In 2014 the Basque right-to-decide movement formed another human chain, but this year's one is different in several ways: It is 75 kilometres longer; four years ago it went through small towns mostly, while this year it will pass through cities and large towns, "the places where most people live". The demonstration will begin in Donostia and finish in Gasteiz at the gates of the Basque Parliament. There they will hand over the Citizens' Agreement to the authorities "for them to start the transition towards the people's agreement."

On 10th June the human chain will focus on the Basque Autonomous Community, which administers Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. According to the movement's spokesperson, this year there is "the right situation for putting this project on the table".

The human chain will not go through the other Basque provinces. Another strategy will shortly be announced for Upper Navarre; and they are also in touch with stakeholders in Lapurdi, Lower Navarre and Zuberoa, according to spokesperson Angel Oiarbide. Gure Esku Dago is “creating conditions for the right to decide throughout the Basque Country”, and the objective is to link all "seven provincial capitals" in the future.

2,019 reasons to decide

Over the next weeks and months they will bring together "reasons to decide". And those reasons will make up the Citizens' Agreement. To do so they have organised round table discussions, and the first will be held next Wednesday in Bilbao and it will deal with welfare.

Gure Esku Dago has called for each person in the human chain will wear a neckcloth with their reason for deciding written on it, and, in this way, the chain which reaches the Basque Parliament will be a "chain of reasons". They have asked for a contribution of five Euros from people who sign up. You can take part via the Internet or your local organisation.

This article was translated by 11itzulpen; you can see the original in Basque here.