Thursday, September 16, 2010

Anti-coup journalist from Radio Globo, Luis Galdámez Álvarez, survives murder attempt


Critical Honduran reporter survives shooting attack

New York, September 16, 2010--Honduran authorities must fully investigate an attempted shooting on Tuesday of journalist Luis Galdámez Álvarez, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Unidentified gunmen in the capital, Tegucigalpa, shot at Galdámez outside his home, he told CPJ. Galdámez was uninjured.
Galdámez, a reporter for the national broadcaster Radio Globo and Globo TV, was going into his house in the neighborhood of Villa Centroamericana around 11:30 p.m. when unidentified gunmen hiding behind bushes fired at him at least eight times, the journalist told CPJ. Galdámez and his son fired back at the assailants, the press said. The reporter said he and his son purchased guns after unidentified men shot him in his car in 2005.
Local authorities have not yet identified any suspects or possible motives for the attack, the journalist said.
Galdámez said he has been receiving death threats since the Honduran military ousted President Manuel Zelaya in June 2009. He is widely known for his criticism of the coup and the government of President Porfirio Lobo, and regularly reports on government corruption and human rights abuses allegedly committed by law enforcement during his news program "Seeking the Truth" (Tras la Verdad), the news director of Radio Globo David Romero told CPJ.
"We condemn the attack against Luis Galdámez and urge authorities to fully investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice," said Carlos Lauría, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas. "It is time for the Honduran government to put an end to this wave of violence, which is endangering the press and affecting citizens' right to freedom of expression."
Radio Globo has also been the target of serious attacks and multiple broadcasting disruptions. On September 28, 2009, during the interim government of Roberto Micheletti, the station was forced off the air after security forces raided their offices and confiscated equipment. It returned to the air on October 20.
The Washington-based Inter-American Commission of Human Rights ordered the Honduran government to provide Galdámez protection in July 2009 after repeated threats. Honduran authorities never enforced the order, the reporter said. "Those orders coming from Inter-American Commission don't mean anything in Honduras," he said.
Eight journalists have been killed since March in Honduras--at least three in direct reprisal for their work, CPJ research shows. In July, a CPJ special report found a pattern of botched and negligent investigative work into the killings.

Vendor killed in police/military attack today






Parents, men and women who had come to see the parade, had to flee from the effects of tear gas grenades

















Tegucigalpa Wednesday 15 September, 2010. Mr. Efraín López, dedicated to the sale of lottery tickets in the central park of San Pedro Sula and who was in the park at the moment when the police attacked the concert and rally of the National People's Resistance Front FNRP, died from teargas shot by the police.
The president of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras CODEH, Andrés Pavón, confirmed the death of López, in a San Pedro hospital.
According to CODEH, at the hospital they did not know what type of antidote to use when they received the patient in urgent condition, because the police does not make public the chemicals that they use in their teargas canisters.
The now deceased man had been in the area at the moment of the attack, where he always sold National Lottery tickets, a product of the National Foundation for Childhood PANI.
CODEH also informed that there are two people hurt with severe injuries who are in hospitals in the city.
They also informed that 39 people who had been detained in the police station of the Suncery neighborhood were freed by a judge named by the Appeals Court of San Pedro Sula, following the presentation of a habeas corpus request.
That they were freed confirms the fact that their detention was illegal.

Confirmado una persona muerta en San Pedro Sula por represión policial
Wednesday 15 September, 2010

Tegucigalpa 15 de septiembre de 2010. El señor Efraín López, dedicado a la venta de lotería en el parque central de San Pedro Sula y que se encontraba en el mismo, al momento de que la policía reprimiera un concierto y movilización del Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular FNRP, falleció por culpa de los gases lanzados por la policía.
El presidente del Comité Para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos en Honduras CODEH, Andrés Pavón, confirmó el fallecimiento López, en un hospital de sampedrano.
Según los informes que maneja el CODEH, en el hospital no sabían que tipo de reactivos utilizar cuando recibieron al paciente de urgencia, porque la policía no tiene registrados los químicos que utiliza en las bombas lacrimógenas.
El ahora fallecido se encontraba en el área, en el momento de la represión, un lugar habitual de venta de Lotería Nacional, un producto del Patronato Nacional de la Infancia PANI.
CODEH, también informó que hay dos heridos con severas lesiones, quienes se encuentran internos en hospitales de la ciudad.
Informó además que 39 personas detenidas en la posta del barrio Suncery, fueron liberadas por un juez ejecutor nombrado por la Corte de Apelaciones de San pedro Sula, a petición de un Habeas Corpus presentado.
La liberación confirma que hubo una detención ilegal.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Official Communiqué from Café Guancasco


Official Communiqué from Café Guancasco on the Repression of September 15th in San Pedro Sula
To the National People's Resistance Front, human rights organizations, the media, the international community and general population:
We write to inform that this September 15 we were brutally attacked by the police and army, while performing at the "What Independence?" concert along with thousands of people in the audience, among them young boys and girls, elderly men and women, and many others who were peacefully enjoying our performance.
A little less than 10 minutes after the concert had begun, the repressive agents directly attacked the stage where we were performing, shooting teargas canisters onto the stage and all around the area where the concert was being held. They then sprayed all the audio equipment and the instruments with gas and high-powered water, throwing them from the platform and stealing much of the equipment.
A member of our band was brutally beaten in the head and hands; this compañero is also a member of the Honduran band Montuca Sound System and had joined us for the tour that was to begin with this concert.
Other compañeros from Café Guancasco were seriously injured from the gas and required medical attention.
Café Guancasco is a musical group that is part of the National People's Resistance Front and on this occasion, together with many other local organizations, we had organized the concert as a gift to the whole Sula Valley.
The costs of the damaged equipment reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. The company affected is called Euro Sound and is currently carrying out the estimate of the losses in order to charge Café Guancasco, which directly rented the equipment for the activity.
We address our message of protest to all the people of the world. We escaped with sick children in our arms, women who had been beaten, injured youths, elderly people who had fainted. In Honduras it is no longer legal to make art, it is no longer legal to publicly side with the people. We send our message of condemnation to the dictatorship of Porfirio Lobo Sosa. Our song is nothing more than a shout of hope for millions of people trying to free their nation, and if this bothers him, he will have to get used to living with the contempt of the people, which we will once again turn into song.

Comunicado Oficial De Café Guancasco Ante La Represión Del 15 De Septiembre En San Pedro Sula
Al Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular, organismos de derechos humanos, medios de comunicación, comunidad internacional y población en general:
Informamos que éste 15 de septiembre del 2010 fuimos reprimidos brutalmente por la policía y el ejército, mientras ofrecíamos nuestro concierto “¿Cuál independencia?” junto a miles de personas, entre las cuales había niños y niñas, acianos y ancianas, muchas más que disfrutaban de nuestra presentación en forma pacífica.
A poco menos de 10 minutos de comenzada la función, los órganos represores atacaron directamente el espacio en donde nos encontrábamos, lanzando bombas lacrimógenas al escenario y a todo el perímetro en donde se desarrollaba la actividad, seguidamente rociaron con agua y gas todo el equipo de audio y los instrumentos, lanzando de la tarima y robando muchas partes del mismo.
Un integrante de nuestra banda fue brutalmente golpeado en la cabeza y las manos, el compañero es además un integrante de la banda hondureña Montuca Sound System y se había unido a nuestra gira que comenzaba con éste concierto.
Otros compañeros de Café Guancasco salieron gravemente intoxicados del perímetro y tuvieron que ser atendidos médicamente.
Café Guancasco es una agrupación musical que forma parte del Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular y en esta ocasión llevábamos a cabo junto a muchas organizaciones locales este concierto que era un regalo para todo el Valle de Sula.
Los costos por el daño al equipo ascienden a cientos de miles de dólares, la empresa afectada tiene por nombre Euro Sound y ahora mismo están haciendo el estimado de las pérdidas para asumir su responsabilidad de pedir cuentas a Café Guancasco quien es el contratista directo de la actividad.
A todos los pueblos del mundo lanzamos nuestro mensaje de protesta, salimos del lugar con niños intoxicados en las manos, mujeres golpeadas, jóvenes heridos, ancianos desmayados. En Honduras ya no es legal hacer arte, ya no es legal pronunciarse a favor del pueblo.
A la dictadura de Porfirio Lobo Sosa le mandamos nuestro mensaje de repudio, nuestro canto no es más que un grito de esperanza para millones de seres humanos que intentan liberar a su pueblo, si éste le molesta, pues tendrá que acostumbrarse a vivir con los apelativos despectivos que nuevamente convertiremos en canción.

Independence day: peak attendance, peak repression




Tegucigalpa: On independence day the marches started at 9 am at the upper end of boulevard Morazan, it seems that capital inhabitants are getting use to celebrate this day rendering homage to the dream of a really independent Honduras, as crowds are setting up attendance records nationwide, perhaps marches never seen in the history of the now 189 year old nation. 
The Resistance movement, the biggest social movement Honduras have ever seen, is now much more structured and organized than one year ago when fighting the first episode of the back the gorillas, the people was still overwhelmed by then, now 12 months later the rampant counter attack from the grassroots is refining its strategies and aspirations in a very creative way. One could even see the march online from the FNRP’s website and watch great interviews taking place in the streets of Tegucigalpa with renown politicians and activist but also children and passersby. 
San Pedro Sula: At around noon news started to arrive from San Pedro Sula, the industrial capital of Honduras, that massive repressions undertaken by the police were taking place at a venue where bands of the likes of Café Guancasco and Montuca Sound Systems were just started and where former first lady Xiomara de Zelaya was present. Several wounded have being reported and at this time, 2 pm, news are being awaited from people that were hospitalized in that city. The repressive forces also evicted employees at a local Radio Station (Radio Uno) by using teargas and hitting them brutally, they also destroyed musical instruments from the bands that were to play. 
This puts in evidence the regime’s fear on events like this, taking place during meaningful days like this, full of identity and pride uprising like is happening in Honduras at present. Because the feeling itself Hondurans may now have on independence day is pushing the valve towards another way of thinking democracy and another way of rethinking people’s own freedom by themselves. From the view of the right the force of the arms seems their only way. Our new generation certainly understands better than ever why they were baptized as Gorillas back in the 70s. 
This news is in development now.

Brutal Repression in San Pedro



Wed, 09/15/2010 - 15:11 — AP
BRUTAL Repression in San Pedro Sula
From Vos El Soberano, my translation
Wednesday 15 September, 2010 12:30
The repressive forces of the "humanitarian-Christian" dictatorship are currently being deployed against the mobilization of the National Resistance Front in San Pedro Sula. They have ambushed the crowd, have brutally attacked many people who have suffered broken bones, they have broken concert-goers teeth with their clubs, and they have taken a large undetermined number of people to undetermined locations. Furthermore they have attacked Radio Uno with teargas in super-saturated quantities and savagely beat the employees of the radio. It is reported that boys and girls have been affected by the gases and violence. The people are still fleeing at this moment, this story is continuing to develop.

(Foto de Diario Tiempo)
We are told by telephone that the repressive bodies of the state have shown their real faces against the people's gathering; they have not used their usual batons, but rather more serious weapons and wooden clubs.
They have destroyed the audio equipment and musical instruments of the artists.
12:30 The people's march has regrouped in the center of the city, in a tense environment since the repressive forces are preparing a new ambush.
The dictator Lobo Sosa recently stated that he does not care about international recognition since those who were going to give him money have already started doing so.
NO to the payments to these assassins!
Another compañero denounces:
They are attacking us in the Central Park of San Pedro Sula, soldiers are strategically located in the Banco Atlántida and Banco Promérica buildings. From those buildings the soldiers have been shooting teargas canisters at the marchers who had been awaiting the concert that would be carried out in the central park by several national artists in resistance.
The soldiers did not care that among the marchers were entire families with their children younger that 12 years old. Women, men and children suffered through the teargas attacks, several young people were directly hit by the teargas canisters, suffering cracked skulls.
The concert was destroyed by tanks that sprayed high-powered water directly at the stage and on the organizers of the event!
The threats against the people in resistance began from the School and Institute of the Evangelical Mission, where the cops intimidates the resistance marchers, attacking them; they had to turn around and take a different route to avoid being attacked!
Peaceful March is Repressed in San Pedro (COFADEH)
A peaceful march was brutally repressed by police and soldiers. Dozens of people have been detained and beated. Radio Uno was attacked by teargas and the uniformed agents left Ernesto Bardales, of said radio, unconscious.
The ex-congress member Orfilia Mejía stated that when she was passing by in her car, the police threw teargas at her while she had two children with her, who had also been beaten.
Dozens of students were savagely beaten and the marching bands from the public high schools that participated in the march of the resistance were attacked and their instruments destroyed, and the equipment of Café Guancasco was also destroyed, and teargas was shot at its members.
The march was followed by armored cars and COBRA police squads, who, once the march reached the El Benque neighborhood where Radio Uno is, initiated their attack.
Outside Radio Uno there are windows broken all around, and even the teeth of people who were beaten lying around. Many young boys and girls have been taken to hospitals.
Karen Mejía of Artistas en Resistencia was organizing the event, where they shot teargas canisters at the stage. "This is an attack on the Honduran people and against art which liberates and educates, they destroyed our sound system filling it with water, this is a crime," said Mejía.
Mejìa stated that the police destroyed the statue of president Manuel Zelaya Rosales, "you could see the hatred in their eyes and all around their were people who had fainted in the streets and who had been beaten. The police stations were flooded with people, many of whom had been arrested just for wearing a t-shirt identifying them with the resistance," she noted.
Arnulfo Aguilar, director of Radio Uno stated that a policeman wearing a vest that had the number 60 on it, driving motorcycle number 211 attacked the driver of a vehicle for the sole reason that he had two flags of the National People's Resistance Front and he was arrested and taken away.
The scene is blood-curdling, there is a human hunt in the center of San Pedro, because the police and soldiers are chasing the people and many are currently disappeared, as their family members have been announcing on Radio Uno.

BRUTAL Represión en SPS- En actualización
voselsoberano.com | Miércoles 15 de Septiembre de 2010 12:30
Las fuerzas represivas de la dictadura "humano-cristiana" se ensaña en estos momentos contra la movilizacion del frente nacional de resistencia en san pedro sula. han construido una emboscada, en la que han fracturado muchas personas, con lujo de brutalidad, incluso rompiendoles los dientes con garrotes, y se han llevado con rumbo desconocido una cantidad indeterminada de personas. ademas han atacado radio uno con gases lacrimogenos en cantidades de sobre saturacion y golpeado salvajemente a los empleados dentro de la misma. se reportan niños y niñas afectadas por los gases y por la violencia. la gente aun huye en este instante. esta historia esta en desarrollo.
Nos informan vía teléfonica que los cuerpos represores del Estado se han ensañado con la manifestación popular, no han utilizado sus acostumbrados toletes, sino lances y garrotes de madera.
Han destruido el equipo de audio e instrumentos musicales de los artistas.
12:30 La manifestación popular en este momento se ha reagrupado nuevamente en el centro de la ciudad, en un ambiente tenso pues los cuerpos represivos se preparan para una nueva embestida.
el dictador Lobo Sosa habria dicho recientemente que no le interesa el reconocimiento internacional pues los que le van a dar dinero ya se lo estan dando.
no a los desembolsos para estos asesinos.
Otro compañero denuncia: Reprimen en el parque central de SPS, militares ubicados estrategicamente en los edificios del Banco Atlantida y Banco Promerica, desde esos edificios militares lanzaban bombas lacrimogenas hacia los manifestantes que esperaban los conciertos que se realizarian en el parque central por varios artistas nacionales en resistencia.
A los militares no les importo que entre los manifestantes habian familias enteras con sus hijos menores de 12 años, mujeres, hombres y niÃños recibieron las descargas de las bombas lacrimogenas, a varios jovenes las bombas les impactaron en sus cabezas y se las rajaron!
El concierto fue destruido por las tanquetas, que lanzaron los chorros de agua directamente a las tarimas y a quienes organizaban el evento!
Las amenazas a los resistentes iniciaron desde la Escuela e Instituto Mision Evangelica, en donde los chepos intimidaron a los resistentes con reprimirles y estos tuvieron que cambiar de direccion para evitar ser reprimidos!
Régimen reprime marcha pacífica En San Pedro Sula (COFADEH)
Una manifestación pacífica fue reprimida brutalmente por policías y militares. Decenas de personas han sido detenidas y golpeadas. Radio Uno fue atacada con gases lacrimógenos y los uniformados dejaron inconsciente de los golpes a Ernesto Bardales, de dicha radio.
La ex diputada Orfilia Mejía denunció que cuando venía en su carro los policías le lanzaron gases lacrimógenos donde traía dos niños los que fueron golpeados.
Decenas de estudiantes fueron salvajemente golpeados y las bandas de guerra de los colegios públicos que participaban en la marcha de la resistencia fueron destruidas y el equipo de Café Guancasco también fue destruido y le lanzaron gas pimienta a sus integrantes.
La marcha venía seguida por tanquetas y pelotones de elementos COBRAS que cuando la movilización llegó al barrio El Benque donde está Radio Uno inició la represión.
En las afueras de Radio Uno hay vidrios quebrados por todos lados y hasta dentadura de personas que fueron golpeadas. Se denuncia que hay muchos niños y niñas que han sido llevados a los hospitales.
Karen Mejía de Artistas en Resistencia estaba dirigiendo el evento, tiraron dos bombas lacrimógenas al escenario, “esto es un ataque contra el pueblo hondureño y contra el arte que libera y educa, destruyeron nuestro equipo de sonido llenándolo de agua, esto es un crimen”, dijo Mejía.
Mejìa relató que los policías destruyeron la estatua del presidente Manuel Zelaya Rosales, “ellos se miraban con mucho odio y por todos lados había gente desmayada en las calles quienes también fueron golpeadas, las postas están inundadas de personas, muchas fueron detenidas solo porque vestían una camiseta de la resistencia”, señaló.
Arnulfo Aguilar, director de Radio Uno denunció que un policía que tenía el chaleco con el número 60 y que se conducía en la motocicleta número 211 enchachó al dueño de un vehículo por el solo hecho de llevar dos banderas del Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular y fue llevado detenido.
Los cuadros son desgarradores, hay una cacería humana en el centro de San Pedro Sula, porque los policías y militares persiguen a la gente y hay muchas personas desaparecidas, según denuncia de sus familiares a través Radio Uno.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Violation of the Autonomous University. Militarization! Repression! Savagery!


In the pre-dawn hours today the military took advantage of the Sunday morning calm to violently invade the Autonomous University and arrest numerous hunger strikers and those accompanying them. This account is by Iris Mencia.
Violation of the Autonomous University. Militarization! Repression! Savagery!
In a meter-square cell of the DGIC [General Directorate of Criminal Investigation], according to Andrés Pavón of CODEH, the following people are being held: Carlos Humberto Ramirez, Orlin Osmin Martìnez, Francisco Delmo Lacayo, Enis Ricardo Oyuela, Adolfo Castro, Santos Carrasco, Mario Laìnez, Donato de Jesùs Ruìz, Celio Rivera,Josè Rodolfo Flores, Crisna Peña (the only woman), Reynaldo Antonio, Julio Pineda, Allan Pavòn, Marco Neto, Norberto Rodrìguez, Josuè David Reyes, Marlon Fonseca, Sandro Panchamè, Javier Vàsquez, Lorenzo Rodrìguez, Dionisio Rodrìguez, Carlos Reynaldo Martìnez, Roger Fernando Vasquez, Santos Renásn Martìnez, Oscar Orlando Sanches. All these men and one woman (Crisna) are being illegally detained in this tiny cell, without humanitarian conditions, in a new violation of human rights. Although they claim that after detaining them, Chamorro, a repressive police agent, bought them breakfast. Check out the contradictions.
FREEDOM FOR THESE PEOPLE, we shout.
We have also been informed that two people, an elderly man of 76 years, Antonio Lòpez Mendoza, who has worked for 30 years in the National University, was arrested near the Banco Atlántida in the commercial center in the university and for whom there had been a previous arrest warrant. The famous list of Gonzalina the rector, who is said to have ordered this forced eviction, which happened in the pre-dawn hours, with the well-known soldier Chamorro bursting in, in violation of university autonomy.
FREEDOM FOR THESE OTHERS AND RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY: We go on shouting-
Cristian David Duron, another person with an arrest warrant out, was also captured, and we don't know with any certainty where these two are being held.
ALSO FREEDOM.
Three of those compañeros from the hunger strike were brought under police watch to Hospital Escuela where they were refused treatment, and according to information we have received they were immediately transferred to Hospimed in Colonia Kennedy.
Miguel Angèl Rodrìguez, private security guard from the company FOSEC, whose shift had ended and was dressed in civilian clothing, was beaten up by the police. He went to file a complaint—he watches over the commercial center and amidst police shouts of "On the floor, dog!" he was beaten.
Marìa Lucial Miranda, maintenance worker for the National University, received blows on her hands and back. She did not see the name of her attackers, she could only say she saw a skinny police man.
NO MORE REPRESSION:
From somewhere in the thick of it,
Iris Mencia.

Violación a la autonomía universitaria. Militarización!, Represión!, Salvajismo.
En una celda de la dgic, de metro por metro, informa Andrès Pavòn, del Comitè de Derechos HUmanos, se encuentra detenidos : Carlos Humberto Ramirez, Orlin Osmin Martìnez, Francisco Delmo Lacayo, Enis Ricardo Oyuela, Adolfo Castro, Santos Carrasco, Mario Laìnez, Donato de Jesùs Ruìz, Celio Rivera,Josè Rodolfo Flores, Crisna Peña (ûnica MUjer), Reynaldo Antonio, Julio PIneda, Allan Pavòn, Marco Neto, Norberto Rodrìguez, Josuè David Reyes, Marlon Fonseca, Sandro Panchamè, Javier Vàsquez, Lorenzo Rodrìguez, Dionisio Rodrìguez, Carlos Reynaldo Martìnez, Roger Fernando Vasquez, Santos Renásn Martìnez, Oscar Orlando Sanches, Todos y èlla, (Crisna estàn retenidos ilegalmente en esa celda. con dimensiones estrechisimas, sin condiciones para retenciòn humana, en una nueva violaciòn a los derechos humanos. Aunque segùn dicen, luego de detenidos , Chamorro, agente de represiòn les comprò desayunos. !Vaya usted a saber estas contradicciones!
LIBERTAD PARA ESTAS PERSONAS, gritamos.
Tambièn se informò que hay dos personas, el anciano de 76 años Antonio Lòpez Mendoza, con treinta años de trabajar en la Universidad Nacional, fue detenido por el banco atlántida, en el centro comercial universitario y sobre quien pendìa una ordèn de captura previa. El famoso listado de Gonzalina la rectora, quien dicen, ordenò este desalojo, que se dio en plena madrugada, irrumpiendo al mando del conocido militar Chamorro, y violentando la autonomìa de la universidad-
LIBERTAD PARA ESTAS OTRAS PERSONAS Y RESPETO A LA AUTONOMIA: Seguimos gritando-.
Tambièn fue detenido Cristian David Duron, otra de las personas con orden de captura, de estos dos no se sabe aùn con certeza donde se encuentran,
TAMBIÊN LIBERTAD.
Tres de las personas, los compañeros en Huelga de hambre, fueron llevados bajo vigilancia policial al Hospital Escuela donde no se brindó atención, segùn informaron y fueron trasladado de inmediato al hospimed,. localizado en la colonìa Kenedy.
Miguel Angèl Rodrìguez, vigilante de seguridad privada, de la empresa FOSEC, cuyo turno vencia y encontrabase ya de civil, fue golpeado por los policias, èl llego a interponer su dencunia. es custodia del centro comercial y entre gritos de "Perro tirate al suelo" saliò tambièn golpeado,
Marìa Lucial Miranda, empleada de Mantenimiento de la Universidad Nacional, resulto con golpes en sus manos y espalda. No vio el nombre de sus agresores, sòlo sabe decir que era un policia delgadito.
NO MÂS REPRESIÔN:
Desde algun lugar de los hechos,
Iris Mencia.