Zelaya-Clinton: Human Rights/Honduran Military: Making Election Threats

[Downwinder]

http://hondurasoye.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/zelaya-clinton-human-rightshonduran-military-making-election-threats/

[Peace Patriot]

1. Google translation of Spanish article on the election and the military

Tegucigalpa, Sep 1 (EFE) .- The Armed Forces of Honduras
said Monday they "will not allow" the followers of
deposed President Manuel Zelaya boycott the elections
General of 29 November.

The spokesman of the military institution, Ramiro Archaga, told the
filed with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) plan
security and logistics to ensure those elections that
impede the process to be sabotaged, as announced on
movement that demands the return of ousted leader.

The defense minister, Adolfo Sevilla, the head of state
Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Romeo Vasquez, and other members of
military high command presented the plan to the judges of
TSE, led by Saul Escobar, at the headquarters of the institution
military.

Archaga explained that the program includes topics such as
human, technical and material used and the
routes for the distribution of electoral materials.

It also covers the security of court facilities
Supremo Electoral, holds voting materials and
of the presses where the ballots will be developed, among other
sites, he added.

The military are already fulfilling some security functions related to the electoral process, he noted.

Military spokesman recalled that the Honduran Constitution provides that from 29 October, a month before the elections, the Armed Forces will total available to the TSE to ensure the elections.

This measure is constitutional law, among other things, in the San Jose Accord proposed by the president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, in his role as mediator in the crisis caused by Honduran Zelaya's overthrow on 28 June.

Hondurans voted in November to elect a president, three appointed presidential (vice), legislators and mayors for the period 2010-2014.

The new president will take on 27 January.

-------------------------------------

Tegucigalpa, 1 sep (EFE).- Las Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras aseguraron hoy que “no permitirán” que los seguidores del depuesto presidente Manuel Zelaya boicoteen las elecciones generales del 29 de noviembre. Seguir leyendo el arículo

El portavoz de la institución militar, Ramiro Archaga, dijo al presentar ante el Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) el plan de seguridad y logística para garantizar esos comicios que impedirán que el proceso sea saboteado, como ha anunciado el movimiento que exige el regreso del mandatario derrocado.

El ministro de Defensa, Adolfo Sevilla; el jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto, el general Romeo Vázquez, y otros miembros del alto mando castrense expusieron el plan a los magistrados del TSE, presidido por Saúl Escobar, en la sede de la institución militar.

Archaga explicó que el programa incluye aspectos como los recursos humanos, técnicos y materiales a utilizarse y las rutas para la distribución del material electoral.

También abarca la seguridad de las instalaciones del Tribunal Supremo Electoral, de las bodegas de materiales electorales y de las imprentas donde se elaborarán las papeletas, entre otros lugares, añadió.

Los militares ya están cumpliendo algunas funciones de seguridad relacionadas con el proceso electoral, refirió.

El portavoz militar recordó que la Constitución hondureña establece que a partir del 29 de octubre, un mes antes de los comicios, las Fuerzas Armadas pasarán a disposición total del TSE para garantizar los comicios.

Esta medida constitucional es reiterada, entre otros puntos, en el Acuerdo de San José propuesto por el presidente de Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, en su función de mediador en la crisis hondureña causada por el derrocamiento de Zelaya el pasado 28 de junio.

Los hondureños votarán en noviembre para elegir presidente, tres designados presidenciales (vicepresidentes), diputados y alcaldes para el período 2010-2014.

El nuevo mandatario asumirá el 27 de enero próximo.

---

http://hondurasoye.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/zelaya-clinton-human-rightshonduran-military-making-election-threats/

[Peace Patriot]

2. The military is going to prevent a boycott of the election?!

I don't know if Honduras requires people to vote. Some countries do, but I've never heard of it being seriously enforced. In any case, the military is already making threats ! They haven't threatened people enough already? Using live ammunition on peaceful protestors, killing people, beating people up, invading peoples' homes, shooting the tires out of protest buses, shutting down all opposition and neutral media outlets, arresting and roughing up reporters, and holding over a thousand political prisoners, most of them leftist political activists obviously needed for election campaigns?! Now they're going to stop people from not voting in protest?!

NarcoNews reported that one grass roots strategy that has been discussed--in order to avoid repercussions (since the gov't will be taking names, apparently)--is to go into the voting booth and voting for both leftist candidates who are running for president, thus invalidating their ballot, but doing this on such a wide scale across the country that it is obviously a protest and a form of boycott.

So, what is the military going to do--follow voters into the voting booth, and if they do anything wrong, arrest them--or follow them home and beat them up, or target their house, or what?

Unfriggingbelievable!

Sounds like the junta is just going to go forward with this fraudulent election!

I am puzzled by the following paragraphs:

Military spokesman recalled that the Honduran Constitution provides that from 29 October, a month before the elections, the Armed Forces will total available to the TSE to ensure the elections.

This measure is constitutional law, among other things, in the San Jose Accord proposed by the president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, in his role as mediator in the crisis caused by Honduran Zelaya's overthrow on 28 June.

It seems to be saying that the Honduran military running this election is part of the Oscar Arias Accord. Unfortunately, Google's translation is not very clear. Anybody here read Spanish well enough to tell us what these paragraphs are saying? Maybe it's merely that the Accord mentioned that the election will go forward (after Zelaya is restored to his office) according to the Constitution (whatever it provides for). But I find this very disturbing. How can the military, which colluded in the coup, and has been engaged in all this repression, be running the election--or go anywhere near voting booths? That is absurd.

[rabs]

3. Clearing up google

El portavoz militar recordó que la Constitución hondureña establece que a partir del 29 de octubre, un mes antes de los comicios, las Fuerzas Armadas pasarán a disposición total del TSE para garantizar los comicios.

The military spokesman reminded that the Honduran Constitution provides that as of Oct. 29, one month before the elections, the Armed Forces will come under the total control of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to guarantee (that) the elections (are fair).


Esta medida constitucional es reiterada, entre otros puntos, en el Acuerdo de San José propuesto por el presidente de Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, en su función de mediador en la crisis hondureña causada por el derrocamiento de Zelaya el pasado 28 de junio.

This constitutional measure is reiterated, among other points, in the San Jose Accord proposed by the president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, in his role as the mediator of the Honduran crisis caused by the overthrow of Zelaya last June 28.

----------------

My reading of this is that the electoral tribunal will have the armed forces at their disposal, as the constitution stipulates, to ensure elections are carried out.

Normally, that would would be okay under a democratically elected government.

But in this case, the problem is that the elections (if they are held under the golpistas) will be illegal and will not be recognized by the resistance within Honduras or internationally.

Having the golpista military "ensure" illegal elections is beyond belief.

[rabs]

4. Swine flu must have left Arias befuddled ...

In an interview published today by Folha de Sao Paulo, Arias made these remarks:

-- That its possible the Honduras crisis can be resolved by the Nov. 29 elections, even if they are held under a golpista regime.

-- Arias said that in the past, elections held under "tyrannical" dictatorships had paved the way for democracies in Latin America.

-- Arias said Pinochet had allowed elections in Chile in 1989 and that dictatorships in Central America had done the same.

(Arias is totally wrong about the 1989 vote in Chile (I was there). That vote was a simple "yes" or "no" plebiscite about whether Pinocho should continue in power for eight more years. The "no" won, Pinochet was forced to resign, and led to real elections in 1990. There will be some icy comments in Santiago about that absurd remark.)

-- Arias told Folha that the mediation effort was only at the half-way point and the he and the OAS will insist that the San Jose Accords be accepted by the gorilettis.

----
Folha article

Presidente da Costa Rica diz que eleição pode pacificar Honduras
da Folha Online



O presidente da Costa Rica e mediador do impasse político de Honduras, Óscar Arias, disse que "é possível" que o conflito originado com o golpe que destituiu Manuel Zelaya se encerre com as eleições previstas para 29 novembro próximo mesmo que elas ocorram sob o regime golpista. A declaração foi dada em entrevista exclusiva concedida à Folha que foi publicada na edição desta terça-feira (íntegra disponível para assinantes do jornal ou do UOL).

Falando de San José, por telefone, Arias questionou o boicote ao pleito em Honduras, cuja campanha começou anteontem sob ameaças internas e externas de não reconhecimento. O costa-riquenho diz que, se eleições realizadas em países governados por "regimes tirânicos" não têm validade, "não poderíamos ter conquistado a transição dos regimes ditatoriais na América Latina --produtos de golpes de Estado-- para a democracia

"Porque foi com Pinochet que se realizaram eleições e foi com regimes de força na América Central que houve eleições", disse Arias.

No entanto, Arias afirma que a negociação do conflito hondurenho está no meio do caminho e que ele e a OEA (Organização dos Estados Americanos) insistirão para que o governo interino, chefiado por Roberto Micheletti, aceite os 12 pontos do acordo, que, além da restituição de Zelaya, exige a anistia do presidente deposto, acusado de 18 crimes políticos.

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/mundo/ult94u618375.shtml