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"Crer e Querer para Vencer"
OPL - Movimento Patriótico/Patriotic Movement
Publicado desde 12 de Setembro de 2001/Published since 12th September 2001
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Etnicidio PerfeitoOLIVENÇA INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE
A Polémica da Ponte Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, Alentejo, Portugal
Territórios Portugueses (em azul) de Olivença and Vila Real (Alandroal) ocupados ilegalmente pela Espanha
OLIVENÇA DISPUTE - SPANISH INVASION 2003
22 April 2003
The Friends of Olivenza (Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença)
PRESS RELEASE
The building work that has began at the "Nossa Senhora da Ajuda" (Our Lady of Help) Bridge - a Portuguese Heritage Site and classified as a National Monument of Public Interest - and in the surrounding area, particularly on the right bank of the Guadiana, in the district of Elvas, under the direct instructions of the Spanish government via the Ministry of Public Works, is considered illegal and constitutes a serious abuse against Portuguese History, its Architectural Heritage and Culture.
Accepting their responsibilities and rights, the patriotic association "The Friends of Olivenza" (Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença) have duly denounced the situation to the Portuguese political authorities, to the Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage "IPPAR" and to the city council of Elvas, and have urged them to act within the terms of their powers, and petitioned the Elvas Judicial Courts, on 4 April 2003, to issue an injunction for the immediate suspension of the work, the withdrawal of all installations already up and make good the site to its original state.
Having meanwhile gathered , other items and information, and with these known facts acquired a better appreciation of its criminal relevance, "The Friends of Olivenza" have now lodged criminal charges to the Portuguese Republic Attorney General.
In the understanding of this association, it raises the question of qualified criminal damage attributable to the Spanish Minister of Public Works ("Ministro del Fomento"), to the Spanish Highways General Director, the Spanish General Assistant Director of Architecture, and the Administrators and Representatives of the multinational construction company "Freyssinet,SA", as well as the criminal denial of justice attributable to the President of the Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage ("IPPAR") and the Mayor of the city of Elvas.
As citizens, mindful of their rights and duty, that we do not alienate, and will not fail to resolutely fight the illegal actions committed by the Spanish government, against Portuguese territory and heritage and the inappropriate abstention of the relevant Portuguese authorities in dealing with this crime.
We are not moved by any "anti-Spanish" feeling. Neither are we personally against the "IPPAR" President and the city of Elvas President.
We hope that all Portuguese citizens will understand and join our concerns and efforts.
Lisbon, 22-04-2003.
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The Board of AdministrationGrupo dos Amigos de Olivença - Rua das Portas de S. Antão, 58 (Casa do Alentejo) - 1150-268 Lisboa
Tlm.: 967 431 769 Fax.: 212 590 577
Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença GAO - Correio E ------------
15/Mar/2003 - Expresso (Lisbon)
"Ponte da Ajuda"
Lisbon Asks Madrid for an Explanation
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Martins da Cruz, has asked his Spanish counterpart for "explanations" over the ground levelling that, last Tuesday began to be carried out on the east bank of the Guadiana, next to the Ajuda bridge (Elvas) with the purpose to have it rebuilt.
The presence of workmen and machinery at the site led the "Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença" - an association that claims the restitution of the territory to Portugal - to alert the Portuguese Authorities, calling their attention to the judicial action instigated by that association, two years ago, by which resulted in banning any intervention on the bridge, that was (partially) destroyed by the Spaniards in 1709, and which was classified by the Portuguese government as a National Monument of Public Interest, in 1967.
The Foreign Minister's Office confirmed yesterday to the "Expresso" newspaper that Portugal's ambassador in Madrid had been given the responsibility to "make enquiries" of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "seeking explanations over the work". The Portuguese FAM considers wholly "inexplicable" the Spanish attitude as "more so because the matter is still under the law court's jurisdiction.
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14 March 2003
Press Release - "Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença" ("Friends of Olivença")
Spanish Intervention at the Ajuda Bridge, a Portuguese Heritage Monument of Public Interest
Everything indicates that the Spanish authorities have started preparations for carrying out work on the Ajuda Bridge, over the Guadiana, a Portuguese Heritage site and classified as a National Monument of Public Interest, on the Olivença border area. In fact, next to the bridge on the east bank of the river, there have now been set up the usual storage facilities for such circumstances, and ground levelling work has already been done and we have been able to observe a great bustle of workmen and machinery.
Such work, as we know, depends on a favourable issue by the Portuguese Administration IPPAR, still under a contentious judicial review instigated by this Association, in which an injunction was declared that banned the issue of authorization to the Spaniards.
Therefore, either the Portuguese Administration has issued, illegally, the referred authorization, inappropriately, to start the work, or the Spanish authorities, dispensing with the authorization previously needed from our country, in an affront to legality and contrary to the actual "agreement" reached, on 12 January 2000, in the "Mixed Technical Commission between Portugal and Spain for accesses south of the Douro", and practising. therefore, a surprising act of obvious hostility towards Portugal.
Representing many Portuguese citizens concerned with the Portuguese Rights over Olivença, with the conviction that the necessary measures will be taken to defend Portuguese sovereignty and to maintain the legality and the rights, and even that public opinion remain tranquil and confident in its government, the "Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença" has already denounced the situation in progress, to the relevant authorities, requesting that public information be given as to the approprite measures taken to respect or restore legality.
The "Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença", though hoping, that all may be just a misunderstanding, invites all Portuguese citizens to show their repudiation of such an act of arrogance and hostility and to press the Portuguese Authorities to, swiftly and completely, apportion reponsibilities, and demand that Spain give a satisfactory explanation.
Lisbon
12/Mar/2003Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença
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The Olivença Bridge Once Again at the Centre of the Dispute
14 March 2003 - Grupo Renascença
Being a bridge on Portuguese soil and a National Monument of Public Interest, any work carried out would have to be authorized by the Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage (IPPAR).
In the meantime. IPPAR, who can intervene in the matter, is being prevented (in giving authorization) by a judicial decision of the Lisbon courts, following the successful injunction by "The Friends of Olivença" (GAO)
For Antonio Marques, the vice president of the Association, either the Portuguese Institute authorized the work unlawfully or Spain has gone ahead without consent of the law.
"If it is going to carry out the work without the necessary authorization from IPPAR (...) it means that we are standing before a terrible illegality and, we are also witnessing an act of hostility towards Portugal and to its government", he added.
With the arrival on site of earth removing equipment, other machinery and workmen, "The Amigos of Olivença" fear that we are on the brink of a Portuguese recognition that the Ajuda Bridge is after all, Spanish.
Contacted by Renascença, IPPAR said that the matter was subject to the discretion of the courts and would issue more information about its safeguards.
On the other hand, at the Ministry of Culture, no one was available to give any explanations.
Other related Articles
Forum Olivença Press Release - 01/Oct/2002
The Spanish Ministry of Public Works considers the Olivença Bridge as International 22/07/2002 - Linhas de Elvas
Ajuda Bridge Court Rulling Still in Force -07/Feb/2002, Dr Mário Rodrigues
Parliament Affirms Olivença is Part of Portugal - 30/Jan/2002, Dr Mário Rodrigues
Home Office Reaffirms Olivença is Portuguese - 04/Oct/2001, Dr Mário Rodrigues
Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença not troubled - 08/Aug/2001, PublicoOnline
"Bridge of Shame" - 29/Jul/2001, Dr Mário Rodrigues.Jornal Digital.com
Portuguese Government Criticized - 28/Jul/2001, Jornal Digital.com; PublicoOnline, José Pinto de Sá
Lisbon Court ruling against Portuguese government - 16/Jul/2001, Jornal Digital.com,19/Jul/2001; Hoydigit@l (Badajoz)
And Olivença? - 21/Apr/2001, Francisco Belard, Opinion, ExpressoOnline (Lisbon)
A Frontier Problem - A Covered Up Conflict - 28/May/1995, Dr Mário Rodrigues
Other Related Links:
National Press
Grupo dos Amigos de Olivença/GAO
Forum Olivença
Portugal Claims Olivença
Treaty of Alcanizes
Opinião Portuguesa
International Media
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