UN Secretary General calls for Zelaya's security
11:35 New York .- The UN secretary general called today to ask for the security of deposed President of Honduras Manuel Zelaya and described the threats to the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa as "unacceptable''and" intolerable'' . Ban Ki-moon told a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York he was "deeply concerned''by the latest developments in the country, published AP.
"International law is clear: the sovereign immunity can not be raped. The threats to the embassy staff and their premises are intolerable. The Security Council has condemned these acts of intimidation. I also do, in the strongest terms' 'said Ki-moon.
Zelaya was deposed and expelled from Honduras after a coup in late June.The ousted leader returned to the country in a clandestine way a few days ago and was entrenched in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
"I urge the political actors to engage in a serious dialogue and regional mediation efforts. Reaffirm that the United Nations stands ready to assist in any way,''said the secretary general.
"International law is clear: the sovereign immunity can not be raped. The threats to the embassy staff and their premises are intolerable. The Security Council has condemned these acts of intimidation. I also do, in the strongest terms' 'said Ki-moon.
Zelaya was deposed and expelled from Honduras after a coup in late June.The ousted leader returned to the country in a clandestine way a few days ago and was entrenched in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
"I urge the political actors to engage in a serious dialogue and regional mediation efforts. Reaffirm that the United Nations stands ready to assist in any way,''said the secretary general.
Pressure mounts on Honduras to end coup crisis
By Patrick Markey
Standoff in HondurasTEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras' de facto government came under mounting pressure on Tuesday to restore civil liberties and negotiate an end to a three-month crisis sparked when President Manuel Zelaya was toppled in a coup.
Zelaya was overthrown by the army on June 28, but he secretly slipped back into the country and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy a week ago.
De facto leader Roberto Micheletti has ordered Zelaya's arrest, suspended civil liberties, shut two media stations loyal to Zelaya and warned Brazil it has 10 days to decide on the fate of the deposed leader or its embassy will be closed.
The measures have drawn widespread condemnation, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Micheletti on Tuesday to lift the restrictions on civil liberties and stop threatening Brazil's embassy.
"I am deeply concerned about developments in Honduras. A state of emergency has increased tensions," he said at a news conference in New York. "I once again appeal for the safety of President Zelaya. I urge all political actors to seriously commit to dialogue and regional mediation efforts."
Brazil, the regional diplomatic heavyweight, has dismissed Micheletti's deadline and wants more international pressure on his government to force a solution.
The United States has also demanded that Micheletti roll back the emergency measures.
"The freedoms inherent in the suspended rights are inalienable and cannot be limited or restricted without seriously damaging the democratic rights of the Honduran people," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said late on Monday.
But President Barack Obama's administration has resisted calls to push harder for Zelaya's return and a U.S. official said on Tuesday that the government is not talking about imposing new sanctions for now.
It has also railed against Zelaya over his role in the crisis, describing his return to Honduras without a negotiated settlement in place as "foolish."
CONGRESS CRITICIZES CRACKDOWN
The de facto government has come under pressure from some political allies in Congress who criticized the crackdown on civil liberties. Micheletti hinted on Monday that he may lift the decree, but he has not yet done so and is refusing to budge on the key sticking point: the restoration of Zelaya.
The deposed leader says any deal must allow him to finish out his presidential term, which ends in January.
Soldiers ousted Zelaya at gunpoint on June 28 and sent him into exile in his pajamas after the Supreme Court ordered his arrest. His critics say he broke the law by pushing for constitutional reforms they say would have lifted presidential term limits. Zelaya denies wanting to stay in power.
Honduran armed forces commander Gen. Romeo Vazquez urged dialogue on Tuesday to resolve the crisis.
Soldiers and riot police have surrounded the Brazilian embassy for the past week, while Zelaya tries to rally his followers to the streets to demand he be restored to office in the coffee-producing country.
The Organization of American States held an extraordinary session in Washington on Monday to discuss the face-off. But a negotiated accord appears far off. OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said a mission would only travel to Honduras when "there are results to be achieved."
The de facto government appears to determined to hold out until presidential elections on November 29. But several countries, including the United States, have suggested they might not recognize the vote without a prior agreement.
(Editing by Todd Benson and Kieran Murray)
Ousted Honduran leader talks to U.N. by cellphone
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya could not make it to the U.N. General Assembly this year, as he is besieged by soldiers at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
But Zelaya managed to speak to the assembly on Monday by cellphone, held by his foreign minister Patricia Rodas at the podium of the United Nations, and he appealed for help.
"Honduras is being subjected to fascist rule which is suppressing the right of the people," the leftist president, overthrown by the military three months ago, said in his unusual address.
"I call on the United Nations to help reverse this coup d'etat."
Zelaya said the closure of two major media outlets on Monday by the de facto civilian government was evidence of the "dictatorship" that has taken hold of his country.
Rodas said Zelaya's life was in danger.
Since Zelaya's ouster on June 28, the de facto government has resisted international pressure to allow his reinstatement and vows to arrest him and put him on trial. Zelaya returned a week ago from exile and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by John O'Callaghan)
Honduras to end emergency restrictions, Costa Rican leader says
By JIM WYSS
jwyss@MiamiHerald.com
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said the de facto leader of Honduras has vowed to dismantle some of the emergency measures the government took over the weekend amid a three-month political crisis.
Speaking at the Americas Conference in Coral Gables Tuesday, Arias said that Honduras' acting president, Roberto Micheletti, told him on Monday that he would meet with congress and the courts to remove the measures, which limit the media and people's ability to gather.
Arias said ending the emergency measures was key to creating an environment that would allow for free and open elections scheduled for Nov. 29.
``This crisis will not be solved with elections alone,'' he said. ``But with elections that are recognized by all.''
Another key to those elections: Ousted President Manuel Zelaya needs to be allowed to finish out his term.
Zelaya and Micheletti have been at odds since June 28, when Zelaya was ousted at gunpoint and sent into exile. Micheletti assumed the presidency and has insisted it was a constitutional transition. However, not a single nation has recognized the new government.
Arias scorned those who try to justify the action in Honduras as anything other than a coup.
``A coup dressed in silk is still a coup,'' he said.
Zelaya made a surprise return to Honduras on Sept. 20 and since then has been holed up in the Brazilian embassy in the capital of Tegucigalpa. The tense stand-off makes dialogue more important than ever, Arias said.
Arias' initial attempts to find a negotiated solution to the crisis broke down over his insistence that Zelaya return to power. Micheletti has said that Zelaya's only future in Honduras is as a defendant against four charges, including treason and misuse of power.
Arias said those talks, known as the ``San Jose Accords,'' still represent the only viable solution to the crisis. The deal would allow Zelaya to return to office, albeit with limited powers.
If the coup is allowed to stand, it would represent a ``dramatic step backward in history.''
he ousted Honduran president has become the first world leader ever to address the United Nations General Assembly by mobile phone, appealing to the world body to help return hm to power.
Manuel Zelaya made the long-distance speech to the 192-nation body from his refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, where he is surrounded by soldiers and riot police.
Patricia Rodas Baca, his Foreign Minister, surprised delegates by pulling out her mobile phone at the start of her UN address last night.
Flourishing the phone, she gave Mr Zelaya a dramatic introduction. "Our President is under siege by military forces..." she said. "He is being threatened and constanly, every minute, every second, that passes, could be the one that brings the tragic resolution."
"As we speak, the life of our President is in peril. And the life of our people is also in peril."
Ms Rodas Baca held her phone to the microphone so that Mr Zelaya could address the assembly.
The ousted President, who is still recognised by UN member states, told delegates that Honduras was being subjected to "fascist rule”.
"I call on the United Nations to give assistance to reverse this coup d'état and ensure that democracy is available to all nations of the world," he said.
He complained that the Brazilian embassy, where he is holed up, was being subjected to "electronic interference" and appealed to the UN to seek guarantees for his personal safety.
UN officials said the mobile-phone address was unprecedented. "Nobody has ever addressed the General Assembly by a cell phone. Never," said Jean Nkolo, a UN spokesman.
Mr Zelaya was ousted by the Honduran army on June 28 and sent into exile in his pajamas after the Honduran Supreme Court ordered his arrest.
He secretly slipped back into the country last week and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, sparking demonstrations by his supporters.
The de facto leader, Roberto Micheletti, ordered Mr Zelaya's arrest and gave Brazil a 10-day deadline to decide his fate or its embassy will be closed.
He also suspended civil liberties and shut the only two media outlets that support Mr Zelaya.
But Mr Micheletti announced late yesterday that he would soon cancel the emergency decree and said a delegation from the Organisation of American States would be welcome to help mediate talks set for early October.
He also said he wanted to send "a big hug" to Brazil's President and promised nothing would happen to its embassy.
The de facto government appears intent on holding out until presidential elections on November 29.
The United States and other countries, however, have suggested they might not recognise the vote unless there is a prior agreement.
Nevertheless, a US representative to the OAS criticised Mr Zelaya's return to his homeland without a negotiated settlement. "The return of President Zelaya to Honduras... is irresponsible and serves neither the interests of the Honduran people nor those seeking a peaceful re-establishment of a democratic order in Honduras," Lewis Amselem said.
Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, yesterday added his voice to calls for talks.
"I am deeply concerned about developments in Honduras. A state of emergency has increased tensions," he told a press conference in New York. "I once again appeal for the safety of President Zelaya. I urge all political actors to seriously commit to dialogue and regional mediation efforts."
Speaking at the Americas Conference in Coral Gables Tuesday, Arias said that Honduras' acting president, Roberto Micheletti, told him on Monday that he would meet with congress and the courts to remove the measures, which limit the media and people's ability to gather.
Arias said ending the emergency measures was key to creating an environment that would allow for free and open elections scheduled for Nov. 29.
``This crisis will not be solved with elections alone,'' he said. ``But with elections that are recognized by all.''
Another key to those elections: Ousted President Manuel Zelaya needs to be allowed to finish out his term.
Zelaya and Micheletti have been at odds since June 28, when Zelaya was ousted at gunpoint and sent into exile. Micheletti assumed the presidency and has insisted it was a constitutional transition. However, not a single nation has recognized the new government.
Arias scorned those who try to justify the action in Honduras as anything other than a coup.
``A coup dressed in silk is still a coup,'' he said.
Zelaya made a surprise return to Honduras on Sept. 20 and since then has been holed up in the Brazilian embassy in the capital of Tegucigalpa. The tense stand-off makes dialogue more important than ever, Arias said.
Arias' initial attempts to find a negotiated solution to the crisis broke down over his insistence that Zelaya return to power. Micheletti has said that Zelaya's only future in Honduras is as a defendant against four charges, including treason and misuse of power.
Arias said those talks, known as the ``San Jose Accords,'' still represent the only viable solution to the crisis. The deal would allow Zelaya to return to office, albeit with limited powers.
If the coup is allowed to stand, it would represent a ``dramatic step backward in history.''
he ousted Honduran president has become the first world leader ever to address the United Nations General Assembly by mobile phone, appealing to the world body to help return hm to power.
Manuel Zelaya made the long-distance speech to the 192-nation body from his refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, where he is surrounded by soldiers and riot police.
Patricia Rodas Baca, his Foreign Minister, surprised delegates by pulling out her mobile phone at the start of her UN address last night.
Flourishing the phone, she gave Mr Zelaya a dramatic introduction. "Our President is under siege by military forces..." she said. "He is being threatened and constanly, every minute, every second, that passes, could be the one that brings the tragic resolution."
"As we speak, the life of our President is in peril. And the life of our people is also in peril."
Ms Rodas Baca held her phone to the microphone so that Mr Zelaya could address the assembly.
The ousted President, who is still recognised by UN member states, told delegates that Honduras was being subjected to "fascist rule”.
"I call on the United Nations to give assistance to reverse this coup d'état and ensure that democracy is available to all nations of the world," he said.
He complained that the Brazilian embassy, where he is holed up, was being subjected to "electronic interference" and appealed to the UN to seek guarantees for his personal safety.
UN officials said the mobile-phone address was unprecedented. "Nobody has ever addressed the General Assembly by a cell phone. Never," said Jean Nkolo, a UN spokesman.
Mr Zelaya was ousted by the Honduran army on June 28 and sent into exile in his pajamas after the Honduran Supreme Court ordered his arrest.
He secretly slipped back into the country last week and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, sparking demonstrations by his supporters.
The de facto leader, Roberto Micheletti, ordered Mr Zelaya's arrest and gave Brazil a 10-day deadline to decide his fate or its embassy will be closed.
He also suspended civil liberties and shut the only two media outlets that support Mr Zelaya.
But Mr Micheletti announced late yesterday that he would soon cancel the emergency decree and said a delegation from the Organisation of American States would be welcome to help mediate talks set for early October.
He also said he wanted to send "a big hug" to Brazil's President and promised nothing would happen to its embassy.
The de facto government appears intent on holding out until presidential elections on November 29.
The United States and other countries, however, have suggested they might not recognise the vote unless there is a prior agreement.
Nevertheless, a US representative to the OAS criticised Mr Zelaya's return to his homeland without a negotiated settlement. "The return of President Zelaya to Honduras... is irresponsible and serves neither the interests of the Honduran people nor those seeking a peaceful re-establishment of a democratic order in Honduras," Lewis Amselem said.
Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, yesterday added his voice to calls for talks.
"I am deeply concerned about developments in Honduras. A state of emergency has increased tensions," he told a press conference in New York. "I once again appeal for the safety of President Zelaya. I urge all political actors to seriously commit to dialogue and regional mediation efforts."
No comments:
Post a Comment