Golpe de estado – the seventh day

“On the seventh day, God rested”

More accurately, Genesis 2: 2-3 reads
“Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.”

I had hoped to rest – but I ended up fairly busy today – domestic chores, like shopping. Tomorrow, before Mass, I’ll do some wash (by hand, of course). and I'll try to get some rest.

What about the church?

Today, about 9:00 am, national radio and television channels were interrupted for a statement by Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez, archbishop of Tegucigalpa.

He first read a statement issued in the name of all the bishops of Honduras. The statement virtually accepts the new government as legitimate.

“Each and every one of the documents which have come into our hands show that the institutions of the Honduran democratic state are valid and that what it has executed in juridical-legal matters has been rooted in law. – The three powers of the State – Executive, Legislative, and Judicial – are legally and democratically valid in accord with the Constitution of the Republic of Honduras.”

In the statement, the bishops do raise questions about the forced expatriation of President Zelaya and they reiterate their statement of June 19 that “all of us are, to a greater or lesser extent, responsible for a situation of social injustice.”

They call for dialogue, for solidarity, political participation, and social justice. They pointedly call on the Organization of American States to take account of illegal actions before Zelaya was removed from office and to condemn the warlike threats against Honduras.

In speaking to the international community they take a very strong stand for national sovereignty: “we declare the right we have to define our own destiny without unilateral pressure of any sort, seeking solutions which promote the good of all. – We reject threats of force or blockades of any sort which only make the poorest suffer.”

They end by call for embarking on a new path of dialogue, consensus, and reconciliation and for intensifying prayer and fasting.

The statement is quite different in tone and style than the rather prophetic statement released on Thursday by the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, which was very critical of the coup.

After reading the statement agreed to by the 11 bishops of Honduras Cardinal Rodríguez added his own remarks. Most notably he asked President Mel Zelaya not to return to the country to prevent a bloodshed.

A demonstration for peace and democracy.

This morning there was a demonstration for peace and democracy in the Plaza Libertad here in Santa Rosa. This demonstration was one of many with the same theme being held throughout the country. There were probably between 400 and 600 people filled about half the street by the park. It was hard to get an accurate count because since so many were wandering through the park. But it was fairly easy to spot them. They all wore white shirts. Many had white shirts emblazoned “peace and liberty” with “I {heart} Honduras” on the back. (I saw no one selling them and so I guess the sponsors were providing people with them.)

As I walked toward the demonstration, I ran into a former politician I vaguely know. He’s one person whom I would call nearly incorruptible who has bravely stood up for his stance. He’s no fan of deposed President Mel Zelaya - nor of the interim president Roberto Micheletti. He mentioned that he wasn’t going to the demonstration; he believed that many had come with good will, but he was concerned that these demonstrations were being used by the right wing. A neighbor also told me she stayed away for the same reason.

I think he might be right. As I approached the square I heard one speaker, the president of a local bank, strongly criticizing Zelaya. Some other speakers were very general in their remarks, though others made it plain that they supported the coup and the interim government. There was a very strong nationalist sentiment, that didn’t want anyone interfering in Honduras’ affairs. The issue of national sovereignty is definitely a strong theme being advocated in these demonstrations. To a small nation this is a theme that can appeal to people’s deeply felt concerns. But such nationalism can be very problematic.

The banners and the signs were mostly very innocuous – peace and democracy, but there were a few that were fairly pointed. One, in English, read, literally, “International Comunity to respect the Honduran determination.” another is Spanish said, “OAS [Organization of American States], better sanction than to live in prison. NO to Communism.”

The latter refers to the visit yesterday of the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, with an ultimatum for the reinstatement of Zelaya as president; if not Honduras would face removal from the OAS. He spoke to the Supreme Court and others, but there was no movement.

The OAS was to meet today to decide whether to expel Honduras. But, to beat the OAS to the punch, the interim government declared that it was pulling out of the OAS on its own. The response was that since the government was not recognized by the OAS it couldn’t withdraw.

It’s a shame that there were not efforts to try to break down the barriers which seem to be becoming more fixed and immovable.

A test will come soon. Today Mel Zelaya was supposed to return and there are many of his supported gathered in Tegucigalpa to welcome him back. On the other hand, the present government is threatening to arrest him when he returns. He has put his return off until tomorrow. We shall see what happens.

In the meantime, the government extended the 10 pm to 5 am curfew until Tuesday morning.

And so, I am continuing to try to get what information I can and to listen to people I trust.

Final thoughts

One thing is becoming clearer to me, that might not be apparent to people outside Honduras. This is a land plagued by corruption, plagued by a great breech between the few rich and the many poor, and by a bipartisan political system that serves to keep the poor in misery because many politicians are in it for personal gain and power, worshipping the gods of “power and wealth.”

I also feel very firmly that people need to be brought to justice, not just Zelaya and Micheletti who also has a somewhat murky history, but also those members of the economic and political power elite that deceive the people and try to keep the poor from having a real say in society.

The coup, I fear, will not bring democracy to Honduras, nor would the poll have done it. Major structural changes are needed as well as major empowerment of people in their villages and neighborhood. It’s a long struggle – but I hope to see some steps in that direction. I intend to stay here and try to help, as long as I am able and as long as God wants me here.

Pray for us.

HONDURAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE STATEMENT

This statement of the Honduran Bishops Conference, dated July 3, 2009, was read on national television in Honduras, by Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, in the morning of July 4, 2009.

“Building from crisis”

1. Scarcely three weeks ago, in the Plenary Assembly of this Bishops’ Conference, we clearly stated that social justice, dialogue and consultation within the framework of the law are needs that our people ought to recognize and respect.

2. In the face of the situation of the last few days, we refer to the information which we have sought in the appropriate public records of the State (the Supreme Court of Justice, the National Congress, the Public Ministry, the Executive Power [Branch], the Supreme Electoral Tribunal) and many organizations of civil society. – Each and every one of the documents which have come into our hands show that the institutions of the Honduran democratic state are valid and that what it has executed in juridical-legal matters has been rooted in law. – The three powers of the State – Executive, Legislative, and Judicial – are legally and democratically valid in accord with the Constitution of the Republic of Honduras.
3. The Constitution of the Republic and the country’s administrative organs of justice lead us to conclude that:
a. In accord with what is considered in Article 239 of the Constitution of the Republic “Whoever proposes the reform” of this article “immediately ceases to hold his post and remains disqualified for ten years for any public function.” Therefore, the person sought, when he was captured, no longer held the position of President of the Republic.
b. Dated June 26, 2009, the Supreme Court of Justice, unanimously named an already sitting judge who issued an arrest warrant for the citizen President of the Republic of Honduras, who was supposedly responsible for the crimes of: AGAINST THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, TREASON AGAINST THE FATHERLAND, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND USURPING OF FUNCTIONS to the detriment of the Civil Administration and the State of Honduras, the former stemming from the Legal Summons presented by the Public Ministry.

To learn from errors in order to correct them in the future

4. “No Honduran can be expatriated no handed over to a foreign State” (Art. 102, Constitution of the Republic). – We believe that we all merit an explanation of what happened on June 28.

5. On June 19 we said that all of us are, to a greater or lesser extent, responsible for a situation of social injustice. – Nevertheless we continue to believe that Honduras has been and wishes to be a people of brothers [and sisters], living united in justice and peace.

a. Therefore it is necessary that we choose decidedly to listen to the opinions of others in such a way that a true dialogue can be initiated among all the sector of society, so that it can arrive a constructive solutions.
b. It is fundamental to respect the calendar of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal what guarantees elections in the coming month of November.
c. It is necessary to globalize solidarity as a way that can help us overcome injustice and inequality. – The international community, with adequate information about our country’s situation can contribute to these proposals.

6. We make a special appeal

a. to those who have or have held [roles of] leadership in their hands: we invite them to not let themselves be led by egoisms, vengeance, persecution, violence, and corruption. – One should always seek ways of understanding and reconciliation, beyond the interests of parties or group.
b. to the social, economic and political groups: we urge them to overcome emotional reactions and to seek the truth. – Now more than ever social communicators ought to express their love of Honduras, seeking the establishment of peace and the serenity of the people, leaving aside personal attacks and seeking the common good.
c. To the population in general: we invite you to continue in an atmosphere of respectful and responsible participation, understanding that we all can construct a Honduras with more justice and solidarity with honest work.
d. to the Organization of American States: we ask that you pay attention to all the was happening outside the law in Honduras and not only what happened starting on June 28. The Honduras people are also asking why the warlike threats against our country have not been condemned. – If the interamerican system is limited to protecting the system of ballot boxes but not to monitoring good governing and the prevention of political, economic, and social crises, a belated reaction in the face of these will be worth nothing
e. to the international community: we declare the right we have to define our own destiny without unilateral pressure of any sort, seeking solutions which promote the good of all. – We reject threats of force or blockades of any sort which only make the poorest suffer.
f. We deeply thank our brothers and sisters from many countries who with their gestures of solidarity, supporting and being at our side, provide us with horizons of hope in contrast to the threatening attitude of some governments.

7. The present situation can serve to build and to embark on a new path, a new Honduras. – The confrontation which it is living ought not to serve to heighten the violence but [it ought to serve] as a new starting point for dialogue, consensus and reconciliation to strengthen us as the Honduran family, so that we can embark on a path of integral development for all Honduras.

8. We exhort the faithful to intensify their prayer and fasting in solidarity so that justice and peace may reign.

Tegucigalpa, July 3, 2009

Signed by the eleven bishops of the Catholic Church of Honduras.

Translated by John Donaghy, based on the text provided in La Prensa on line, http://www.laprensahn.com/Ediciones/2009/07/04/Noticias/Un-regreso-al-pais-en-este-momento-podria-desatar-un-bano-de-sangre

Golpe de estado – the sixth day

There’s a numbers game going around.

The anti-coup forces are claiming that 50 thousand people were demonstrating in various cities in the country: 30,000 in Tegucigalpa, thousands more in San Pedo Sula, Comayagua, and Progreso. Some of their demonstrations have turned violent, especially in San Pedro Sula, but some have been violently broken up by police or military forces.

The pro-coup forces are claiming 70,000 or more in their demonstration in Tegucigalpa and tens of thousands in San Pedro Sula, Choluteca, and other cities. Often the speakers are local businessmen and politicians. They typically are protected by police and are peaceful.

But I continue to be concerned about the polarization that I read about as well as the demonization of opponents. There's a real lack of reflection. For example, someone I know wrote about the euphoria of the moment that he connected with the pro-coup demonstrations. But what I feel here among the people I know is mostly fear and concern. When I noted that, he agreed.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow a group, organized, I believe, with the municipal authorities, is supposed to have a march for peace and democracy here in Santa Rosa. My guess is it might be pro-coup. The church is not officially participating.

Tomorrow promised to be a very tense day. President Zelaya was supposed to return to Hondurason Thursday, but he changed it to Sunday. The interim president Micheletti notes that he will be arrested. The secretary general of the Organization of American States has been in Tegucigalpa but it appears that nothing has come of his visit. According to one report Guatemalan Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchú has arrived in Honduras – on a peace mission, I hope.

The US raised its level of pressure by putting much of its aid to Honduras on hold. The US aid this year and next was to be about 95 million dollars. But some of this is on hold.

The US is still not calling what happened a coup, even as it refuses to acknowledge Michelleti as president. If the US determines that it is a coup ALL aid will have to be stopped and Peace Corps volunteers will have to leave the country. (Interesting fact: Honduras has the second largest Peace Corps contingent in the world; only the Ukraine has more Peace Corps volunteers.)

Again, I must apologize for a disorganized blog entry. Today I have not had time to really reflect on the situation or even read the articles I was downloading. I have mostly been sending the Santa Rosa diocesan message (see entry from yesterday) to as many sources as possible. I will probably continue to do this much of the weekend at the urging of Father Efraín Romero, director of Caritas.

Ah, the weekend. I hope to take time this weekend for prayer, reflection, and catching up on reading. I will try to share with you the fruits of my reflection.

Keep us in prayer.

Golpe de estado – day five

Five days. Lots of uncertainty and ambiguity but it’s still tranquil here in Santa Rosa de Copán. Last night and tonight there’s a curfew from 10 pm to 5 am. But there is tension in the air.

But it could have been worse. Today deposed President Mel Zelaya was to return to Honduras but – prudently, I think – put his return off to the weekend. There are news stories of groups trying to find a peaceful solution.

The repression deepens

Though I have not personally seen repression, I’ve managed to ferret out a few stories. The most striking is from Catholic News Service about Father Andres Tamayo, an environmental activist in Olancho. On June 29, he and hundreds were on their way to Tegucigalpa to reinforce the anti-coup supporters when military shot out the tires of their buses. They decided to block the highway. About 2 am on July 1 soldiers came and starting beating the demonstrators. He was hidden by his supporters and taken away to safety.

There are reports of a large number of arrests of people who speak out against the government. I have also read of the use of force against anti-coup demonstrators in San Pedro Sula and other places.

Human Rights Watch has written a letter to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States:

I am writing to share with you our concerns regarding credible reports that we have received of serious abuses committed by Honduran security forces since the coup d'état on June 28. These include the excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, and acts of censorship. We are also very concerned by the emergency decree approved by the Honduran Congress yesterday that suspends fundamental rights and could provide a pretext for further abuses in the coming days.

The Church speaks

But at last we are beginning to hear strong statements from the Catholic Church in Honduras, especially critical of the interim government of Micheletti.

Yesterday a bulletin from Caritas Honduras, the national office of the Catholic Church’s social development agency, stated that a coup will not resolve Honduras’ problems and was also quite strong in its critique of congress. It described them as “persistent [permanente] violators of the Constitution who were converted overnight into its defenders and promoters of democracy.” Its description of acting president Roberto Micheletti were no less flattering: “…[as president of Congress, he] directed it in an anti-democratic and authoritarian manner and … has had confrontations with various social sectors.”

These statements should be read in the light of other strong statements against the policies of President Mel Zelaya by the director of Caritas Honduras and the persistent disapproval of the bishops of the manner in which he was planning to consult the people.

Today, Monseñor Luis Alfonso Santos, SDB, bishop of Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, ordained three men as transitional deacons in San Marcos Ocotopeque. At the end of Mass the bishop read a long-awaited statement on the present crisis which was the result of the work of the bishops and his priests who had been meeting. The statement was interrupted as several times by the applause of the congregation. After the bishop finished, Father Rudy Mejía, pastoral vicar of the diocese, noted that the statement has the support of the priests as well as the diocesan pastoral council. It was written during a meeting of the bishop with the priests and a meeting with the diocesan pastoral council.

The Council's message identifies the persistent social inequality as the cause of the current crisis. It decries the restrictions on rights that Congress passed yesterday as well as the violations of human rights, including illegal detentions.

In a very pointed paragraph the pastoral councila call upon the members of Congress who voted in the Micheletti government:

As the Catholic Church on pilgrimage in the West of Honduras we want to remind the 124 [congressional] deputies of the Liberal Party and the National Party responsible for the Coup d’Etat and presently in power that they are not the owners/masters of Honduras and that no one can be above the law. The present deputies ought to remember that they get their salaries from the people whom they are oppressing. If the plebiscite and referendum had been given institutional status [regulated], as we the bishops of the Honduran Bishops Conference suggested in our communication of June 19, we would not be in this situation. They [the deputies] preferred to be faithful to the economically strong groups, both national and transnational. We hope that in the next elections the People will give them a vote of punishment.

In very passionate words they call for peace and the end of lies, injustice, and repression:

We Hondurans want PEACE.
No more lies. We want to be told the truth. No more injustice. We want respect for the integrity of the person and respect for human rights. We want to live in freedom. We do not want repression.
The call of Jesus is to live in love. Therefore, no more hatred, no more revenge, no more violence, no more spitefulness.

As I listened to Bishop Santos reading the message over the diocesan radio I was proud to be here, proud to be able to help. But I also realize that such prophetic words may bring suffering upon the bishop and those who work with him.

I got the text of the message at about 4 pm. I immediately started translating it and sending it out to as many people and groups as I can. I have posted my translation of the whole message below. Read it and send it on to friends and law makers.

We want peace – but a real peace. That peace will only come through major changes in this society that attack the causes of unrest – injustice, a massive gap between rich and poor, corruption, self-serving politicians (in all parties), lack of political participation, and a lack of respect shown for the campesinos.

Pray and work with us for a just Honduras.

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Revised slightly, correcting the site of the reading of the message, July 8, 2009.

Message of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán

The diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, faithful to the mission of announcing the Kingdom of God and of denouncing situations of injustice, asks all Hondurans to take profound efforts to re-establish social peace.
We, the great majority of Hondurans, do no want confrontations in the streets, civil wars, or wars with other peoples.
Therefore we ask the groups who have altered the public order to put all the good will they have into resolving by means of Dialogue the present crisis which has been produced by the social inequality in which we have always lived.

As those who are responsible for guiding the Catholic Church in Western Honduras, we repudiate the substance, the form, and the style with which a new Head of the Executive Branch has been imposed on the People. If President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales had committed something illegal he has the right to a just trial just like every Honduran citizen and in general every human being. Article 84 of the current Constitution says in its text, “No one can be arrested unless by virtue of a written command of the Competent Authority.”

The coup d’etat of June 28 has these consequences: protests of the citizenry in the streets and highways, a climate of insecurity and fear in families because of the limitation of constitutional rights, including:
The right to freedom of movement, freedom of association and to demonstrate, inviolability of one’s home, the right of private property, freedom of the press and of dissemination of ideas and opinions, personal freedom, including the right not to be detained administratively in a police station for more than 24 hours and [the right to] a limit of six days of investigative detention under judicial orders, which would lead to indefinite detentions. All this mentioned above is contained in the Decree about the “State of Exception” which was being drawn up yesterday, July 1, in the National Congress. With this we are coming near to a massive violation of human rights. In regard to this we especially repudiate:

• The violent manner in which Radio Progreso and other means of communication were silenced.
• Illegal detentions.
• The exiling of some countrymen/women.
• The bloody beatings and wounds.

As the Catholic Church on pilgrimage in the West of Honduras we want to remind the 124 [congressional] deputies of the Liberal Party and the National Party responsible for the Coup d’Etat and presently in power that they are not the owners/masters of Honduras and that no one can be above the law. The present deputies ought to remember that they get their salaries from the people whom they are oppressing. If the plebiscite and referendum had been given institutional status [regulated], as we the bishops of the Honduran Bishops Conference suggested in our communication of June 19, we would not be in this situation. They [the deputies] preferred to be faithful to the economically strong groups, both national and transnational. We hope that in the next elections the People will give them a vote of punishment.

We wish to remind everyone, especially the Armed Forces and the National Police, of the fifth commandment which says” “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13). This commandment forbids also beating, wounding, and all abuse of human beings who are created in the image and likeness of God and who are Temples of the Holy Spirit.

We regret every violation of the Constitution of the Republic which those who have governed us have been doing up to now. We reject every threat and meddling of foreign nations in the internal affairs of Honduras.

We Hondurans want PEACE.

No more lies. We want to be told the truth. No more injustice. We want respect for the integrity of the person and respect for human rights. We want to live in freedom. We do not want repression.

The call of Jesus is to live in love. Therefore, no more hatred, no more revenge, no more violence, no more spitefulness.

Jesus says in Mark 4:40, “Why do you have so much fear? How is it that you do not believe?” Inspired by these words of Jesus we invite all of you to trust in the merciful and saving presence of the Lord who accompanies us in our pilgrimage.

Let us intensify our prayer for Honduras.

Let us beg the Lord to grant that we may achieve Peace and prosperity and let us ask our patron, Saint Rose of Lima, to intercede for us.

Santa Rosa de Copán, July 1, 2009
Diocesan Pastoral Council

This message was delivered publicly by Monseñor Luis Alfonso Santos, SDB, bishop of the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, in San Marcos Ocotopeque, Honduras, on Thursday, July 2, 2009, at 12:30 pm.

Translated by John Donaghy.

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Revised slightly, correcting the site of the reading of the message, July 8, 2009.