The Honduras coup: keeping watch and taking action
We continue to monitor the grave situation in Honduras with alarm. Our friends at the Quixote Center are doing a great job by regularly posting updates about what's happening in the tense stand-off as well as background materials on many underlying social and political issues in Honduras, such as the divides between poor and wealthy classes, the military and grassroots communities, and more. Together with Witness for Peace (FOR Task Force on Latin America & the Caribbean members helped found WFP in 1983), Quixote cosponsored an emergency fact-finding delegation to Honduras this month. This Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (ET), WFP is offering a free online briefing (via webinar and teleconference) titled "Honduras Coup Exposed" featuring WFP International Team member Galen Cohee Baynes.
Andres Thomas Conteris, who works with Nonviolence International (founded by FOR member Mubarak Awad), has spent the last several days with ousted President Zelaya inside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa. Earlier this week, he sent the following passionate message to some supporters:
The coup regime is about to impose a complete state of siege in Honduras for 45 days. I have been with President Zelaya and 80 others in the Brazilian embassy for the past week. It is likely we will lose all contact with the outside world.
The repression by the de facto regime has escalated beyond description. The brutal tear gas attack that completely filled the embassy last Tuesday caused death and suffering and that is small compared to the horrific assault upon the Honduran people around the country seeking to put in practice the III article of the Honduran Constitution...
"No one should obey a usurper government nor obey those who take on functions or public positions through armed force.
"The people have the right to resort to insurrection in defense of constitutional order."
I feel deeply honored to be part of an inner circle of supporters of President Zelaya and his efforts to restore constitutional government.
The international community has made good declarations in support of restoring democracy to Honduras, but the coup regime pays no attention and continues with its tyrany.
Please urge President Obama to impose a total trade embargo against the coup regime.
Please join our Worldwide Fast for Honduras: People's Nonviolent Insurrection www.fastforhondruas.net
My tender/fierce love to all... at all cost,
andrés
Conteris was right that they would soon lose contact with the outside world, as not only were cell phone signals blocked soon after his message, but two Honduran independent television stations were shut down on Monday, according to Reporters Without Borders. We urge everyone to join in taking action by calling on President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton to implement immediate sanctions against the illegal military government in order to increase the pressure on the regime to reinstate the elected president. Two other good sources for continuing info from Honduras are WFP's People Transforming Policy blog and the Honduras Resists blog.
