The military's features cause a neighborhood conflict in Sant Climent Sescebes

GironaThe residents of Sant Climent Sescebes, a small town of about 700 inhabitants in the Alt Empordà region, are accustomed to the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the distance. Less than a kilometer away lies the Spanish army's training base, the only one in Catalonia where soldiers conduct live-fire exercises and maneuvers with explosives. Every week, the soldiers carry out exercises with live ammunition, and occasionally, other forces such as the Civil Guard, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), or, in recent months, even elite squadrons of the Ukrainian army, also come to the 1,300-hectare training ground.

In general, the coexistence between residents and recruits is peaceful and friendly, as the town has grown and acquired all services thanks to the establishment of the base in the 1980s, and today, the 400 enlisted soldiers bring dynamism to local businesses. However, there is also a significant portion of the population that opposes having the military firing weapons so close and complains that the militaristic atmosphere alters the values ​​of the Albera region, a land of forests and megalithic remains. They are grouped under the Ceasefire platform in the Albera, which brings together residents of Sant Climent, as well as other inhabitants of villages in the Alt Empordà mountains such as Espolla and Cantallops.

The latest controversy that has prompted them to speak out is the installation, by the Ministry of Defense, of two fences on the rural track that runs from Sant Climent to Cantallops. These fences block access "for safety" to walkers, vehicles, and cyclists when military maneuvers are carried out, on a public right-of-way that crosses private army property. "Both gates are already installed. They are currently closed because they are firing machine guns and bomb explosions can be heard," says Carles Torres, a member of Alto al Foc in the Albera region, who owns fields next to the base, in the area of ​​scattered houses near the village of Vilartolí. He adds: "We've grown up with this, but it's still frightening. Everyone who owns property here has seen stray bullets whizz by, the whistle blowing very close, but we haven't been able to prove it because we've never found them on the ground. The armed soldiers have a very narrow firing angle, but if a bullet goes just a little way out, it'll go straight out."

"San Clemente is what it is thanks to the military base."

The base's colonel, Luis Benéitez, explained to ARA that the gates are a strict security measure: "Before, we had a sentry patrol on the road keeping watch when we were doing shooting practice, stopping groups of cyclists and motorcyclists, but we needed reinforcements for these two gates, which we've always managed to recover from," he commented. "The shooting range gates will be open, but when necessary, they will be closed without a lock, with a sentry and a danger sign," he explained. The mayor of Sant Climent, Marc Sala, endorsed the colonel's description and downplayed the controversy, noting the positive atmosphere in the town. "Sant Climent is what it is thanks to this military base. It has all the services because when conscripts did their military service, they would come down to the town and bring life to the bars, restaurants, hairdressers, and supermarkets. For the vast majority of people, the base has provided their livelihood. The atmosphere is good; we cooperate with whatever is needed, and Colonel Luis Bené is a great help.

The issue of the gates comes just a few weeks after a minor incident at the base that also stirred up controversy: the Department of the Interior organized a self-defense course for Rural Agents at the Sant Climent military base, but a union representative from the force refused to set foot on the base and blocked the road. The training was suspended, and the sessions are now being held, as originally planned, at the Fontajau pavilion in Girona.

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The CUP calls for the closure of the base in the Catalan Parliament

Unlike the mayor of Sant Climent, from the Esquerra Republicana party, the CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) is actively opposing the military presence in the Albera region. Following the construction of these fences along the road, the party has submitted a resolution to the Catalan Parliament calling for the permanent closure of the Sant Climent military base. "The best security measure is to stop military maneuvers. When there are population centers so close, preventing anyone from using the public road doesn't solve the problem; safety remains a risk no matter how many gates there are, because these are open fields," argues Dani Cornellà, a CUP deputy from Girona. The anti-capitalists advocate for closing the facilities, especially considering that the town councils, the county council, and the Catalan government are making progress in [unclear - possibly "informing people about the situation"]. convert Albera into a natural park"The base has been in decline for years, with few buildings remaining and those that do are badly damaged. Many hectares lack forest management. Some weapons exercises have caused fires, and in this context of climate emergency, what the ministry should do is close it and return the land, which was essentially expropriation, to agricultural fields," argues Cornellà. The authorities have not yet specified what the future of the military base would be if the Albera Natural Park project were to go ahead. However, the base is declared a national security site, and legally, this designation takes precedence over any degree of natural protection.