Negotiations continue under State of Siege: De Facto Government continues to shutter two stations and further repression

Negotiations in Honduras under State of Siege

Written by Redacción AHORA / redaccion@ahora.cu / Friday, 09 October 2009 10:42

The negotiated solution to the crisis unleashed in Honduras continues on Friday amid extreme security measures and the state of siege decreed by the de facto government. The negotiation table, with three representatives from President Manuel Zelaya and equal number from the de facto government, started two days ago with the participation of a mission of OAS foreign ministers. Representatives from the Organization of American States traveled to the country to foster a negotiated solution to the political and institutional crisis trigged by the June 28 coup d'Etat. OAS delegates stated on Thursday in a release at the end of his visit that the country needs several conditions to carry out an appropriated dialogue. The first of them is the re-establishment and continuance of all constitutional guarantees. The regime announced on Monday the derogation of the state of siege, imposed on September 26, but exception measures are still present because they were not published in the official Gazetta. The other two aspects mentioned by the OAS are the restitution of all closed mass media, and allow Zelaya can have a normal access and consultation with representatives in the negotiation table. Although the first results mentioned a stagnation of talks, Thursday's negotiations took place in a positive atmosphere, one of Zelaya's representatives told Prensa Latina. / PL Honduras: evicted protesters with gas, dialogue continues About 200 demonstrators in favor of ousted President Manuel Zelaya were dispersed with gas and water cannon on Friday outside the headquarters of negotiations between the de facto government and the ousted president, who continued without progress.Continue reading the printed article "I come because it's not just what happened. We want to return to constitutional order. And (back) to elect the president," said her eyes red and watery Rosauro Garcia.Protesters partially obstructed vehicular traffic for about an hour, after which police dispersed with tear gas. But some re-grouped this time at the entrance to the premises, where they were taken with water jets. "We are in an entirely peaceful protest ... hurt enough gas but we have become accustomed after 104 days, receiving violent repression," said Natalie Roque on their part. John Baker, one of three negotiators Zelaya in the roundtable, said that "no progress". He explained that central to the talks, the return of Zelaya's presidency, was not discussed at the time of the morning. "This side has discussed other things," Baker said without elaborating. "For us the crisis is resolved with the return," he said. He said the day before the issue was touched but no consensus was reached. He said there is "moderation in the table and effort because the dialogue is not done to lose." The dialogue was installed by an OAS mission that concluded a visit to Honduras yesterday, but left the bases raised in the process of dialogue that is direct, without intermediaries between government de facto, k, headed by Roberto Micheletti, and toppled Zelaya June 28. The conditions include the restoration and retention of constitutional guarantee, the opening of the press closed, the normal access and query the deposed president with their representatives in the talks. The talks come as the match point agreement of San Jose, raised two months ago in Costa Rica, whose main element Zelaya return to the presidency, which rejects the de facto government. The twelve-point agreement also raises the formation of a national unity government, a commitment that there will be convening a constituent political amnesty for all those involved in the coup and that the agreement is monitored by the international community. The dialogue seeks to find a solution to the crisis sparked by the coup. Micheletti, who argues that no coup but a presidential succession is determined that the international community to recognize the presidential elections of November 29, which many regard as the greatest hope for the country to regain international recognition.

Honduras police break up protests at site of talks

By BEN FOX (AP)

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Police fired tear gas and a water cannon Friday at protesters outside a hotel where talks on behalf of rival claimants to the Honduran presidency showed little sign of progress.
Six negotiators — three each for ousted President Manuel Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti — met for a second day after a diplomatic mission sponsored by the Organization of American States brought them together.
The talks were held in private. Pro-Zelaya protest leader Juan Barahona, one of the six negotiators, told The Associated Press on Friday that no progress had been made on the central issue — the return of Zelaya to office to serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in January.
Zelaya remained holed up with dozens of supporters in the Brazilian Embassy after sneaking back into Honduras.
Outside the Clarion Hotel, approximately 200 protesters demanding the Zelaya's reinstatement fled and then regrouped several times as police fired volleys of tear gas canisters from a line of dozens of officers in riot gear blocking the entrance of the hotel. Police finally chased off the demonstrators with a water cannon mounted on an armored vehicle.
There were no arrests and apparently no major injuries, though many people rubbed their eyes or cried from the acrid smoke.
"Ow, ow, ow, it's burning my eyes and my skin," 54-year-old protester Rosauro Garcia said, tears streaming down her cheeks from the gas and her shirt soaked with water from the cannon.
Garcia, a coordinator at a government office that provides assistance to rural communities, joined the protest during her lunch break to show her support for the return of Zelaya, who was forced into exile June 28 after he tried to hold a referendum on changing the constitution in defiance of a Supreme Court order ruling the ballot illegal.
"I came because it's not right what has happened to us," she said. "The president we elected was taken away."
Natalie Roque came equipped with a mask to cover her nose and mouth.

Roque, a researcher who says she was fired from her job at a government library for criticizing the interim government, insisted the demonstration was intended to be peaceful and there was no need for police to use force.
Governments throughout the world have called for the restoration of Zelaya in time to prepare for a Nov. 29 presidential election scheduled before he was ousted with the support of much of the ruling elite, including his own political party.
Honduras has experienced near daily protests since the military-backed coup. The U.S. and other nations have suspended foreign aid and imposed diplomatic isolation on the interim administration.
Micheletti has been unwilling to allow Zelaya's return and wants to go ahead with the election without him. The interim government and its supporters insist Zelaya was a corrupt and inept leader and they had a right to remove him.
They charge that Zelaya hoped to amend the constitution to repeal its one-term limit for presidents — a charge he has denied.


Authorities continue to shutter two stations
By Frank Jack Daniel
TEGUCIGALPA, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Honduras' de facto leaders have imposed a new law that limits media freedom after shutting down two broadcasters critical of the post-coup government.
The government of Roberto Micheletti has not fulfilled a pledge to revoke emergency measures that last month closed Radio Globo and Canal 36, which had supported ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
Instead it unveiled a new measure on Friday giving it the power to pull the plug on radio and television stations that incite "social anarchy" or "national hatred."
The government said it was applying rules allowed under international law.
"It doesn't represent any kind of control of the media," Interior Minister Oscar Matute told Reuters on Saturday. "No journalist, no media outlet, can act as an apologist for hatred and violence in society."
Micheletti has been criticized by the Organization of American States and press freedom groups for sending masked soldiers and police to seize the broadcasting equipment of Radio Globo and Canal 36.
His government accused the stations of encouraging vandalism and insurrection for announcing protests.
The two stations were among the only media in Honduras that reported on the protests in favor of restoring Zelaya, who is holed up in the embassy of Brazil in Tegucigalpa.
"There's no legal reason for Radio Globo and Canal 36 to remain closed," said Susan Lee, head of Amnesty International in the Americas on Friday.
The army putsch that removed leftist Zelaya on June 28 triggered Central America's worst crisis in years and has tested U.S. President Barack Obama's promise of a new era of engagement with Latin America.
The two sides are now engaged in talks and negotiators on Friday said some progress had been made toward finding a solution to the standoff. [ID:nN0994865]
(Additional reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Xavier Briand)

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