[News] Honduran Accords Hung Up on Zelaya's Reinstatement

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Oct 15, 2009


<http://americasmexico.blogspot.com/2009/10/honduran-accords-hung-up-on-zelayas.html>Honduran 
Accords Hung Up on Zelaya's Reinstatement

http://americasmexico.blogspot.com/2009/10/honduran-accords-hung-up-on-zelayas.html?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=6677271&utm_campaign=Honduran%20Accords%20Hung%20Up%20on%20Zelaya%27s%20Reinstatement

Talks between representatives of the coup regime 
and the constitutional government of President 
Manuel Zelaya reached consensus on eight of nine 
points yesterday. But the missing point is the 
same one that has held up any agreement to end 
the stand-off since Day One of the coup d'état over three months ago.

Coup leaders once again balked at the 
reinstatement of Zelaya in the presidency, which 
the resistance and many neighboring nations have 
demanded be "unconditional." According to 
declarations from the leader of the de facto 
regime, Roberto Micheletti, the current reason 
for refusing reinstatement hinges on whether it 
will be the Congress or the Supreme Court that 
decides. The original proposal was for Congress 
to revoke its destitution decree, but Micheletti 
stated that 
<http://mx.news.yahoo.com/s/14102009/38/n-world-dialogo-honduras-enmara-desmentidos-contradicciones.html>restitution 
is a legal matter, "It would definitely be the 
Supreme Court that would have to make this decision."

Neither body has much credibility within the 
resistance movement. Moves that range from 
Zelaya's destitution­and subsequent kidnapping­to 
falsifying a resignation letter with a forged 
signature and implicitly supporting violent 
repression have eroded trust in the institutions 
within the polarized society. The many legal 
arguments posed to delay an agreement to 
reinstate Zelaya have caused skepticism and the 
belief that the coup is merely making time before 
the upcoming Nov. 29 elections. All nations, with 
the exception of Panama, have stated they will 
not accept the results of elections carried out by an illegal coup regime.

Today's talks will concentrate on the sole point 
of the president's reinstatement. It will be a 
make-it-or-break-it session, since Zelaya has 
placed a deadline of Oct. 15or his restitution.

OAS Secretary General Jose Insulza said he was 
optimistic yesterday that "a Honduran solution to 
the Honduran crisis" is imminent. He enunciated 
the points of agreement, based on review of the San Jose Accords as follows:

    * The creation of a government of national 
reconciliation that includes cabinet members from both sides was agreed upon.
    * Both sides agreed that they would not 
promote a vote on holding a Constitutional 
Assembly before Jan. 27, when Zelaya's term ends.
    * A general amnesty for political crimes was rejected by both sides.
    * The original proposal to move up the 
elections was discarded by both sides as obsolete.
    * The proposal to place the command of the 
Armed Forces under the Electoral Tribunal during 
the month prior to the elections was agreed on.
    * There is no agreement yet on restitution of Zelaya.
    * It was agreed to create a Verification 
Commission to follow up on the accords, 
consisting of two members of the OAS, and one 
member each from the constitutional government and the coup regime.
    * The creation of a Truth Commission to begin work in 2010 was agreed on.
    * Revoking sanctions against Honduras following the accords was agreed on.
The point on the Constitutional Assembly, a 
central demand of the organizations in the 
National Front against the Coup, led to the 
resignation of resistance leader, Juan Barahona, 
from the Zelaya negotiating team. Barahona said 
he would not be part of an agreement that set aside this crucial demand.

Although Zelaya negotiator Victor Meza stated 
that there was agreement on restitution, 
Micheletti stated publicly that in fact he would 
not agree to the terms presently on the table. An 
official declaration from the Presidential Palace 
yesterday stated, "There is no final accord on 
this point. Press reports indicating the contrary 
are false. We ask the national and international 
press to be cautious in their reports on the 
negotiation since they have a responsibility not to hinder the dialogue."

Some leaders of the Front against the Coup were 
pessimistic. EFE cited farm leader Filadelfo 
Martinez saying that the movement will not be 
content with only restoring Zelaya to the 
presidency and wants "a national accord that 
includes the possibility of reforming not only 
the Constitution, but also the legal framework 
that gives campesinos access to the land and 
children access to quality education" to reduce 
the extreme social inequality that exists in the country.

A Wednesday public declaration from the Front 
reveals the deep class divisions that have been 
exposed in the conflict and the determination of 
grassroots organizations to fight for the 
Constitutional Assembly. "We once again declare 
our commitment to installing a National 
Constitutional Assembly, democratic and 
inclusive, that has as its principal objective to 
create a new foundation for Honduras to overcome 
the oppression and exploitation of the popular 
sectors by an elite minority that unjustly 
concentrates wealth created by the workers."

Today's negotiations will be difficult, to say 
the least. And while a peaceful return to the 
rule of law is the immediate goal, it will not 
resolve the deeper problems that have divided 
society and mobilized thousands of Hondurans. 
This stage is critical, but many challenges 
remain even if the two sides manage to reach agreement.

Comunicado No. 27

El Frente Nacional de Resistencia contra el Golpe 
de Estado al pueblo hondureño y la comunidad internacional comunica:

El avance del diálogo entablado entre los 
representantes del gobierno legítimo de Manuel 
Zelaya y los representantes del régimen de facto, 
está siendo utilizado por los medios de 
comunicación de la oligarquía con la intención de 
desinformar y crear confusión en la población 
hondureña y en la opinión pública internacional. 
Para esclarecer las dudas y dejar sentada la 
posición del Frente Nacional de Resistencia 
contra el Golpe de Estado, nos manifestamos en los siguientes términos:
    * Reiteramos nuestra disposición y actitud 
diligente en la búsqueda de una salida pacífica y 
dialogada a la crisis social y política generada 
a partir del golpe de estado del 28 de junio. 
Creemos que una solución puede lograrse si se 
vuelve al orden institucional, se respeta el 
derecho soberano del pueblo a decidir el tipo 
sociedad que quiere construir, se hace justicia 
con los violadores de derechos humanos y se 
libera a las y los presos políticos.
    * Manifestamos que la presencia del compañero 
Juan Barahona, que acompaña a la comisión del 
gobierno legítimo como representante de la 
Resistencia, patentiza nuestro respaldo a la 
posición del presidente Zelaya de que cualquier 
acuerdo al que se llegue debe considerar la 
restitución del gobierno constitucional en el 
poder, teniendo como fecha límite el 15 de 
octubre de 2009. En caso de que esta condición no 
se cumpla se desconocerá el proceso eleccionario 
previsto para el 29 de noviembre de 2009.
    * Declaramos de nueva cuenta nuestro 
compromiso irrenunciable con la instalación de 
una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente democrática e 
incluyente, que tenga como objetivo principal la 
refundación de Honduras para superar la opresión 
y explotación de los sectores populares por parte 
de una élite minoritaria que concentra 
injustamente la riqueza que generan los trabajadores y trabajadoras.
    * Reiteramos que las diversas fuerzas 
sociales y políticas que integran el Frente 
Nacional de Resistencia contra el Golpe de Estado 
se encuentran cohesionadas alrededor de los puntos expuestos anteriormente.
    * Denunciamos que mientras la dictadura 
intenta mostrarse dialogante y presentar a la 
prensa internacional un panorama de tranquilidad 
y paz, persiste la represión salvaje en contra de 
la población y se continúan negando los derechos 
de movilización, manifestación, reunión y libertad de expresión.
    * Exigimos la derogación inmediata del 
decreto PCM-M-016-2009 y de otras medidas 
jurídicas y de hecho, violatorias de los derechos 
humanos, mediante los cuales se ejecutan injustos 
procesos judiciales contra presos políticos, se 
persigue a militantes de la Resistencia, se 
reprimen manifestaciones pacíficas y permanecen 
cerrados Radio Globo y Canal 36.
    * Llamamos a la población a continuar alerta 
y en movilización permanente para defender sus derechos.

“A 108 DÍAS DE LUCHA AQUÍ NADIE SE RINDE”

Tegucigalpa, M.D.C. 14 de octubre de 2009
Posted by Laura Carlsen at 
<http://americasmexico.blogspot.com/2009/10/honduran-accords-hung-up-on-zelayas.html>3:53 
AM




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