Friday, April 30, 2010

Shock Doctrine, Laissez-faire is barely starting 2: Government issues new Law that orders to privatize state Schools, where the poorest study

 *Teachers protest against this and are demonized by pro coup media and the government, who blamed them today of being the main source of underdevelopment in the country

*They denounce a government repression campaign is being promoted against teachers

Teachers against the new Education Law that orders to privatize State Schools.

The Federation of Magisterial Organizations of Honduras (FOMH) reported that the new Education Act, introduced by  nationalist Rep. Renan Rossel Inestroza Hernández, "violating" the Teachers' Statute, by ordering "the privatization of normal schools and to take over the education and  training  of teachers , which is performed exclusively by the Honduran state.
The new law was already discussed  in a first round, by Congress, "without first having been agreed on " with the education sector by the regime of Porfirio Lobo, the leader of a teachers reported, Edgardo Casaña.

"People who attend normal schools are the poorest, if  normal schools are privatized, where  will we educate the poorest?" Questioned the spokesman for the teachers.
 
The FOMH called the department of Francisco Morazan for a general meeting held on Thursday in Tegucigalpa, where teachers announced commissions to carry out  a general strike starting today, Friday April 30, 2010, when it was confirmed that teachers from ten departments will strike.
 
Meanwhile, the FOMH warns tof he possibility of a general cessation of work throughout the country for next Monday May 2, 2009.  The Teachers leader also denounced , that because of this law  "meetings of all sides"  of departmental managers in different regions have occurred, and that  the regime continues to make appointments without the legal requirements for "political influence."
 
Casaña stated that there have been several departmental appointment of directors, unlawfully, "being on top" of the results obtained by the contestants in the tests to qualify for these public charges.
 
  Casaña accused the department of Lempira director of having "prisoners in that address of 45 teachers' union members chained and padlocked at gunpoint by military types."


Teachers leaders protest and take over the Departmental
  SAN PEDRO SULA - The teachers union leaders took yesterday the premises of the Education Departmental of Cortés for considering illegal the dismissal of the director Esmeralda Flores and Secretary Maritza Filomena Julin.
Flores and Julin were laid off by the secretary of the Ministry of Education, Anibal Delgado, arguing that the process by which they were elected they had some "flaws."

Teachers believe that through these actions the new education authorities are violating the  Teacher's Statute  to ignore the established procedures for the selection and recruitment of personnel.

Teachers do not recognize the new Norma Cardona as the new  Departmental Director because they assure she was appointed by political influence rather than competition.
 
The Federation of Teacher Organizations of Honduras (FOMH) demanded  president Porfirio Lobo Sosa, the dismissal of Secretary of Education, Alejandro Ventura and Aníbal  Delgado.

Joel Navarrete, president of the FOMH, said that "we denounce out that from the Ministry of Education is promoting a campaign of repression against the teachers."

He said they are putting in some institutions people who do not meet departmental requirements and have not even participated in the contests for seats.

Gustavo Mejia, head of the Teachers' Association of Middle School Education in Honduras (COPEMH), said the teachers will not allow these violations against the regulations and "we hope the president, Porfirio Lobo Sosa ratify people who already were there ."

The  teachers leader said the protest will continue this day in the premises of the Education Departmental so that school students have no classes.
DIRECTOR
The new director of department of Cortes, Norma Cardona, could not take office due to the protests of the teachers.

OPINIONS
Gustavo Mejia
Joel Navarrete

"We denounce that within the National Congress a bill to privatize artistic and normal education is being discussed" GUSTAVO MEJIA, COPEMH leader.

 "We will defend the Teachers' Statute because we will not allow charges to be taken by appointments": JOEL NAVARRETE, president of the FOMH

Foto/TIEMPO/Ramón Mayorga 

http://www.tiempo.hn/web2/index.php/secciones/el-pais/15246-dirigencia-magisterial-protesta-y-se-toma-la-departamental.html 
 

The Shock Doctrine, le laissez-faire barely starting: New fiscal measures/tax reforms for the poor are a consecuence of the coup, the European Union seeks to munipalize Garifuna communities in Honduras

1. Paquetazo"(New fiscal measures) taxes for the poor is a direct consequence of the coup

By Gerson de la Rosa
 
Following the breakdown of constitutional order, the consolidation of the illegitimate government of Robert Michelletti and the alleged departure of the coupsters and U.S. imperialism after the defeat of the mass peaceful resistance, the expulsion of Zelaya of the country and the arrival of Porfirio Lobo to Government are the most important events of the second half of last year. Indeed, a year marked by a deep global economic crisis product of one of the worst crises in the United States after the collapse of the financial and banking system.
The causes of the financial imbalance
  Before the coup, political analysts expressed that Honduras would not experience economic growth, what's more, the rate of its exports would look small because its main buyer, ie the United States, would present an economic slowdown. As we can see, the picture is not  presented in a favorable light, even when they had the recognition of all the nations of the world, iof nternational loan agencies and social development programs opened  in the Zelaya government.
 
After the expulsion of Zelaya and the formation of illegitimate government, the financial situation of the country, certainly in precarious  conditions due to the global economic crisis was aggravated by the  non recognition of  coup leader authorities by the  States, credit institutions and those with political character such as the OAS and the UN ,Rio Summit, CARICOM, PETROCARIBE, likewise, the suspension of credit programs like the Millennium Challenge Account, disbursement of loans from the World Bank, IMF and the breakdown of political and economic relations formed with Venezuela through the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas ALBA.
 
 The impact of the breakdown and expulsion from Honduras of the above-mentioned bodies, meant that the coup leaders recurred to the international foreign exchange deposits in banks that were part of the economic surplus from previous years.
 
 It is clear that the illegitimate government of Roberto Micheletti squandered state funds. This took place in many ways: the prevailing corruption in the management of state funds, the sameLobo Sosa officials expressed through various media outlets the deep corruption under the management of the illegitimate government, the coup leaders  had to collect the painful service.
 
Moreover, during this period of time, there were substantial economic losses result of political instability reflected in continuous demonstrations, occupation of roads and incessant work stoppages of workers in the National Agrarian Institute and the teaching profession, as well as almost daily curfues and continued mobilization of  military troops to ensure the social order fabricated after the coup and in different historical stages and situations that have been characterized by exploitation and social exclusion.
 
The post-coup scenario
 
As noted, the new government inherited an unstable government, both politically and economically.Although, over the months, the government of Lobo Sosa has begun to be recognized by the international community, obviously under the weakness of not having direct access to the various credit programs. . However, the above is not enough, the coup plotters caused so much damage that  some analysts, of course, economic experts claim that the decline experienced after the rupture of constitutional order has been worse than the losses incurred in the wake of Hurricane Mitch.
 Tax reforms
 
Under the enormous need for funds, the Nationalist government introduced a series of fiscal reforms in the chamber to be approved and implemented starting from its publication in the official gazette.After a long, long day of discussion the new fiscal  paquetazo tax was  approved.
 
This measure was taken in the context of a policy of selective prosecution, where gunmen had assassinated political  and trade union leaders, including our comrade José Manuel Flores Arguijo.  Likewise, the struggle waged by organized peasants in the Unified Peasant Movement of Aguan (MUCA) has determined  in some way the implementation of the measures. I say this because the measures were covered with make-up, though they  involve a frontal attack on the economy of workers, and some of  their conquests, the measures were amended and softened on its original proposal.  However, the paquetazo is a measure of the coup to start a recovery of the economy and the bourgeois state, in other words,  to shift the costs of the coup to workers and the Honduran people.
Let businessmen pay the crisis
 
 Some months ago, we expressed  that the consequences of defeat would be disastrous for the working class and the Honduran people, since the coup would move the loss of their business and government to the impoverished pockets of the workers.
For all these reasons, the Central American Socialist Party (PSOC) calls on the National Resistance Front (FNR), teachers' unions, trade unions and labor unions to initiate  wide marches to demand the government not to apply measures introduced  in the tax reforms.  Businessmen are directly responsible for the political and economic crisis for having initiated the coup, it is they who should  pay more taxes.
Similarly, we propose the nationalization of the economy only through state control and workers of the economy will achieve a broad social development. This day of mobilization should be viewed as central point of creating sources of employment, the minimum wage increase and the freezing of all products of basic need.
 
Source: voselsoberano.com


 2. European Union aims to munipalize Garifuna communities in Honduras




During recent years, international financial organizations have been promoting the destruction of communal property of indigenous peoples of the continent, under the pretext of promoting municipalization and their alleged development course.
In the case of Honduras, the World Bank financed the preparation of a law called at its inception "Law for the Eradication of Poverty through the Property Tax Adjustment" and later known as the "Law of Property."
Such Law in its Chapter III, focusing on indigenous and black peoples of Honduras, puts at risk the community property, allowing the individualization of title and therefore the division of the territories of indigenous peoples in the country.
 
The OFRANEH introduced before the Supreme Court in December 2008 a constitutional complaint related to Property Lawand its Chapter III (articles relating to indigenous peoples), supported among others by a legal opinion of the ILO, which states that the Property Law violates the Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization.
 
Garifuna communities, especially from the Bay of Tela, from the issuance of the Municipalities Law (1992) have undergone a process of intervention  of municipalities through the extension of the urban area of the municipality, giving a series of abuses of power and expropriations in which politicians are involved and the tourism industry.
 
The Garifuna people have so far resisted violence and persecution unleashed by the feudal lords to dilute the community titles, and before the exhaustion of internal resources,  communities accompanied by our organization, we have been obliged to use the  Inter-American system of justice.  To date the communities of Triunfo de la Cruz and San Juan Tela have injunctions issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
 
In recent years there is a new actor in the process of dispossession of the Garifuna people funded by the European Union, with the intention of expropiating (registering them  oficially as a legitimate real estate property) communities, a situation which we consider one more link in the municipalization of Garifuna territories.
 
On April 25 in the Garifuna community of Bajamar (Cortes) an alleged meeting  of induction to the process of land of that community ,took place sponsored by PATH and funded by the European Union.
 
Earlier, last year PROCORREDOR , European Union project, called a meeting in August in the community of Sambo Creek, where it  stated as one of its objectives the project, the land registry of the Garifuna communities, this component being considered part of its strategy of land use.
 
According to  the version of PROCORREDOR its mission is to ensure the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor in the Honduran Atlantic, which suffers from accelerated erosion of biodiversity, as well as an apparent destruction of watersheds, but so far have not taken the appropriate measures to solve the problem.
The story of the decade of the 90s, shows how most indigenous territories in the isthmus, fell within the scope of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, with its designation of protected areas, preventing the full integral entitlement of our territories.
 
Since 2000 with the failed Plan Puebla Panama - renamed Mesoamerica Project - begins to make a destruction of more than 400 river basins in Central America in order to build hydroelectric dams, putting in question  the alleged vision of the Biological Corridor conservation, in no time the institution has come out against the massive ecological destruction posed by the Mesoamerica Project.
 
Despite the rejection demonstrated by the vast majority of indigenous peoples affected by the Mesoamerica Project, dam construction in protected areas continues without any objection from the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor and many environmental organizations who prefer to consolidate their financial benefits rather than entering in conflict with the Project.
 
In the case of land registry in Garifuna communities it allows to individualize community ownership, using some "Garifuna chiefs" appointed by the municipalities and turned into spokesmen for the interests of tourism entrepreneurs, which in the end will be the beneficiaries of thevindividualization strategy.
 
As for PROCORREDOR, which since the beginning of  its administration was emphatic about them only working with municipalities, to date no concrete results are known about the conservation of watershed and forest protection, much less expressed on 14 proposals to build dams in the Department of Atlantida.
The European Union and the human rights and indigenous people's rights violation  through  their operations
In several documents and policies of the European Union,  the rights of indigenous peoples and their collective rights to lands and territories are highlighted.
 
The EU can not deny knowledge of the issue of indigenous land in Honduras in general, or of the same problems as the Garifuna people in particular.  In section 2.2 of its Country Strategy for Honduras for 2007 to 2013, the EU recognizes that "indigenous communities - such as the Garifuna community - have had difficulties in claiming their rights to land ownership." (1) 
 
The Framework Cooperation Agreement of 1993 between the European Community and its Member States on the one hand, and Honduras and several Central American countries, on the other hand, makes several references to indigenous peoples.  It details both sides will "systematically consider the situation of indigenous peoples and other Central American ethnic groups at all levels of development cooperation."
 
The Resolution of the European Union Meeting No. 2141 of the Council on November 30, 1998 on 'Indigenous peoples and development cooperation of the European Community and Member States' was the first public EU document specifically  on  indigenous Peoples and cooperation.  It recognized to some extent the rights of various concepts of development, participation, among others, including "the right to oppose projects, particularly within their traditional areas."
 
The report on the 'progress of working with indigenous peoples' June 2002, and the Council's conclusions on this regard during the same year indicate the follow-up to Resolution of 1998 and the integration of policy on indigenous peoples in some documents,guidelines , and policies of EU cooperation.  However, they do not address whether the discussion on indigenous rights, much less collective and territorial rights, but further insights on these last ones can be found already integrated in some articles  on other policies of cooperation.
 
Article 3.2.2 of the guidelines of the EU in terms of land policy recognizes that "the majority of indigenous peoples have different systems of land tenure based on collective rights to lands and territories." (2)  (2) Moreover, it also notes that "often the effective recognition of these rights is incomplete, leading to social and political marginalization, the creation of misery , and land conflicts. Therefore, mechanisms to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands are important for their cultural survival, to promote equity and to protect their immediate environment. " (3) 
 
  Article 3.2.3 states that the obstacles that may be faced by indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups when  protecting their rights and making them valid, "the need for innovative legal frameworks and institutions" may arise to ensure that we take into account their rights. (4) 
 
And in the same document of guidelines on land policy, the table on Fundamental Issues and Trends identifies the collective rights of indigenous peoples from four points of action necessary in Latin America as follows: "Ways sought to formalize claims of Land of the informal sector, minority and indigenous peoples. Support recognition of collective rights of  property. " (5) 
 
The article 5.7.13 on  the same guidelines points out that  "measures to ensure the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples must be based on respect for their laws and tenure regimes themselves." (6) 
 
A final reflection paper on land policy of the EU, including a list of "key principles for the involvement of donor " and the second part of the document, is that "donor support for land reform should never result in... the dispossession or eviction of ethnic minorities and indigenous tribal peoples of the territory traditionally occupied. " (7, bold from original document)
 
Moreover, Article 103 of the European Development Council, the new EU policy on development since 2005, says: "The key principle for safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples in development cooperation is to ensure their full participation and free and informed consent of the communities concerned. " (8) 
 
Article 101 of the European Consensus on Development identifies indigenous peoples as a central theme in development for the EU. According to the information in the same page of the EU, "The main themes are sitting in various conventions, declarations and treaties on development that are binding for EU countries and for most of the beneficiary countries." (9) According to the same multilateral organization, "the EU can not support actions which can result in that a beneficiary country violates its obligations under those agreements." (10)
 
En el caso de Honduras, en cuanto a pueblos indígenas, esas obligaciones incluyen el cumplimiento del Convenio 169 de la OIT, la CERD, y también las medidas cautelares y resoluciones emitidas por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos específicamente para algunas comunidades Garifunas. In the case of Honduras, regarding indigenous peoples, these obligations include compliance with ILO Convention 169, the CERD, as well as restraining orders and resolutions issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights specifically for some Garifuna communities.
 
______________ 
Traducciones no oficiales desde el inglés: Unofficial translations from English:
) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés de la última frase de la sección 2.2: "Despite recent progress, indigenous communities - such as the Garifuna community - have experienced difficulties in claiming their land property rights." Official version in English of the last sentence of Section 2.2: "Despite Recent progress, Indigenous communities - Such as the Garifuna community - have Claiming Their Experienced Difficulties in land property rights." (European Union, Country Strategy Paper for Honduras) (European Union, Country Strategy Paper for Honduras)
(2) Traducción no oficial. (2) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés: "Most indigenous groups have culturally distinctive land tenure regimes based on collective rights to lands and territories." Official version in English: "Have Most Culturally Distinctive groups Indigenous Land Tenure Regimes based on collective rights to lands and territories." (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(3) Traducción no oficial. (3) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés: "effective recognition of these rights is often incomplete, leading to social and political marginalisation, immiseration and land conflicts. Mechanisms for securing indigenous peoples' rights to their lands are thus important for their cultural survival and for promoting equity and protecting their immediate environment." Official version in English: "effective Recognition of These rights is incomplete Often, Leading to Social and Political marginalisation, immiseration and Land Conflicts. Mechanisms for Securing Indigenous Peoples' rights to Malthus Their lands are important for survival and for cultural Their equity Promoting and Protecting Their immediate environment. " (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(4) Traducción no oficial. (4) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés del artículo completo 3.2.3: "Access to fair legal process represents a legitimate expectation associated with citizenship, yet in many countries people are unable to gain protection of their rights and assets under the law. Democratic states need to guarantee the rights and assets of every citizen, even the poorest. This may imply the need for innovative legal frameworks and institutions to ensure the law is accessible to poor farmers, indigenous people and vulnerable groups, and that their rights are fairly taken into account." Official English version of the complete article 3.2.3: "Access to fair legal process Represents a Legitimate Expectation Associated with citizenship, yet people in many country clubs are Unable to gain protection of Their rights and assets under the law. Democratic states to guarantee the Need rights and assets of Every citizen, Even the Poorest. This May Imply the Need for Innovative Institutions and legal frameworks to Ensure the law is accessible to poor Farmers, Indigenous people and vulnerable groups, and Fairly That Their rights are Taken Into Account. " (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(5) Traducción no oficial. (5) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial del cuarto punto de acción necesaria ("Action Needed") en la categoría de América Latina del cuadro Temas y Tendencias Fundamentales ("Major Issues and Trends"): "Means sought to formalise land claims of informal sector, minority groups and indigenous peoples. Support recognition of collective ownership rights." Official version of the fourth necessary action ("Action Needed") in the category of Latin America Fundamental Issues and Trends table ("Major Issues and Trends"): "Means Sought to FormaliS land claims of informal sector, minority groups and Indigenous peoples. Support Recognition of collective ownership rights. " (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(6) Traducción no oficial. (6) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés: "Measures to secure the rights of minority groups and indigenous peoples must be based on the respect of their own laws and tenure regimes" (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) Official version in English: "Measures to secure the rights of minority groups and indigenous peoples must be based on the Respect of Their Own Laws and tenure regime" (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(7) Traducción no oficial. (7) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés del punto en el listado "Key principles for donors' engagement" (negrito del documento original): "Donor support for land reform should in no case result in further deprivation for women and poor people from access to and control over land, nor in the dispossession or eviction of ethnic minorities or tribal and indigenous peoples from the territory they traditionally occupy." Official English version of item in the list "Key Principles for Donors' engagement" (bold in the original document): "Donor support for Land Reform in no case should result in weitere deprivation for women and poor people from access to and control over land , north in the dispossession or Eviction of Ethnic Minorities and indigenous peoples or tribal from They Traditionally Occupy the Territory. " (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004) (European Union, Land Policy Guidelines, November 2004)
(8) Traducción no oficial. (8) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés: "The key principle for safeguarding indigenous peoples rights in development cooperation is to ensure their full participation and the free and prior informed consent of the communities concerned." Official version in English: "The key Principles for Safeguarding Indigenous Peoples Rights in Development Cooperation is to Ensure Their full participation and the free and prior informed consent of the Communities concerned." (The European Consensus on Development, 2005) (The European Consensus on Development, 2005)
(9) Traducción no oficial. (9) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés de comentarios sobre los ejes temáticos en las políticas del desarrollo: "Cross-cutting issues are laid down in a number of international conventions, declarations and treaties on development that are binding on EU countries and most beneficiary countries." Official English version of comments on the themes in the politics of development: "Cross-cutting issues are laid down in a number of international conventions, declarations and treaties on Development That are binding on EU country clubs and most beneficiary countries." ( http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/crosscutting_en.cfm ) ( http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/crosscutting_en.cfm )
(10) Traducción no oficial. (10) Unofficial translation. Versión oficial en inglés de comentarios sobre los ejes temáticos en las políticas del desarrollo: "the EU cannot support action that may result in a beneficiary country infringing its obligations under these agreements." Official English version of comments on the themes in the politics of development: "the EU can not support action That May result in a Beneficiary Country infringing These ITS Obligations under agreements." ( http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/crosscutting_en.cfm ) ( http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/crosscutting_en.cfm )
Enlaces a los documentos de la UE utilizados: Links to EU documents used:
  La Ceiba, April 30, 2010
  - Miriam Miranda
OFRANEH Honduran Black Fraternal Organization, OFRANEH


http://www.alainet.org/active/37741&lang=es


Abolishing the Apartheid: Boycotting Arizona's Rascism

Boycotting Arizona’s Racism

Arizona was the only territory west of Texas to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy during the Civil War. A century later, it fought recognition of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday. This week, an anti-immigrant bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer. Arizona Senate Bill 1070 empowers state and local law enforcement to stop, question and arrest whoever they suspect may not be in the state legally. The law is an open invitation to sweeping racial profiling and arbitrary detention.

Apartheid

The whole world condemns the Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which criminalizes illegal immigration in that state of the American union, and that conviction avalanche grows as the connotation of racial discrimination inherent in the regimes of "apartheid."
The "apartheid" is basically racial segregation and is based on the theory of the superior race - applied in Nazi Germany and South Africa of "afrikanders" extreme right - which is one of the most shameful attacks  againsthuman rights and social peace.
The Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) denounced in this regard that SB 1070  of the Arizona State violates the principles of nondiscrimination and equal protection of the laws.
The U.S. attorney general, Eric Holder, has said publicly that his government is reviewing the law in Arizona and would not rule out challenging it  to justice.
This event could mean for President Obama, who has expressed opposition to this law, a blow to its immigration policy if such legislation comes into force eventually. There are already initiatives in the State of Texas for the imposition of a similar scheme there too.
So far, the immigration reform bill proposed by President Obama - which tends to  make flexible and rationalize the immigration policy, paving the way for the normalization of the status of certain illegal immigrants, has been systematically boycotted by Republican congressmen.
The financial crisis has caused a severe blow to employment, and, of course, has been a factor adverse to immigration reform, since the sharp increase in unemployment tends to protect the U.S. labor force vis a vis the migrants, something easily usable for the anti-immigration slogan.
Moreover, the "international impact" that the Arizona law has caused is of great concern to the United States government and for most Americans.The State Department spokesman, Philip Crowley, acknowledges: "Clearly it's having an impact, especially in Mexico, but everywhere ... There are also international implications of all this."
And with things heading this way, from Honduras reading these events is very difficult, given the complexity of the political and ideological interests at stake in the American scene.  It seems clear, though, that the ultra-right Republican wing is going towards a deeper radicalization and more aggressive.
In our environment, whether related to the TPS - this phenomenon has serious implications and influence.  This is why, in large part, there is  persistence of certain authoritarian attitudes that intensify the human rights violations and undermine the already precarious social peace.


http://www.tiempo.hn/web2/index.php/editoriales/15220-apartheid.html

According to journalist Mavis Cruz, police chief tried to shut down her news program.

 Journalist  of San Pedro Sula, Mavis Cruz, director of information program "News of the Hour", broadcast by Radio Frequency Romance, reported that her  program was almost closed by influences of the Police Commissioner Hector Ivan Mejia.
Journalist Mavis Cruz, is the founder of TN-5 news and 11 News in San Pedro Sula, and recently worked as a presenter on Channel 6.
Mavis Cruz explained that the attempted censorship began "after making a relation of facts regarding the murder of our colleague Georgino Orellana and mentioning Mejía ."
  The issue generated the reaction of the listeners who are still outraged by the death of Georginao and the lack of response by security officials filled the phone lines of the program to express their opinion on the issue.
At the conclusion of the program, Mavis Cruz, received a call from the administration of Radio Romance, who informed her that her program was canceled.
 The journalist suprised asked if the determination to eliminate the space was due to the journalistic content of her program, to which they replied that Mejia had called the owners of the media complaining that they were "speaking ill of the police" .
On the next day Mavis Cruz met with the owners of Radio Romance, and demanded that they be write the reasons for the cancellation of her program. After waiting three hours for the paper, she was told to continue working normally, said the journalist.

She acknowledged that in five years she has worked with the institution this is the first incident that she suffers.
 
"I've always defended my point of view against the coup and of human rights abuses and freedom of expression and the owners always been respected, me" said Cruz, who said she is worried that she or her family may suffer retaliation just because of her occupation.
 
Mejia denied having made the call to the owners of Radio Romance to cancel the program,  in via telephone communication he had with the husband of Mavis Cruz.

Source: http://radioprogresohonduras.blogspot.com/2010/04/segun-periodista-mavis-cruz-jefe.html 

"You're going to die", is what was told to the President of the Journalist Association of Colón

Increasing threats against journalist of Aguán


The constant harassment of the victim, journalist Ricardo Emilio Oviedo, president of the Association of Journalists in Colón, was intensified in the last hours to the point of putting his life on the edge, "they shot at my house and my program was taken off the air when I spoke about threats of which  we are victims, "he told defensoresenlinea.com, on Wednesday 28 April.

  The journalist has a program on Channel 40 cable television of Tocoa in the department of Colon.  During the coup, he  received "suggestions" to be quiet.

. This Tuesday, April 27, we  decided  break the  silence we've had since the death of Nahum Palacios, but when the program was talking about the threats of which  we are victims, the channel went off the air.

On April 08 when police and military took over the city and searched people, Oviedo broadcast images of the militarization and a police officer told him to stop "talking so much sh ...".

That same day, at 7:45 pm, bursts of fire were made  in front  channel 40, also a yellow motorcycle without license plates, driven by two strangers, followed him.

On April 09, a group of people who were in front of the TV station where Oviedo  worked, fired shots.  On another occasion, two men on a motorcycle followed him to his  house, when he left the channel.

Vigilance against him is open, as evidenced by the fact that subjects with Jeans and polo shirts stood at the corner of his house and traces of  sneakers  have been found at the back of his house.

The follow-up in several times by a beige pickup vehicle, the same as the one of April 14 tried to take him out of the road where he was circulating, with the clear intention of harming him and make it look like an accident.

On  April 21, an unidentified man telephoned Ricardo Oviedo and said, "You're going to die," before hanging up.

  Since the assassination of Nahum Palacios, the Journalist Association of Colon has decided to lift its vow of silence and this April 27 addressed the issue of threats that the journalists are facing including Ricardo Oviedo and the program was taken off the air, the journalist reported .

Again  they opened fire against his house

At about 7:40 pm on April 26 at a time when there was a power failure, his home was fired  from a vehicle and although there are soldiers and police in the area, there was no action of these forces or of the Regional Commissioner of Human Rights,  to this lack of responsibility can be added   the Public Prosecutor's Office, whose coordinator, Arody Mariela Reyes, has refused to address the complaint despite the fact that Oviedo and other members of the Association of Journalists of Colon have waited for more than two hours without results.

A delegation of the Committee of Relatives of Detained and Disappeared in Honduras, COFADEH, who traveled to the Colon area during the week of April 16, documented the threats and actions and made urgent actions  to international human rights organizations.

Last week,  with the increasing statistics of deaths of journalists in the country, in a press conference,  both the Security Minister Oscar Alvarez and the president of the Journalists Association of Honduras, in this activity they didn't  refer to concrete actions to solve this problem but they merely  "recommended" journalists to be careful about the topics  addressed.


COPA blames authorities for what may happen to Journalist

In a statement released by the Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations of Aguan, COPA,  regional authorities, the President of the Republic, the Security Minister and Minister of Defense are blamed "for any act against the physical integrity of fellow journalist  RICARDO EMILIO OVIEDO, that would  increase the number of violations of freedom of expression and life in the country, as already  six journalists have been killed in less than two months. "

The document notes that such events reflect "state terrorism of this regime, led by Mr. Porfirio Lobo Sosa, who has sent military and police to the Aguán area since Saturday April 10, 2010, and who  accompanied by other people (Assassins, paramilitaries and others), with the aim of intimidating, stalking, harassing, threatening to death and even murder in the first place the farmers who had recovery actions, journalists, members of Popular Resistance and the people of the area, as is the case of our colleague  OVIEDO . "
Source:  http://www.defensoresenlinea.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=711:aumentan-las-amenazas-contra-periodista-del-aguan&catid=71:def&Itemid=166 and  http://www.revistazo.biz/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1097:te-vas-a-morir-le-dicen-a-presidente-de-asociacion-de-periodistas-de-colon-&catid=19:proyectos&Itemid=19