They are NOT rioting in Honduras

I have seen several Facebook posts recently, from US citizens here in Honduras, who talk about the riots.

What is a riot? When I think of a riot I think of violence, mayhem, people destroying property and looting, often as an expression of frustration.

Yes, there is some violence by the protestors. There are also cases of looting, but it is not clear that this is being done by protestors.

The protestors are taking to the streets, literally. They often try to block traffic, though they are insistent in letting emergency vehicles through. They often put tree limbs, tires, and other debris in the roads to block the traffic and they sometimes burn the tires.

But there is violence. Trying to remove the protestors some government security forces, mostly the military and the military police, approach the protestors. In a few cases, there have been efforts of dialogue with them by some protestors. But, often the troops move in, in force, often employing tear gas and shooting live ammunition. There have been reports of tear gas canisters being thrown into homes. At times, the protestors respond with rocks or even throw back the tear gas canisters. Much of the mayhem and violence happens when the security forces try to break up the demonstrations or takeovers of the highways.

Anyone who knows me, know that I am a pacifist, but not passive. Violence injures or takes human life and minimizes the chances of people coming together to make the changes needed in an unjust situation. Sadly, there has been hardly any training here in nonviolent resistance, that I know of.

What I see happening, from a distance, is not rioting. The deadly violence of government forces needs to be investigated and condemned. Those protesting need to be heard. Taking to the streets is a sign of desperation, a feeling that nothing else works, a cry in the wilderness.