The other 9/11 returns to haunt Latin America

Johann Hari: The other 9/11 returns to haunt Latin America
It was inevitable that the people at the top would fight to preserve their privileges

Friday, 3 July 2009

The ghost of the other, deadlier 9/11 has returned to stalk Latin America. On Sunday morning, a battalion of soldiers rammed their way into the Presidential Palace in Honduras. They surrounded the bed where the democratically elected President, Manuel Zelaya, was sleeping, and jabbed their machine guns to his chest. They ordered him to get up and marched him on to a military plane. They dumped him in his pyjamas on a landing strip in Costa Rica and told him never to return to the country that freely chose him as their head of state.

Back home, the generals locked down the phone networks, the internet and international TV channels, and announced their people were in charge now. Only sweet, empty music plays on the radio. Government ministers have been arrested and beaten. If you leave your home after 9pm, the population have been told, you risk being shot. Tanks and tear gas are ranged against the protesters who have thronged on to the streets.

For the people of Latin America, this is a replay of their September 11. On that day in Chile in 1973, Salvador Allende – a peaceful democratic socialist who was steadily redistributing wealth to the poor majority – was bombed from office and forced to commit suicide. He was replaced by a self-described "fascist", General Augusto Pinochet, who went on to "disappear" tens of thousands of innocent people. The coup was plotted in Washington DC, by Henry Kissinger.

The official excuse for killing Chilean democracy was that Allende was a "communist". He was not. In fact, he was killed because he was threatening the interests of US and Chilean mega-corporations by shifting the country's wealth and land from them to its own people. When Salvador Allende's widow died last week, she seemed like a symbol from another age – and then, a few days later, the coup came back.

Honduras is a small country in Central America with only seven million inhabitants, but it has embarked on a programme of growing democracy of its own. In 2005, Zelaya ran promising to help the country's poor majority – and he kept his word. He increased the minimum wage by 60 per cent, saying sweatshops were no longer acceptable and "the rich must pay their share".

The tiny elite at the top – who own 45 per cent of the country's wealth – are horrified. They are used to having Honduras run by them, for them.

But this wave of redistributing wealth to the population is washing over Latin America. In the barrios and favelas, I have seen how shanty towns made out of mud and rusted tin now have doctors and teachers and subsidised supermarkets for the first time, because they elected leaders who have turned the spigot of oil money in their direction. In Venezuela, for example, the poorest half of the country has seen its incomes soar by 130 per cent after inflation since they chose Hugo Chavez as their President, according to studies cited by the Nobel Prize-winning US economist Joseph Stiglitz. Infant mortality has plummeted.

No wonder so many Latin American countries are inspired by this example: the notion that Chavez has to "bribe" or "brainwash" people like Zelaya is bizarre.

It was always inevitable that the people at the top would fight back to preserve their unearned privilege. In 2002, the Venezuelan oligarchy conspired with the Bush administration in the kidnapping of Hugo Chavez. It was only a massive democratic uprising of the people that forced his return. Now they have tried the same in Honduras.

Yet the military-business nexus have invented a propaganda-excuse that is being eagerly repeated by dupes across the Western world. The generals claim they have toppled the democratically elected leader and arrested his ministers to save democracy.

Here's how it happened. Honduras has a constitution that was drawn up in 1982, by the oligarchy, under supervision from the outgoing military dictatorship. It states that the President can only serve only one term, while the military remains permanent and "independent" – in order to ensure they remain the real power in the land.

Zelaya believed this was a block on democracy, and proposed a referendum to see if the people wanted to elect a constituent assembly to draw up a new constitution. It could curtail the power of the military, and perhaps allow the President to run for re-election. The Supreme Court, however, ruled that it is unconstitutional to hold a binding referendum within a year of a presidential election. So Zelaya proposed holding a non-binding referendum instead, just to gauge public opinion. This was perfectly legal. The military – terrified of the verdict of the people – then marched in with their guns.

But there has been progress since the days of 1973, or even 2002. The coups against Allende and Chavez were eagerly backed by the CIA and White House. But this time, Barack Obama has said: "We believe the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the President of Honduras." He called the coup "a terrible precedent".

His reaction hasn't been perfect: unlike France and Spain, he hasn't withdrawn the US Ambassador yet. He supports the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which are vast brakes on Latin American democracy, and he bad-mouths Chavez while arming the genuinely abusive Colombian government. But it is a vast improvement on Bush and McCain, who would have been mistily chorusing "We are all Honduran Generals now".

The ugliest face of the Latin American oligarchy is now standing alone against the world, showing its contempt for democracy and for its own people. They are fighting to preserve the old continent where all the wealth goes to them at the end of a machine gun. I have seen the price for this: I have lived in the rubbish dumps of the continent, filled with dark-skinned scavenging children, while a few miles away there are suburbs that look like Beverly Hills.

This weekend, Zelaya will return to the country that elected him, flanked by the presidents of Argentina and the Organisation of American States, to take his rightful place. Whether he succeeds or fails will tell us if the children of the rubbish dumps have reason to hope – and whether the smoke from the deadliest 9/11 has finally cleared.

To read Johann Hari's latest article for Slate magazine - about the life and death of the Asian babe - click here.

j.hari@independent.co.uk

Netherlands bows to Japenese whalers and seeks to ban Sea Shepherd

The Netherlands wants to ban the controversial anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd from sailing under the Dutch flag. Public Works State Secretary Tineke Huizinga said Friday she wants to amend the law quickly to make this possible.

The American organisation Sea Shepherd has two ships sailing under the Dutch flag. The Netherlands provided the necessary certificate of registry for this in 2007, after Sea Shepherd had promised in writing not to use violence and to comply with the safety rules. Nonetheless, a number of incidents have taken place between Sea Shepherd ships and Japanese whalers in the Antarctic.

Japan has repeatedly complained to the Netherlands about the Sea Shepherd. It appears difficult at the moment to take action against ships that do not comply with the rules, so the cabinet wants to speedily extend its legal options for withdrawing certificates of registry.

THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 1000 signatures - please sign here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/appeal-to-the-dutch-government-who-wants-emergency-act-against-environmental-pirates-sea-shepherd

Read more here also:

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-090629-1.html

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-090702-1.html

Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to sign as well.

Thank you!

Mark
----
Mark Sanders-Barwick
Publications Officer - London Federation of Green Parties
Press Officer - Richmond & Twickenham Green Party
British Divers Marine Life Rescue - Marine Mammal Medic
Shore Crew - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Volunteer Co-ordinator - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
ORCA - Marine Mammal Surveyor

Latin American action in London over the next few days

Friday 3 July - SOLIDARITY PROTEST AT ALBERTO DURANGO'S APPEAL AGAINST DISMISSAL

Meet 10.30am outside Canary Wharf tube exit for picket at 11am at 31 Beaufort Court, Admirals Way, Loondon E14 9XL.

Alberto is a cleaners branch activist in Unite sacked from Schroders Bank by Lancaster cleaning company after a successful campaign against redundancies and for the living wage. He was entrapped by the company and UK Borders Agency - an increasingly common tactic against migrant worker trade unionists.

Supported by: Latin American Workers Association, Coordinadora Latinoamericana, National Shop Stewards Network, Clerkenwell & St Pancras Unite branch, John McDonnell MP and more

Note: the weekly Willis/Mitie cleaners picket has been suspended in order to support Alberto.

Background:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/bosses_using_raids_to_target_activists

Friday 4 pm Picket in Solidarity with the people of Honduras!
outside EMBASSY Honduras
115 Gloucester Place London W1U 6JT
Tube: Baker Street / Paddington


Saturday 4 July - COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN CONFERENCE
10.30am - 5.30pm School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Brunei Building, Thornhaugh St, London WC1
Themes: Current situation in Colombia and Britain and The Minga of Indigenous and Popular Resistance Followed by Bolivian and Latin American Dance Extravaganza from 6pm at Arch INKA, 202 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 Entrance £5/ £10 Full details: http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/

Saturday 4 July - OUTDOOR CINEMA WITH SOAS UNISON
1-2pm SOAS 9 film and discussion of way forward for campaign in support of the detained cleaners. With Ecuadorian food!
Organised by SOAS Unison.

Reports of recent protests in support of SOAS 9, other detained workers and Yarls Wood detention centre hunger strikers at http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/07/433626.html and http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/06/433300.html

More details on this and other ways to support the campaign at http://freesoascleaners.blogspot.com/


Saturday 4 July 6pm – late BOLIVIAN DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA
Traditional Bolivian Dance workshop and dance. Live Folkloric Bolivian Music
DJ, Peruvian and Ecuadorian dance, Colombian music
Traditional Bolivian Dishes: Picante de Pollo, Chicharron y Ensalada de Quinua (Quinoa)

Venue: ARCH INKA 202 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 Between Brixton and Camberwell Green.

By Loughborough Junction Overground (Line Sutton-Luton, 2 minutes from Elephant and Castle and 10 minutes from King Cross).

Buses 24 hours (P4, 35, 45 & 345). Free parking.




Saturday 25 July Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution
2.00 – 4.30pm
Congress House, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3LS (tube station: Tottenham Court Rd)
Entry by optional donation.

On 19 July tens of thousands of Nicaraguans will gather in Managua to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship and the coming to power of the Sandinistas. Join us to celebrate the astonishing achievements against tremendous odds of the Sandinista government in the 1980s, the legacy of the Revolution today within the Latin America context and NSC’s contribution to the global solidarity movement.

¨ Launch of the film ‘American Sandinista’ about the US war of aggression against Nicaragua through the life of US volunteer Ben Linder, murdered by the contra in 1986. The film will be introduced by the director Jason Blalock
¨ Grace Livingstone, author of ‘America’s Backyard: from the Monroe Doctrine to the War on Terror’
¨ Francisco Dominguez, Latin America Department, Middlesex University
¨ Alicia Sandino, charge d’affairs Embassy of Nicaragua (invited)

Further information: Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, campaigns@nicaraguasc.org.uk, Tel 020 7561 4836
www.nicaraguasc.org uk

Protest at the Honduras Embassy tomorrow

Hi everyone

The location of the picket planned for Friday 3 July protest at the coup
in Honduras has been moved from the US Embassy to the Honduras Embassy -
115 Gloucester Place, London W1U 6JT (nearest Tube: Baker Street or
Paddington), from 4.30 pm.

In the early hours of Sunday June 28, a group of soldiers seized the
democratically elected president of Honduras Manuel Zelaya at gun-point
and took him by plane to Costa Rica. A new president was sworn in, while
the army decreed a curfew, tanks patrolled the streets, the government TV
channel was taken off the air and a list was issued of social movement
leaders to be arrested.

The trigger for the coup was an attempt by Zelaya to call a Constituent
Assembly in order to reform the country's constitution. Zelaya's
government had carried out a whole series of progressive reforms in the
fields of education and health care, breaking the monopoly of the
multinationals in the pharmaceutical and oil sector and boosting the
minimum wage by 60% and had the support of the majority of workers,
peasants and the poor. His government brought Honduras into the ALBA
regional bloc, aligning itself with the progressive governments of
Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Cuba, Nicaragua and others, whose leaders are
holding an emergency summit in Managua to reverse the coup.

The masses have come out on the streets and are striking to reject this
coup. We give them our full support and demand that the British government
backs Zelaya as the only legitimate president of Honduras and acts to
bring about the immediate restoration of constitutional order.

Down with the reactionary coup!
Bring back Zelaya!
Solidarity with the people of Honduras!

Called by the Co-ordinadora Latinoamericana (Hands Off Venezuela, Bolivia
Solidarity Campaign, Colombia Solidarity Campaign, Ecuadorian Movement in
the UK, Latin American Workers Association and Polo Democratico UK)

Free Cynthia petition

petition here to free Cynthia and the others ceased by Israel for taking aid to Gaza.

Huge oil project will destroy uncontacted indigenous groups in Peru

Peru's government has given the green light to an Anglo-French company to drill for oil in the Amazon, just thirteen days after more than 30 people died in protests against the exploitation of the rainforest.

More from Survival International here

New Lucha Indigena site here.

Amazonian Indigenous network site here.

Greens are so busy, they sometimes forget to provide solidarity with the people who protect the planet!

Caroline Lucas 'Honduras: UK, EU must take action following coup d'état'

International community must send a strong, unequivocal message, says Caroline Lucas: removing an elected leader at gunpoint is completely unacceptable


Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP today added her voice to those calling for sanctions against "the new illegal regime" in Honduras.

Dr Lucas said: "It's simply unacceptable to remove a president at gunpoint, and I want to see the UK and the EU make this absolutely clear.

"Gordon Brown needs to take appropriate action. He might consider withdrawing the British ambassador.

"It would also be appropriate for the EU to cancel next week's planned trade negotiations with the Honduran authorities." (1)


Business as usual, despite the coup?

EU "association agreements" with other countries contain democracy clauses that represent a condition for the EU's trade dealings with the country in
question. Where a country is suddenly being ruled by an unelected president following a coup d'état, there are clear grounds for refusing an association
agreement, said the Green Party leader.

Dr Lucas continued: "For Gordon Brown to do nothing would send entirely the wrong message. For the EU to attend trade talks as though nothing had
happened would be even worse."

She concluded: "Removing an elected leader at gunpoint and expelling him from his country without trial is completely unacceptable, and the international community must make this clear to the temporary, illegal government of Honduras."



Note to editors

(1) Association agreement negotiations, with a strong focus on trade issues, are due to take place with six Central American countries, including
Honduras, 6-10 July 2009 in Brussels.




From Green Party press office, 020 7561 0282.
Published and promoted by Spencer Fitz-Gibbon for the Green Party of England & Wales, both at 1a Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ.