Struggle movements: Reaction Rafael Alegria
In Honduras social movements are continuing with the struggle in defence of the democracy and national sovereignty.
Today, the 2nd of July 2009, once again the social and popular movements continue to resist the State coup d’état, in Honduras. From 8.30am onwards around 60000 took part in a silent protest in Tegucigalpa, marching from the Obelisco and continuing onto the headquarters of the United Nations (UN). In San Pedro Sula, a march also took place in the city centre. The protesters were once again demonstrating their support for ousted president of all the citizens of Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, calling for a return to order in Honduras, and a reinstatement of the democratic constitutionality which had taken so long time for the people to achieve.
Some of the slogans shouted by protestors included: “Coupist traitors out!”, “Micheletti rubbish, out of Honduras!” and “Mel the people await you”; “no to the coup”; and “we are agents of our history not spectators”, among many others.
In the city of San Pedro Sula around eight members of the social movements were arrested and brutally beaten whilst taking an active part in a mass protest in favour of ousted president Manuel Zelaya Rosales. The arrested protesters were tortured from the moment they were detained by the military and federal police, such acts of repression are commonly targeted at social movements through the military and other agents of power. Further arrest warrants have been issued for people in the provinces of Francisco Morazán , Colón, Yoro, Cortés, Olancho and others.
The army and police have cut off and laid siege to the two most important cities of the country, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. It is believed many have been captured and placed under arrest warrant, but we do not yet have exact details for this.
Rafael Alegría, Via Campesina’s Central American coordinator in Honduras, said
“We handed a letter to the United Nations representative, expressing our gratitude for the firm position of the General Secretary of the United Nations in rejecting the coup in our country; personally, since the coup began I have called on the people to defend our country’s democracy; we are now more than 100 hours in this struggle and I feel that we are advancing every day because we are getting increasing support from the people to achieve our objective of restoring José Manuel Zelaya to power, and achieving the institution of democracy. People are arriving at the protests to support us in spite of the obstacles currently imposed by the army and other agents of power in the country. I believe these protests are the expression our people’s desire to defend the sovereignty and participatory democracy of our country”.
Carlos H. Reyes, a leader from the Popular Block, said “ we march to the headquarters of the United Nations to denounce this coup d’état, and at the same time we ask the United Nations to use legal resources, where possible, to reinstate the constitutional order in our country, which had cost so much to the people (to achieve). We are the one who have suffered and died to bring about democracy in Honduras. With this coup they intend to drag the country into a bloody process”. Also yesterday, the National Congress of the Republic issued a decree to remove individual rights and continue repressing the people. “We are asking all Nations to act immediately and collectively before a bloodbath takes places in Honduras because, the people who took power last Sunday are pushing us towards a bloodbath”, he concluded.
The leaders of the various social movements also condemned the removal of heads of state companies from their positions. These are being removed and replaced with new bosses to put pressure on public servants not to participate in the marches, or face dismissal. Already, many workers have been fired from their jobs for supporting the protests.