Thursday, September 24, 2009

22 de Septiembre - Accion de Solidaridad en Chicago

The message is in english below

El 22 de septiembre en Chicago, un group de 30 personas participaron en un acto de solidaridad con el pueblo de Honduras y de denuncio de la violencia golpista, al siguiente es el comunicado que fue mandado a la prensa y repartido al publico en el centro de la ciudad.

Comunicado de Prensa:
Acto de Solidaridad y Conferencia de Prensa
Martes, 22 de Septiembre a las 4pm en la Plaza Federal en el centro de Chicago
Contacto: Alexy Lanza
La Voz de los de Abajo - (312) 656-8655

A la comunidad y a los medios de comunicación nacional e internacional

Lunes 21 de septiembre arreador de las 2 de la tarde, el Presidente constitucional de Honduras, Mel Zelaya Rosales apareció en la embajada de Brasil en Tegucigalpa, Honduras, después de su llegada clandestinamente a su país para reclamar en persona su restitución y la salida del poder del gobierno ilegal y golpista de Roberto Micheletti.
El Pueblo Hondureño, en masa, empieza a llegar a la embajada para festejar el regreso de Zelaya y para protegerlo. También, desde todos los rincones del país, miles de personas en resistencia en contra el golpe empiezan a viajar hacia la capital.

Por su parte, el gobierno golpista declara un toque de queda comenzando a las 4pm y extendido hasta las 7pm del martes. Micheletti insistió que el gobierno de Brasil entregase al Presidente Zelaya al gobierno golpista -un reclamo que ha sido fuertemente rechazado por el Presidente Lula de Brasil. También el gobierno golpista moviliza efectivos del ejército y la policía hacia el área de la embajada y a las entradas principales a Tegucigalpa para bloquear el acceso. A la hora de escribir el presente comunicado, el pueblo esta en pleno desafió de la orden de toque de queda por el gobierno ilegitimo golpista a pesar del peligro de una represión sangrienta por el ejercito. Todas las organizaciones de la resistencia están en alerta y llaman al pueblo del mundo a mostrar su apoyo frente a esta situación.

La Voz de los de Abajo y Casa Morazán queremos destacar lo siguiente:
1. Que el regreso de Presidente Manuel Zelaya Rosales es por la voluntad del pueblo, quien ha estado en resistencia del golpe del estado por 86 días a pesar de la represión y flagrante violaciones de los derechos humanos.

2. Que ninguna amenaza, acto de represión o violencia en contra del Presidente Zelaya o en contra del pueblo y sus organizaciones debe ser permitido o tolerado por la comunidad internacional.

3. Que las entidades y los gobiernos internacionales deben seguir insistiendo que los golpistas salgan del poder ya.

4. Que el pueblo tienen pleno derecho de decidir si quieren o no cambiar su constitución sin amenazas, golpes, o represión.

Chicago, IL 21 de Septiembre a las 11:51 pm

On Tuesday, September 22, 30 people participated in a solidaridad action in downtown Chicago against the latest violence by the coup government against the Honduran people.

Press Release: September 21, 2009

Todos Somos Honduras - Solidarity Action and Press Event

Tuesday, September 22, 2009, beginning at 4pm

To the International Community and Communications Media

Monday, September 21 at approximately 2pm, the constitutional president of Honduras, Mel Zelaya Rosales appeared at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras after returning to his country clandestinely to demand, in person, restitution to his elected office and the end of the illegal coup government of Roberto Micheletti.

The Honduran people, in mass, began to arrive at the embassy to celebrate the return of Zelaya and to protect him. At the same time, from every corner of the country, thousands of people began traveling towards the capital.

For its part, the coup government declared a curfew beginning at 4pm on Monday and extending until 7pm Tuesday. Micheletti insists that the government of Brazil turn President Zelaya over to the coup government, a demand that President Lula of Brazil has strongly rejected. Michelletti has mobilized army and police troops around the area of the embassy and at the principal points of entry into Tegucigalpa with the intention of blocking access.

At the time of this communiqué, thousands of Hondurans are defying the curfew order despite the danger of bloody repression. The situation is tense. All the resistance organizations, ask that people and organizations around the world show their support in the face of this situation.

Our organizations, La Voz de los de Abajo and Casa Morazan wish to emphasize the following:

1. That the return of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales is due to the will of the people who have been in resistance to the coup for more than 86 days, despite the repression and flagrant violations of human rights.

2. That no threats or acts of repression or violence against President Zelaya or against the people of Honduras can be permitted or tolerated by the international community.

3. That the international entities and governments must continue to insist that the coup government and its forces leave power immediately.

4. That the people of Honduras have the full right to decide whether or not they wish to change their constitution without threats, coup d’etats or repression.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Beginning August 11, the National Front Against the Coup in Honduras called for a week of resistance. Thousands of people mobilized from all over Honduras to participate in protests in Tegucigalpa and elsewhere. Below is a report and photos from Alexy Lanza member of La Voz and the independent media, Producciones En El Ojo Productions, who was in Honduras for 2 weeks in August.

Report on a Week of National and International Resistance
I arrived on August 11th, the National and International Day of Resistance and protests against the coup d’etat in Honduras that occurred on June 28th. It was another day of resistance, there were protests across the country, civic work stoppages, takeovers of highways, and in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, there was a massive protest, during which a bus and a fast food restaurant, Popeye’s, were burned. According to the National Front of Resistance Against the Coup d’etat, these last actions were taken by agent provocateurs - police who had infiltrated the protest and the actions brought a brutal repression against the protesters.

There have been infiltrations continuously in the mobilizations by provocateurs producing vandalism in the city; they have also infiltrated with the goal of identifying the leaders and filming the protests with the aim of distorting the image of the marches. I ran into trouble myself at the beginning in documenting the events, because I was without a press credential and I was confused with an infiltrator.

My First Day of Protest
Wednesday, August 12 at 9 am, I joined in the protest in which there were 15,000 people. It was a peaceful protest until the military and police forces repressed it brutally. At around 1pm we were arriving at the Congress and I was at the front of the protest where I was witness to the army’s attack against the peaceful protest. Congressman, Marvin Ponce, who I had just greeted was grabbed by 8 or more soldiers who beat him brutally, and on all sides they were attacking the protesters; dozens of tear gas bombs were launched against the protesters, who were arrested, beaten, humiliated and tortured. 26 were arrested right there, among them, 2 minors, 2 women, and medical students. The soldiers dedicated themselves to arresting and beating everyone they found in the street, so that some of those 26 arrested weren’t participants in the march. In fact, one of those detained was a golpista (supporter of the coup); they also arrested a Colombian tourist who was born in Venezuela but raised since an infant in Colombia - just like the others, he was subject to blows and humiliations.

Save yourselves, those who can.
In the face of this brutal repression, the march dispersed. I had to take a taxi to the Pedagogic University where it was expected people would be arriving since this had been the meeting place for the marches. Arriving at the university with my lungs full of smoke and my face and eyes burning, I rested for a moment and was drinking water when various compañeros began shouting, “run compañeros run, the soldiers are coming”. I got up and saw the arrival of the soldiers, shooting and throwing tear gas bombs, they shouted, “get them, and get these dogs”. Again there was no choice other than to run ---approximately 200 soldiers entered and took over the University. As I ran I saw them shutting the university’s gates so that no one else could leave; inside there were 40 people who were arrested. They had been resting and eating in the basement of the auditorium; I had been on my way there to eat, but had not gotten to the basement; otherwise I would have been one of them.

Shootings at the Via Campesina Offices
On August 11, a curfew was declared, despite that, late that night, the office of Via Campesina was shot up by unidentified individuals. There were various leaders of the anti-coup movement in the office at the time of the shooting.
Second Day - The Public Ministry
Thursday the 13th another day of began with the protest heading toward the Public Ministry where the repression suffered the day before was denounced to the Prosecutors for the Office of Human Rights. While the people waited outside the offices, a commission from the National Front Against the Coup met with various prosecutors. In the meeting it was agreed to accept (the report of) the irregularities and violations of human rights that the military and police forces incurred. Afterwards the protest headed towards Radio Globo’s building where it concluded. The day’s work ended without major repression by the army or police.
Day Three- the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH)
The conscious people once again shouted, “Present” on Friday the 14th of August. This time the protest left from the Pedagogic University passing through the neighborhoods called “Kennedy” and “Alto” in the direction of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) where another day of work ended, also without repression by the army and police
Day Four - The Airport

Saturday the 15th, the people in resistance began at the offices of the Beverage Workers Union (STIBIS) and moved towards the airport, first passing through the neighborhoods and ending with a mass in memory of the young man assassinated by the army at the airport. On this day there was no repression from the army despite its strong presence at the protest.

Day 5 - Assembly
Sunday, August 16th the National Front Against the Coup d’etat held an assembly. I asked for a brief meeting with the coordinating commission (steering committee) of the Front to let them know about the efforts that different organizations in cities in the U.S. have made (in solidarity). I also let them know about plans to organize a delegation composed of representatives from various organizations in about a month and the intention of the delegation to have discussions with different sectors of the Front and of course to participate in denouncing abuses. The compañeros were glad to receive the information. There was not time for dialogue due to the crowded agenda.
In the assembly it was agreed to continue resisting by all possible peaceful means, it was emphasized that it would be a decisive week because on Monday the 17th the International Commission of Human Rights was expected and also expected during the week is a commission from the Organization of American States (OAS); so another day of resistance was planned for Monday the 17th starting at the Pedagogic University.