Catalonia is presently going through an exceptional situation where fundamental rights and liberties are being violated after the summoning of the referendum for self-determination on 1st October. In front of this situation, ICIP (International Catalan Institute for Peace), as an institution working on matters of peacebuilding and the promotion of peace, human rights and social justice, condemns any action which does not take dialogue and mutual recognition as starting point for the resolution of conflicts, as were the political arrests and the repressive answer of the Spanish state over the last few days.
ICIP sends out a call to all institutions in the defence of democracy, dialogue and nonviolence as mechanisms of conflict resolution. We firmly believe that the way out for the political conflict Catalonia is going through, is through a negotiated solution which scrupulously respects the rights of all parties. Negotiation and pact are necessary to get out of the deadlock we are facing, which is the reason why we urge both sides to initiate a dialogue, without the need to wait until the 1st October.
As such, we take sides with the Catalan people in its desire, repeatedly expressed in a civic, pacific and nonviolent manner, to decide freely on its future.
28.01.2017
