State of repression in Honduras

ON SEPTEMBER 27, the coup regime in Honduras led by Roberto Micheletti decreed a 45-day state of emergency, suspending all constitutional guarantees, including freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and privacy.

The Brazilian embassy in Teguicigalpa, where President Zelaya remains in a state of refuge, has been surrounded by repressive forces for days now and is under siege. Tear gas bombs and high frequency sounds are being directed toward the embassy in an effort to torture Zelaya out of the building.

These violent actions violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Consular Affairs, which accords embassies and consulates immunity, and prohibits host countries from invading their territory or engaging in attacks against their personnel.

On Saturday, September 26, coup dictator Roberto Micheletti issued an "ultimatum" to Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, claiming that the coup regime would raid the Brazilian embassy and strip it of its diplomatic immunity if the Brazilian government does not hand over President Zelaya to the regime. President Lula rejected the illegal demand.

Sunday's decree is a severe turn for the worse in Honduras, as a 45-day state of emergency will allow the coup regime forces to massacre and persecute Hondurans on a widespread scale without restraint by law. So far, since yesterday's decree, the death toll has risen above 100. Television and radio stations opposing the coup regime, such as Radio Globo, have been shut down, and journalists have been detained and/or disappeared.

The police and military under the coup regime's control are raiding poor communities, seeking out supporters of President Zelaya and disappearing them. On Sunday, an Organization of American States (OAS) delegation that was heading into Honduras to attempt negotiations with the coup regime was prohibited from entry and turned back at the airport. Borders have been sealed.

This is an urgent call to activate all political and social emergency networks to organize support for the Honduran people and to further pressure the Obama administration to withdraw immediately all its economic and military support to Honduras.

Just last week, the Pentagon invited the Honduran military--under the control of the coup regime--to continue participating in training exercises with the United States. This is outrageous considering that the Honduran military is principally responsible for the widespread human rights abuses taking place in the country since the coup was executed on June 28.

Furthermore, the State Department continues to provide USAID and other funding to NGOs and political parties backing the coup. All aid should be suspended, and diplomatic relations and commercial ties should be immediately cut in order to suffocate the regime out of power.

The Obama administration's ambiguity and hesitation on Honduras has allowed for a viciously violent and repressive coup regime to dig its power deeper, and has resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Hondurans. Those abuses and crimes are in large part a result of Washington's failure to cease its support for the brutal coup dictatorship.

First published at the Postcards from the Revolution Web site.