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Lay missionary: Conflict in Honduras between poor, wealthy
Sep. 23, 2009
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Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya greets supporters inside the Brazilian Embassy after his arrival in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sept. 21. (CNS/ Reuters)
Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionAlthough ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya returned to his country, the situation is not simply a matter of a conflict between two politicians, said an American lay missionary in Honduras.
The real conflict in Honduras is between the poor and wealthy, said John Donaghy, assistant director of the church charitable agency Caritas in the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras.
"The issue is not Zelaya," Donaghy told Catholic News Service in an e-mail Sept. 22, a day after Zelaya's return. "It's a system that has kept the poor down for years. Zelaya has been seen by many as a sign that someone in power cared for the poor."
Zelaya was ousted in the early hours of June 28 when Honduran soldiers -- acting on the orders of the National Congress -- shot up his house and took him, clad in pajamas, to the airport. Legislators accused Zelaya of treason and of trying to circumvent the nation's constitution; he was flown on a military plane to Costa Rica.
Canadian-born Bishop Real Corriveau, retired bishop of Choluteca who now lives in Tegucigalpa, said there had been rumors that Zelaya would return, "but people didn't really believe it."
When word got out Sept. 21 that Zelaya had taken refuge in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, some of his supporters gathered outside the building. The government imposed a curfew at 4 p.m., however, and the protests broke up, the bishop said. The curfew was to scheduled to be lifted at 6 p.m. Sept. 22.
"Everything has come to a standstill with the curfew," the bishop told CNS in a Sept. 22 telephone interview. He added that it was not easy to get news, because several TV stations had gone off the air.
Corriveau said the Honduran bishops' conference had not made a statement about Zelaya's return, but he expected the bishops to discuss the issue at their next regular meeting Oct. 5.
Donaghy referred to a previous interview in which Bishop Luis Santos Villeda of Santa Rosa de Copan told CNS that members of the country's wealthy elite were behind Zelaya's ouster and that the country needs dialogue between the elite and Honduras' poor and working-class citizens.
"Some say Manuel Zelaya threatened democracy by proposing a constitutional assembly," the bishop told CNS in mid-September. "But the poor of Honduras know that Zelaya raised the minimum salary. That's what they understand. They know he defended the poor by sharing money with mayors and small towns. That's why they are out in the streets closing highways and protesting [to demand Zelaya's return]."
Oblate Fr. Andrew Small, director of the U.S. bishops' collection for the Church in Latin America, told CNS: "The situation continues to be difficult for the church which, perhaps more than any other group in the country, has the interests of all Hondurans at heart. Of paramount importance is the need for cool heads and a peaceful solution to the current impasse."
Roberto Micheletti, former Congress president named interim president after the coup, said in a Sept. 22 op-ed piece in The Washington Post that "the people of Honduras have moved on since the (coup and) our citizens are looking forward to free, fair and transparent elections on Nov. 29."
"Coups do not allow freedom of assembly, either," he wrote. "They do not guarantee freedom of the press, much less a respect for human rights. In Honduras, these freedoms remain intact and vibrant. And on Nov. 29 our country plans to hold the ultimate civic exercise of any democracy: a free and open presidential election."
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Contributing to this story was Barbara J. Fraser in Lima, Peru.
Let's hear it for these brave
Let's hear it for these brave and caring priests, missionaries and bishops.
But what about the cardinal archbishop of Tegucigalpa? He is definitely part of the problem because he is part of the rich, reigning oligarchic elite whose goal is to keep the poor in their misery.
I say he should be ousted along with putschist Micheletti.
Not surprsing NCR showing
Not surprsing NCR showing support for another Marxist
make that "legally elected
make that "legally elected Marxist"
Make that a legally elected
Make that a legally elected marxist that tried to override the democratic constitution to empower himself for may years to come. The honduras constitution was written to specifically stop would be dictaors from taking over. Democracy triumphs again. The U.S. should ackowledge this and stand aside.
Yeah, right, Canisius (lower
Yeah, right, Canisius (lower than dogs). Call caring priests, missionaries and bishops a bunch of commies. Ever heard of Oscar Romero? He was assassinated while celebrating Mass.
I bet you are a birther, deather, and a poor white racist who has been brainwashed by the rich, right-wing lunatic fringe. You all have come out of the woodwork since we have a brilliant, attractive, YOUNG president whose mother was a white Christian and his father a Muslim. An ALL-AMERICAN of a new era... and, gee, he is black. And he is right in line with CATHOLIC social teaching. Read the Beatitudes instead of watching Fox News.
Jesus stands with the poor.
Jesus stands with the poor. NCR is standing with the poor. So, the right wing reactionary posters, who are shills for people like Cardinal Archbishop of Tegucigalpa lend their support for the rich elite. Lovely position and most becoming of people who claim to follow the teachings of Christ. Pathetic. The imperial model of the Roman Church continues to decay as the princes of the Church live their high elitist lives while the poor starve. So, a brave band of priests, missionaries and a few bishops take a position to stand with the poor and they are called "Marxist". Revolutions are born out of this lack of concern and compassion for the marginalized poor. Jesus stands with the poor!
Much has happened since this
Much has happened since this article has written. There has been serious repression of the opponents of the coup. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have expressed their concern.
The last two paragraphs give Micheletti's definition of a coup - and the actions he has ordered or allowed to happen reveal how much like a coup his regime is. He wrote:
"Coups do not allow freedom of assembly."
But we were under curfew for 36+ hours. In addition, those who were assembled around the Brazilian embassy were forcibly removed and demonstrations in Tegucigalpa by the Resistance have been broken up (even during the hours when the curfew was lifted.)
He wrote: "They do not guarantee freedom of the press"
There have been attacks on radio and television stations, threats against them, and electricity cut offs. Jesuit-supported Radio Progreso was spared this earlier this week when a nonviolent crowd of people prevented the military from entering the radio station.
He also wrote:" much less a respect for human rights."
You just have to read the reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights.
He further said: "In Honduras, these freedoms remain intact and vibrant. And on Nov. 29 our country plans to hold the ultimate civic exercise of any democracy: a free and open presidential election."
These and other freedoms are NOT intact and they have not been intact during the coup (nor before, I might suggest.)
In a state that for many years the economic and political power have been controlled and assisted by the two major parts, which are more like Tamanny Hall than real political parties, there is not much place for the poor, the majority of this country, to participate.
The return of Mel is not the solution - though it might aid a solution. The continuation in power of those who represent the wealthy elite will not assist the poor. Other solutions must be sought - by the Honduran people (and not just the intransigent elites.)
Canisius, Yes those terrible
Canisius, Yes those terrible legally elected Marxist wanting to raise the minimum wage and cut into Dole and Chiquita's profits. How dare they, don't they know that corporate rights trump human rights.
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