Day 133 of HONDURAS COUP RESISTANCE – “The gringos have made things worse for us.”
(November 7, 2009, Honduras Coup Alert#87)
WHAT AGREEMENT?: “The Gringos have made things worse for us”
By Karen Spring, in Honduras: spring.kj@gmail.com, 011[504]9507-3835
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(All photos by Karen Spring, November 6, 2009, day 132 of coup resistance, in front of the National Congress)
The Guaymuras Accords, or the agreement pushed for by representatives of the United States government, and reported to have been reached between Honduran President Zelaya and Roberto Micheletti, head of the illegal regime, have not put President Zelaya back in power, have not stopped repression, have not allowed for the return to constitutional order in the country, and have not created the conditions for fair and free elections to happen on November 29th.
Yesterday, 132 days after the coup, over 2000 Hondurans gathered outside the National Congress in Tegucigalpa to demonstrate their hope that the disgraced Honduran Congress would meet and agree on President Zelaya’s return to power, one of the major points agreed upon in the Guaymuras Accords.
The resistance movement, that gathers, marches and protests everyday against the illegal coup regime, was demanding Zelaya’s return and the establishment of a National Constituent Assembly, had given the regime until 12:00 midnight on November 5th to reinstate Zelaya and comply with the reached agreement. When Hondurans woke up Friday morning, November 6th, and President Zelaya was still camped inside the Brazilian Embassy, the National Front Against the Coup announced they will not be participating in or recognizing the elections on November 29th.
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Instead, Rafael Alegria, a leader of the National Front Against the Coup, said to the gathering outside the Congress, “What happens, happens on November 29th.  No to the elections, yes to the National Constituent Assembly.”  “We are going to go back to our communities to organize for the next 4 years [until the next elections in 2013] against the Michelettis, the Elvin Santos [Liberal Party candidate in 2009 elections] and the Pepe Lobos [National Party candidate in 2009 elections], who are all coup supporters."
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(A crowd pleaser. A band entertaining the pro-democracy protesters)
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(Signs that read: “Mr. Congressmen, return us to constitutionality that you yourselves took away from us.” “Reinstitution now or never.” "Elections: Not with a de facto government.”)
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(During the gathering, two trucks of police and military showed up, adding to the large number of police and military standing in front of the Congress, “guarding” it from the peaceful protesters.)
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(After asking these women (Delmi, Isabel, Adriana, Tracey and Sophia) what they thought of the Accords, one said “The gringos have made it worse for us. Zelaya is not back in power but they say they made an agreement. We will not vote in the elections.”)
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HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION TO HONDURAS, November 24–December 1, 2009
Consider joining a Rights Action delegation to Honduras.  For information: Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org, 1-860-352-2448
TO DONATE FUNDS
Please continue to financially support the pro-democracy, anti-coup movement in Honduras.  This extraordinary struggle, to defeat the oligarchic-military regime and to remake their constitution and country, will continue well into 2010.   Make your tax-deductible check to “rights action” and mail to:
UNITED STATES:  Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
CANADA:  552-351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS:  http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm
For foundations and institutional donors, Rights Action can (upon request) provide a full proposal of which organizations and people we are channeling funds to and supporting.
VIEW The Real News
“Nothing resolved in Honduras: Widely-celebrated, US-brokered agreement looks to have strengthened coup instead of reversing it”: http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4431
WATCH A 2-PART “FAULT LINES” NEWS REPORT ABOUT HONDURAS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYY4vj9ROC0&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upMu_oR2YUU&NR=1

FOR INTERVIEWS & MORE INFORMATION
In Honduras, Karen Spring, 011-504-9507-3835, spring.kj@gmail.com
In USA, Grahame Russell, 860-352-2448, info@rightsaction.org

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