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JOIN INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY WITH
GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR HONDURAS
August
10, 2009
By FIRE – Feminist
International Radio Endeavour
/Radio Internacional Feminista
Demand an end
to the violent repression and violations of human rights, and a restoration
of democracy
International
solidarity is critical for the restoration of democracy and democratic rule
in Honduras, to support a massive popular resistance to the recent military
coup and violent repression by military and police forces. Leaders of this
growing social and political movement are calling for a Global Day of
Action for Honduras on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, asking people around
the world to rally in their own countries and communities in support of the
Honduran people, to stop the violence and deaths caused by the
militarization of the country.
The 11th
of August is likewise the 7th day of a National March of people
from all over Honduras who will arrive in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula,
two major cities. Feminists and other women’s groups have played a central
role in protests and marches ever since the coup on June 28th,
determined to demonstrate to the world and the coup government that popular
resistence is growing despite the violent repression.
A far stronger response from the US, Canadian & European governments are
needed to stop the excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, and acts of
censorship by the military backed coup regime of Roberto Micheletti.
The US government has long played a critical role in Honduras and the
Central American region, and has enormous clout with sending millions in
military and development aid to Honduras. The government cut $18.5 million
in military aid, but refuses to declare the overthrow of Zelaya a “coup
d’etat” because it would require under US law to cut an additional $180 in
economic aid. The United States also has huge leverage through trade
because 70% of Honduras' exports go to the United States.
And, while the U.S. claims to have cut off military aid, it continues to
train Honduran military officers in the School of the Americas in Georgia,
now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC),
according to the National Catholic Reporter. The leading general in the coup
in Honduras is an SOA graduate. Also, the US supports one military base in
Honduras, but recently announced plans for seven new bases in Colombia.
International solidarity for the people of Honduras is very important,
particularly persons from countries with international business, financial
and military ties to Honduras, sectors that promoted the coup, according to
Rights Action. Likewise, coup support in both the Latin and North American
regions comes from right wing groups that are vehemently anti-Chavez, and
fear the populist policies of Zelaya as likewise being too leftist.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAY NO TO THE MILITARY COUP IN HONDURAS:
Contact your national representatives and
media in your own country (In the US, write to Congress, President Obama,
and Sec. of State Hilton at: congress.org )
Demand:
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An end to the military, police and para-military
repression
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Respect for safety and human rights of
all Hondurans, particularly women and families who have suffered even
more during this siege
-
Return of Pres. Zelaya and the entire
constitutional government
-
Imposition of economic, military and
diplomatic sanctions against the de facto coup government
-
Suspension of ALL US government aid to
Honduras
-
Investigation and denouncement of
illegal actions and human rights violations committed during and since
the military coup, particularly those of women who face an increase in
assaults and femicide (murders of women as women)
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Urge support for a resolution introduced
by US Representatives Bill Delahunt, José Serrano and Jim McGovern that
calls for the return to democracy and the reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya
as President of Honduras.
-
Fair and thorough media coverage of
Honduras, including the massive public protests and marches demanding a
return to the rule of law and democracy, and in particular the
resistance and actions of feminists and women (which have been largely
ignored in much of global media coverage)
-
Urge Representatives Bill Delahunt, José
Serrano and Jim McGovern have introduced a resolution that calls for the
return to democracy and the reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya as President
of Honduras. Ask your Representative to take a stand for democracy by
suspending operations of the SOA and restoring the rightful government
of Honduras
For more information write to Margie Thompson of FIRE (margieratt@yahoo.com
– English) or Yarman Jiménez (yarman@radiofeminista.net)
for español.
For more
reports on feminist resistance in Honduras: FIRE – Feminist International
Radio Endeavour (Radio Internacional Feminista)
www.radiofeminista.net
Sources of information for this report
include FIRE, Rights
Action, and
SOA Watch,
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FEMINIST INTERNATIONAL RADIO ENDEAVOUR