According to the United Nations, there are 195 sovereign countries in the world today.
The people of Catalonia must be heard in their desire to be number 196, and the Spanish government that rules over them must respect the overwhelming desire for independence in the region.
More than 100 years of struggle has culminated in a referendum in the Spanish state of Catalonia, complete with oppressive action from the Spanish government and early returns indicating a win for the independence movement. Catalans flocked to the polls Sunday, only to find police in riot gear doing their best to stop citizens from voting.
According to one Washington Post article, the Spanish government declared the vote to be unconstitutional and denounced the election. Despite containing multiple regions with nation-like independence short of statehood, Spain’s 1978 constitution declared that the country would be lawfully indivisible. This is how Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy justified the use of force against what Time reported Sunday as more than 750 citizens as Catalans flocked to the polls and clashed with police.
Spain took many other shady actions to stop the vote that were blatantly autocratic. Per one Guardian report, the Spanish government blocked access to pro-independence websites, arrested 14 Catalan officials and confiscated nearly 10 million unfilled ballots prior to the referendum.
Catalonia played by every rule in the playbook to maintain order and democracy throughout this process. It is Spain and the country’s archaic constitution that is trying to stomp out democracy and subsequently inciting violence.
Early returns are selfreported and need further confirmation, but most outlets like BBC and CNN are reporting as many as 90 percent of Catalans voted in favor of independence.
The irony of the Spanish government’s interference is that the margin could be a lot smaller, but Spanish loyalists in the area were discouraged from voting by the massive police presence that tried to physically stop the vote. The more fervent supporters of independence came out in droves and decisively won the vote. This isn’t some half-baked movement like Californian or Cascadian independence sentiments that gained prominence in recent years. Catalonia fought for independence within the system, followed a democratic path to independence and now deserves to be recognized. Spain must realize this before they end up on the wrong side of history. The government is en route to further oppressing the Catalans and their justified want for freedom.
The struggle for independence is a played-out path in history, and Spain is positioning themselves to be egregiously in the wrong.
When the United States wanted freedom from Spain and became resolute as a nation in that conviction, ignoring their stronglyvoiced wishes led to long and bloody conflict.
Mexico’s independence from Spain carried many of the same characteristics as the American Revolution as well as the current conflict in Catalonia. The people of Mexico developed an identity independent from that of the country that ruled over them and gave them no representation. So far, Catalonia has avoided major violence and pursued independence in the mold of the Indian independence movement that relied more upon civil action and discourse than direct conflict.
Catalonia is decidedly different because it does receive representation, but its persisting desire for independence from Spain matches the fervor that historical independence movements have featured. The people have clashed with the government before and after the reestablishment of the country in 1978 following Francisco Franco’s autocratic rule for much of the 20th century.
In each case, history has found the oppressors were wrong to try and deny independence to these people who were so different. Spain is actively oppressing the people of Catalonia. The Spanish government’s active interference in a free and fair election on the basis of an undemocratic technicality in their constitution should prove that beyond a doubt.
Spain must recognize Catalonia’s independence before the situation escalates further into conflict and oppression, for everyone’s sake. There is already more than enough conflict in the world. Spain needs to recognize Catalonia and compromise before more people get hurt and the Spanish government sways further from democracy itself.
Jonah Baker can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @jonahpbaker