Honduras In Crisis: Take Action
Urgent Action
| 25.09.09Get the background: Download the Honduras Fact Sheet PDF
View Videos on the Honduran Coup via Real News Network
Sept.29, 2009
Honduras: Regime suspends individual rights
An open letter from Via Campesina describing the military shut down of Radio Globo.
KAIROS is gravely concerned about the violence and human rights violations in Honduras in the aftermath of the coup d’état staged on June 28 and the recent escalation in violence and use of excessive force by the coup regime. On September 21, nearly 3 months after being forced from power and expelled from the country by a military- backed group of politicians, democratically elected President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales clandestinely returned to Honduras and is residing in the Brazilian Embassy. President Zelaya has called for negotiations with the de facto regime as a first step towards the peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Thousands of Hondurans surrounded the Brazilian Embassy in support of president Zelaya’s return and other peaceful demonstration emerged throughout country. The de facto regime has responded with force and brutality, sending in heavily armed police and military to repress demonstrators. Hundreds of protestors were rounded up and taken to detention sites across the city, making them vulnerable to torture and forced disappearances. The use of these military detention centers has brought chilling comparisons with the military coup in Chile.
International human rights organizations continue to denounce the situation. The InterAmerica Human Rights Commission (IAHRC) has condemned the use of force and called for a urgent visit to Honduras http://www.cidh.org/Comunicados/English/2009/65-09eng.htm
The Secretary-General of the United Nations has suspended technical assistance for elections, expressing concern about human rights violations and urging adherence with international human rights treaties. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sgsm12482.doc.htm
Amnesty International issued a press release on Sept 23 warning that the rule of law is in grave jeopardy. The statement denounces the sharp rise in police beatings, mass arrests of demonstrators and intimidation of human rights defenders since the June coup d’état. http://www.amnesty.ca/
Although KAIROS does not work directly with partners in Honduras, this crisis has clearly reached regional and international proportions and requires a concerted and massive response from Canadians. We would ask the KAIROS networks to consider being part of this response.
KAIROS does work with regional partners, Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) that has members in Honduras. In fact, CLAI is planning a pastoral visit of 16 church leaders from throughout Latin America to Honduras, September 28-October 2. As well, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and CLAI organized an international ecumenical team to Honduras August 2-7 that included Jim Hodgson from the United Church of Canada. The delegation issued a “Message to the Churches of Honduras, Latin America- Caribbean and the World”, encouraging the churches in Honduras to “accompany the people in their search for peace with justice and the re-establishment of democracy”. http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/other-meetings/visits/solidarity-visits/message-to-the-churches-of-honduras-latin-america-caribbean-and-the-world.html
Take Action
In the face of the escalation in violence and repression in Honduras, Canada has failed to effectively isolate the coup regime. We need to speak out now and demand action from the Canadian government.
Please take a few minutes to phone or email the Canadian Minister of State, Peter Kent, urging Canada to apply targeted sanctions and ensure democratic order, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The following urgent action provides a sample script and letter as well as contact information for Minister Kent - http://www.maquilasolidarity.org/Honduras-Urgent-Action
Please act now. As our sisters and brothers in Jubilee South have said:
Today we are all Honduras!
Download Statement by Jubilee South/Americas
For more information please contact Rachel Warden, Latin America partnerships program coordinator, rwarden[at]kairoscanada[dot]org or 416-463-5312 ext 242
