Madrid enforces direct rule, seeks charges against region's leaders

BARCELONA - Work resumed normally in Catalonia and calm reigned on the streets on Monday despite calls for civil disobedience from secessionist politicians, in early signs the direct rule imposed to stop an independence bid was taking hold.

Although some public sector workers have yet to tell their new bosses whether they will accept orders, the lack of unrest came as a relief for financial markets, which rose.

Catalonia, a prosperous region with its own language and culture, triggered Spain's biggest crisis for decades by holding an independence referendum on Oct 1, which Spanish courts called illegal.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy assumed direct control of the region on Friday, sacked its secessionist government and called a snap election for Dec 21.

However, some of the most prominent members of the Catalan administration, including its president Carles Puigdemont and vice-president Oriol Junqueras, had said they would not accept the move and only the people of Catalonia could dismiss them.

The main civic groups behind the pro-independence campaign had called for widespread civil disobedience, and said that public sector workers such as teachers, firefighters and the police should refuse orders from the central authorities.

But most workers started their working day at 9 am as normal and there was no sign of widespread absenteeism.

Spain's State Prosecutor said on Monday that it's seeking charges of rebellion, sedition and embezzlement for members of the ousted Catalan cabinet and the governing body of the regional parliament.

The crimes can be punished, respectively, with up to 30, 15 and six years in prison under Spanish laws.

The country's chief prosecutor, Jose Manuel Maza, said he would ask the judges for preventive measures against the officials, but didn't specify if those would include their immediate arrest and being sent to jail while awaiting trial.

Puigdemont posted a picture from within the regional government headquarters on Instagram but he was not seen entering the building, suggesting the photo may have been taken by someone else.

Regional transport chief Josep Rull posted on Twitter a picture of him working in his office but he was later seen leaving the building. Spain's transport minister said in a radio interview Rull would be allowed to collect his personal belongings but not work there.

On Sunday, hundreds of thousands took part in an anti-independence demonstration in Barcelona, calling for Catalonia to remain in Spain and backing Rajoy's use of unprecedented constitutional powers to seize wrest control from the pro-independence regional administration.

"We won't let Spain be torn apart into pieces," read one banner. "The awakening of a silenced nation," read another.

"We have organized ourselves late, but we are here to show that there is a majority of Catalans that are no longer silent and that no longer want to be silenced," said Alex Ramos, head of Catalan Civil Society, a pro-union grassroots group.

The organizers said more than 1 million people turned out but police put the figure at 300,000.

Prime Minister Rajoy has voiced his support for the rally in Barcelona.

Rajoy sent the message on Twitter: "Concord, peaceful coexistence and common sense, democracy and dialogue within the law."

AP - Reuters - AFP

(China Daily 10/31/2017 page12)