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El Hogar Ministries eNewsletter
Special Edition - Update on Political Situation
July 10, 2009 |
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Introduction
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This Special Edition of our eNewsletter is for delivering updates on the current political situation in Honduras, in the hopes of keeping you informed about Honduras and how the current crisis unfolds and impacts El Hogar.
To save on length of these emails, we are now sending only the most recent two articles written by Rev. Rich Kunz. These and and all the previous articles can be found on www.elhogar.org.
Note: if you are tired of receiving these updates and you opt-out of this service via the Unsubscribe option below, you will be opting out of all future eNewsletters unless you re-signup. If you don't want to read these but would like future eNewsletters, which we send about once per quarter, then it is better to just delete these. | |
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| July 10, 2009 |
Attention yesterday was focused on Costa Rica, where talks between the parties began. Arias met first with Zelaya, and afterwards with Micheletti. Neither of the Presidents are willing to meet with one another at this time. Zelaya continues to say that he is there only to listen to his usurpers explain how he will return. Micheletti says he is in agreement that Zelaya should return to Honduras, but directly to the judge to answer for his crimes. Clearly Arias has his work cut out for him.
Both men were asked to appoint delegations of four people to carry on talks, and those groups are meeting today. There is no word on their progress so far. The good thing is that talks are happening at all.
Meanwhile, Zelaya's supporters have vowed to continue to disrupt commerce until he is restored to full power. The Teachers' Union has also vowed not to return to classes until he returns. Yesterday they blocked the main road going to the south of the city for several hours.
Chavez, in his usual understated way, is calling for Hondurans to take to the streets to demand Zelaya's return. In his most recent speech, he claims that the talks in Costa Rica are a sham, and are a scheme foisted on Honduras by the US, and especially by Obama, a "little black man who knows nothing about Honduras." He says the US will pay for this.
Most people are using the opening provided by these talks to go back to their regular routines. The crisis is on everyone's mind, however. There is anxiety about what will happen if the talks fail, and no one seems to have a good picture of what a successful outcome would look like. Or if they do, the different outcomes are mutually exclusive. The embassy staff here have orders to have no contact with the present government. People are hopeful, but there is also a sense that the fragile peace could fall apart any day.
At El Hogar we are continuing to care for all our kids. Today, Cristian is having his final surgery. Classes continue. Daisy, who has been our receptionist and secretary, is leaving to work in a new business out of her home, so we are having a farewell party for her this afternoon. Martha, our new secretary, is fitting in well. (And she speaks some English, which will help when folks phone in.) At the farm, repairs are continuing to the electrical system. There has been so much rain that some of the planting has had to be delayed. That has also delayed work on the septic system.
Please keep us in your prayers. I think this crisis has had an effect on all of us. Maybe not overtly, but it leaves us with a sense of emotional exhaustion.
We will all be glad when it is resolved.
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| July 9, 2009 |
Can This Marriage Be Saved?
The Ex-President's Turn:
" I was working hard for the poor of the country, and there were people who did not like that. They came for me in the middle of the night while I was in my pajama's and flew me out of the country without ever presenting charges against me or going through any legal channels. All I was trying to do was to hold a survey to see what the people of Honduras wanted. Now, I am going to Costa Rica not to negotiate, but to hear how they will arrange to bring me back to office. Michelleti is a gorilla, and to negotiate with him would be like having discussions with someone who has violated members of your family. My goal is to make sure that Michelleti pays for his miserable treason! I am only participating in these talks because Hilary Clinton asked me to."
The Present-President's Turn:
"I want a peaceful resolution to all of this, but that will not include Zelaya's return to power. We may be willing to drop some charges against him, though. How can he possibly think he can return when the Congress, the Supreme Court, the army, the Attorney General and his own political party have all declared that he is subverting the constitution? Plus, we are finding out that he literally carried suitcases full of money out of the bank in order to finance his unconstitutional referendum, mostly to buy votes with. My goal is to have him be legally accountable for the many crimes he committed in his abuse of office. I did not grab power from him. I was legally appointed by the Congress, and it is my concern to protect our constitution."
Today it is the Counselor's turn! Oscar Arias has agreed to meet with both parties in his home to try to come to some resolution. Hilary seems to be the one who has made it possible for the talks to happen. She conspicuously avoided insisting that the resolution must include Zelaya's return to office at her press conference. Meanwhile, as of last night, Nicaragua was refusing air space to the plane that would carry Michelleti and his delegation to the talks.
Despite the deep differences between the two sides, most of the people I have talked to here are very hopeful that there will be a peaceful resolution soon, and are eager to go back to normal life. There are pro-Zelaya demonstrators who claim they will continue their resistance, but their numbers are greatly reduced right now. What I hear from quite a few folks is, "This fighting and turmoil is not the real Honduras! Hondurans are peace-loving and friendly people. We respect the laws, and want a just government."
I would not want Arias' job, but I believe he is a very smart and accomplished man, and I am hopeful he will lead them to an agreement.
Meanwhile, El Hogar still moves ahead! I am planning to visit the Agricultural School today. Yesterday Claudia was able to buy some new tables and chairs for the classrooms with money she got by selling furniture donated by a local store. Cristian's last surgery is
scheduled for tomorrow. Some of the boys at the Institute are "under the weather", but other than that, classes are proceeding as normal.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers!
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| Past Articles |
| To read past articles, please visit our website at: www.elhogar.org. | |
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Sincerely,
Rev. Rich Kunz
Executive Director, Honduras | |
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