Latest News in Honduras:
As you may have read, the crisis in Honduras moved to a new and more volatile stage yesterday with the clandestine return of President Manuel Zelaya to the capital, Tegucigalpa. Zelaya's successful repatriation came after two prior attempts failed. It took the de facto government -- that came to power as a result of the June 28th military coup -- by surprise, but was hailed by a crowd of thousands who quickly surrounded the Brazilian Embassy where Zelaya and his family have been granted sanctuary.
Early Tuesday morning (Sept 22), riot police attacked the peacefully assembled Zelaya supporters gathered outside the embassy, violently dispersing them with tear gas, truncheons, and concussion grenades. Dozens of citizens were detained and several serious injuries were reported. At the time of writing, the de facto government has closed the country's airports and land borders.
> > > We are asking you to act today to insist that the US State Department speak clearly, honestly, and urgently about the explosive situation in Honduras.
From August 7th to 15th, Global Exchange organized a human rights delegation to Honduras to witness the human rights violations under the Honduran coup regime, proving that our help is still urgently needed. We need you to contact your elected officials, and urge them to send the right message to the coup government currently in Honduras: Coups will not be tolerated. CALL TODAY TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN HONDURAS.
Report of Global Exchange Delegation to Honduras
August 7-15, 2009
Purpose and itinerary of delegation
Members went to witness, accompany the daily protests to help prevent violations of human rights, and report back on the current situation in Honduras since the coup of June 28, 2009. The delegation's itinerary included meetings with: - Berta Oliva of the Committee of Family Members of the Detained and Disappeared of Honduras (COFADEH), a leading human rights organization
- Leaders of the Frente Nacional Contra El Golpe de Estado en Honduras (National Front Against the Coup in Honduras) including Rafael Alegria (Via Campesina), Juan Barahona (Bloque Popular), Eulogio Chaves (COPEMH),
- Israel Salinas (CUTH) and Porfirio Ponce (STIBYS)
- Worker and campesino union leaders in both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, including leaders of the STIBYS (Bottlers Union) and a maquiladora union
- Father Andrés Tamayo
- Mrs. Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, First Lady of Honduras
- Carlos H. Reyes, Independent Presidential candidate November 2009 elections
- U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens
- Jari Dixon and others from the Lawyers Front Against the Coup
- Dr. Juan Almendares and Alba Mejia, Center for Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and their families (CPTRT)
- Gilda Rivera, Women's Rights Center (CDM)
- Gustavo Ramos, Radio Globo
- Dozens of rank and file protestors
- Many people on the street and service workers in hotels, taxis, and restaurants.
The coordinator of the delegation was Andrés Thomas Conteris, Director of the Program on the Americas of Nonviolence International. He was assisted by Joseph Shansky and Tamar Sharabi.
Includes detailed findings and observations from various meetings with people on the ground, transcribed interviews with victims of police beatings and recommended actions to take.
CALL TODAY
Reps. Delahunt (D-MA), Serrano (D-NY), and McGovern (D-MA) recently introduced a resolution calling for ousted President Zelaya's return to office. The Delahunt-Serrano-McGovern Resolution supporting democracy in Honduras has now been introduced as House Resolution 630. So far, it has 38 members of Congress supporting it as co-sponsors, but it will take a lot more than that to move it through.
*Global Exchange and numerous other organizations are asking you to get involved by calling your congressional representative. Tell her/him to support the Delahunt-Serrano-McGovern House Resolution on Honduras! The Delahunt-Serrano-McGovern resolution (HRes 630) calls for the reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya as President of Honduras and for international observation of the November elections. See text of the House Resolution and a list of the original co-sponsors here or to stay updated on the list of co-sponsors go to thomas.loc.gov, select search by bill number, and search for "HRes 630".
ACTION:
*Call the Capitol switchboard, 202.224.3121 and ask to speak to your representative's foreign policy aide.
The message, if your representative has not yet co-sponsored: I urge Representative ______________ to join in co-sponsoring H Res 630, introduced by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), calling for Honduran President Manuel Zelaya to be returned to office, and welcoming the mediation efforts of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. It is important to your constituents in _____state_______ that the U.S. Congress be loud and clear in condemning this military coup and supporting democracy in Honduras--and the Latin American region.
The message, if your representative has already co-sponsored: As a constituent of ______________, I would like to thank Representative _______________ for being a cosponsor of H Res 630, introduced by Reps. Delahunt (D-MA), Serrano (D-NY), and McGovern (D-MA), demanding that Honduran President Manuel Zelaya be returned to office, and welcoming the mediation efforts of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. I hope that you will continue to support democracy in Latin America.
*Or send an e-mail to your representative's office with this same message here.
As President Oscar Arias recently noted, this is a crucial moment --not only for Honduras, but also for all of Latin America. In this moment, by supporting democracy and human rights, we can prove that the era of coups and repressive governments is over, once and for all. But it can only happen if the U.S. government sends a crystal clear message to the world condemning the coup and takes the steps necessary to restore democracy in Honduras.
