Desire for justice, thirst for freedom

Joint letter of the President of Esquerra Republicana, Oriol Junqueras, and the Secretary-General of Esquerra Republicana, Marta Rovira

Penso
que res no és en va;
que res d’allò que dic
ni d’allò que faig
no es perd,
si en el joc hi arrisco
tot el que tinc
sense temor de perdre.


Miquel Martí Pol. Penso, dic, faig...


It’s Christmas again, the second we won’t be able to spend all together in freedom. The second Christmas of injustice to defend democracy. The second in which our children won’t be able to be together with their families. They want to punish us to avoid what they are not able to stop, because they can’t and don’t know how to convince. They want us silent thinking that this way they will silence more than 2 million people. They want us angry and sad so that we desist in following the path towards freedom. Definitely, they don’t know us. We continue and we will always continue.

Their injustice further strengthens our longings and convictions, it justifies our thirst for freedom every day. And the prison and the exile will hound them. Every day they keep us in this situation, our movement gets bigger, stronger, more invincible, more international. We are many and we will be more; we are far, more than ever, but not enough yet. And this only means that we have to continue working.

The trial will resume reviving the regime, because injustice can never be in vain. To sit democracy and the thirst for freedom in the dock can be the real Spain’s punishment
Oriol Junqueras and Marta Rovira

They want us fragmented, they want us to compete, do not fall into the trap. We are stronger when we act coordinated, when we work with unity of action and shared goals. Together to make progress, from diversity, with the best of plurality, without being uniformed, making the most of each one. We know the recipe, let’s take action.

They wanted to ignore us, underestimate us, punish us and humiliate us. They will also try to buy us. Democracy doesn’t have a price, neither does freedom and dignity even less. The path is justice, which can only be acquittal, and from acquittal to self-determination.

The cry of freedom of 1-O keeps resounding and shaking the foundations of the regime of 78. It will probably be necessary to shake them more. However, the consequences of that day are a living tsunami and practically only the first waves have reached the coast. That day will last for years and we know that nothing will ever be the same, nor anything will be less than this day.

The trial will resume reviving the regime, because injustice can never be in vain. To sit democracy and the thirst for freedom in the dock can be the real Spain’s punishment. Whoever accuses unfairly will be condemned. Whoever chooses to do a political trial risks running up against dignity, truth and justice. This is what we are going to do. To underestimate democracy has these risks, especially when winds of change are coming, it brings you back with more strength.

Democracy doesn’t have a price, neither does freedom and dignity even less. The path is justice, which can only be acquittal, and from acquittal to self-determination
Oriol Junqueras and Marta Rovira

We are here to change everything, we are here for all of you, for democracy and to make justice. And the path? The path is diverse and with many fronts at the same time. We keep raising our voices against repression everywhere we want, appealing the 3-O transversal spirit and going further; we work in Europe and over the world because the Catalan cause is the democracy and freedom cause; we govern for everyone and looking for the best way to work for those who need it the most, which is the best way to prove that we want a country for everyone; let’s be always mobilized because this only makes sense if it is with the people and for the people. And we work to endorse our cause because it will probably be what we need, ratify the democratic mandate to make it definitive.

We are pro-independence because we are republicans and we know that constructing a new state in the form of a republic is the best ­ —and only— way to help the citizens of this country, which is our primary goal. But we are democrats before pro-independence and republicans and no one will convince us that there is a better way than the democracy, civility, and pacifism one. Of course, without giving up anything.

We are here, patient, determined and firm, always peaceful, and certain that we are right. On the way to the Republic, with desire for justice and thirst for freedom. And we can’t finish this letter without wishing you a Merry Christmas.


Oriol Junqueras and Marta Rovira