Pedro Otaduy: antimilitarist and war tax resister from Navarra
Pedro Otaduy, who died on Sunday, 8 January, at the age of 53, was one of the historic figures of MOC in the State of Spain - specifically Navarra - and especially Objeción Fiscal a los Gastos Militares (war tax resistance).
I first met Pedro in 1989 - when MOC hosted the International CO Meeting and Pedro did most of the practical organising - and I immediately warmed to him. I don't remember if he was one of the big Spanish group at the 1991 triennial but at the 1995 Council meeting in Urnieta he led a discussion on war tax resistance - which was his main international involvement, and at the time of his death he was chair of Conscience - Peace Tax International. That is quite a curious position for someone from the Spanish movement to hold as there is little interest in the state of Spain in proposals to legalise conscientious objection to war taxes. The Spanish approach, also advocated by Pedro, has been to promote tax disobedience as a form of education. Pedro increasingly attended international meetings in a personal capacity rather than representing a group, but assiduously circulated detailed reports to the Spanish groups and tried to form a bridge, hoping to be a bridge between movements.
The ICOM of 1989 came in one of the most creative epochs of Spanish antimilitarism - the launch of the campaign of insumisión. Pedro was deeply involved in that, of course, but also was making a life commitment - which took him not only into the everyday resistance of war tax resistance but also into his work as an educator.
Pedro eventually became director of a Basque-speaking secondary school in Pamplona-Iruñea. However, in 2008 local press carried photos of some pupils demonstrating in support of ETA in the school patio during a break. He found himself caught in the middle of manipulation by local media (and police) and provocation by "borrokas" (those who identify with ETA). He tried to apply pedagogic rather than punitive principles, arguing the need for critical thinking in the face of all those who seek to impose their orthodoxy - be that ETA or the State - but ultimately was forced to resign in 2009. How to be a pacifist school director in a situation like that? Looking back, Pedro wrote that he no longer felt just "tranquil" about his behaviour but actually satisfied - that he had stood up for his principles as an educator and a citizen.
For readers of Spanish, you might like to read what the announcement in Tortuga, which has links to some of Pedro's articles: http://www.grupotortuga.com/Fallece-Pedro-Otaduy
Howard Clark
Chairperson of WRI
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Pedro se queda entre nosotras
Una grave enfermedad se ha llevado a nuestro amigo y compañero Pedro Otaduy.
Se queda en nuestro corazón, sin embargo, el recuerdo de multitud de situaciones compartidas.
Se queda el recuerdo de aquellos comienzos de la campaña de insumisión, con reuniones llenas de preocupación, y de otras muchísimas reuniones, comunicados
y acciones de calle, de tu presencia firme y noviolenta ante la policía,
y de tu solidaridad constante con los insumisos encarcelados.
Antes de todo eso, y también después, la campaña de objeción fiscal a los gastos militares, en los que tú y Marisol habéis seguido siempre participando.
Te quedas entre nosotros, Pedro, en nuestra Bakearen Etxea,
que tanto cuidaste e impulsaste, llena de recuerdos enlazados con tu sonrisa,
tu fuerza y solidaridad en el camino de la desmilitarización.
Muchas gracias, y hasta siempre!
Alternativa Antimilitarista. Iruñeko KEM-MOC
Nos quedan tu sonrisa, tu energía y tus abrazos
Querido Pedro,
tu muerte nos ha dejado sobrecogidas y conmovidas; y aún cuando no nos lo podíamos creer, instantáneamente nos han venido a la mente imágenes tuyas y tus recuerdos se han ido imponiendo. Nos viene a la memoria tu presencia en todas las actividades que hemos llevado a cabo en común, especialmente en las campañas de Insumisión y de Objeción Fiscal a los Gastos Militares. En todos estos años de ferviente activismo, en los intensos debates y las apasionadas discusiones, nunca te faltaron las palabras para denunciar las injusticias, el militarismo y la violencia sectaria. Nunca te faltaron ni el entusiasmo ni el tiempo para devolvernos con minucioso detalle tus experiencias en el ámbito de la noviolencia.
Nos viene a la memoria tu disponibilidad y colaboración para todo, tanto a nivel personal como político. Y especialmente tu firmeza a la hora de hacerle frente a las situaciones difíciles, aquellas en que le plantaste cara a las acontecimientos sin perder tu coherencia vital.
Todas esas palabras son las que ahora nos faltan para expresar la pérdida que sentimos, para intentar expresar el apoyo y el cariño que deseamos enviar a Mari Sol, a Iñaki y Gorka, a toda tu familia, a todas la compañeras del Kem-Iruña y a toda la gente que ha tenido la suerte de tenerte cerca y sobre quienes, sin duda, has dejado tu íntima y perdurable huella. La misma que permanecerá en nosotras.
Tus compañeras de la Campaña de Objeción Fiscal a los Gastos Militares
y de Mujeres de Negro de Madrid,
Yolanda, María José, Concha y Almudena
Pedro
Thank you Howard for the notice and to all of you in Spain we send our condolences on the death of Pedro - a wonderful comrade in the war tax resistance network. We very much admired Pedro's work in Spain and his efforts to network across the borders. He tried to bring more attention to anti-militarism work and war tax resistance here in the U.S., which in turn would help it grow. We continue this work in solidarity with you toward a better world.
Peace!
Ruth Benn
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee
www.nwtrcc.org