Reply #43: Fact-Finding Mission in Honduras Confirms Widespread Human Rights Abuses [View All]

[L. Coyote]

US Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s Three-Day Fact-Finding Mission in Honduras Confirms Widespread Human Rights Abuses
An Inventory of Reports from Major National and International Human Rights Organizations from Honduras Under Coup d’Etat

By Tamar Sharabi
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
November 13, 2009 - http://www.narconews.com/Issue62/article3935.html


TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS, NOVEMBER 13, 2009: Despite the US State Department’s stance for a ‘Honduran Solution,’ some Republican US Senators and House members have openly intervened and strongly supported the de facto government, not recognized by any nation in the world. US Rep. Jan. Schakowsky (D-Illinois), is the first congressperson to visit Honduras since the June 28 coup that did not come in prefabricated support of the de facto regime. She was invited by Bertha Oliva, Coordinator of COFADEH, a human rights organization that has been documenting abuses for the past 27 years. COFADEH has documented more than 3,000 illegal detentions since the coup and over 21 murders in a report published Oct. 22. During her recent mission in Washington, Oliva invited Schakowsky to witness firsthand the Honduran reality of police brutality that is not making the headlines.

Schakowsky’s three day visit from November 10-12 included meetings with family members of victims that have died directly from violence from the coup, media outlets such as Channel 36 and Radio Globo that have been attacked for honestly reporting on the resistance movement, and also a visit to the Brazilian Embassy where ousted President Zelaya and approximately 40 others have taken refuge for the last 53 days. The Chicago Congresswoman commented on her opportunity to hear a recording of some of the sounds bombarded into the Embassy and see the blinding lights set up outside, in addition to the crane set up for the military to spy into the Embassy.

Citing a “serious deterioration of human rights since the coup,” Schakowsky reflected on the executive decree PCM-M-016-2009 (declaring a state of siege) published on Sep. 27 which was set in place to supposedly defend national security and public order but that “seems to be defined as anything that is said against the coup.” This is the same decree that, after even some of the coup plotters publicly criticized it, was promised to be lifted immediately but took until October 19t (when the UN Human Rights Commission began a visit) before it was officially printed in the official ‘Gazette’ to end the decree. Under that decree, any police commissioner present at a resistance demonstration could declare the gathering “illegal” and use violent means to disperse the peaceful crowds.

When asked about whether free and fair elections are possible under such conditions and expressing concern about other media outlets that have been under attack such as Radio Progresso and Radio Tocoa, Schakowsky did not explicitly express her opinion on whether the November 29 elections should take place or not. The question pointed to statements made by Police Commissioner Danilo Orellana, who had appeared on Channel 6 and called for government actions against all media outlets that are calling on the public not to vote. Instead, Schakowsky evaded the question and stated:

“In a democratic country the principal of freedom of the press is really sacred, and as for the timing of the elections, congress should really move forward in an expedited fashion to restore the president and democratic order.”

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