From the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH):

To the National and International Community

The COPINH condemns the cowardly and dirty coup d’tat against the Constitutional President of the Republic Manuel Zelaya Rosales. We denounce the fascist and terrorist role of the armed forces, of the national congress headed by Roberto Michelleti Bain, of the communications media of sectors of the ultra-right, and the rest of the institutions submissive to the interests of the oligarchy and imperialism that this morning kidnapped the president, prior to the initiation of the popular consultation.

The people are still participating in the non-binding referendum—even faced with repression, even as the campaign of fear continues, and even when confronted with the butt of soldiers’ rifles. There is practically a state of siege in the capital and the rest of the country; electricity is cut off, they have a list of leaders to be captured, and Hondurans who are bravely demonstrating in front of the presidential residence are surrounded by tanks and helicopters.

Even so they have installed the polls and are exercising their right to participate in the consultation as a form of rebellion. The Honduran people are mobilizing.

Since early morning, our organization is calling out its members and has already begun the journey with representatives of the Lenca People on the way to Tegucigalpa.

We tell everyone that the Honduran people are carrying out large demonstrations, actions in their communities, in the municipalities; there are occupations of bridges, and a protest in front of the presidential residence, among others.

From the lands of Lempira, Morazán and Visitación Padilla, we call on the Honduran people in general to demonstrate in defense of their rights and of real and direct democracy for the people, to the fascists we say that they will NOT silence us, that this cowardly act will turn back on them, with great force.

We state that we do not recognize any “substitute” and WE WILL STRUGGLE FOR OUR PEOPLE, FOR OUR RIGHT TO DREAM OF A COUNTRY WITH JUSTICE, EQUITY, LIBERTY AND LIFE.

With the ancestral force of Iselaca and Lempira we raise our voices for life, justice, liberty, dignity and peace.

June 28, 2009

Honduras: Indigenous people condemn plot

T he article below is abridged from a June 24 statement by the Civic Council of People’s and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH).

COPINH condemns before national and world public opinion the attempted coup launched during the night of June 24 against the constitutional government of Manuel Zelaya Rosales and the Honduran people and its most important aspirations.

This action is a desperate response by right-wing forces and their allies to frustrate the people’s will to find a democratic path for national transformation. The reactionary right wing has been desperately trying to block steps towards the creation of a constituent assembly to draw up a new constitution.

This drive toward a coup was planned and carried out through collaboration between the fascist National Congress, the lords of the communication media, the ministry of public safety, the country’s strongest businessmen, and the Armed Forces, who have acted in open defiance of government decisions.

We therefore denounce the army for playing a role similar to that of the 1980s, when it was an agency for destabilisation and repression.

This campaign won support from some sectors of the Evangelical and Catholic hierarchy, who have encouraged, justified, and acted as middlemen for the coup-like actions.

We also denounce the interference and involvement of the US government and its ambassador to Honduras. Told in advance of these actions, they quit the country, and called on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and other institutions under their influence to do the same.

This clearly shows their complicity with the pro-coup forces.

We call on the ranks of COPINH and the Honduran people as a whole, whether or not they are organised, to mobilise in their communities, villages, or cities, to express their defiance and indignation. We call on them not to be intimidated by the terrorist media campaign unleashed against the people’s desire for a new country with justice and equity.

We call on the international community to speak out decisively against this attack on the Honduran people, and to express its solidarity with the people and support for their human rights.

We call for intensification of the organised struggle to establish a constituent assembly now, at this historic juncture for our homeland.

COPINH recognises Zelaya as the only constitutional president of the republic and rejects any “substitute” imposed by imperialist power.

With the power of our ancestors, we raise our voices for life, justice, dignity, liberty and peace.

* From: International News, Green Left Weekly issue #800 29 June 2009.