ACTION ALERT: Stop the military crackdown in Honduras

September 24, 2009

The Maquila Solidarity Network is asking Canadians to write and call Peter Kent, Minister of State for the Americas, demanding he work towards the immediate reinstatement of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who returned to Honduras this week after being expelled in a military coup this summer. You can access their action alert here: http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/Honduras-Urgent-Action.

“Despite a hastily-imposed curfew, thousands of Hondurans defied the coup regime's orders and gathered in front of the Brazilian embassy in the capital, Tegucigalpa, where Zelaya is currently in refuge, to support the democratically-elected President,” writes the Maquila Solidarity Network in their action.

“The coup regime is responding with a brutal crackdown on the Honduran democracy movement. We are receiving reports by the hour of cases of brutal military repression and assaults which have resulted in a large number of injuries and an unconfirmed number of deaths, including that of an eight year old child. The military has surrounded the Brazilian embassy and is out in force in poor neighbourhoods. The national stadium is reported to have been converted into a large holding center for the detained.

“The coup regime leader, Roberto Micheletti, has threatened to cancel the embassy's immunity if Zelaya is not handed over to the de facto regime.

“In the face of this escalation of violence, Canada is one of the only countries that has failed to act effectively to isolate the coup regime. We need to speak out now and demand action from the Canadian government, before it's too late.”

Click here to go to the Maquila Solidarity Network action: http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/Honduras-Urgent-Action. Or follow the instructions below.

1. PHONE: Call Canadian Minister of State for the Americas Peter Kent and deliver the following message:

   "I want Canada to work for the unconditional immediate reinstatement of President Zelaya and to pressure the Honduran military to stop the violence against the people and their democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya. Canada should make clear that it will not recognize the November elections and announce further sanctions against the coup regime and its leaders."

   Call Minister Kent at: 613-944-2300!

2. EMAIL: Click here to send an email to Canadian Minister of State Peter Kent

For more information on the situation in Honduras: http://www.amnesty.ca/resource_centre/news/view.php?load=arcview&article=4894&c=Resource+Centre+News