HONDURAS SEEMS FAR FROM OUR EVERY DAY LIVES...but what happens in one country, can happen anywhere. We all think we are safe here in Hawaii, but the FACT of the military presence here assures that we could be a target. We were a peaceful and neutral nation but since 1893, have been dominated by the presence of an outside country that CLAIMS it believes in freedom and justice, but what they really mean is....ONLY FOR THEMSELVES. All others don't seem to count.Donna------------No Justification for CoupBy Bertha OlivaMiami HeraldJuly 15, 2009http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/1143103.htmlAs a Honduran human-rights activist, it has beendisturbing to hear the drumbeat of voices in the U.S.media justifying what is taking place in my country.While the Organization of American States, the UnitedNations and heads of state from countries across thepolitical spectrum worldwide have condemned the coup,commentators in The New York Times, Washington Post andThe Wall Street Journal have called it a ''democratic''coup, while others have blamed exiled President ManuelZelaya for it happening in the first place.U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fl., has joined the chorus aswell, introducing a resolution in support of the defacto regime in the name of ''the Honduran people,''just days after the coup leaders murdered peacefulcitizens on the streets of Tegucigalpa.The events that have unfolded in Honduras are aforceful and illegal overthrow of a democraticallyelected government. To justify this act by adding theadjective ''democratic'' to the coup is not only anoxymoron, but a blatant inaccuracy.Many in the United States have declared that theproposal by President Zelaya to hold a nationalconsultation on constitutional issues was so dangerousthat he somehow brought the coup on himself. To set therecord straight, what was scheduled to take place onSunday, June 28 was not a vote on Zelaya's ability tocontinue in office, but a nonbinding survey on thepossibility of holding a constitutional assembly.To purposefully misconstrue this as an aggressive,''anti-democratic'' act is to stretch the truth to itsbreaking point, in the service of a pre-determinedposition against the Zelaya government's policies orpolitics.When our fragile democracy and millions of lives are atstake, what is truly dangerous is for influentialopinion leaders in the United States to imply thatcertain kinds of democratically elected governments''deserve'' overthrow. In a society based on Rule ofLaw, there are various mechanisms available for anopposition to make claims against a sittingadministration. Kidnapping a president at gunpoint andspiriting him over the border is not one of them anddeclaring marital law is not one of them. Even the toplegal military advisors to the de facto regime inHonduras admitted that their actions were -- and are --illegal.My experience as the director of a human-rightsorganization that has represented the families ofHondurans ''disappeared'' for more than 20 years informmy fears of a return to the horrors we lived in thelast century. Unfortunately, these fears have provenjustified.The last few days have been an uncanny repeat ofatrocities that we thought were left behind in the1980s: forced detentions, murder and violent repressionof peaceful protesters, media censorship and suspensionof constitutional rights. The situation has garneredswift reproach from Human Rights Watch, AmnestyInternational and other prominent watchdog groups, butthe stifling of dissent has only intensified inside thecountry.President Barack Obama and Secretary of State HillaryClinton have spoken up for democracy and human rightsin condemning the actions of the coup leaders. Now theUnited States must put its money where its mouth is byformally recognizing what happened as a coup d'etat andsuspending all aid to and trade with Honduras until thelegitimate president is restored to power.Honduras is deeply dependent on the United States,which is the market for roughly 70 percent of itsexports. U.S. trade and aid are the backbone of oureconomy. If the U.S. does not cut ties with Honduras,it is sending a clear signal of tacit support for thosewho took power illegally as well as the abuses of powerwe have seen in the week the regime has been in place.Actions speak louder than words. The U.S. government isuniquely positioned to play the deciding role inwhether or not Honduras is returned to democracy orplunged into dictatorship. Along with my fellowcitizens, I pray that this is a moral and politicalresponsibility that the Obama administration will notignore.____Bertha Oliva is director of the Honduran Committee ofFamily of the Disappeared Detainees (Comite deFamiliares de Detenidos Desparecidos en Honduras --COFADEH) in Tegucigalpa.
mahalo hawnwahine...
will take a look at what you've sent me....a little later. busy now.
Donna
by the way...that is my gggrandfather in the photo. James Robinson Holt.
there war is not over like i said they are at war and the peace treaty is just one step, now they took this kind of too far with north korea wanting missles for their selvesso when its time for war they can be protected same as other countries they are looking for protection jesus sid their will be wars and famine and he said in the last days it would be like this in revelation this is a time of evil people and the lord has told me this in a scripture, i am not ofhis world i am not of maiole and our kingdoms that speak the real truth i am not of soviergnty i am for gods soveriegnty and i want gods soveriegnty to prevail and all justice to the real ua mau kea oka ain ika pono this is what our queen wanted and she will get her peace a friend told m we going get back what is ours and sseen alot of people signing for the queen to be reienstated again normal to the kingdom we are of his kingdm god and his righteousness will alwaysa prevai l. god showed me i am of half winning i need to be of all winning with him. i amhere to save you from destruction i am your holy grail and here to protect i am the princess of heavens thisis why my middle name is ver special to me i am of the real moon and star .
Comments
will take a look at what you've sent me....a little later. busy now.
Donna
by the way...that is my gggrandfather in the photo. James Robinson Holt.