A nonviolent option in Honduras?

A few days ago I heard a commentator on Radio Progreso, the Jesuit-supported radio in Honduras, speak of “la opción noviolenta.”

I have been thinking about this a lot these days as Honduras lives through an intense crisis. Two weeks after the elections, there are still no official results. Worse, there is little confidence in the TSE, the government Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Even the Mission of Observers of the Organization of American States has expressed serious concerns “over the lack of guarantees and transparency as well as the accumulation of irregularities, errors, and system problems which have been part of this electoral process, in the preliminary phase, on election day, and in the post-election phase.”

The first results that emerged from the TSE put the opposition Alianza coalition candidate in the lead over the National Party candidate by about 5 percent points. But after some anomalies, including a computer shut down, the reported results changed in favor of the National Party candidate who is the current president, Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH).

In the face of this, the opposition took to the streets, at times blocking streets and highways, sometime burning tires to prevent passage. Blocking streets and highways have often been used here and in other parts of the world, when people feel that their voice isn’t been heard.

What is notable is the high percentage of young people in the protests.

There were some cases of violence. In some of the cities there was also looting.

From my experience of protesting in the US, I know that there is often a small group that is so frustrated that they resort to violence. Thus I got involved in nonviolence training.

From my US experience I also know the possibility of the infiltration of agentes provacatuers,  sometime paid for by forces connected with those in power.

What I kept wondering was whether there had been serious efforts at nonviolence-training. I don’t mean this as a critique of the opposition in Honduras but as a critique of the advocates of nonviolence. Have we really made efforts to promote nonviolence training? Recall that the US civil rights movement emphasized training, even in the face of violence.

Late on the evening of December 1, supposedly in light of the looting and violence, the government declared a curfew (toque de queda) from 6 pm to 6 am (except for a few tourist sites.)

In response to this, one form of protest became more pronounced – the cacerolazo, beating pots and pans. Even in Dulce Nombre, people were shouting “Fuera JOH’- “get out, Juan Orlando Henriquez." A friend in Santa Rosa told me how he was beating a pot inside his house, but in view of the street. The police passed by and looked up. He told them that he was inside his house and they proceeded on. There were reports in other parts of the country that military or police forces entered houses where people were beating pots and pans.

But then something unexpected happened.

On December 5, members of the COBRAS, a special police force, withdrew to their barracks in what they called a strike of brazos caidos, literally “fallen arms,” maybe better called “putting down our weapons.” They were joined by members of the National Police. Some tried to claim it was for salaries, but a document released by the National Police as well as police on television stated that they didn’t want to repress their fellow Hondurans.

The next day the commander of the COBRAs was replaced. The police also returned to the streets but wanted nothing to do with violent repression. The reports are that much of the government violence is due to the Army and the Military.

But something remains that could be quite important. One Liberal Party leader, a former mayor of Santa Rosa de Copán and an elected member of the new Honduran Congress stated in an online interview that this was a “transcendental moment.”

After he was interviewed, a fiery political activist spoke to the interviewer. He noted that now “The police are our friends and we are theirs.” I also saw videos of the police in pick-ups passing through lines of protestors – both sides openly showing their support of each other.

People celebrated the police “strike.” Even the Franciscans in Tegucigalpa got into this – praying with the police and giving them bread and coffee.

 If that spirit prevails, there is a great opportunity in Honduras, beginning of a way out of the polarizing and the antipathy that so often characterizes the relation between police and protestors. I truly hope that continues and grows.

Gradually the curfew is being lifted. Who knows why? Perhaps because of opposition.

Where will this go?

First of all, much of the protest has been provisional, coming from people without being called out by leaders. Organization is needed, but there is, in my opinion, the danger that political leaders will try to take over and try to control. My hope is that there is grassroots organization.

Secondly, many of the protestors are young, which is a good sign. I hope that they are growing in their political maturity and also embrace the nonviolent option.

Thirdly, I am concerned about violence.

Tomorrow there is a call for a national wide paro – a strike. I hope there is no violence on the part of those protesting and that infiltrators and agentes provacateurs are isolated.

There is also the violence that has been used by government forces against protestors. This must be noted and denounced by the international community, including, especially, by the United States government which has given tens of millions to the Honduran government and has trained members of the Honduran police and military. Note the report from Amnesty International.

Last of all, I feel that the church here in Honduras missed an opportunity. Caritas Honduras has been doing work on conflict transformation for several years, including work with youth. But more is needed.

 Last year, Pope Francis wrote an extraordinary message for the World Day of Peace, entitled: “Nonviolence: a Style of Politics for Peace.”

 I wish peace to every man, woman and child, and I pray that the image and likeness of God in each person will enable us to acknowledge one another as sacred gifts endowed with immense dignity. Especially in situations of conflict, let us respect this, our “deepest dignity”, and make active nonviolence our way of life.

I believe that we have not done enough to make this message known and real, helping people develop the capacity to live and work nonviolently, in pursuit of truth, justice, and peace.

What to do now?

For me, I will continue to try to be present to the people as a witness to God’s love and justice.

And I ask all to join us in prayer – but in a prayer that is rooted in reality and moves us to live and act as instruments of peace and justice.