International Fast for Honduras - Philadelphia - Day 8

The International Fast for Honduras began its water-only phase on October 6th, 2009. One core faster, Andrés Thomas Conteris, is fasting inside the besieged Brazilian embassy with the elected President of Honduras.

We are calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Honduras, the cessation of human rights violations by the de facto regime, and the immediate return to Constitutional order. More information about the fast can be found at www.ayunoporhonduras.net.

The Spanish in one of the first photographs in this video basically says, "So there haven't been murders, murderers?", and is followed by the graphic photos (sorry) of three of those already confirmed dead at the hands of the coup regime by the time of my visit, September 5-12th. I took all of the photos in this video during that period, while in Honduras as part of a rapid response delegation with the human rights group Witness for Peace. I intend now to fast a day for each of those confirmed dead at the hands of the coup regime thus far. Though a difficult number to pin down, I am using the figures of trusted authorities whom I had the honor to meet in Tegucigalpa, such as Bertha Oliva of COFADEH (The Committee of Families of the Disappeared in Honduras). Today is already my eighth day without food, and I plan to go at least a few days longer, and possibly more. Sadly the death toll keeps rising as more deaths are confirmed to be politically motivated.

If you are in the United States, please call the State Department (202-647-4000) and demand a more coherent US policy toward Honduras. Tell them to stand firmly against the illegal coup regime and their planned elections (which will be far from free or fair). Tell them to freeze bank accounts, impose sanctions, and encourage much-needed investigations in The Hague. Tell our government not to be afraid to stand clearly and openly with the strictly non-violent resistance movement which has sprung up since the coup (the worst violence they can be accused of is vandalism), and which seeks the same stated goal as the United States government: the return to power of democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya and thus the return to Constitutional order in Honduras.

We cannot let this coup stand. It sets too ugly a precedent for the hemisphere and for the world. The era of coups and military dictatorships must not begin again in Latin America.

In solidarity (and hunger),

Nate Kleinman

Philadelphia - October 13th, 2009

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• honduras
• coup
• honduras coup
• fast
• honduras fast
• philadelphia
• independence hall
• honduran resistance
• brazilian embassy
• zelaya
• conteris
• kleinman

[NateKleinman]

I was in Honduras a month ago. I spoke with survivors of recent torture and people who have had friends killed. I'm good at judging liars, and these people were not lying. Talk to the folks at Cofadeh, who have been documenting abuses. They'll give you names. But for starters, how about Isis Obed Murillo (shot at the airport), Pedro Magdiel Muñoz Salvador (kidnapped by police, tortured, and murdered), and Roger Abraham Vallejo Soriano (a teacher shot while in peaceful protest), all shown here.

[djtj1987]

you got another supporter here Nate. And i am a honduran, as a response to ordinaryminds comment.

[ordinaryminds]

how can u be so sure that what u are talking about is really happening? are u here?insurrection in defence of order?.i think u should be really sure what ur talking about... cuz only Honduran ppl know what is going on here... all those things u mentioned i´ve heard about them, but when i ask for names, or what women have been assaulted no one can give me something true,there´s a lot of lies get ur facts right before going on a fast for something isnt even true or worth ur time defending a lie

[Matericia]

We support you, Nate. Thanks for making this video.