Catalonia Independence Now: If Kurdistan can why not Catalonia

The referendum day has finally arrived for Catalonia today October 1, 2017. Millions of Catalonians are going to the polls to vote on independence. Some 760 people have already been injured by Spanish riot police excessive use of violence and force. Catalonia, like many of Spain's 17 autonomous regions (yes every province has some form of autonomy) has its own regional police force Mossos d'Esquadra that is more or less on the voters' side. Spanish police smashed windows and doors to polling stations, physically pulling voters away from the polling places, pulling ballot boxes out of stations and clashing with voters eager to get the referendum through.This is the same violence the Basque Country has been faced with for years by Madrid government. Some say, Spain hasn't entirely reformed its former Fascist police tactics since 1979. If the violence was happening in Hong Kong, Cameroon, Egypt, Iraq (Again, the Kurdish independence referendum was peaceful), Russia or the United States; Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch or UN among many other Human Rights organizations would be up in arms. The media pundits and geopolitical analysts would be critiquing, "Look at the regime using such military and repressive tactics to deny their citizens' human rights and mocking democracy." The referendum won't be extended in spite of the violent interruption today. The results will start coming in gradually.

Voters clash with Spanish police Al Jazeera

This is not the first time Catalonia or Catalunya is holding an independence referendum. Famously, a symbolic but widely popular independence vote was held on November 9, 2014 following a week after Scottish voters got cold feet over voting for their own independence. Unlike the Scottish voters who were scared with economic disasters and financial ruins by Westminister government and London banks, Catalonians have put their feet down on any fear of economic woes and even use of force by Madrid government. Catalonia is not afraid to vote for independence. Catalonians have been demanding independence since the days that Democracy was restored to Spain in 1980s following 30 years of the Fascist regime of Francisco Franco. Catalonians suffered through repression, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, government denial of Catalan identity, the force adaption of a Spanish identity at the expense of the local Catalan identity not unlike what the Turkish Kurds experience (minus the insurgency in Catalonia) not to mention a repression of the Catalan language. Yes, Catalan is different from Spanish despite it resembling a mixture of French and Spanish it is not intelligible with either language. The Catalan accent is also different from the Spaniard accent. The EU has been anxious on Catalonia's vote given the seperatist movements across Europe who have also tried to push for independence. The current fears of self determination for Catalonians has highlighted the hypocrisy of the U.S. and Spain who don't mind supporting separatist movements and independence in Iraq with the Kurds, South Sudan splitting from Sudan, Kosovo breaking from Serbia along with the collapse of Yugoslavia, critique Russia for getting back Crimea, the possible balkanization of the Middle East, the tension on the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan's long quest for independence, Tibet (which is justified) or Kashmir. But when it comes to Catalonia or any provinces or state wanting independence within the Western countries, the governments responded with eye rolls and cynical "hell no don't even think about it" declarations. Than unity is preached as the all encompassing means of keeping the country together for the betterment of society. Catalonia is one of the wealthy regions of Spain who have managed to avoid being dragged down by Spain's ongoing economic decline, like Greece, the debt, austerity measures, high unemployment. Catalonia has a strong provincial economy making up a fifth of Spain's economy. The Catalan capital Barcelona is balancing itself with tourism, research, technology and business industries, shipping and trade instead of relying on a monoproduct economy.

Spanish government cracks down on Catalan independence vote

Government's Independence fears of a domino effect

The Madrid government has sent riot police without a hint of irony to arrest the pro independence leaders and even try to halt the ballots from being printed for tomorrow's vote. It is not just the Catalan government that agrees on independence, the millions of ordinary Catalans (From kids to elderly) have reiterated their support for Catalan independence regardless of what Madrid says. Nothing will change their attitude or beliefs in the justice for Catalan self determinations. The Madrid government and Mariano Rajoy have been terrified of Catalonia's independence for years. If Catalonia's independence vote goes through than the Basque Country, particularly separatists that has continued a 50 year old insurgency against Madrid government and who have their own unique language and culture will also push harder for independence via referendum. The autonomous region of Andulacia might also say, "Well if Catalunya can do it, why can't we." Than there's the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco that used to be part of North Africa and still is but is considered an overseas Spanish territory. But the Canaries are seen as an occupied territory in the same vain as Western Sahara. Technically, any province in Spain can declare independence unilaterally. But under the Spanish Constitution it is illegal in practice for any Spanish province to be independent. For the sake of national unity, Spain is being undemocratic in trying to force Catalonia and the rebellious Basque Country to stay part of a unified Spain. It has been seen for years that Spain is not a unified country in the traditional sense. Modern Spain as is known today only came into existence in the 19th Century. Catalonia, the Basque Country, Andulacia historically known as Al Andulus have existed longer as independent kingdoms and pre-nation states before Spain came into being.

U.S. support for separatists and independent movements abroad but no butterfly affect at home

The United States is also watching the Catalonian vote too. Contrary to the image of a unified country, the US. has long had its own low key separatist movements and anti-government referendum groups among them Texas (whose been the loudest since the state joined the U.S. in 1845), California, Vermont, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, etc. Like Spain, it is illegal for U.S. states to become independent countries. The most famous example being the Confederate states breaking away which led to the civil war. If any state were to secede it wouldn't be far fetch to imagine the Washington government or neighbouring states responding similar to Spain. Since Trump's win in 2016 elections, California has been contemplating a Catalunya style independence referendum. The process for a US state to become an independent country is an ordeal of a process that first involves a petition, that has to be placed on a ballot that needs a percentage of voter support, if the ballot is able to clear that round than the vote has to be approved by 38 of the US states, not to mention the constitution would have to be admend to allow states to become independent countries. Unlike a U.S. state, Catalonia doesn't need to walk through the arduous process.