Violent Repression Continues in Honduras

by James Parks, Oct 26, 2009

In the wake of the June 28 coup in Honduras that forcibly deposed and expelled President Manuel Zelaya, thousands of trade unionists—following the call of the three national labor centrals (CUTH, CTH and the CGT)—joined tens of thousands in nonviolent protests, demanding the immediate restoration of democracy in their country.

In response, the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti directed the military and police to violently repress the legitimate protests. National and international human rights organizations report widespread human rights violations by state security forces, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, severe beatings, sexual violence, imprisonment and torture, and killings of Zelaya’s supporters. 

Following the president’s return to the capital city of Tegucigalpa on Sept. 21, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The de facto government stepped up its offensive against democratic civil society organizations, including the trade union movement. A report by Honduran Radio Progreso confirmed the killing of a trade unionist from the National Agrarian Institute shortly after Zelaya’s return. Three members of the teachers union—Felix Murillo Lopez, Roger Vallejo and Martin Florencio Rivera—were killed while mobilizing trade union opposition to the coup.

In addition to violently repressing anti-coup demonstrations outside the embassy of Brazil where Zelaya now resides, police reportedly detained and beat hundreds of demonstrators in other parts of the capital, as well as in other cities throughout the country. The de facto government also ordered a blockade and cut off water and electricity to the embassy, an act of aggression against another sovereign government. 

On Sept. 27, the de facto government suspended all basic civil liberties in Honduras, including freedom of speech, press and assembly, shut down independent news sources and authorized warrantless arrests for 45 days. Although Micheletti—no doubt yielding to international pressure—indicated he is suspending these recent edicts and is reversing the blockade, the violations of freedom of expression and assembly, core workers’ rights and democratic integrity persist. 

The AFL-CIO continues to strongly condemn the military coup against the democratically elected Zelaya and the ensuing violent repression of the Honduran people by the de facto government.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stated: 

The de facto government must immediately halt the repression of the Honduran people and reinstate their human and trade union rights.  We urge the U.S. government, as well as other governments in the hemisphere and throughout the world, to condemn the violence and seek a peaceful resolution to this crisis.

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