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El Hogar Ministries eNewsletter
Special Edition - Update on Political Situation
July 17, 2009 |
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Introduction
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We took a very short break from postings, as it turns out! Things have changed ...
Thank you for your concern for El Hogar and Honduras. | |
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| July 17, 2009 |
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water....!
For a few days, with talks scheduled in Costa Rica, and demonstrations getting smaller and less frequent, it looked as if this present crisis was moving toward a peaceful resolution. That is no longer the case.
From various countries where he is traveling to present his case, Zelaya has called on his supporters to block roads, disrupt commerce, and in various ways press for his return. He has even on several occasions talked of their right to insurrection. He has also clearly said that he sees the talks only as a chance for his opposition to surrender unconditionally, and if that does not happen by Saturday, he will resort to "other methods."
Yesterday Zelaya's foreign minister announced that, in fact, Zelaya is already on his way back to Honduras, and will set up an alternate seat of government in an unannounced location and prepare for the "final battle" against the "usurpers".
Meanwhile, army and police officials have announced they have uncovered a plan called "Operation Caracas". This indicates there are already armed foreign operatives from Venezuela and Nicaragua in place who are planning to block roads, occupy the airports, disrupt communications, set fire to cars, and provoke violent demonstrations, during which they have instructions to create confusion and shoot some of the demonstrators in a way that makes it appear as if it was the army who did the shooting. In a country where the media are all owned by people in the government, it is hard to know whether to give credence to any of this, but at the very least it is an indication that tensions are mounting.
Also during this time, investigation of Zelaya's administration continues. It has come to light that he spent 128 million Lempiras of government money to publicize the referendum that the courts and the congress had already ruled were unconstitutional. Some of that money went directly to reporters and TV and radio personalities. Some of went to pay for mariachis. Investigators have also found the offices where the results were to be tabulated. They showed reporters an example of a form already filled out with the number of votes for and against the referendum from one precinct. They also found several boxes full of ballots already completed. They are not claiming fraud yet, but are continuing to investigate the possibility that these pre-filled ballots and pre-compiled results were perhaps "training materials".
The current president has offered to step down on the condition that Zelaya does not come back as president. That has been rejected by Zelaya, but also by the mediator, Oscar Arias, and by the US. According to them, any compromise must include Zelaya's reinstatement as president. There has been some discussion about the institution of a "Government of Reconciliation", with Zelaya as president, but working with the present cabinet. That has also been rejected by Zelaya.
So, once again we are in a holding pattern, not sure what the immediate future will bring.
This is probably more Honduran politics and drama than any of us would want to know about, but it has become the daily background of life here. It weighs on the minds of most of us, and takes up much too much time and effort. It also has immediate effects.
Yesterday Lazaro went to the Institute early. That was good, because protesters blocked the road shortly after he passed through, and the faculty were not able to get to the Institute. The end result was that Lazaro and one counselor spent the day with over 90 boys. I asked Lazaro whether he was going to try to teach ALL the classes. He laughed and said, "No. I think we will go to the chapel and sing and pray a lot. Then we will watch a movie or two, and play some futbol." Today, the teachers made it out to the Institute, but the road is blocked again, and we are not sure how or when they will be able to get back.
El Hogar is in town so travel to and from is not quite so difficult. We do have parents from around the country very concerned about their children, as they hear about the unrest in Tegucigalpa on their little transistor radios.
The other huge effect this has had is that our program of volunteer groups has come to a halt for now. Some of you have asked if the volunteers are a net gain or a net drain on our energies. It is true that it takes a lot of time and effort to work with the groups, but now that they are not here, we miss them a lot! We bought some supplies for the groups that were to come, and they are sitting unused. And the kids keep asking when the next group will come. Those of you who visit have become an important part of our life here, and we hope you will not give up on us, but will come again when it is more safe. We miss you!
The summary to all this is that no one knows what will happen next. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and we will continue to do our best to take care of the children and young people who have come to us for a new opportunity in their lives.
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| July 15, 2009 |
Most of the day to day activities here in Honduras are now back to whatever "normal" is. The curfew has been lifted for a few days, the demonstrations have been much smaller, and although there is still increased security on the road, I have not been stopped by the police all this week.
Yesterday I went to the Institute and sat in on a teachers' meeting there. I was able to thank the teachers and staff for their faithfulness during this time. I think I have mentioned that the public school teachers have been on strike demanding the return of Zelaya. (While he has president, they were often on strike against him for not paying what he had promised. Go figure!) For over two weeks the children and young people of Honduras did not have classes. Yesterday a portion of them were able to return to the classroom for the first time. During all this turmoil, El Hogar has had only two mornings of delayed classes because of transportation problems. Teachers have had to make special provision to get to and from work, but they continue to show up and provide our children and young people with an education every day. That may not sound spectacular, but in a situation where all around us things are falling apart, it is a significant accomplishment. El Hogar continues to be a refuge.
Nothing is officially happening in terms of negotiations on the governmental level, but there is lots of action from both sides. Zelaya and Chavez continue to talk of Zelaya's imminent return, although this time not directly to Tegucigalpa. They also both talk about the right of the people to rise up against this present government. The U.S. spokespersons keep urging Zelaya not to set arbitrary deadlines, but to allow the process to unfold. Meanwhile, the government here is making sounds about compromise in terms of amnesty, but still insisting that Zelaya cannot return to office. They are also uncovering questionable and illegal practices of the former President. In one operation, the Investigative Police raided a house where neighbors had noticed people from Venezuela and Nicaragua congregating, and found a cache of government checks, some copies of the presidential seal, some firearms, a safe filled with jewelry, etc. The papers here are owned by folks that don't want Zelaya back, so one always has to be careful to take news with a grain of salt (sometimes with the whole box). But it doesn't sound very good. They also have found that out of 400 people on the payroll of the presidential palace, only 100 actually have jobs, and that the amount Zelaya claimed for paying salaries was only a third of what was actually paid out. It all means that, if he is to return, there are some things to work out first.
Saturday is the day scheduled for talks to begin again, so we have a brief respite. The weather has been beautiful, and everyone is looking forward to resolution and a lifting of the uncertainty about the future.
Many of our work teams have, understandably, canceled. We miss them! And some of the jobs we had planned are not getting done. But I am sure we will get through this crisis.
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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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