Friday, December 4, 2009

Amnesty International says that there will be no normalcy in Honduras without prior accountability


Amnesty International says that there will be no normalcy in Honduras without prior accountability

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Amnesty International (AI) warned today that you can not return to normal in Honduras without "accountability" for human rights violations committed since the coup last June.
In a statement issued from its headquarters in London, Amnesty called for "an independent investigation to ensure that all perpetrators of human rights abuses are brought to justice and that he provide reparations to victims."
Following a visit by a delegation from AI to Nicaragua during the recent presidential elections, the leader, Javier Zuniga, stressed that "the crisis in Honduras does not end with the election results" because "the authorities can not return to normal without ensuring safeguards human rights ".
According to Zuniga, "There are dozens of people in Honduras who are still suffering the effects of abuse in the past five months."
"If you do not punish those responsible and reform a system that does not work, they would be opening the door for further abuses in the future," said delegation head of the human rights organization.
During his visit to Honduras, the AI delegation says it has documented "numerous cases of human rights violations that took place since 28 June, when President Manuel Zelaya was forced into exile."
According to Amnesty, these violations include "deaths as a result of excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests by police and armed forces."
Among the abuses, AI also cites "the indiscriminate and unnecessary use of tear gas, detainee abuse, violence against women, harassment of activists, journalists, lawyers and judges."
Zuniga believes that "during the crisis, Honduras institutions have failed miserably in their obligation to protect fundamental human rights."
Therefore, future Amnesty urged the Honduran authorities to "repeal all laws, decrees and executive orders issued by the de facto authorities, directly or indirectly affecting human rights."
Moreover, the organization calls on the new authorities to ensure "that the military return to their barracks and to finally end his role in police operations."
Finally, Amnesty claims that "members of the security forces accountable for human rights abuses committed between 28 June and late November.
The note was released after the president-elect of Honduras, Porfirio Lobo, today urged the formation of a national unity government.
The Congress of Honduras on Wednesday decided not to return the ousted President Manuel Zelaya in power.

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