[Cispes-Alert] Honduras: Call the State Department Today to Demand the New Foreign Policy Obama Promised!

[CISPES National Office]

//g////o to our//// webpage www.cispes.org <http://www.cispes.org/> if 
you're having trouble reading this email//

www.cispes.org <http://www.cispes.org> | 202 521-2510| subscribe 
<http://lists.people-link.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cispes-ern>| 
suscribir en español 
<https://lists.mayfirst.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cispes-hechos>

**

	

*Action Alert*

*September 29, 2009*
**
*
*

*Honduras: Call the State Department Today to Demand the New Foreign 
Policy Obama Promised!*

/*U.S. State Department Blames Honduran President Zelaya for Military 
Coup's Brutal Violence against Civilians*/

 

On Sept 21, President Manuel Zelaya returned to Honduras, taking refuge 
in the Brazilian Embassy. The Honduran military, under the command of 
the /de facto/ regime of Roberto Micheletti, immediately began to attack 
the Embassy with tear gas and other chemicals. Violations of 
international law have continued, including cutting off electricity, 
water and food, drawing recent condemnation by the U.N. Security council.

 

Even worse, the military has dramatically increased violence against the 
civilian population demonstrating in support of the legitimate president 
Zelaya (watch a video here 
<http://www.soaw.org/presente/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=243&Itemid=74>). 
Among other deaths, Wendy Elizabeth Avila was killed by tear gas 
intoxication during the violent displacement of protesters outside the 
Brazilian embassy on September 22.  International human rights groups 
have documented assassinations, torture and rape of regime opponents 
since the coup on June 28.

 

On September 26, coup leader Micheletti signed an executive order that 
suspends all Constitutional guarantees for 45 days, including freedom of 
the press and freedom to assemble. This decree prohibits meetings and 
demonstrations that do not have the permission of the military. 
Following the order, various independent radio and television stations 
have been shut down, in some cases violently.

 

Rather than denouncing the clear human rights violations by the Honduran 
military, the Obama administration had remained silent. As Mark 
Weisbrot, Director Center for Economic and Policy Research stated, 
"After 90 days and not one word from the Obama administration on the 
abuses in Honduras, it looks an awful lot like a tacit endorsement of 
the repression by the U.S. government." (Read the press release from 
CEPR here 
<http://www.cepr.net/index.php/press-releases/press-releases/zelaya-reported-back-in-honduras/> 
or breaking news from the journalist Laura Carlsen of Americas Policy 
Program here 
<http://americasmexico.blogspot.com/2009/09/coup-declares-state-of-seige-suspends.html>)

 

Yesterday the State Department broke its silence, but not with the 
condemnation and swift action the Honduran people have been calling for.

 

Instead, officials from the U.S. State Department blamed Zelaya of for 
the violence being waged on the Honduran people. Lewis Amselem, interim 
U.S. representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) stated, 
"The return was irresponsible... Zelaya and those who facilitated his 
return are responsible for the actions of their followers."

 

Please join individuals and organizations across the country in 
denouncing the State Department's tacit endorsement of the coup regime! 
This is far from the "new" foreign policy that Obama promised; in fact 
it is a terrifying throw back to U.S.-supported coups in Latin American 
and the brutal military violence that has ensued (several top military 
officials in Honduras were trained by the United States at the School of 
the Americas).//

 

The State Department should take immediate and decisive action against 
the /de facto/ regime, declare the situation in Honduras a MILITARY 
coup, and cut all aid to Honduras as required by law.

1. Call the State Department comment line at 202-647-4000 or write 
President Barack Obama <http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/> and urge the 
administration to:

A.)   Call for a return of Zelaya to the presidency of Honduras and 
demand that the coup authorities, the army and the police respect the 
right to assembly and the human rights of the citizens of Honduras. //

B.)   Emphasize that any bloodshed and violence is the responsibility of 
the coup government and the security forces which they command.

2. Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak 
to your Representative and Senators (or send an email to your Senators 
<http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm> and 
Representative <https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml>) with 
the same message. Also encourage your Representatives to sign on to the 
Delahunt-Serrano-McGovern House Resolution 630 condemning the June 28 
military coup in Honduras.

// 

	

If you no longer wish to receive our emails, you may unsubscibe here 
<http://lists.people-link.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cispes-ern>

© 2009 CISPES - The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
CISPES National Office | ph. 202-521-2510 | 1525 Newton St. NW, Wash. DC 
20010| cispes at cispes.org <mailto:cispes at cispes.org>

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.people-link.net/pipermail/cispes-ern/attachments/20090929/6390f2b3/attachment-0001.htm 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 21685 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.people-link.net/pipermail/cispes-ern/attachments/20090929/6390f2b3/attachment-0001.jpeg 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 73 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.people-link.net/pipermail/cispes-ern/attachments/20090929/6390f2b3/attachment-0001.gif