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El Hogar Ministries eNewsletter
Special Edition - Update on Political Situation
July 20, 2009 |
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Introduction
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We are continuing to send updates as new information becomes available.
Thank you for your concern for El Hogar and Honduras. | |
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| July 20, 2009 |
No villain need be. Passions spin the plot,
We are betrayed by what is false within.
George Meredith
As we enter the fourth week of the political struggle here in Honduras, there is still no resolution in sight. The weaknesses and oversights and self-interest of all sides are becoming more obvious as time goes on. The present government, of course, was wrong to simply remove the president by force in such a theatrical way, without affording him due process. This method of confronting his illegal actions cost them the support of the world community. The Organization of American States and other world bodies were wrong to cast this as just another military coup, and demand Zelaya's unconditional restitution, as if he could simply step back into office as if nothing had happened, and as if Zelaya held no responsibility for the actions leading up to his ouster. Their stances had less to do with the welfare of Honduras than with their own political fortunes. Much better if, at the beginning, there could have been a more measured response, calling both sides to account for their violations of due process.
You have probably read that the talks broke down yesterday with no agreement reached. Arias had presented a proposal. Apparently some good discussion came out of this, but without an agreement being reached. Zelaya's side claimed that he agreed to the proposal, although in a news conference he himself rejected two key conditions:
that he form a "reconciliation" government made of participants from all sides, and that he desist from trying to change the constitution. The present government has rejected Zelaya's return to power with amnesty for all political crimes committed. They want him either out of power, or willing to be put on trial for what he has done. They also want any agreement to go through both the supreme court and the congress, since what is at stake is the constitution. They argue that an extra-constitutional process is not the answer to a constitutional crisis.
Arias has asked for three days to meet with the present government's delegation, and hopes to restart bilateral talks on Wednesday. Zelaya's delegation has declared that the talks are over, and that he is planning his return to Honduras regardless.
His supporters in Honduras are meeting today to plan their strategy for the week. Their announced intent is to block roadways, paralyze commerce, and "shut down" the country on Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, investigations continue to uncover misuse of funds, etc. by Zelaya's government. I must admit that in a country where one out of four children is suffering from malnutrition, and the hospital has not been able to pay its electric bill, it breaks my heart when I read of the millions of dollars spent illegally. I have a huge pothole in front of my building (David Letterman jokes about a pothole so big it has its own convenience store.) which has grown in size and depth for months. (The neighbors have piled large, brightly covered objects in it to warn oncoming motorists! I recently found out that also in my neighborhood there was a phone center set up to push the illegal referendum. This operated for over a year with government monies supplies illegally, and had fifteen full time employees making calls. A tiny fraction of that money could have bought some asphalt to fill our pothole.
Perhaps the funniest thing to be uncovered so far is the life-sized fiberglass statue of Zelaya that he himself commissioned to be set with four other similar statues of great Honduran heroes.
Although people are trying to live their lives as normally as possible, and there are times I have to shake myself to remind myself all this is real, the stress is wearing people down. The demand for psychiatric services has tripled since this began. This has been disruptive enough that business owners are suffering, and people are in turn losing their jobs or seeing decreases in their incomes. Parents are struggling to take care of children that would normally be in school. (That includes the El Hogar staff, many of whom have children in the public school system.)
Our classes have been disrupted because teachers cannot get to their jobs. Our volunteer program, which provides relationships for our children and teachers, valuable person-power, potential new sponsors, and financial support, is on hold. We are eager for a resolution, but live with anxiety because it is so close to turning violent.
So, each day we set out to do as much as we can on that day. Young Cristian, who had surgery just a week ago, is back in class, looking very hardy and healthy. On Saturday, I stopped and saw some of our students helping some of their elders to learn to read as part of our adult literacy program. Other children were playing soccer, or launching homemade parachutes made of plastic bags with sticks tied to them. Others were listening to an impromptu guitar concert by one of our teachers. Some of the children were able to go out to a park yesterday, since demonstrations were on hold for a day.
I ask your continued prayers for us in the week ahead.
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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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| 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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