'One million' Spaniards protest minister's murder

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BARCELONA, Spain -- Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has led nearly one million Spaniards in a protest against the murder of a respected former cabinet minister, blamed on Basque separatist group ETA.

Nearly a million people took to the streets on Thursday to mourn the killing of Ernest Lluch, murdered as he stepped from his car in the garage of his Barcelona apartment two days before.

The 63-year-old had served as health minister in the Socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez's during the 1980s and was responsible for ushering in universal health care.

There was no claim of responsibility, but officials have unanimously blamed ETA for the killing.

Protesters carried banners which read "Catalonia for Peace. ETA No" during a procession through the city that united the three main political parties.

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Other demonstrators carried placards which read, "They've killed a man, not his ideas."

Officials at Barcelona city hall said 900,000 people walked seven blocks from the Paseig de Gracia to Plaza Catalunya square.

"Fascism has always claimed victory with death over intelligence. Today many of us have come out to proclaim that we are on the side of life," radio journalist Gemma Nierga said in an end-of-rally statement.

Lluch was a regular guest on her popular chat show.

"Ernest would have tried to have talked to the person who killed him," she said. "Those of you who have it in your power, please talk."

VIDEO CNN's Al Goodman reports by phone on the murder of Ernest Lluch, whose death has been attributed to the Basque independence group, ETA Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

The late politician's three grown-up daughters later took the platform holding a banner that read "Dialogue Now."

The march was mirrored in the Basque resort of San Sebastian, where several thousand took part in a protest march.

The demonstrations followed sombre images earlier in the day when Spaniards stood in silence outside their offices in memory of the popular politician.

After leaving politics, Lluch worked in recent years as a professor of economics at the University of Barcelona.

A regular newspaper columnist and TV and radio show guest, he pushed for dialogue to resolve the Basque conflict and was an outspoken opponent of ETA.

Lluch played a key role in the early years of Spain's renewed democracy following the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco in 1975.

Newspapers ran pages of eulogies for Lluch, while television and radio stations replayed interviews with him and tapes of his speeches.

The killing, the 21st attributed to ETA this year, shocked politicians across the political divide.

ETA, the initials in the Basque language for Basque Homeland and Freedom, has waged more than three decades of attacks in a campaign for an independent state spanning parts of northern Spain and southern France.

It has been blamed for more than 800 deaths since 1968.

"There is widespread despair," an editorial in the daily newspaper El Pais said.

"If ETA is capable of killing Ernest Lluch, so close to democratic nationalists, that means that everyone is the terrorists' target and no one can stop them."

The paper's front page photograph showed the visibly upset leader of the Socialist party, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, being comforted by King Juan Carlos.

"Nevertheless, an organisation whose main motive is to find new enemies to continue killing is condemned; it will only win if no one stands up to it," El Pais added.

In the bloodiest year since 1992, when ETA killed 26 people, the group has spread violence far beyond its base in the Basque Country of northern Spain and intensified its campaign against artists, journalists, businessmen and politicians.

With each attack blamed on ETA, thousands of ordinary citizens take to the streets to demand an end to the killing.

Spanish parliament stands in silence for its ex-health minister

Several thousands have already signed a statement in protest at ETA in Barcelona.

ETA, which resumed attacks in January after calling off a 14-month ceasefire in December last year, has stepped up its violence in hope of gaining concessions from the government.

The group met government representatives once during the ceasefire but talks broke down amid mutual resentment.

Police have struck back in recent months, claiming to have dismantled ETA cells in Madrid, in the southern region of Andalusia and in the Basque region.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

ETA blamed for ex-minister's assassination
November 22, 2000
Spanish king condemns 'disgusting' assassination
November 22, 2000
Basque separatism remains critical issue
November 21, 2000
ETA claims responsibility for 17 attacks
November 19, 2000

PNV (Basque Nacionalist Party)
EA (Eusko Alkartasuna)
EH (Euskal Herritarok) (in Spanish)
Basque Red Net
Spanish Government

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