IPARRETARRAK (basque history)

Iparretarrak logo

In this short article I will summarize the history of one basque armed organization.

Iparretarrak (northerners) was an armed organization of North Basque Country (Iparralde in basque). It was founded in 1973 and their first action was an businessman that was involved in a social conflict with his workers. They beated him.

The main targets of Iparretarrak were french state interests, french police and capitalist interests (banks, tourist economy etc.). Their objetive was independence of basque country and a new social model that respects people (socialism).

Iparretarrak was founded in a special context. In Hegoalde ETA was increasing their armed actions and spanish state repression was also increasing. Political and social situation in south basque country was explosive. Refugees of south basque country look for protection in north basque country and ETA was building a new logistical structure in Iparralde.

Nationalist movement in Iparralde was also growing, but it needed a new way of dealing with the reality. Enbata, PNV, ETA etc. were the main organizations of north basque country. Basque culture was ridiculized and french state is using it to attract tourism. Euskera was not official and it was dissapearing. People were shamed of talking basque. Young people inmigrated to France looking for job and industry it was not developed in iparralde. North basque country was "dying".

IK death militants

Some young people realized that there must be a new way to change this situation. Firstly, they supported ETA actions (with militants, protection, material etc.) but then they realized that Iparralde must also use arms to fight. They started with small actions with petrol bombs, sabotages, beatings etc. They decided that targets must be materials but they also decided using arms if they were attacked by french ocupation forces.

In 1977 they increased their actions. A lot of people in Iparralde supported them and with their protection they can move all along north basque country. ETA and IK have differents opinions about using armed struggle in iparralde. According with ETA, first south basque country must be liberated and then Iparralde. But IK opinion was that armed struggle can be used in Iparralde adapting it to the context (in south basque country armed struggle was more strong with hundreds of deads). This situation divided pro-independence movement in Iparralde for some years.

Another little armed groups started to use arms in iparralde: Hordago, base etc. But soon they dissapeared or fusioned with IK.

IK members

French state repression increased against refugees and north basque country people. Dozens of arrests, more police ocupation, ilegalization of some basque national liberations organizations etc. In 1980 "Txomin Olhagarai" and "Ramuntxo Arraiz" will die when he was placing an explosive. In 1984 "Didier Lafitte" will die when french police shooted him, in 1987 "Maddi Hegi" will die when french police arrested her, "Jean Louis Larre" will be kidnapped by french state (his body never appeared) etc. In some gunfires 3 french police die.

IK asked to Iparralde pro-independence movement to unit against French state and they proposed a new autonomic institution for Iparralde: Another step in the way of independence.

In 1985 a IK command will free some militants of IK that were imprisoned in French state. This action will provoke the increasing of repression in Iparralde. In 1980's spanish paramilitary groups were killing refugees and ETA members in iparralde with the permission of French state.

IK will accept the cease-fire of 1998 and they will continue with armed struggle when the cease fire was broken. They dissapeared in 2000's with no official comunicate. But armed action continued in north basque country the next years: Direct-action, Irrintzi etc.Filipe Bidart (one of the foundators of IK) get free in 2007 after being imprisoned for 21 years. Nowadays he can not live in iparralde because french state have forbidden him to live in basque country.

IK changed iparralde political and social situation. Thanks to them and all the basque national liberation movement (EMA etc.) iparralde will resist French state strategy and they develop an pro-independence/social system alternative.


A video with images of IK