In June of last year, I watched in horror as the democracy-loving individuals on the American political right celebrated the military coup in Honduras, calling it democracy in action.
I spent a good deal of time trying to explain to these freedom-loving individuals what a military (and in this case, a "paper") coup is, to no avail. Let freedom ring.
As with all authoritarian installed governments via a coup d'état, the human rights abuses have grown and include mass murder of activists. Freedom is on the march:
"The bodies of slain activists are piling up in Honduras. While it's being kept quiet in most Honduran and international media, the rage is building among a dedicated network of friends spreading the word quickly with the tragic announcement of each compañero/a.
Now that the world heard from mainstream news outlets such as the New York Times of a “clean and fair” election on Nov. 29 (orchestrated by the US-supported junta currently in power), the violence has increased even faster than feared.
The specific targets of these killings have been those perceived as the biggest threats to the coup establishment. The bravest, and thus the most vulnerable: Members of the Popular Resistance against the coup. Their friends and family. People who provide the Resistance with food and shelter. Teachers, students, and ordinary citizens who simply recognize the fallacy of an un-elected regime taking over their country. All associated with the Resistance have faced constant and growing repercussions for their courage in protesting the coup. With the international community given the green light by the US that democratic order has returned via elections, it’s open season for violent forces in Honduras working to tear apart the political unity of the Resistance Front against the coup."
The real question is are we - the US - once again engaged in helping to install dictatorial elements in Central and South America? Sadly, one thing is entirely certain, we cannot address the human rights abuses in Honduras because they seem to be re-enactments of our own policy of torture:
"On December 3, Walter Trochez, 25 a well-known activist in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community was snatched off the street and thrown into a van, again by four masked men, in downtown Tegucigalpa. In the report that he later filed to local and national authorities, Walter said he was interrogated for hours for information on Resistance members and activities, and was beaten in the face with a pistol for refusing to speak. He was told that he would be killed regardless, and he eventually escaped by throwing open the van door, falling into the street, and running away."
Just a reminder of how we have kidnapped and tortured people all over the world, using this very same method of abduction:
"According to court documents, Nasr was pushed into a minivan on Via Croce Viola in Milan and driven four or five hours to a joint Italian-U.S. air base at Aviano. He was allegedly tortured there. From there, he was flown by a Lear jet (using the call sign SPAR 92) to Ramstein, Germany. SPAR (Special Air Resources) is the call sign used by US senior military officers and civilian VIPs for airlift transport."
Who will speak for the hunted in Honduras? Not us! We have lost all credibility on human rights issues. In the meantime, perhaps those on the political right who so celebrated the coup in Honduras might take a moment to reconsider their earlier reaction.
We can also thank Senator Jim DeMint for his tea-bagging support of these outrages. I urge you to call DeMint's office in DC and ask him to explain his position on human rights:
340 Russell
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6121
Fax: 202-228-5143
