It's been almost a month since the military rousted Honduran President Zelaya from his bed at gunpoint and whisked him away--in his pajamas--to Costa Rica. It's been almost a month since the Organization of American States called for Zelaya's unconditional return. The efforts at mediation by Costa Rican President Arias have come to naught. It's time for Zelaya to go home and get back to the job he was elected to do: President of Honduras. And the U.S. government should help him do that.
Oscar Arias' first proposal, unveiled on Saturday, July 18, called for the return of Zelaya as President, limited amnesty for all parties, moving up elections by a month (from November to October), forming a government of national unity, new procedures to ensure the upcoming vote is free and fair, guaranteeing the personal safety of both sides, renouncing any attempt to carry out a referendum to amend the constitution and allowing an international body to monitor implementation of the agreement.
The Zelaya supporters I spoke to in Honduras were opposed to the plan. They did not even sanction the idea of talking to the coup leaders, they didn't trust Arias and they didn't want Zelaya to make concessions. "The Organization of American States called for Zelaya's unconditional return, unconditional; that's what we want," said campesino organizer Carlos Zepeda.
To the shock of many both in Honduras and the international community, however, Zelaya agreed to the proposal. But it was rejected by the coup leaders.
Arias then asked for another 72 hours. Again, to the amazement of many, Zelaya agreed.
The international community began putting the screws on the leader of the coup government, Roberto Micheletti. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called him on Sunday, stressing "the potential consequences of the failure to take advantage of this mediation." The European Union announced that it had suspended about $90 million in aid. In addition, the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank suspended $400 million in aid.
On Wednesday, July 22, when the time ran out, Arias announced another proposal. Like the previous one, it contained the basic premise that Zelaya would return to his duly-elected position as president. The Micheletti government stood firm, vowing that Zelaya will never return as president. And while the peace plan posited that for at least six months, there would be no political prosecutions for people on both sides of the coup, the Honduran Supreme Court said it would not offer amnesty to Zelaya. (The Court had ruled that Zelaya's attempt to hold a non-binding poll about rewriting the Constitution was illegal.)
Micheletti's negotiators asked for more time, but Zelaya, for good reason, has had enough. He insists that he will return this weekend. His last attempt to return home, by plane, was met with military tanks blocking the runway. This time, it appears he will return by land. While he has not said whether he will enter via Guatemala, El Salvador or Nicaragua, he has asked his supporters to amass at the borders to receive him. Zelaya's supporters are ready for his return. Every day since the coup, thousands upon thousands of them have taken the streets. They have been risking their lives confronting the military and powerful elite who have derailed their democracy.
The U.S. government, instead of working with Zelaya to ensure his safe return (the U.S. has 400 soldiers stationed at the Palmerola base in Honduras), warned him not to go back because it could lead to violence. This is, unfortunately, consistent with the U.S. position of talking a good line but doing little.
"The Obama administration has condemned the coup and cut off military aid, but that's not enough," said Honduran women's rights leader Sara Elisa Rosales. "The U.S. could have recalled its ambassador, as the European and Latin American governments did. It could have frozen the assets of the coup leaders and denied them U.S. visas. It could have cut all financial aid. And it could have imposed a trade embargo. In fact, if the U.S. cut commercial ties with Honduras, the coup would fall in a day."
It's time for the U.S. government to stop coddling the thugs who have taken over the Presidential Palace at gunpoint. It's time to cut all ties with coup leaders and help President Zelaya return home immediately. No more mediation. No more compromises. We must make it clear that in the 21st century, the world will not tolerate coup d'etats. We should be standing shoulder to shoulder with Zelaya's supporters to welcome him home.
Medea Benjamin (medea@globalexchange.org) is co-founder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK: Women for Peace. She is author of Don't Be Afraid Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart.
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I have worked in Honduras for a year, and I can tell you there is not one person I know who wants him back. Quite the contrary, the Honduras are baffled by the fact the world is so desperate to impose such a vile person as Mel Zelaya on their country. Before you and your colleagues whine about "democracy
Also, check out the demonstrat
End of story.
If Zelaya is willing to come back and stand trial for his malfeasanc
But, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Keep in mind, however, that neither the United Nations, nor the Organizati
Keep repeating the lie that the majority of Hondurans want Zelaya back. It may make you yourself feel better believing it, but no one else does.
obama half-heart
while clinton double-spe
lenny davis, the clontons' longtime advisor, has been advising the guy who stole zelaya's presidency
riiiiiiiii
Zalaya paid the price of getting too close to Benito Chavez and alarming the Congress, Supreme Court, Attorney General and military that he was planning a Chavez type dictatorsh
One protester, Pedro Munoz Salvador, 24 years old, was found dead this morning with 42 stab wounds. He had been detained by the honduran national police the day before at 4 pm.
22 members of COPINH, an indigenous organizati
Rafael Alegria, leader of Via Campesina, has been detained and is being held at a police station in El Calvario, Paraiso.
Clearly, a victory for democracy.
BTW, your response to the human rights abuses is pretty lame, to say the least.
On March 25, the Attorney General's office formally notified President Zelaya that he would face criminal charges of abusing power if he proceeded with the referendum
Honduras’ Supreme Electoral Tribunal ruled that such a poll would be illegal.[4
In the crisis, President Manuel Zelaya's was removed from office by military force on the 28th of June after the Supreme Court of Honduras had issued an order on June 26 for his detention, which had been replaced in January 2009. Afterwards the court published a Communicat
President Zelaya disputes[1
Backing up, president Zelaya had initiated an informal poll, not a non-bindin
Finally, given these violations
ARTICLE 3. No one owes obedience to a usurping government or to those who assume public functions or posts by force of arms or procedures that violate or ignore what this Constituti
BUT the way I see it..the rule of law prevailed,
Sure the elite love it..but so what?
I applaud the military for not following Zelayas orders to break the law.
I admire his own party for condemning his actions.
I celebrate the supreme court for upholding the constituti
I laugh at Chavez for his foiled attempt to impose HIS dictatorsh
I
When the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls his return "reckless" and "not conducive to the broader effort to restore constituti
The more interestin
Maybe because US plutocrats have more in common with the honduran oligarchs than with the democratic aspiration
Did you see the other piece on the Honduras today Friday July 24th? There are some interestin
Our conscience is now bothering us. And we are going to look for more informatio
Take care.
Thank you.
It's not ony ignorant and innacurate
Zelaya 46 % favorable
Micheletti 30 % favorable -
http://www