFRAMING THE CONFLICT

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The Tamils felt they were systematically excluded from Sri Lanka’s economic life

LTTE formed to fight for the Tamil minority LTTE knows for child kidnapping, suicide bombings and

assassinations Sri Lankan military and police forces launched a

major offensive against the LTTE in 2008 Fighting ended in May 2009, bringing one of Asia’s

longest violent separatist conflicts to an end

THE SRI LANKAN CONFLICT

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Tamil minority in Sri Lanka was concerned about maintaining its ethnic identity among the Sinhalese majority

Sinhalese majority forced the government to adopt a Sinhalese-only policy

Buoyed by religious differences and ethnic support, Tamil separatists could begin a guerrilla campaign by waging terrorist war

THE ORIGINS OF TAMIL DISSATISFACTION

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Standard guerrilla tactics Ad hoc navy Robberies, bombings, and murder Anti-Tamil riots Terrorist training camps Suicide bombers Small-scale sea battles

LTTE TACTICS

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Facing a weakened LTTE, Sri Lankan security forces created “no-fire zones” and moved into Tamil areas

Tamil Tigers fought a defensive battle against conventional assaults

Many of the commanders began blowing themselves up instead of surrendering

Fighting ended in May

FIGHTING RENEWED

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duFckSZBUJw&feature=fvwrel

Discussion: Were you surprised by the information presented in this

video? Would you say there is a similarity between the ETA and

the LTTE Tamil Tigers? Support your view. What can be done by the International community to help

the families find their missing family members?

SILENT TSUNAMI - SRI LANKA

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Sinhalese majority government has reverted to policies similar to the ones that caused earlier Tamil unrest Tamils are not free to move, and many remained in

internment camps

Women in the north constantly victimized They don’t have the means to protect themselves or the

means to address their grievances

REPRESSION AFTER VICTORY

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A government cannot be too eager to negotiate or it could backfire

Formal negotiations should begin only after a group agrees to a cease-fire

Negotiators down two paths One toward a political settlement The other toward the welfare of terrorists

Negotiations must be broadly based

SEPARATIST NEGOTIATIONS

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Ethnic and separatist movements involve attempts to gain full or partial independence.

When such groups employ terrorism, it may be possible for each side to negotiate an end to violence because each position is based on a logical, attainable political solution.

Despite the promise of negotiated peace, these movements seem to be more violent than ideological or religious terrorism.

CHAPTER TAKE AWAYS

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Modern terrorism in Ireland grew from dissatisfaction with Catholic emancipation in the North.

Basque separatism became violent when the ETA launched a terrorist campaign in support of Basque independence.

Both of these cases have resulted in a peace settlement through negotiations, although radical extremists would like to disrupt the agreements.

CHAPTER TAKE AWAYS

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Sri Lankan violence ended with the military elimination of the LTTE.

Rather than negotiate with the defeated Tamil minority, the government has continued to routinely suppress them.

This may lead to renewed violence and the rebirth of the LTTE or a similar organization in the Tamil Diaspora.

CHAPTER TAKE AWAYS

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