TO: Local Solidarity and Peace & Justice Committees
INVITATION: Join the US Honduras Solidarity Network
Since the June 28, 2009 coup in Honduras that overthrew democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya and then held sham elections to “select” defacto President Pepe Lobo, a strong and courageous citizens’ movement has united to struggle for democracy and justice in Honduras. Members of the Resistance have been murdered, beaten, raped, disappeared, threatened and jailed and yet they struggle on.
An international solidarity movement is rising up to follow their lead.
We in the United States bear a special responsibility given the shameful support of our government for the illegal coup and its current efforts to return Honduras to normal relations within the community of nations while the violence not only continues but escalates.
The organizations listed below have come together in the US to form the Honduras Solidarity Network. The Network is decentralized and made up of local and national organizations committed to providing solidarity support for the people of Honduras. We would like to invite your organization to join with us. (Sorry, no individual memberships.)
WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP MEAN?
Member groups of the Network are committed to:
- Support the Mission and Objectives of the Network (below)
- Circulate action alerts
- Consider hosting speaking tours of Hondurans in your community
- Encourage your members to join delegations to Honduras
- Educate your community about the situation in Honduras and the
- US government role in denying democracy and justice in Honduras
- Designate a representative to participate in Network conference calls (currently every other Tuesday at 8:30 EDT).
To join the Honduras Solidarity Network, or if you have questions, write to: Quixote Center (toml@quixote.org) or La Voz de los de Abajo in Chicago (vickicervantes@yahoo.com).
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP LIST:
Quixote Center, Alliance for Global Justice, Just Foreign Policy, Agricultural Missions, International Action Center, Grassroots International, Hondurans for Democracy (DC), International Socialist Organization, SOA Watch, U.S. - El Salvador Sister Cities, SOA Watch South Florida, Marin County (CA) Task Force on the Americas, Rhode Island Mobilization Committee to Stop War and Occupation, St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America, La Voz de los de Abajo – Chicago, 8th Day Center for Justice – Chicago, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America, Proyecto Hondureño – Boston, Hands Off Honduras Coalition - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Latin American Solidarity Committee – Milwaukee, CT United for Peace (Connecticut)
MISSION IN SOLIDARITY WITH HONDURAS
- To denounce the violations of human rights and demand their investigation so that the intellectual authors and material perpetrators of these crimes against humanity against the people of Honduras are punished
- To accompany the people of Honduras in their journey to the re-founding of their country
- To act with commitment to social justice in Honduras
- To oppose at the local, regional and national level the interventionist policy of the U.S. government in Honduras
ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND DEMANDS
Create an organizational fabric from the components of the Network. Any group, whether it defines itself as local, issue-based, national or otherwise, may join if it agrees with the Network's mission, objectives and demands
- Exchange information, understanding and experiences related to our common agenda
- Strengthen the capacity of member organizations of the Network
- Develop more capacity for pressure and influence on policy, above all on governmental policy
- Educate and raise consciousness on the situation in Honduras; the poverty, inequality and injustice and the doubled repression that the people have suffered through the military coup d'etat
- Support materially and politically, the groups and communities that directly suffer the injustice and repression from the golpistas
To join the Honduras Solidarity Network, or if you have questions, write to: Quixote Center (toml@quixote.org) or La Voz de los de Abajo in Chicago (vickicervantes@yahoo.com).
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