Nat’l Day of Action in Solidarity with Honduras

The Colectivo Honduras USA Resistancia-libre and the Latin America & Caribbean Solidarity Committee of the International Action Center are supporting a call by the Honduras Solidarity Network for a national day of action on June 28. The date will mark three years of resistance to the 2009 coup in Honduras against President Manuel Zelaya.

In New York City, activists will gather on June 28 at 4 p.m. at Times Square, 41st Street and 7th Avenue, then march at 5 p.m. to the Honduran Mission to the United Nations at 1st Avenue and 48th Street. Demands include an end to human rights violations and impunity under the repressive Lobo Sosa regime and for U.S. imperialism to get out of Honduras.

Following are excerpts from the Honduras Solidarity Network’s statement:

“After the June 28, 2009, coup in Honduras that overthrew democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya, a courageous movement united to struggle for democracy and justice in Honduras. This movement has continued after sham elections in 2010 to ‘select’ de facto President Pepe Lobo.

“We in the United States bear a special responsibility to take action given the shameful support of [the U.S.] government for the illegal coup and its involvement in the outrageous militarization, violence and impunity that not only continue but have escalated. While trade unions, students, campesinos and teachers continue to struggle for justice and the new resistance political party, LIBRE (Liberty and Refoundation Party), is organizing to run against the coup makers and oligarchy in the next elections, human rights violations and violence against the people are increasing.

* More than 50 campesinos have been murdered in the northern coast Aguan region alone since the 2010 elections.

* At least 12 teachers in the opposition have been killed or disappeared since the coup.

* More than 23 journalists and at least 42 GBLTI [gay, bi, lesbian, trans and intersex] activists have been murdered since the coup.

* Political murders of all resistance activists continue. On May 1 a member of the indigenous Lenca people’s organization, COPINH, Santos Alberto Dominguez (24), was murdered by National Police troops in San Bartolo. On May 20 Jesus Pineda, a member of the FNRP [Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular] and LIBRE Party, was assassinated in San Pedro Sula.

* Death threats continue against human rights defenders. From February through April Dina Meza, a member of the human rights organization COFADEH, received numerous threats of sexual violence, and the U.S. human rights accompaniment project (PROAH-HAP) received death threats via text messages.

* U.S. involvement is growing. On May 11 a U.S.-led anti-drug operation [directed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency] in the Miskitia region opened fire on local villagers in a boat, killing four people (including two pregnant women) and wounding others. U.S. training, equipment and money are being provided to Honduran military and national police involved in human rights abuses.”