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Honduras National Indigenous Statement On Military Coup
English Translation, Original Spanish Version Below
Indigenous Peoples and Blacks in Honduras, through this document, we want to make our position clear and firm policy against the coup d'état in our country, in the terms we have agreed to express to the national and international public opinion:
a) To declare our strong condemnation and abhorrence at the national and international public opinion, the conspirators of the coup (Micheletti, armed forces and powers) supported by Ramón Custodio (Commissioner for Human Rights), Luis Rubio (Attorney General) , Judges of the Supreme Court of "Justice" and the Members of Congress representatives of the parties, Liberal, National, Pinu-Sd, and the Christian Democrats.
b) We demand the immediate unconditional return of the President of the Republic Don Manuel Zelaya Rosales, whom we recognize as our only president elected by us. Therefore we are unwilling to obey any order issued by Micheletti and his supporters.
c) under Article 3 of the Constitution, which says no one should obey a usurper government or to assume those duties by force of arms, we clarify that we are willing to go to the extreme, to defend dignity of our peoples historically tarnished by groups of economic power, the corrupt political class and the military.
d) We request the urgent presence of Dr. James Anaya (United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples), Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpus (Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples of the UN), the International Labor Organization (Geneva office ), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Amnesty International, Armstrong Wiggins of ILCR, among others, to send assessment missions in order to analyze the situation of violation of human rights of indigenous communities, peasant organizations and leaders of the popular movement to the crisis in our country.
e) leave a record that will not participate in any "national dialogue" that the touting putschists. Rather, we alerted the international community on this "circus" where the clowns will be the poor as ever, it is only seeking to gain time to legitimize and consolidate the privileges of the powers (the godfather of the coup) and fooled again the Honduran people, as well as agencies and cooperating countries.
f) our efforts to adhere to the National Front millennial struggle of resistance against the coup, the National Coordination of Popular Resistance, as well as all other sectors of the popular movement that advocated by the transformation of Honduran society a more equitable, more just and more humane.
g) Never abandon our historic struggle for a reform to the constitution of our country, which recognizes the multicultural and multilingual in Honduras, the rights of our peoples, for a participatory and inclusive democracy, to free, prior and informed consent, recognition and self-defense of our territories and natural resources, to self-determination of peoples, among others, as well as in various treaties, international conventions and declarations, notably the ILO Convention 169 and the Declaration of UN Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
"I struggle because I do not want stolen most of our honey combs" Tupac Amaru
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, July 01, 2009
Original Spanish Version
POSICIÓN POLÍTICA DE LOS PUEBLOS
Los pueblos indígenas y negros de Honduras, mediante el presente documento, queremos dejar firme y clara nuestra posición política frente al Golpe de Estado ocurrido en nuestro país, en los términos que a continuación hemos acordado manifestar ante la opinión publica nacional e internacional:
a) Declarar nuestro repudio y enérgica condena ante la opinión publica nacional e internacional, a los conspiradores del golpe de estado (Micheletti, fuerzas armadas y los poderes fácticos) avalados por Ramón Custodio (Comisionado de Derechos Humanos), Luís Rubí (Fiscal General), los Magistrados de la Corte Suprema de “Justicia” y los diputados y diputadas del Congreso Nacional representantes de los partidos; Liberal, Nacional, Pinu-Sd, y la Democracia Cristiana.
b) Exigimos sin condiciones el inmediato retorno del Presidente Constitucional de la República Don Manuel Zelaya Rosales, a quien reconocemos como nuestro único presidente electo por nosotros. Por tanto no estamos dispuestos a obedecer ningún orden que emane de Micheletti y sus secuaces.
c) Amparados en el Artículo 3 de la Constitución de la República, que dice; nadie debe obediencia a un gobierno usurpador ni a quienes asuman funciones por la fuerza de las armas, aclaramos que estamos dispuestos a llegar hasta las ultimas consecuencias, por defender la dignidad de nuestros pueblos mancillados históricamente por los grupos de poder económico, la clase política corrupta y las fuerzas armadas.
d) Solicitamos la urgente presencia del Dr. James Anaya (Relator Especial de las Naciones Unidas sobre Pueblos Indígenas), la Sra. Victoria Tauli-Corpus (Foro Permanente de Pueblos Indígenas de la ONU), a la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (oficina Ginebra), a la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH), a Amnistía Internacional, a Amstrong Wiggins del ILCR, entre otros, para que envíen misiones de evaluación con el fin de analizar la situación de violación de los derechos humanos de las comunidades indígenas, campesinos y dirigentes de organizaciones del movimiento popular ante la crisis que vive nuestro país.
e) Dejamos constancia que no participaremos en ningún “dialogo nacional” que pregonan los golpistas. Al contrario, alertamos a la comunidad internacional sobre ese “circo” donde los payasos seremos los pobres de siempre, que lo único que buscan es ganar tiempo para legitimar y consolidar los privilegios de los poderes fácticos (padrino de los golpistas) y engañar de nuevo al pueblo hondureño, así como a los organismos y países cooperantes.
f) Adherimos nuestros esfuerzos de lucha milenaria al Frente Nacional de Resistencia contra el Golpe de Estado, a la Coordinadora Nacional de Resistencia Popular, así como con todos los demás sectores del movimiento popular que pregonamos por la transformación de una sociedad hondureña más equitativa, más justa, y más humana.
g) Jamás claudicaremos a nuestra lucha histórica por una reforma a la constitución política de nuestra patria, en donde se reconozca el Estado multicultural y multilingüe en Honduras; los derechos particulares de nuestros pueblos; por una democracia participativa e incluyente; al consentimiento libre, previo e informado; al reconocimiento y defensa legitima de nuestros territorios y recursos naturales; a la libre determinación de nuestros pueblos; entre otros, así, como lo establecen diversos Tratados, Convenios y Declaraciones internacionales, principalmente el Convenio 169 de la OIT y la Declaración de la Naciones Unidas sobre Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas.
“Lucho porque no quiero que se roben más las mieles de nuestros panales” Tupac Amaru
Wednesday, 01 September 1858
The Battle of Four Lakes
On This Day: In 1858 over 500 Coeur d'Alene people fought Colonel George H. Wright and 600 soldiers at the Battle of Four Lakes near present-day Spokane, Washington. Wright attacked and drove off the Indians inflicting heavy losses while reportedly not losing a single soldier due to the long range (500+ yards) of the new Springfield Model 1855 Rifle-Musket vs. the short range (50-100 yards) of the Indian's smoothbores. Over 60 Coeur d'Alene warriors lost their life protecting their people and land.
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