1ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILITARY-OLIGARCHIC COUP IN HONDURAS: REPRESSION CONTINUES; RESISTANCE CONTINUES

FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILITARY-OLIGARCHIC COUP IN HONDURAS:

REPRESSION CONTINUES; RESISTANCE CONTINUES


"I was asking the police for a doctor because I felt like my skin was on fire and I could barely breath but they [the police] just laughed at me. They kept putting the tazer gun to my ear asking if I wanted to feel the shock again. It sent shivers through my entire body thinking about how it would feel." - Edwin Espinal

BELOW:

Illegal detention & torture of Edwin Robelo Espinal

Illegal detention of Berta Caceres, co-leader of COPINH


FOR INTERVIEWS & MORE INFORMATION:

Annie Bird, 1-202-680-3002 (annie@rightsaction.org)

Karen Spring, 011-504-9507-3835 (spring.kj@gmail.com)


WHAT TO DO: see below

* * *

THE 13TH ILLEGAL DETENTION OF EDWIN ESPINAL
By Karen Spring, Rights Action (in Honduras), July 10, 2010

Two days after the one-year anniversary of the resistance movement in Honduras, an active member of the movement, Edwin Robelo Espinal was detained and tortured in his neighbood, Flor del Campo, in Tegucigalpa.

Since the coup on June 28th 2009, Edwin has been in the streets participating in the pro-democracy movement and various activities of the resistance movement. He was accompanied by his partner, Wendy Elizabeth Avila until September 26th of last year when she was killed by tear gas shot at protesters in front of the Brazilian Embassy by police and military forces.

For full story on Wendy's death see the Fault Lines documentary: "100 days of Resistance"

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYY4vj9ROC0

Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upMu_oR2YUU&feature=channel

Since the coup, Edwin has been subject to various forms of psychological and physical intimidation and harassment from the police and military. He has been illegally detained more than 12 times, beaten up, shot at and pulled over by police without reason or cause ... and the intimidation that has continued since then is another instance of him being targeted for his strong participation in the pro-democracy movement.

* * *

"I was asking the police for a doctor because I felt like my skin was on fire and I could barely breath but they [the police] just laughed at me. They kept putting the tazer gun to my ear asking if I wanted to feel the shock again. It sent shivers through my entire body thinking about how it would feel." - Edwin Espinal

* * *

On the night of Wednesday, June 30th, as Edwin was standing on the side of the road next to his car chatting with friends in his neighbourhood, a police patrol with 5 police officers pulled over and began to harass Edwin asking for his license. Having not committed any driving offence (as he was standing on the road), the officers began harassing him telling him they were going to arrest him.

The 5 officers began pushing and hitting Edwin with their batons trying to force him into the back of their pick up truck. When unable to, the head officer named Vargas by the label on his uniform, pulled out pepper spray and holding the spray roughly 10cm from his face, sprayed Edwin all over his face, hands and exposed skin.

Totally blinded, beaten up and choking on the large amount of gas that had entered his mouth, he was forced into the back of the pick up truck and driven for 20 minutes to an unknown location.

The pick up truck was parked and Edwin was left lying in the back. In the 15 minutes the truck was parked, the police continued to harass and torture him. One officer fired the tazer gun close to his ear and asked Edwin if he knew what it was. After responding, no, Edwin was shocked in the stomach. His capturers took various pictures of him and asking him questions like why he was a Zelayista [supporter of overthrown President Zelaya], for how long has he been in the resistance movement, why he's a communist, etc.

Edwin was then taken to the 4th police station in Comeyaguela, still blinded by the gas and unaware of where he was. After entering the police station and unable to breath, see or handle the extreme burning feeling of his face, neck and arms, Edwin begged the officers to get him a doctor. The police laughed at him. He was then shocked again by a tazer gun where he fell to the floor convulsing and shaking.

He was then put into a jail cell and held over night until representatives from COFADEH (Committee of the Families of the Detained and Disappeared in Honduras) arrived at the police station at 9:00 am to get him released.

* * *

"The first thing that they [the police] did to him [Edwin] was throw gas on him to detain him. This is a form of psychological and physical torture as it was gas that killed his wife, Wendy, months earlier." - Berta Oliva, COFADEH

* * *

Edwin's strong participation in the resistance movement makes him a strong target of repression. "The police in my neighbourhood hate me. They know my truck and they know that I'm in the resistance movement."

Another reason Edwin believes he is targeted by the handful of police that patrol his neighbourhood is because he was the witness of the murder of Francisco Alvarado, a man killed in Edwin's neighbourhood on September 22, 2009 when various residents were on the street protesting after being evicted from the Brazilian Embassy.

"The police in my neighbourhood know that I know that they killed Francisco Alvarado that night. After he was shot, we were trying to take him to the hospital but they wouldn't let us. We were scared that if they [the police] took him that they would kill him on the way to the hospital."

The complexities of Edwin's case do not stop there. The same police that tortured him on June 30th continue to patrol his neighbourhood and he is forced to see them almost everyday close to his home.

Today, July 7, Edwin saw a few of the police officers from his neighbourhood at the grocery store. After leaving the store, one hour later and arriving at his house, 2 police officers, one of them in uniform (the same one he saw at the grocery store) and another in civilian clothes, were waiting at the entrance to the drive way that leads up to his house.

The officer in civilian clothes, Edwin recognized as Vargas, the same officer that had sprayed pepper spray in his face, detained him and participated in torturing him a week earlier. Upon seeing Edwin's car, Vargas waved and smiled at Edwin and then both officers hopped on a motorcycle and drove away.

To Edwin, the message was clear, 'We are watching you.' Both officers had known he would be arriving home shortly, had left the grocery store and had waited for him to arrive at his house.

* * * * * * *

WHAT TO DO

COFADEH has made a formal complaint regarding Edwin's case to the Public Prosecutor's Office and urges the national and international community to contact the individuals below and:

Demand that the Honduran authorities guarantee the safety of Edwin Robelo Espinal to carry out a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the acts of intimidation, illegal arrests and torture that violate fundamental human rights of Edwin Robelo, to make public the results and bring those responsible for these acts to justice.

Ensure the safety of all people exercising their right to association and free expression.

Direct their communications to the following Honduran authorities:

Jorge Alberto Rivera Avilés
Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia
Tel (504) 269-3000, 269-3069
cedij@poderjudicial.gob.hn

Luis Alberto Rubí
Fiscal General de la República.
Fax (504) 221-5667
Tel (504) 221-5670 221-3099
lrubi@mp.hn, suazog@mp.hn

Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras, COFADEH
Barrio La Plazuela, Ave. Cervantes, Casa No. 1301. Apdo. Postal No. 1243, Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.
Tel/Fax (504) 220-5280 / 220-7147, cofadeh@sdnhon.org.hn, www.cofadeh.org

* * * * * * *

BERTHA CACERES DENOUNCES ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND ILEGAL DETENTION

COPINH is a human rights organization whose activists have received countless threats and harassment following the 2009 coup in Honduras. The following denunciation is presented within this context:

Román Castro and Bertha Cáceres, members of COPINH were illegally and arbitrarily detained on 27 June 2010. In Bertha's case, the following occurred:

Following a phone call received about the organization of the 28 June activities -- the anniversary of the oligarchic-military coup -- and Mr. Castro's detention, COPINH's General Coordinator Bertha Cáceres was on her way to the Utopía Center. This center is located near the police station on the road from La Esperanza to Siguatepeque. Upon seeing COPINH's car at the station, she stopped.

She got out and introduced herself as a member of the COPINH directorate to the police officer in charge, Inspector Velásquez. When she asked why the car and its occupants had been detained, he responded that surely they had been stealing.

She then responded that it was a very serious accusation he was making and that he could not do that without proof. The inspector responded that he could do whatever he wanted. Bertha told him that this was illegal. She then stated that she had been notified that they had taken away 400 "sovereign declarations" from her companions and demanded their return. She also stated that the Army and the corrupt and repressive Police were going to be abolished with the new Constitution.

Inspector Velásquez became violent and ordered Bertha´s detention. When she responded that there was no reason for this, he again told her that he could do whatever he wanted. At that moment, he attacked Bertha, grabbing her arm and hitting her on the back. Then he told the other police officers, about 15 others were present, that they take her away because otherwise he was going to badly beat her.

The police put her into the patrol car and brought her to the police station. Once there they did not read her rights to her nor did they present any formal accusation against her. She was, however, detained for a few hours. When Commissioner Fuentes arrived, he stated that he was sorry for the action against her and that the best thing would be to sign a legal document (acta). Since there was no reason for this, Bertha refused. They released her. Upon which, she explained that there was another detained companion and solicited his release.

Both were released.

The 400 sovereign declarations were returned. On June 29, 2010 Bertha Cáceres, as COPINH's General Coordinator, presented a denunciation to the before the Attorney General´s Office against Inspector Velásquez and Preventive Police agents for the crime of abuse of authority and illegal detention.

It is very important to mention that the Inter American Commission on Human Rights has granted protective measures to Bertha Cáceres and all the COPINH activists.

Intibucá- Honduras, 29 June 2010

= = =
WHAT TO DO

FUNDS ARE NEEDED:

Since the coup, June 28, 2009, Rights Action has sent over $100,000 to community based Honduran organizations doing a range of work: community development education and organizing; human rights defense and promotion; media (radio, publications and internet); human rights accompaniment; reporting; emergency support for victims or repression and human rights violations; transportation; communication (phone, internet); camera work (film and still); travel to forums and negotiations; etc..

TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS

To support the Honduras pro-community development, pro-democracy, anti-military coup movement and to support the real Truth Commission, make check payable to "Rights Action" and mail to:

UNITED STATES: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887

CANADA: 552 - 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A0in8

CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS: http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm

* * *

Threats Against Carlos Amador, Member of the Siria Valley Environmental Committee, Which has Opposed Goldcorp Gold Mining in Honduras Since 2000

The Goldcorp San Marlin mine from a distance in Siria Valley, Honduras


From May 7-22, Carlos Amador will be on a speaking tour in Ontario, Canada, as lead up to Goldcorp Inc’s Annual Shareholder Meeting, May 19th, in Toronto. Carlos will be speaking along with Javier de Leon, from the Goldcorp Inc affected communities in Guatemala, and Karen Spring of Rights Action.

* * * * * * *

THREATS AGAINST CARLOS AMADOR, MEMBER OF THE SIRIA VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS OPPOSED GOLDCORP GOLD MINING IN HONDURAS SINCE 2000
By Annie Bird and Karen Spring, April 29, 2010

On April 13, 2010, 15 armed police arrived at the middle school where Carlos Amador, a teacher and founding member of the Siria Valley Environmental Committee, works. They approached the school with guns raised in attack position.

When they were unable to find Carlos, the police next went to his house which they also approached with raised guns and interrogated his two minor daughters as to his whereabouts.

At his home, the police left a citation calling Carlos to meet with an investigator for the National Office of Criminal Investigation. Upon arriving at the meeting and in contrary to regular legal proceedings, the investigator took Carlos along with a lawyer from COFADEH, a human rights organization, to the district attorney’s office where he was questioned about the Committee’s work in the Siria Valley. These questions included, "who are the leaders of the committee", "where do they live", "when does the committee meet", etc.

These acts of intimidation against Carlos and his family occur at a time when death squad violence and repression by State security forces are being carried out across Honduras against those who have opposed the military coup.

While most members of the Committee support the coup resistance movement, the mining company (Goldcorp Inc’s subsidiary Entre Mares) shipped some workers and other locals on buses – giving them $20 cash each - to staged protests in favor of the June 28, 2009 military coup against the elected government of President Zelaya.

GOLDCORP ALLIES ATTEMPT ILLEGAL LOGGING, RESULTING IN ONE DEATH AND TWO INJURIES

This intimidation against Carlos Amador and Siria Valley Environmental Committee also occurred following a violent confrontation between security guards and five communities in the municipality of El Porvenir, which resulted in one death and two injured people.

On April 7th, armed security guards from a private security company reportedly owned by the Raudales Urrutia family attempted to bring in heavy machinery to conduct logging on a 600 hectare plot of land owned by the communities in El Porvenir.

Community members claim that the Raudales Urrutia family illegally obtained “title” to the land two years prior and, in fact, have no right to the land or the trees. These five communities hold land titles dating from the year 1800, and the communities have been soliciting that the Institute for Environmental Conservation declare the area a protected area. The forested hill sits between the five communities and is the source of drinking water for those communities.

The sub-soil mineral rights below this particular 600 hectare plot were conceded years before by the Honduran government, with no prior consultation with or consent from the local communities, to Goldcorp subsidiary Entre Mares, which has been trying to expand their gold mining operations in Siria Valley despite strong community resistance.

The close relationship the Raudales Urrutia family maintains with Goldcorp leads neighbors to believe the family will permit Goldcorp/ Entre Mares to expand their operations onto the plot.

“FAVOURABLE” CONDITIONS FOR CANADIAN INVESTORS

Just one day before the confrontation in Siria Valley, Canadian ambassador to Honduras, Neil Reeder, along with Patrick Downey (from Canadian mining company Aura Minerals Inc.) and investor David Petroff met with regime leader Pepe Lobo to express interest in increasing Canadian investments in the mining and textile sweatshop industries, amounting – the Canadians claimed - to $700 million in investments.

During their visit, no mention was made of the repressive political situation in Honduras or the illegitimacy of the Lobo government.

Armed aggression by paramilitaries and private security guards at the service of landholders with dubious legal rights over lands have increased dramatically across Honduras, fueled by favorable (and quite brutal) political conditions ushered in by the June 28, 2009 military coup.

These ‘favorable’ conditions continue under the presidency of Pepe Lobo. His regime is comprised almost entirely of the same people who planned and carried out the military coup.

All six military generals who spearheaded the coup were not only exonerated of criminal responsibility in a sham trial in January 2009, but continue to occupy key government positions.

OUSTED HONDURAN PRESIDENT STOOD UP TO MINING INTERESTS

Goldcorp, having completed exploitation of their first tract, the Palo Alto y Tajo la Rosa concession, is apparently anxious to begin exploitation of neighboring concessions, such as the area whose clear cutting spurred the conflict earlier this month.

Goldcorp Inc’s superficial and controversial closure plan was rejected by neighbors as it did not take adequate measures to cleanup the massive use of cyanide nor the dangerous presence of heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury, among others, which have been demonstrated to exceed internationally established standards in Siria Valley water systems, and in the bodies of the residents.

Goldcorp’s Closure Plan was not accepted by the administration of then President Manuel Zelaya, which in April 2009 created an inter-institutional commission to examine the plan and the impact of Goldcorp’s operations in the region.

On March 18, 2010, Goldcorp announced to the press that the Closure Plan had been approved, although authorization of the plan had not actually yet been obtained. Another hurdle faced by Goldcorp was a moratorium on new mining operations that the militarily ousted government of President Zelaya brought into force.

The moratorium was enacted through a presidential decree issued by the President Zelaya in 2007 which banned the exploitation of new mining concessions using certain techniques. A 2008 ruling by the Supreme Court supported the Presidential Decree, finding sections of the 1998 General Mining Law, that was approved by the corrupted Honduras Congress during a “state of emergency” following Hurricane Mitch, to be unconstitutional.

This highly unpopular 1998 mining law ushered in a fire sale of mining concessions. A new mining law is needed by mining companies to define the procedure they must follow to enter into exploitation of the concessions they hold.

On April 27, 2009 President Manuel Zelaya proposed a mining law that banned open pit mining and the use of certain chemicals, such as cyanide, in the refining process. This law would have made impossible any expansion plans by mining companies, such as Goldcorp.

In February 2010, the post-coup Congress began debating a new mining law.

IMPUNITY FAVORS MINERS WHILE ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE KILLED AND INTIMIDATED

A myriad of legal actions have been presented against mining interests in Honduras, yet only the constitutional challenge has been ruled upon. The Siria Valley Environmental Committee alone has advanced at least 25 legal actions.

In 2000, criminal contamination charges resulted in arrest warrants against a Canadian Simon Ridgeway, legal representative for Entre Mares, the local company that owns the San Martin mine, a company now subsidiary to Goldcorp. The arrest warrant was never carried out, and in a similar way the investigation or prosecution of many other charges has never advanced.

This impunity (the lack of investigation or prosecution of grave crimes) and politically motivated biased and false legal actions carried out to intimidate rights defenders, such as the April 13, 2010 actions against Carlos Amador and his family, are the tools with which the politically and economically influential have been able to sustain illegal land titles or activities.

These illegal actions - within the justice system - are some of the many reasons that a massive movement in Honduras is calling to draft a new constitution.

Past acts of violence that some believe to be associated with the Goldcorp’s San Martin mine also remain covered up by impunity. In 2005, outspoken mine opponent and Committee member Jose Coello was shot while traveling, but not robbed and was not known to be involved in any personal conflicts; his murder has not been clarified.

In 2003, Teodoro Martinez, a Tulupan indigenous community leader who had opposed Entre Mare’s plans to use community water for gold refining, was beheaded. Many blamed the mine for the still unclarified death.

The Grupo Golan security company, in charge of Entre Mares (at the time owned by Glamis Gold) security at the time of Martinez’s killing, was blamed for an atmosphere of terror in the area.

(The Golan security company was also employed by the Glamis Gold, now Goldcorp Inc. subsidiary Montana Exploradora, in Guatemala. In 2005 a Golan security guard shot and killed the son of a mine opponent in Guatemala. In 2007 a neighbor of the Goldcorp mine in Guatemala who opposed that mine was also beheaded in the same manner as Martinez, and some neighbors suspected mine involvement.)

* * *

Beyond harmful mining operations, another example of impunity across Honduras and the region has been the irregular acquisition of land titles by politically influential, wealthy and powerful strongmen. Over the history of Honduras, this has generated tremendous levels of poverty, violence and political instability.

Historically, international military interventions in favor of business interests (originally and most notably in the banana sector), particularly interventions from the United States, have long wreaked havoc on Honduras.

Canadian mining interests are now also clearly lending political support to the June 28, 2009 military coup and the subsequent regime, the latest chapter in the long history of repressive interventions to subvert attempts by Hondurans to build a real democracy and rule of law, to build a just and fair economic-development model, and to defend their fundamental human rights against transnational economic interests.

* * * * * * *

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES & MATERIALS

SPEAKING TOUR, ONTARIO (CANADA), MAY 2010: “Community resistance to harmful mining in Guatemala & Honduras” – with Carlos Amador (Honduras), Javier de Leon (Guatemala) and Karen Spring (Rights Action). To host an event, contact Karen: spring.kj@gmail.com, 416-951-0319

DELEGATION TO HONDURAS, JUNE 26-JULY 4: First anniversary of June 28, 2009 oligarchic-military coup against the elected government (For information, contact Annie: annie@rightsaction.org)

NEW BOOK: “CODE Z59.5: There Is Only One People Here”, by Grahame Russell. Code Z59.5 is a series of diary excerpts (comments, facts, quotes, etc.) from the 1990s and 2000s, related to the author’s work in Central America, Mexico and North America, in defense of human rights. TO ORDER: info@rightsaction.org

* * *

JOIN our listserv. Click: http://www.rightsaction.org

JOIN our newsletter mail list. Send name and address to: info@rightsaction.org

CREATE YOUR OWN email and mail lists and re-distribute our information

RECOMMENDED DAILY NEWS: www.democracynow.org / www.upsidedownworld.org / www.dominionpaper.ca

RECOMMENDED BOOKS: Eduardo Galeano’s “Open Veins of Latin America”; Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”; Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine”; Paolo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”; Dr Seuss’s “Horton Hears A Who”

EDUCATION IN YOUR HOME COMMUNITY
Contact us to plan educational presentations in your own community, school, place of worship, home (info@rightsaction.org)

EDUCATIONAL DELEGATIONS TO CENTRAL AMERICA
Form your own group or join one of our delegations to learn first hand about community development, human rights and environmental struggles (info@rightsaction.org)

MORE INFORMATION: info@rightsaction.org, www.rightsaction.org

* * * * * * *






From May 7-22, Carlos Amador will be on a speaking tour in Ontario, Canada, as lead up to Goldcorp Inc’s Annual Shareholder Meeting, May 19th, in Toronto. Carlos will be speaking along with Javier de Leon, from the Goldcorp Inc affected communities in Guatemala, and Karen Spring of Rights Action.

* * * * * * *

THREATS AGAINST CARLOS AMADOR, MEMBER OF THE SIRIA VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS OPPOSED GOLDCORP GOLD MINING IN HONDURAS SINCE 2000
By Annie Bird and Karen Spring, April 29, 2010

On April 13, 2010, 15 armed police arrived at the middle school where Carlos Amador, a teacher and founding member of the Siria Valley Environmental Committee, works. They approached the school with guns raised in attack position.

When they were unable to find Carlos, the police next went to his house which they also approached with raised guns and interrogated his two minor daughters as to his whereabouts.

At his home, the police left a citation calling Carlos to meet with an investigator for the National Office of Criminal Investigation. Upon arriving at the meeting and in contrary to regular legal proceedings, the investigator took Carlos along with a lawyer from COFADEH, a human rights organization, to the district attorney’s office where he was questioned about the Committee’s work in the Siria Valley. These questions included, "who are the leaders of the committee", "where do they live", "when does the committee meet", etc.

These acts of intimidation against Carlos and his family occur at a time when death squad violence and repression by State security forces are being carried out across Honduras against those who have opposed the military coup.

While most members of the Committee support the coup resistance movement, the mining company (Goldcorp Inc’s subsidiary Entre Mares) shipped some workers and other locals on buses – giving them $20 cash each - to staged protests in favor of the June 28, 2009 military coup against the elected government of President Zelaya.

GOLDCORP ALLIES ATTEMPT ILLEGAL LOGGING, RESULTING IN ONE DEATH AND TWO INJURIES

This intimidation against Carlos Amador and Siria Valley Environmental Committee also occurred following a violent confrontation between security guards and five communities in the municipality of El Porvenir, which resulted in one death and two injured people.

On April 7th, armed security guards from a private security company reportedly owned by the Raudales Urrutia family attempted to bring in heavy machinery to conduct logging on a 600 hectare plot of land owned by the communities in El Porvenir.

Community members claim that the Raudales Urrutia family illegally obtained “title” to the land two years prior and, in fact, have no right to the land or the trees. These five communities hold land titles dating from the year 1800, and the communities have been soliciting that the Institute for Environmental Conservation declare the area a protected area. The forested hill sits between the five communities and is the source of drinking water for those communities.

The sub-soil mineral rights below this particular 600 hectare plot were conceded years before by the Honduran government, with no prior consultation with or consent from the local communities, to Goldcorp subsidiary Entre Mares, which has been trying to expand their gold mining operations in Siria Valley despite strong community resistance.

The close relationship the Raudales Urrutia family maintains with Goldcorp leads neighbors to believe the family will permit Goldcorp/ Entre Mares to expand their operations onto the plot.

“FAVOURABLE” CONDITIONS FOR CANADIAN INVESTORS

Just one day before the confrontation in Siria Valley, Canadian ambassador to Honduras, Neil Reeder, along with Patrick Downey (from Canadian mining company Aura Minerals Inc.) and investor David Petroff met with regime leader Pepe Lobo to express interest in increasing Canadian investments in the mining and textile sweatshop industries, amounting – the Canadians claimed - to $700 million in investments.

During their visit, no mention was made of the repressive political situation in Honduras or the illegitimacy of the Lobo government.

Armed aggression by paramilitaries and private security guards at the service of landholders with dubious legal rights over lands have increased dramatically across Honduras, fueled by favorable (and quite brutal) political conditions ushered in by the June 28, 2009 military coup.

These ‘favorable’ conditions continue under the presidency of Pepe Lobo. His regime is comprised almost entirely of the same people who planned and carried out the military coup.

All six military generals who spearheaded the coup were not only exonerated of criminal responsibility in a sham trial in January 2009, but continue to occupy key government positions.

OUSTED HONDURAN PRESIDENT STOOD UP TO MINING INTERESTS

Goldcorp, having completed exploitation of their first tract, the Palo Alto y Tajo la Rosa concession, is apparently anxious to begin exploitation of neighboring concessions, such as the area whose clear cutting spurred the conflict earlier this month.

Goldcorp Inc’s superficial and controversial closure plan was rejected by neighbors as it did not take adequate measures to cleanup the massive use of cyanide nor the dangerous presence of heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury, among others, which have been demonstrated to exceed internationally established standards in Siria Valley water systems, and in the bodies of the residents.

Goldcorp’s Closure Plan was not accepted by the administration of then President Manuel Zelaya, which in April 2009 created an inter-institutional commission to examine the plan and the impact of Goldcorp’s operations in the region.

On March 18, 2010, Goldcorp announced to the press that the Closure Plan had been approved, although authorization of the plan had not actually yet been obtained. Another hurdle faced by Goldcorp was a moratorium on new mining operations that the militarily ousted government of President Zelaya brought into force.

The moratorium was enacted through a presidential decree issued by the President Zelaya in 2007 which banned the exploitation of new mining concessions using certain techniques. A 2008 ruling by the Supreme Court supported the Presidential Decree, finding sections of the 1998 General Mining Law, that was approved by the corrupted Honduras Congress during a “state of emergency” following Hurricane Mitch, to be unconstitutional.

This highly unpopular 1998 mining law ushered in a fire sale of mining concessions. A new mining law is needed by mining companies to define the procedure they must follow to enter into exploitation of the concessions they hold.

On April 27, 2009 President Manuel Zelaya proposed a mining law that banned open pit mining and the use of certain chemicals, such as cyanide, in the refining process. This law would have made impossible any expansion plans by mining companies, such as Goldcorp.

In February 2010, the post-coup Congress began debating a new mining law.

IMPUNITY FAVORS MINERS WHILE ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE KILLED AND INTIMIDATED

A myriad of legal actions have been presented against mining interests in Honduras, yet only the constitutional challenge has been ruled upon. The Siria Valley Environmental Committee alone has advanced at least 25 legal actions.

In 2000, criminal contamination charges resulted in arrest warrants against a Canadian Simon Ridgeway, legal representative for Entre Mares, the local company that owns the San Martin mine, a company now subsidiary to Goldcorp. The arrest warrant was never carried out, and in a similar way the investigation or prosecution of many other charges has never advanced.

This impunity (the lack of investigation or prosecution of grave crimes) and politically motivated biased and false legal actions carried out to intimidate rights defenders, such as the April 13, 2010 actions against Carlos Amador and his family, are the tools with which the politically and economically influential have been able to sustain illegal land titles or activities.

These illegal actions - within the justice system - are some of the many reasons that a massive movement in Honduras is calling to draft a new constitution.

Past acts of violence that some believe to be associated with the Goldcorp’s San Martin mine also remain covered up by impunity. In 2005, outspoken mine opponent and Committee member Jose Coello was shot while traveling, but not robbed and was not known to be involved in any personal conflicts; his murder has not been clarified.

In 2003, Teodoro Martinez, a Tulupan indigenous community leader who had opposed Entre Mare’s plans to use community water for gold refining, was beheaded. Many blamed the mine for the still unclarified death.

The Grupo Golan security company, in charge of Entre Mares (at the time owned by Glamis Gold) security at the time of Martinez’s killing, was blamed for an atmosphere of terror in the area.

(The Golan security company was also employed by the Glamis Gold, now Goldcorp Inc. subsidiary Montana Exploradora, in Guatemala. In 2005 a Golan security guard shot and killed the son of a mine opponent in Guatemala. In 2007 a neighbor of the Goldcorp mine in Guatemala who opposed that mine was also beheaded in the same manner as Martinez, and some neighbors suspected mine involvement.)

* * *

Beyond harmful mining operations, another example of impunity across Honduras and the region has been the irregular acquisition of land titles by politically influential, wealthy and powerful strongmen. Over the history of Honduras, this has generated tremendous levels of poverty, violence and political instability.

Historically, international military interventions in favor of business interests (originally and most notably in the banana sector), particularly interventions from the United States, have long wreaked havoc on Honduras.

Canadian mining interests are now also clearly lending political support to the June 28, 2009 military coup and the subsequent regime, the latest chapter in the long history of repressive interventions to subvert attempts by Hondurans to build a real democracy and rule of law, to build a just and fair economic-development model, and to defend their fundamental human rights against transnational economic interests.

* * * * * * *

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES & MATERIALS

SPEAKING TOUR, ONTARIO (CANADA), MAY 2010: “Community resistance to harmful mining in Guatemala & Honduras” – with Carlos Amador (Honduras), Javier de Leon (Guatemala) and Karen Spring (Rights Action). To host an event, contact Karen: spring.kj@gmail.com, 416-951-0319

DELEGATION TO HONDURAS, JUNE 26-JULY 4: First anniversary of June 28, 2009 oligarchic-military coup against the elected government (For information, contact Annie: annie@rightsaction.org)

NEW BOOK: “CODE Z59.5: There Is Only One People Here”, by Grahame Russell. Code Z59.5 is a series of diary excerpts (comments, facts, quotes, etc.) from the 1990s and 2000s, related to the author’s work in Central America, Mexico and North America, in defense of human rights. TO ORDER: info@rightsaction.org

* * *

JOIN our listserv. Click: http://www.rightsaction.org

JOIN our newsletter mail list. Send name and address to: info@rightsaction.org

CREATE YOUR OWN email and mail lists and re-distribute our information

RECOMMENDED DAILY NEWS: www.democracynow.org / www.upsidedownworld.org / www.dominionpaper.ca

RECOMMENDED BOOKS: Eduardo Galeano’s “Open Veins of Latin America”; Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”; Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine”; Paolo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”; Dr Seuss’s “Horton Hears A Who”

EDUCATION IN YOUR HOME COMMUNITY
Contact us to plan educational presentations in your own community, school, place of worship, home (info@rightsaction.org)

EDUCATIONAL DELEGATIONS TO CENTRAL AMERICA
Form your own group or join one of our delegations to learn first hand about community development, human rights and environmental struggles (info@rightsaction.org)

MORE INFORMATION: info@rightsaction.org, www.rightsaction.org

* * * * * * *

Work Brigade to Rebuild and Relaunch Radio Faluma Bimetu, "The First Garifuna Voice"

Encuentro for the Right to Disseminate our Voices

Triunfo de la Cruz, Honduras, February 1st through 7th

The call:

Radio Faluma Bimetu, OFRANEH, and COMPPA call for participation and support in the reconstruction and re-launching of Radio Faluma Bimetu in the Garífuna community Triunfo de la Cruz, in the Tela Bay, Honduras, during the first week of February.

What happened:

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 6th, the Garífuna community radio Faluma Bimetu (Sweet Coconut) based in Triunfo de la Cruz was burnt down by unknown armed individuals who proceeded to loot the station’s radio equipment. This is not the first time the radio has been attacked and its equipment stolen.

In 2002, unknown persons stole the Faluma Bimetu transmitter and other key radio equipment. The Garífuna people are in resistance to a slow process of forced assimilation into the dominant culture by proponents of the tourist industry and mass media; and subject to evictions by corrupt corporate monopolies.

Transmission of Radio Faluma Bimetu began in 1997, promoted by the Land Defense Committee of Triunfo de la Cruz (CODETT) in order to strengthen Garífuna culture and defend ancestral lands.

Triunfo de la Cruz, like other Tela Bay-Garífuna communities, has become a conflict zone since the invasion of venture capitalists, politicians, and foreign investors attempting to seize community land for the construction of mega–tourism projects. The Garífuna community radios provide a social service to the community and do not generate private profit. Transmitting from Triunfo de la Cruz, Faluma Bimetu is necessary in the fight against Honduran elite, and its attempts to displace Garífuna communities for more corporate development and tourism.

International Brigade


From the 1st through the 7th of February, there will be a national and international brigade for the reconstruction and re-launching of Radio Faluma Bimetu. During the week, the community, the organizations, the Network of Indigenous and Garífuna radios in Honduras and Central America and citizens of the world will gather to collectively reconstruct and reinstall the house, production and transmission cabins. We will reinstall electricity, paint the walls, remove and replace the roof, rebuild the tables, put a fence around the radio, and reinstall radio equipment (including mixers microphones, headphones, transmitters, computers, CD players, and internet, etc.)

During the same week, OFRANEH will organize accompaniment (day visits and overnight trips) with other radios of the Network of Garífuna Community Radios: Radio Durugubuti Beibei in San Juan Tela and Radio Sugua in Sambo Creek. Come with us and meet the people of OFRANEH, who use community radios and popular communications to fight against the censorship of Garífuna voices and culture.


Encuentro for the Right to Disseminate Our Voices:

On February 6th, exactly a month after Radio Faluma Bimetu was attacked, there will be an Encuentro for the right to communication and for the democratization of the media. It will take place in the same community of Triunfo de la Cruz. Participants include representatives of the Network of Indigenous and Garífuna Radios of Central America, AMARC Honduras, Central America and Latin America, ALBATV (Venezuela), Rights Action, COMPPA, OFRANEH and COPINH, among other regional, national and international organizations.
Inauguration of Faluma Bimetu:

Saturday, February 6th, Faluma Bimetu will be re–inaugurated. The inauguration will include cultural ceremonies, music, art, and declarations against the politics of marginalization and erasure.

Solidarity and Support:

We need $7,500 dollars to rebuild Faluma Bimetu and get it back on the air. Join our work party or support us with what you are able (5$ dollars and up). Raise your voice and help defend the communication rights in this effort to rebuild Radio Faluma Bimetu.

Send your donations quickly and conveniently with PAYPAL or with a CREDIT CARD, send your paypal donation to encuentro@radioscomunitarias.info or make a donation via http://www.comppa.org/wordpress

Or, send a donation directly to OFRANEH´s account in Honduras using this information:

Account No. 3100023062, Banco Atlántida, SWIFT ATTDHNTE, La Ceiba, Atlántida, Honduras C.A.
Finally, you can make a tax deductible donation by sending a check to Rights Action.

Make the check out to "Rights Action" and mail it to:
• UNITED STATES: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
• CANADA: 552 - 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8

Please write "Ofraneh-Radio" in the memo line.
For more information on how to participate and support Faluma Bimetu, contact us:

encuentro@radioscomunitarias.info

http://www.radioscomunitarias.info

http://www.comppa.org/wordpress


For more information please consult the following links:

VIDEO:

Antes y Después del Atentado Contra Faluma Bimetu

Before and After the Attack of Radio Faluma Bimetu
Collection of Denouncements, Audios, and Letters of Solidarity

http://honduras.mediosindependientes.org
OFRANEH:

Honduran Black Fraternal Organization, OFRANEH

Telephone (504) 4420618, (504) 4500058

email: ofraneh@yahoo.com

http://www.ofraneh.org

COMPPA:

Popular Communicators for Autonomy

comppa@comppa.org

http://www.comppa.org



A partial list of equipment stolen or damaged during the attack:

1 – 500 watt transmitter

1- 10 channel mixer

2- desktop computers

1- cellphone for the station

1- air conditioner

1- dvd and cd player

4- microphones (2 condensed mics and y 2 handheld mics)

2-digital voice recorders

2 – headphones

2- speakers

2 –portable microphones

1- building material ($500.00 corrugated metal roofing, paint, and lumber)

1- electrical wiring


As OFRANEH and COMPPA, our hearts and solidarity go out to the Haitian people. To support the many rescue and relief efforts in Haiti, visit the following pages and support their work:

http://rightsaction.org/Alerts/Haiti_Earthquake_011310a.html

https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=earthquake&subsource=homepage

http://www.haitiaction.net/About/HERF/1_12_10.html

Outspoken Community Activist & Teacher Fired from Her Job For Speaking out Against Goldcorp's Operations in Guatemala

Her young son suffers from periodic outbreaks of rashes all over his body.

This interview was done in January 2009 with an indigenous Mayan Mam woman from a community located next to the mine. She is a school teacher and a mother in search of a cure for her baby's rash.

Recently, this community activist & teacher who has spoken out both nationally and internationally about the violations and negative impacts that Canadian mining company, Goldcorp Inc. is causing in her community & the region of Guatemala.

She asked that her name not be published.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I am from another town in San Miguel Ixtahuacán. I live here now, after
arriving a few years ago to work in the school.

HOW WAS THE TOWN’S SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
Everything was calm. I arrived at the school. People were very nice and
united. When the mine started, everything started to change. Six years ago,no, not that much, maybe three years ago this started… everything changed.

HOW DID EVERYTHING CHANGE?
People became divided. People are more conflictive, rude, and arrogant.
Everything has changed. The environment too. Because we would go out for walks in the mountains with the children, we would go see the leaves, plant leaves. Now we don’t see the mountains, only dust that comes from there because the school is very close to the mine.

WHAT CHANGED IN THE ENVIRONMENT?
The environment is hotter, and more so with the dust. Before it wasn’t like
this, we would go out for walks in the mountains with the children and we
would go by foot because there was no road. We liked to go in the mountains with the children until Salem, it was very humid. There’s only dust.

We don’t take the children out anymore because where would we go with them?
Only there inside. We don’t go out for anything. We cannot go walking to
other towns, on other paths, because it is private property, danger to cross
through, restricted places, we can’t go. We are shut in. We lost inter-
school, inter- classroom communication.

AND THE WATER AVAILABILTY CHANGED SINCE THE MINE CAME?
When I arrived there was water. There was even water in the school. We would water with hoses in the classroom. The children washed their hands. But not any more. We go to the school bathroom and there is no water and the sanitary sink is dry. We don’t water anymore. The school does not get water anymore and the children don’t wash. Only sometimes is there water.

ACCORDING TO YOU, HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE SKIN PROBLEMS IN THE TOWN’S SCHOOL?
15 children between 6 and 14 years of age.

HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE IN THE SCHOOL?
Nearly 180.

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME IN THE TOWN’S RECENT HISTORY THAT ONE HAS OBSERVED SO
MANY CHILDREN ILL OR WITH SKIN PROBLEMS?
Yes, it is the first time in 10 years that one has observed so many.

WHAT DO THE PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN SAY ABOUT THESE ILLNESSES?
Nothing.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHY NOT?
The important thing is that they have money. We have talked to them but they say: “I treated him, but he does not get better” but who knows… because they don’t want to say anything. The teachers have spoken to some parents and they were told that they don’t want to go to the mine to show their children, “no” they say… until some of them die because a baby has already died.

A BABY DIED?
She is an abandoned mother. Her husband was in the mine and he looked for another woman. She stayed home with her children and did not have a way to treat her baby. She didn’t have money, nor food or anything. She cried and…she didn’t have a way, not even to talk about it. And her baby died.

HOW WOULD QUALIFY YOUR OWN HEALTH LEVEL: EXCELLENT, GOOD, BAD, OR VERY BAD?
Bad, because my son does not get better. He continues with this. He has had this rash for 10 months. He is a year and half old, but he started this when he was 3 months old.

WHERE IS THE RASH ON HIS BODY?
On his entire body from his face to his feet, to the tips of his toes. He
had a lot on his feet and now they are on his legs, his face, and his
fingers.

DID YOU GO TO A DOCTOR?
I went everywhere. I went to Guatemala City for my son’s rash. I went to San Marcos and Huehuetenango. I used homemade medicines. Now he has the rash on his leg. I went to dermatologists, pediatricians, doctors like that, general medicine.

WAS A BLOOD TEST DONE ON YOUR BABY?
They took a skin sample, a blood test, but they did not tell me if there
were heavy metals and they did not give me the results.

WHAT DID YOU DO ATTEMPT TO SOLVE YOUR BABY’S SKIN PROBLEMS?
I already used medicine for scabbies—but it is not scabbies because I had
already used soap, creams, lotions, and I even boiled his clothes in water
with bleach… and I boiled the water and the clothes were destroyed in the
water… yes, I threw away the clothes, but nothing happened!

Because they told me it was due to fleas. But I don’t have any animal. I
don’t have a dog, cat, nothing, not even chickens. Because if it were due to dogs-- dogs sometimes give fleas-- I don’t have one. Mosquitoes, they said, but that is not possible.


All the medications and creams she has tried to cure the periodic outbreaks of rashes on her son's body.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE REACTIONS THAT YOUR BABY HAS WITH HIS PROBLEMS?
He cries a lot, cries, and it is like he feels uncomfortable. When I bathed
him, he felt calmer. My baby suffered a lot. Now he is 11 months old.

YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DIVISION AMONG THE COMMUNITIES’
FAMILIES. IN YOUR OPINION, WHY IS THIS?
I recognize that people do not get along and they are always fighting, being
divided… and those are in favor of the mine and those are against, so they
two parts are fighting. They always fight for the mine’s cause because they
are in agreement for money. And they don’t take health into account. Even if they are getting sick, they continue there.. I know a father of a family who got ill in the mine.

HOW DID THIS MAN GET SICK? WHAT DOES HE HAVE?
Oh God, he is only sick. They found metals in his blood, but he does not
have results. Headache, fever, red eyes. His work is surely the cause of his illness.

An intestinal infection—a big one—struck him. The doctor told him that he
swallowed some chemical powder and a horrible illness struck him. He almost died. The doctor said to him “You are ready for death. Where do you eat?” and he explained where he ate.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE RESISTANCE ORGANIZED BY THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE MARLIN MINE?
Truly from my heart, I have wanted people to rise up. That is what I have
wanted, that all the people recognize their reality. But they don’t do it.
They don’t do it. There are several of us who would like the people to wake
up but they don’t want to. Oh no! The mine, oh God, they are so good! They are providing projects with the hopes that the people shut up.…

Over 6,000 Marchers Kick Off New Year in Honduras - YES TO ALBA

The National Front Against the Coup kicked off the New Year with a march yesterday that brought over 6,000 people into the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.



The masses of Hondurans, groups and organizations that participated, marched to condemn the desire of the Congress to remove Honduras from ALBA (The Bolivarian Alliance For the People’s of Our America), an organization proposed by Venezuela to promote social, political and economic cooperation amongst Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Through ALBA, Honduras was receiving various benefits according to resistance movement leader, Rafael Alegria, including heavy machinery, economic support for the agricultural sector, doctors and medical support and teachers specializing in literacy, benefits that favour the poorest sectors of society in the country and region.


Signs reads "Con ALBA, Honduras can become declared a country free of illiteracy"

According to the National Front Against the Coup, the removal of Honduras from the agreement on the part of the Congress signifies that “the coup was carried out to stop needed social transformation” and “that the privileged groups are trying to destroy the conquests of popular social organizations” in Honduras.

Marchers also condemned the issue of amnesty for the coup government and military, who are responsible for the repression, violence and deaths in the country since June 28th.

The National Congress is scheduled to meet to discuss both the issue of amnesty and Honduras’ participation in ALBA this coming Monday.

Resistance continues into 2010 - events

I'm headed back to Tegucigalpa after spending two weeks in Canada for the holidays.

Many in the resistance movement celebrated Christmas & New Years in front of the barricades blocking entry into the Brazilian Embassy where Zelaya is still located.

There is one upcoming event planned:

- January 7th: A march organized to condemn the coup government from withdrawing from ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America).

For more info on Hondura's participation in ALBA (in spanish): http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5790

Also, on January 27th when Pepe Lobo is set to take power, the resistance movement is planning a large gathering/march. Details still unknown.

MUCA Campesino Movement Maintains Land Occupation to Demand Land Rights and Denounce the Coup

Entrance to MUCA land recuperation action on land of La Esperanza Cooperative in municipality of Tocoa.

December 21, 2009

On December 8th, campesinos of the Aguán Farmworkers Unification Movement (MUCA) occupied two land plots in Colón, Honduras in an effort to recuperate land illegally obtained by Miguel Facusse, a large land-owner, a major supporter of the coup d’etat and part of the country’s oligarchy.

Now on their 13th day, over 650 campesinos and their families remain camped out at the two plots of land in the municipalities of Tocoa and Trujillo in the department of Colón in northeastern Honduras.


After 13 days and getting ready for more, they have built shelters and set up cooking pits under the palm tress on the plantation

Through various acts of resistance since their lands were illegally taken from the members of MUCA in the ‘90s, the campesino movement gained momentum during President Zelaya’s terms when Zelaya himself signed an agreement with MUCA to clarify the land transactions that had caused the land conflict. (For more history, see article by Sandra Cuffe: http://hondurassolidarity.wordpress.com/)

Exactly 9 days later on June 28th, the coup d’etat was carried out by the Honduran oligarchy and spported by the military, reversing the gains that MUCA had made under the Zelaya administration.

This is why MUCA distinguishes themselves not only as a well established campesino movement but also as part of the national resistance movement against the coup where the land occupation were planned as a way to “resist the consequences of the coup d’etat” particularly how the coup has affected their struggle for land.

According to MUCA leader, who asked not to be identified “We have been accompanying the Resistance movement since the 28th – we did not participate in the elections and we did not vote. We are thankful of the support we received from Zelaya who supported the poor in the country.”

REPRESSION AND INTIMIDATION AS THE OCCUPATIONS CONTINUE

Since both groups began the land occupations, both have received various threats from the private security guards of the company owned by Miguel Facusse and the local military and police.

“We have seen heightened military presence around the area where we are located. Security guards of Facusse and Canales are infiltrating our movement to obtain information, give us false information and make us scared. They are creating a psychological war against us – they want to intimidate us.”

On December 16, the 8th day of the recuperation action, two men, Osman Alexis Ulloa Flores and Mario Rene Ayala were illegally detained by police as they were leaving the occupation site. Although they were freed late in the following day, the illegal detention was an act of intimidation by local police.


Left to right: two detained campesinos, Osman Alexis Ulloa Flores & Mario Rene Ayala being interviewed by the local press at the police station in Tocoa, Colón, Honduras.

One MUCA leader has reported that a pick up truck without license plates is periodically parked outside his house. As well as days after the occupation, local police along with company managers showed up and began taking pictures of participants, “trying to identify the leaders of the movement.”

Since the coup, the country has been heavily militarized and control remains in the hands of the oligarchy, including Miguel Facusse who was once called “the owner of Colón” by a local journalist for all the land he owns in the region and his influence on the local authorities.

“They [the oligarchy] are taking advantage of the situation in the country under the coup regime because there are no repercussions against people like them. They make the decisions and do what they want in the country”

Karen Spring is an activist working with NGO, Rights Action based in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.