Today is the big day — the day #Korrika kicks off.
For those of you who don't know what Korrika is, it's an event that takes place in the Basque Country every two years in support of the #Basque language.
#LaPassem, #Correllengua, #ArRedadeg or #Rith among others are all different flavours of the same event — a symbolic relay race in support of a minoritised language.
1/5
This year's edition —24 and counting— is being attacked by these Spanish union and political party. Last week a Basque news outlet published evidence that the Spanish union CCOO was taking to court required [Basque] language skills in order to fill a position as a civil servant within this Basque council — according to the union, asking for the C1 level is too much, and discriminates against people who don't have that level.
2/5
CCOO paid for one of the 2.175 kilometres that Korrika is running for this year, but after the news broke out, Korrika's organiser, showing some spine we don't see often, decided that CCOO shouldn't be carrying the relay, as it's obvious that the Spanish union is undermining the efforts to keep the transmission of the Basque language.
CCOO said it was social apartheid; the Spanish socialist party has then attacked Korrika, for turning it into a political matter.
3/5
If anyone wants to be a public worker in England they must speak English. I believe it makes sense. And if someone wants to work for any of the Basque councils they should be able to communicate fluently in Basque. How else would they serve the public that speak Basque otherwise? So taking language requirements to court each time that a council is hiring someone, is yet another go at destroying our language. We, the Basque, are used to lawfare, but this is sickening.
4/5
This would be similar to taking to court laws for gender equality. The goal of these laws —for gender equality or for #MinoritisedLanguages— is to even up the gap between those in a dominant and those in an inferior position. And I'm sure there is no need for me to explain who is in which position.
5/5
Xabi