According to news sources, ETA vowed yesterday to lay down arms and start a ¨permanent cease-fire¨ starting Friday at midnight. According to the statement released by ETA and read aloud by three masked ETA operatives on a videotape sent to Spanish media outlets, ¨the aim of this decision is to promote a democratic process" in the Basque country. CNN has a translation of the statement up on its website. You can go here and read it.

Reactions to the news have been mixed. While most people are hopeful and excited at the prospect that this form of domestic terrorism will end, government officials are advising caution. ¨Cauteloso,¨ or cautious, is a word being thrown around by every politician and news reporter. In the past, ETA has promised to lay down arms and has broken those promises, or the ¨cease-fire¨ has ended prematurely. The longest truce between the government and ETA lasted for 14 months, starting on September 18, 1998. Some people are wary of anything ETA says, especially because their past actions do not seem to indicate a desire for peace or democracy.

What is clear is that President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero´s PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) has been trying to negotiate with ETA in order to combat terrorism. Members of the conservative Partido Popular have been critical of Zapatero´s links with ETA, even though the former PP-controlled government under Jose Maria Aznar had also tried to negotiate with ETA in order to restore a state of normalcy so that Spanish citizens would not have to worry about being attacked. However, the PP later adopted a hostile attitude towards the Basque separatists.

After the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004, which killed 192 people, the Aznar government tried to link the attacks to ETA, even though all the evidence pointed to radical Islamicists tied to Al-Qaeda. As a result of the government´s rush to judgment (and opposition of fellow conservatives, moderates and liberals to Spain´s involvement in the Iraq war), Zapatero the PSOE were elected to power three days later. Many PP politicians and sympathizers still say that ETA was tied to Al-Qaeda, but have been unable to provide evidence to back up those claims. Clearly, though, accusations by government officials only further strained relations and the possibility of peaceful settlements with ETA, which is why Zapatero has been pushing hard for such a cease-fire.

If this cease-fire is successful, it could very well serve as Zapatero´s crowning achievement during his presidency, which has been marked by criticism from the left (who believe he is not being progressive enough) and the right (who are upset about his policies, especially concerning social issues such as gay marriage and the attempt to separate the Catholic Church from state affairs).

Hopefully, ETA is serious about their promise to lay down arms and stop terrorist attacks. People should be cautious and wary, as ETA could rescind the truce if they are not granted certain concessions, ranging from the release of ETA members from prison to a complete withdrawl from Spain and the establishment of an independent Basque nation. However, in a culture where national identities are often looked down upon by other Spaniards (there is much prejudice towards Catalonians, Basques, Morroccans, and other ethnic groups due partly to Spain´s history of isolationism and Franco´s reign and attempts to homogenize Spanish culture), it is clear that conservative elements within the country also need to be willing to extend the olive branch, or else they could risk further alienating the Basques, causing them to end the cease-fire and setting the peace process back for decades. I am sure there is a way to find push forward the peace process without forcing the Spanish government to captiulate to every one of ETA´s demands, but it´s going to require hard work and willingness to compromise--not stubborness or strict adhesion to personal ideologies--on both sides.

Will ETA stop its terrorist attacks permanently? Only time will tell.