Clinton, Act to Avoid a Massacre in Honduras

This is an urgent plea to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: Immediately condemn the violence unleashed against the Honduran people by the de facto regime and take every peaceful measure possible to avoid a bloodbath in that country.

The coup has deployed the police and Armed Forces to the Brazilian Embassy where President Manuel Zelaya continues to take refuge. It launched a violent attack on the thousands of protesters who gathered there to support Zelaya. The repression has resulted in scores of citizens wounded and taken prisoner and unconfirmed reports of four dead. The euphoria that erupted in Honduras yesterday with the appearance of the democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya in Tegucigalpa has rapidly changed to terror as the huge demonstration finds itself under siege.

In a blatant violation of freedom of speech, the Armed Forces took over the dispatch center of the electricity system on Sept. 22 and cut off the circuits that supply electricity to independent media, particularly television's Channel 36 and Radio Globo--the most important outlets for information not controlled by the regime. Radio Globo, whose internet site provides firsthand information to people throughout the world, went back on briefly but is now off the air again. Many cell phones are blocked, and all national airports have been closed to prevent the arrival of international diplomats and reporters.

Over the past days, observers feared that the coup was planning to order the armed forces to storm the Brazilian embassy. Such a flagrantly illegal and violent act would have converted the Honduran crisis into an international crisis of unprecedented proportions. Although, coup leaders backed down on the attempt to justify taking over the embassy by force under heavy pressure from the U.S. government, they temporarily cut electricity to the embassy where President Zelaya is protected and food and water supplies are running low.

In a live interview shortly after his arrival in Tegucigalpa, President Zelaya called on the entire international community to condemn the repression. He remains in the Brazilian Embassy, accompanied by embassy personnel and supporters.

"There is a regimen of terror in the country that should be attended to by the international community," he stated. When questioned about the possible siege of the embassy, Zelaya urged the international community to "act with firmness so the regime will not carry out this terrible crime."

Meanwhile, coup leader Roberto Micheletti called for the immediate arrest of President Zelaya. Head of the Armed Forces Gen. Romeo Velasquez stated that the army will continue to comply with orders from the coup.

Luz Mejias, president of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission told the press that the Commission is receiving "very serious reports of violations of human rights" by the Armed Forces. "We must establish the responsibility of each and every individual who issued these orders to repress protesters... The situation is very grave." She called for the restitution of constitutional order and urged the return to power of the constitutional president "who has been received with violent repression." Mejias noted that the curfew, lifted for seven hours today to allow people to obtain food and permit a march of pro-coup supporters, is a clear violation of human rights and legal norms.

An official press report of the Commission "strongly condemns the excessive use of force in the repression of protests that have taken place in Tegucigalpa, near the Embassy of Brazil, the current location of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales." There are calls for the presence of the International Red Cross. Although the coup has reportedly stated it will receive a delegation of the Organization of American States, that has not happened.

The coup's actions over the past 24 hours violate international law and the basic principles of U.S. foreign policy. Sec. of State Clinton and President Obama must speak out to condemn these measures, which include:

1. The closure of airports in the entire country
2. Armed Forces cut-off of electricity to independent media
3. The violent eviction of peaceful demonstrators supporting Zelaya's return, including reports of killings
4. The militarization of Tegucigalpa, with the presence of specialized police forces, the army and masked agents
5. Attacks with tear gas and bullets
6. Persecution of movement leaders and arbitrary arrests
7. Restriction of movement at all major entry points to the capital city
8. Imposition of a curfew, now reported to be "indefinite"

Juan Almendares, of the Honduran Center for Torture Prevention, reports that Honduras has become "the largest prison in the world." He notes, "There is a permanent state of siege here. Human rights organizations and medics are not even allowed to attend to the tortured and wounded. The office of the Committee for Families of the Disappeared was bombed with tear gas... Children and the sick in the hospitals are undernourished since with the curfew, which is a death warrant, they do not receive food and are dying of hypoglycemia."

These facts are not disputed and have been corroborated and denounced in recent days. Amnesty International called the situation "alarming" and called for the de facto regime to "stop the policy of repression and violence and instead respect the rights of freedom of expression and association." The organization added, "We also urge the international community to urgently seek a solution, before Honduras sinks even deeper into a human rights crisis."

Daysi Flores of Feminists in Resistance who we worked closely with on the women's delegation last August sent this account yesterday:

"Early this morning, military forces attacked those of us outside the Brazilian Embassy. There are no words to describe the brutality of the attack--they chased us, threw bombs, beat us and now are hunting down everyone who took refuge in the surrounding area. There are 65 of us, mostly women and children here; we are under siege, our telephones are tapped, there is a squad three houses away and they are making rounds searching for signs of life to burst in. We have very little water and no food, the tear gas has permeated the atmosphere and our eyes and noses are irritated. Some of the women have been taken prisoners and according to the last communication they have been taken to a stadium called Chochi Sosa. The electricity went back on recently and so we are able to send this e-mail. We can hear the military movements outside, the cars, helicopters, bombs, shots, clashing of metal, stomping of boots, sirens and in a cruel joke on all Honduran citizens they are playing the national anthem at full volume over and over... We call on everyone to contribute by denouncing the violation of basic human rights being perpetrated by the military forces of the de facto regime."

The State Department continues to play ostrich faced with the increasing reports of human rights violations by the coup.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton cannot call herself an international advocate of women's rights while ignoring the plight of these Honduran women who are a worldwide inspiration for feminist organizing in the fight for democracy. She cannot call herself a representative of U.S. values abroad while turning a blind eye to the brutality and illegality of a coup regime, crazed by power and isolated among governments for its lack of respect for the rule of law.

Clinton continues to make statements divorced from the current dire reality in Honduras. In a meeting yesterday with President Oscar Arias she stated, "...we have certainly communicated very directly our expectation that there will be order and no provocation on either side. This is not just a one-sided request. It goes to both sides. Both sides have supporters who need to be restrained and careful in their actions in the days ahead." Today the reality is that the Armed Forces under the coup regime are carrying out not just a "provocation" but a brutal attack on protesters. Yet the images, the testimonies and the news reports are still being ignored by the U.S. government.

The U.S. government must issue a firm statement in defense of human rights and the strongest possible message to the coup to desist in its attack on the Honduran people and the constitutional order.

 

 

Follow Laura Carlsen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tortuga7

Comments

[Classical-Liberal]

Care to comment on Zelaya's remarks on "Israeli Mercenaries?" This attempt to stir up bigotry dovetails nicely with the Holocaust denial of one of his good buddies, Ahmadinejad. It also echoes the racism expressed by Chavez. Racism is an ugly fact of ALBA.

Zelaya is not popular in the US. He is also not popular in Honduras, or the government would be overthrown by now. At some point Obama is going to make the political calculation. Like Panama, he will recognize the November elections. Zelaya's comments and the Congressional Research Service may have been the tipping point.

Viva Honduras! Viva 15-0!

[Laura Carlsen - Huffpost Blogger]

The U.S. government already announced formally that it will not recognize elections in Honduras if they are carried out under an illegal coup regime. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/sept/128653.htm

Panama remains alone in the world in its position to recognize elections under military rule.

[Meno Argenti]

Micheletti, Pepe Lobo and Mel Zelaya are now in a meeting at the Embassy of Brazil

http://www.hondurancampesino.org/honduras-living/micheletti-pepe-lobo-mel-meeting-now-at-brazil-embassy/

[Pablo M]

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) today released a report written by the Library of Congress which concludes that the removal of former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was legal and Constitutional.
“The bottom line is one of the most basic foundations of the world community is the rule of law,” said Schock. “The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service concluded that the removal of former President Zelaya was Constitutional, and we must respect that. It’s unconscionable that our Administration would attempt to force Honduras to violate its own Constitution by cutting off foreign aid.”
It sheds some light over why are us Hondurans outraged at the international community by not recognizing our current government . Stop babbling about oligarchs. The thing is, Zelaya is a corrupt drone for Chavez. We may be poor but not stupid. We can recognize a wannabe dictator! I do not know who this author spoke to, if she ever came! The government is approved by no less than 85% of the population. The "thousands" of supporters around the Brasil embassy were a couple hundred short of TWO THOUSAND, who were evicted because they paint sprayed walls, broke into houses, looted bussinesses, smashed car windows, etc. If only they would have acted peacefully, not a single tear gas canister would have been shot. Compare that to the more than TWENTY THOUSAND gathered today in front of the UN building in Tegucigalpa, blanding Honduran flags, NOT STICKS AND ROCKS, clamoring for peace, supporting Micheletti and requesting Zelaya out.

[sticksnstones]

The report you are citing was actually prepared by the Law Library of Congress and was apparently submitted to the Library of Congress for archival purposes.

I can find no citation which provides the name(s) of authorship, nor, as the Cato Institute alleges, whether this report was in any way a bipartisan document.

Be that as it may, the report certainly doesn't give the Micheletti a free pass on constitutional transgressions.
This quote is taken directly from the report you mention : " Micheletti refers to the ouster (of Zelaya) as a constitutional substitution, despite acknowledgement of the Honduran army's top lawyer that the military likely broke the law by forcibly sending Zelaya into exile."

It would appear that "constitutional substitution" has been added to our lexicon along with other notable words and phrases intended to soften the glare of reality such as "surge", "friendly fire", "collateral damage", and my personal favorite, "regime change".

[Laura Carlsen - Huffpost Blogger]

It astounds m how some people are willing to twist the truth in favor of unsustainable positions. For those committed to the truth, the final conclusion of the Library of Congress report is this:

"Removal of President Zelaya from the country by the military is in direct
violation of the Article 102 of the Constitution, and apparently this action is currently under
investigation by the Honduran authorities."

The full report is readily available on the web. It is advisable to read it, rather than regurgitate the rightwing distortions.

[Meno Argenti]

Thank you Laura. Great report. Let me just say this, the right wing there who comments on Huffpo and various other major sites is being run, managed and directed by those who hang on one forum in Honduras. They get their marching orders from her. You know who she is, no need to mention her here. She directs these people to go out on every story and post in the positive about the coup and about Micheletti. Anything coming out for Zelaya is trashed, and this is everywhere this is reported. These people live to serve her. Great story and thank you for writing it. By the way, Radio Globo is on our site and streaming live and has been there and will stay there.

Meno

http://www.hondurancampesino.org

[apduncan1]

Is it Hillary her name by any chance?

[jorge2000]

Dear Laura,
First of all let me remind you (or inform you) that Mr. Zelaya was removed from the presidency by the Supreme Court and Congress because he violated article 239 of the Honduran Constitution which clearly says “No citizen that has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform, as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.”
Secondly, let me tell you that I DO live in Honduras and, unlike you, I know what went on before June 28 and after June 28. The Honduran people strongly reject a one man regimen like the one Hugo Chavez has and how Zelaya wanted to have. It is true that Mr. Zelaya was democratically elected by the people, but he went from center to extreme left, and that’s ok, anyone is allowed to change. But no one is above the law. And that is the issue; Mr. Zelaya thinks that he is above the law. Just like his father did in 1975 when his father, also named Manuel Zelaya, was convicted and sentenced to 20 year in prison for his involvement in the murder of 15 civil activist, priests and woman in what is now known the Horcones Massacre. He served less that one year. Did you know that, Laura?

[sticksnstones]

Let me inform YOU that the unelected Micheletti coup regime has numerous times admitted that the Honduran military acted extrajudiciously when it stormed the elected president's home and forced him at gunpoint onto a Honduran militaty aircraft and subsequently flew him into forced exile to a foreign country.

I don't need to be on the ground in Honduras to know a coup d'etat when I see one. Nor do I need to be there to understand the sheer insanity of a position which declares, " We have removed the democratic­ally-elect­ed president in a completely illegal manner, daily trample the constitutionally guaranteed civil rights and liberties of that president and every citizen of Honduras and created an environment of civil unrest because we read the mind of the president and determined that he may have been THINKING about denying Hondurans these same constitutional rights we are denying Hondurans".

George Orwell, be he alive today, would have loved the irony of such a weak, tepid position.

[FreeHonduras]

PART 3
No I am not a conspiracy theorist, I don’t thing there are little green men running around in the desert. I took the time, I went to the country not once, not twice, several times. I spoke to the Customs Agent and the old man selling water in the street so he can feed his kids dinner. I lived there for weeks and went to the resorts and to the mall and to the hood. I stayed in one of the worst neighborhoods in Tegucigalpa and spoke to the teenager that just wants a chance, to go to school, to get a job, to vote… All the things we born and raised Americans take for granted.
One more thing, about the curfews, can I remind you of Los Angles in 1992 and a little thing involving looting and riots and a few dead people....think about it!

[Snowball]

So, we can assume you supported the racist activities of the police in Los Angeles at that time? I guess we needn't wonder about where you're coming from.

[FreeHonduras]

You can assume whatever you want but you would be wrong! In plain english, sometimes the government has to impose curfews to maintain order and protect the public and private property. Read up on the 1992 riots and the cost in $ but more importantly in human life....

[FreeHonduras]

PART 2
Aside from some very small clashes with police and a lot of very peace demonstrations both for and against the new government, they have not had any problems to the extent of the last two days since Zelaya return to the country. He is to fault for the problems.
So I ask you Ms. Carlsen, what do you say they do to a President who is breaking the constitution, who was warned to stop is activities that violate the constitution. A President who currently has several arrests warrants issued in his name? Give him the world?!?!?!?!?!?!
You know why there is so much uproar in the international community over what has happened in Honduras? When you take, what some would say, an insignificant country, and launch them into the center of the arena and have them scream at the top of there lungs that they are not going to allow anyone to violate their constitution, including there own President. They stood up and told the world, read your constitution, know your laws, don’t let anyone tell you they are above the law and make the laws themselves, i.e. Chavez, Castro, Hitler…. How many governments might not want this message told, especially by a “banana republic”!

[apduncan1]

What a crock!

Zelaya did not violate the Constitution; he did not ask for a referendum (Referendo in Spanish) he asked for an poll (Encuesta in Spanish).

The rest of your post is just hogwash.

BTW: Chavez was elected President by the people of Venezuela. Democratically. Every vote could be verified. By hand.

[proudhonduran]

Oh my God...you should read and be more informed before you post a comment like that. A poll??? Did he hire Gallup or any other organization? How many people where to participate in the poll? How many men, women, younger, older, african americans, indians, mixed. Who would vouch for the validity of the poll? Do you even know what was asked in the poll? Do you know there was just one question and that there were boxed that were filled with ballots that were marked a day before this so--called poll was to happen?

[FreeHonduras]

PART 1
So Laura Carlsen when was the last time you were in Honduras? And how often have you traveled there since EX-President Zelaya was constitutionally removed from office? You see, I ask because all I see in this article is the same one-side reporting that is so common with people who know absolutely nothing about what is really happening there.
I have family, my fiancé and friends in live Honduras. I travel to Honduras every few weeks. I speak to the people in the street, to the taxi drivers, to the police, to the restaurant owner, to the hotel owners and the nurse at the local hospitals, the bus driver, to the everyday person. With few exceptions, no one wants Zelaya in Honduras. But more then that, they know their law and agree with the way he was removed. They are a people who have gone through very rough times through there history and were once under military rule. They definitely don’t want that. Moreover, this country should be applauded. The original “banana republic”, the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere has stood up to the WORLD and told them all, including the USA you can’t tell us how to interpret our constitution. If I could fault them for one thing is they sent the military instead of the police force to remove Zelaya under order of the Supreme Court of their country. Or would they had called it a “Police Coup” then?!?!?!

[Snowball]

Seems you are replete with much wealth to be traveling about so much. Small wonder you have little sympathy for the poor. How many Honduran peasants have you spoken with?

[FreeHonduras]

I love the internet because it gives people like you the arena to make judgements on people you don't even know! For your information my family are part of the poor of the country, they still use a outhouse and I used it too.... Little sympathy, what in God's good name are you talking about! so let's past judgement on you; your a Chavez supporter, who thinks that Castor was right to take private property. You probably think we should leaglize drugs too...did I get you right! How many "peasants" have you spoken with?

[henrywesley]

There was a constitutional succession of power in Honduras. The entire Supreme Court, over 90% of the Congress, the vast majority of Zelaya’s own political party, and a great majority of the Honduran people understand this. What will it take for you to understand? I spend much time with Hondurans of all stripes and am keenly aware of their determination not to let the deposed president return to power. You should try to understand yourself. Zelaya will never be president of Honduras again! People like you and the State Department only embolden Zelaya’s thuggish mobs. No mob can be allowed to storm an airport, burn restaurants, destroy supermarkets, and vandalize homes, and cars, with impunity. You wouldn’t allow that in your neighborhood, and neither will the Hondurans in theirs. You really should be ashamed of yourselves for spewing so many half truths and so much misinformation.

[Snowball]

All controlled by the oligarchy. Honduras, due to a tragedy of a constitution written under the auspices of far right wing death squads and military dictatorship, is but nominally a democracy. The two political parties that control the country represent the oligarchy, a collection of not more than 15-20 extended families that control all the wealth and political power there. Not much more democratic than Iran. Zelaya is a rare bird. A member of the oligarchy who felt that it was his responsibility to serve the majority of poor, property-less Hondurans. His major sins? Raising the minimum wage and attempting to poll the public on whether or not they favored a referendum on the constitution.

[thornhead]

I live here in Tegucigalpa and I doubt this author has ever visited the country. The force used by police is a result of action by the rioters, who have looted, burned, spray-painted, and terrorized this city. The American media is only reporting on the 'innocent' demonstrators--who are in fact people that don't hold jobs or have been purchased by one of the 77 bank accounts under Mel Zelaya's name. Can you not see, readers, that Zelaya is a cartoon-character of a dictator? Smiling, acting, trying to stay in power to control, and sneaking into his own country and then calling on his uneducated supporters to create violence? How is this not apparent to the world out there? Wake up. This is a dangerous man and he is creating a hostile situation, not the other way around.

[Snowball]

Why don't they have jobs? Could it be they're ruled by oligarchical tyrants such as you who greedily horde the country's wealth while cowardly hiding behind the military, police, a corrupt Supreme Court and death squads? You want to see who's responsible for violence? Take a look in the mirror.

[thornhead]

I'm a teacher, not a member of an elite class. We are not creating violence, there are no 'death squads,' and you should perhaps read a Spanish language news source so you don't sound so much like a CNN-bot.

[Snowball]

Don't trust the Corporate Media to report honestly on events in Honduras:

http://www.fair.org/blog/#post-13026

[Butterfly8]

Sorry guys! The Honduran people hate Zelaya's guts. Most of the looters (no other words for them) are not even Honduran. They were peacefully going on with their lives until Zelaya went surreptitiously into the country, in a trunk of a diplomatic car, with the connivance of the Brazilian Foreign Office, for which Lula is being crucified by most of his countrymen. Are the "violent oligarchs" supposed to just watch people breaking cars, looting houses and shops and do nothing? Come on!

[Snowball]

Are people supposed to do nothing when the government has been seized by a small number of oligarchs backed by the military?

[braz]

I'm Brazilian and at the very least you do not speak for me. The Brazilian embassy in Honduras, not Lula, was correct in giving refuge to the legal president of that country. Handing him over to the coup leaders would have been the mistake. If Zelaya had to go back into the country surreptitiously, that is because he was illegally taken out of the power he was elected to. Any constitution that allows a coup like the one in Honduras is as democratic as the Cuban or Chinese constitutions. And if you don't consider the army of that country attacking the people it is supposed to defend an outrage, you should reconsider your definition of democracy.

[Snowball]

This is what you're supporting. I've you have even a scrap of human decency, please reconsider.

Zelaya supporter murdered by police.
http://www.france24.com/en/20090725-zelaya-supporter-killed-near-tense-border-with-nicaragua-honduras-pedro-munoz-alvarado

[apduncan1]

Yeah, right, they are Venezuelans ... how silly of me.

[proudhonduran]

thank you! The protesters love Honduras so much they are willing to risk their lives for Mel? I think not.,Ready to risk their lives for a cd player, a refrigerator and plenty of groceries because that is why they raided so many businesses. And if Mel Zelaya was really a patriot he would call on his "followers" to stop the destruction of an already poor country. instead is he inciting violence.

[hlmm1705]

real Honduran people don´t want Zelaya back, is him the one to blame , because he is calling for violence, the people that support him are looting and creating caos, on´t you think if a great part of hondurans backed crook Zelaya he already be in power?,

From now on I really see the power to desinform of juornalism, I dont believe how a corrupt leader has become a icon of democracy when he really he is the opposite

[Snowball]

The only documented violence seems to be coming from the coup leaders. Try reading the article.

[Laura Carlsen - Huffpost Blogger]

"Real people"? Now you would strip supporters of the constitutional president of their humanity, as well as their safety, freedom and human rights? The millions of Hondurans whose very existence you refuse to recognize will achieve the reinstatement of the president. And real journalists will continue to report on what is really happening. Check out the links in the story--the Inter-American Commission on human Rights, Amnesty International, foreign governments and scores of other organizations have documented the atrocities of the coup.

[proudhonduran]

I don't like to participate in forums like this one but I must raise my voice in protest over this article.The vast majority of people in MY COUNTRY are against the return of Zelaya. Unfortunately, the vast majority don't burn buildings/destroy private property/don't make too much noise.They march in peace, don't cover their faces and don't carry flamable liquids to ignite fires.They aren't heard because the lady who wrote this article isn't interested in listening to thoughtful & honest answers, Incendiary ones attract our attention more than logical and common-sense ones.OUR constitution is very CLEAR--read it before you pass judgement. Mel knew what would happen and he defied all the rules. Now he calls it a "poll"!". WE do not want another Venezuela. The writer should investigate how much $$$ Chavez gave Mr. Zelaya two years ago to start planting the seed and buy people off. If you haven't read the constitution, if you aren't aware that there are certain articles that can not be changed or deleted, if you don't know that the only reason Micheletti is the president is because he was next in line, If you don't know that the interests Chavez has in Honduras is his fear of the military bases in Colombia and the fact that for almost 3 months no planes have landed or crashed in the Bay Islands, planes from Venezuela, full of drugs. If you don't know anything about that--don't criticize what is happening.

[Classical-Liberal]

This article fails to mention the most important fact: 15-0. In fact, 15-0 is the only fact that is legally relevant.

Viva Honduras! Viva 15-0!

[Snowball]

It's also being ignored, or misreported by the US Corporate Media. Thanks for keeping us informed.

It's disgusting the contempt the right wing has for democracy and human rights. The coup leaders response has clearly revealed them for what they truly are: Violent oligarchs afraid of the popular will. All this because the coup leaders were afraid of letting the people of Honduras vote on whether or not they favored constitutional reform and because Zelaya dared to raise the minimum wage.

[hlmm1705]

don´t you think if really as many hondurans you think backed Zelaya he would be in power right now, this is not about ideologies is about invasión of Hugo Chavez and the corrupt Zelaya has been, or you defend he used $100,000 for wines using goverment money?

[Snowball]

Riddle me this: If the coup leaders were so popular as you seem to think, why do they have to rely on the tactics Laura Carlson has documented in this article?