Day 46 - The Repression Escalates

A quick search of the BBC website and the internet and little news can be found regarding the current situation in Honduras. The continued refugee status of the legitimate President Mel Zelaya, who is received with official honors by dignitaries throughout Latin America, lacks the excitement of his previous attempts to enter the country. But within Honduras , things are not so quiet. As I write only 3km away the police and military forces of the oppressive de facto government are brutally beating demonstrators supporting the return of constitutional order in Honduras .

The 46th Day of Resistance started with the congregation of demonstrators in the University Pedagogica. Today there were far more people than during the past two weeks as yesterday had seen the arrival of people in the capital from all around the country. Seven days ago, in what has been called the Nationwide March people left their homes and began to walk from all around the country to the cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula to support the Resistance.

As always the demonstrators, a mixture of trade unionists, mothers, children, native Indians, teachers, and office professionals walked peacefully to the city centre. However, as news arrived that the de facto congress wished to pass a law re-stating compulsory military service the demonstrators headed to the National Congress to protest. Whilst arriving at the National Congress the demonstrators spotted the Vice-President of the de facto government who had badly timed his departure from the Congress. Unfortunately, one of the demonstrators, who after 45 days of repression, manipulation and human rights abuses took his anger out on the Vice-President by kicking him in the bum. This cued the police reprisal of 500 Cobra, the elite anti-riot force, carrying metal batons, tear gas, and guns, and of course wearing the regulation protective wear. Chaos quickly descended upon the city centre and the police began to fire tear gas and beat the demonstrators. As usual, no effort was made by the repressive forces to discuss or remove the demonstrators pacifically.

At the moment it is difficult to confirm the incidents that have occurred primarily as there is only one radio station and television station that covers the news. The remaining channels, all owned by the businessmen who funded and supported the coup are busy concentrating on the Honduras-Costa Rica football match or carefully manipulating the information that they emit.

Latest information:

* Over 60 people detained and being held without charges
* People who have the appearance of “demonstrators” are being detained without reason
* Numerous people in hospital with severe beatings, two people are unrecognizable due to the severity of the disfiguration of their face
* Human rights workers are being refused access to police stations and other locations where people are being held
* The University Pedagogica has been militarized
* There are various people who have disappeared and their location is unknown

A report published on August 7th, “International Mission of Observation for the Human Rights Situation in Honduras: De Facto Government Violates Human Rights in Honduras, Final Report” states that over 2000 cases of human rights abuses have been committed by the de facto government.

As the repression continues and the de facto government continues to demonstrate little will or inclination to give up their grip on power. 46 days and politically very little has changed since the initial days of the military coup. Where does this leave the immediate future for Honduras? Undoubtedly a tumultuous few weeks in which the Resistance needs to strengthen, better organise and find a method to engage the rest of the Honduran population and those in the rest of the world willing to listen.

I hope you are well. Thanks for listening.

Love Alexis