On October 1, 2017, the second referendum in three years to vote for an independent Catalonia, a region with unique history, culture and language in the northeastern part of Spain, was undertaken. Despite a low turnout, reports have hinted at almost 90 per cent of the votes going in for a "yes", dashing Spain's hope that it wouldn't see a Brexit moment by carefully upholding the Constitution, and overdoing the policing.
But the referendum, the actual results of which will be declared on Sunday, might drastically alter the course of history, perhaps giving a decisive push towards an independent Catalonia.
There's humungous confusion and reports of violent clashes between the Spanish police and the Catalan separatists, with images of bloodied protesters flooding the internet. Has the government of Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy acted in a high-handed manner, or was it simply trying to prevent what it has deemed an "illegal referendum", along with the Spanish Constitutional Court?
Voy a comparecer en el @Congreso_Es y convocaré a las fuerzas políticas para reflexionar sobre un futuro que tenemos que afrontar juntos pic.twitter.com/Y4mSnEjAWB
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) October 1, 2017
Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy ordered police crackdown against Catalan separatists. Reuters
The ground reality refuses to cater to any black and white analysis, given the deep fissures within Spain and the decades of yearning for an independent, and not just an autonomous Catalonia, fomenting the crisis.
Brief history of Catalonian nationalism
Catalonia became a part of Spain in the late 15th century, when the modern borders of the then kingdom were determined, though it maintained its own laws and customs. Through the 17th century, a number of wars were fought, and Catalonians also revolted to seek independence, but were crushed. The autonomy of the Crown of Aragon, and Catalonia, ended on September 11, 1714, when Barcelona surrendered to the Bourbon force, leading to the Nueva Planta decrees, which led to the centralisation of Spanish rule, custom and laws on the entire region.
Protesters gather at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in support of Catalans' right to decide to vote #CatalanReferedendum pic.twitter.com/6S5MyQuRs6
— Sara Houlison (@SaraHoulison) October 1, 2017
While the 19th century saw Catalonian cultural renaissance, this led to political parties of the Catalan kind gaining ground. While Catalonia was granted autonomy when Spain became a republic, the Spanish Civil War of 1932-38 changed the scene again. General Francisco Franco abolished the statues of autonomy and generalitat for Catalonia in 1938, and that remained so until his death in 1975 during which period Spain remained a military dictatorship.
After Franco's death, Spain restored democracy and adopted the Constitution in 1978, granting Catalonia autonomy once again in 1979.
However, in the 21st century, politics picked up pace and cultural nationalism of the Catalonian kind began gaining ground, in accordance with the rising identity politics the world over. After a host of aborted or lost or symbolic attempts, a referendum, deemed illegal, was held in 2014. It saw a resounding yes, although the turnout was just over 35 per cent.
The president of the autonomous Catalan government, Carles Puigdemont, has been equated by some to Nigel Farage, the man responsible for Brexit. Reuters
The new president of the autonomous Catalan government, Carles Puigdemont, took over in January 2016, and omitted the oath of loyalty to the king and the Spanish Constitution. Puidgemont has been equated by some observers to Nigel Farage of the UKIP in Britain, the man responsible for making Brexit happen.
2017 referendum and violence
Spain's political crisis has spiralled with the October 1 referendum in which ballot papers were printed at home or bought from Catalan nationalist sympathiser companies, because the Spanish government deemed it illegal and sealed off polling booths.
The referendum, therefore, is a purely civilian- and Catalonian-driven development, and any citizen could cast his/her vote in any polling booth in the region, making it what an observer has called the a "made for rigging" referendum.
Spanish National Police strike with batons Catalonian fire fighters trying to protect voters in today's referendum. #referendumCAT #o1 pic.twitter.com/OcbAhXctTI
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 1, 2017
Catalan response to Rajoy's repression (censorship, arrests, raids) is impressive--and strategic. Catalans "keep it light" with humor and calm, insuring people are not afraid to vote and directing reactive energy into growing their institutions and away from fear & violence. pic.twitter.com/KxYsUKOSgy
— Julian Assange ?? (@JulianAssange) September 29, 2017
A hard road ahead, but I pay homage to:1. Catalonia's people, engineers & leaders who with courage and adaptability preserved their voting system against a ferocious onslaught2. Catalonia's civil society for turning anger into organization3. @Mossos for walking a 155 tightrope
— Julian Assange ?? (@JulianAssange) October 2, 2017
The pro-Spanish media has called it a joke, because of its ad hoc nature. But Europe and Anglophone media across the world are watching this carefully, too divided and confused to take a position, while reporting on the violence on the streets of Catalonia caused by clashing protesters with the police.
Dear media: The word for armed police beating and shooting entirely peaceful voters is not "clashes". https://t.co/9mqqy4PmBb pic.twitter.com/PWSZIiSKq9
— Julian Assange ???? (@JulianAssange) October 2, 2017
Look at these fascist thugs. The people are peaceful. #CatalanReferedendum pic.twitter.com/1pYRsmhWa2
— Gissur Simonarson (@GissiSim) October 1, 2017
This is Spain, in 2017. The EU commission HAVE to get involved here. This is not democracy. #CatalanReferedendum pic.twitter.com/313d0x1Lej
— Maximus (@maxgarniss) October 1, 2017
Carles Puigdemont said: "Today, on this day of hope and also suffering, citizens of Catalonia have won the right to have an independent Catalonian state." However, the fact that he said it before the results have been declared, has forced many to say that the possibility of a rigged referendum doesn't entirely go away.
My father is the one who is recording. Please share. #CatalanReferedendum pic.twitter.com/dmCuR00kg1
— Mixergraph (@mixergraph) October 1, 2017
BREAKING: Israeli PM Netanyahu says Spain has a right to defend itself against revolting grannies.#CatalanReferendum#CatalanReferedendum pic.twitter.com/DooRsKd3w0
— Amir (@AmirAminiMD) October 1, 2017
The outcome of the 2014 referendum, often termed illegal, was a resounding yes, although the turnout was just over 35 per cent. Reuters/file
The police atrocity and images of them beating up the jubilant, but politically single-minded Catalans have divided social media. While Spanish foreign minister Dastis has said that the police response was "proportionate", media reports and social media posts have refuted the claim.
Criticism against Catalan referendum/s
Only Charles Michel, the prime minister of Belgium, the country known for both its heart-warming approach to refugees and becoming the target of terrorist attacks, has called for dialogue as a way forward, while other prominent members of the European Union have resorted to ambiguity or silence on the issue.
Violence can never be the answer! We condemn all forms of violence and reaffirm our call for political dialogue #CatalanReferendum #Spain
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) October 1, 2017
However, what has got ignored in the political rigmarole of developments is that Catalan pacifists, or those who want to stick to Spain, have been either ignored, or have suffered crackdown. The pacifists have a substantial representation which is evident in the repeated low turnout of the voters in the referendums.
Moreover, there's the likelihood of the Catalan parts of France rising to rebellion in case Spain agrees to what some have called this "self-amputation", and might make the whole of southern Europe unstable, threatening the idea of EU itself.
Leading UK newspaper front pages this morning. #CatalanReferendum #o1 pic.twitter.com/YcKTtWKliQ
— Julian Assange ?? (@JulianAssange) October 2, 2017
The separatist wildfire isn't limited to Europe alone, given Kurds are also voting to seek independence from Iraq, after decades of persecution. However, the case of Catalonia is both different and disturbing because this means that cultural nationalism has now the power to trump the idea of a constitutionally-bound republic, held together by laws and treaties, rather than bloodlines, thickly shared pasts, despite similar culture, language and other mores.
Only on Sunday would we know if it was a "kangaroo referendum", or not.