Catalans demand independence vote

Hundreds of thousands of Catalans were expected to pack the streets of Barcelona on Thursday to demand the right to vote on a split from Spain. Their hopes have been fueled by events in Scotland, where support for independence has surged in recent weeks.

The central government in Madrid insists a vote would be illegal.

About half a million Catalans have signed up to dress in red and yellow, the colors of the Catalan flag, to form a "V" for "vote" in a show of support for what they say is their right to decide their own destiny.

Catalonia is a wealthy region in Spain's northeast with its own language and culture. Its long-standing independence movement has grown significantly over the last decade, strengthened by Spain's economic crisis and what many see as a deaf-ears tactic by the government in Madrid.

Several hours before protests were to begin on Thursday, Catalonia regional leader Artur Mas said his government is not wavering from plans to hold a secession referendum on Nov 9 even though experts say the attempt is sure to be blocked Spain's Constitutional Court.

"If a nation such as Scotland can vote, why not Catalonia?" Mas asked.

"If the Catalan population wants to vote on its future, it's practically impossible to stop that forever," he told AFP in an interview on Wednesday.

The Catalan regional government, which has a large degree of autonomy, has set a referendum for Nov 9 on whether to separate. But the Madrid government says the vote is illegal and cannot go ahead.

Next week's referendum in Scotland on whether it should split from the United Kingdom has added energy to the independence campaign in Catalonia.

Although the government in London opposes Scottish independence, it has said it will abide by the voters' decision.

"We want to decide our future. We don't understand why that is constantly denied. We look up to Scotland," said Victor Panyella, a 50-year-old professor who was wearing a yellow T-shirt with a red "V" on it.

"They are so lucky to belong to a country that allows that kind of vote. That is a big difference between the two of us, but we are linked by the excitement of deciding our future."

An official Catalan opinion poll showed that support for independence tripled to 45.2 percent in March from only 13.9 percent in March 2006. But many commentators in Madrid, where there is fierce opposition to a Catalan state, have questioned the way such polls are carried out.

According to state pollster CIS this year, around 45 percent of Catalans support full independence, 20 percent would support a federal state and 23 percent back an autonomous region.

"It would be the people's triumph if we were allowed to vote. If we live in democracy we should be allowed to vote," said one 58-year-old homemaker.

Reuters - AFP

(China Daily 09/12/2014 page10)