Saturday October 10, 2009, 6:44 pm
After my way through three windows....LOL

Safeguard Honduras Delegation Thanks
Thank you for appealing to Obama, Biden, Clinton, Congressional leaders, U.N. leaders, the OAS, FIFA and World Cup leaders and sponsors and members of the media to Demand the Obama Administration Safeguard the Security of the U.S. Fact-Finding Mission to Honduras!

Big Goirlly Hugs

Saturday October 10, 2009, 7:20 pm
I would love to sign this petition my beautiful Simon, however when I click on the "sign the petition", it will not open for me, so sorry hon. Perhaps there is a direct link that you could share? I really would appreciate it, thanks for the article, everyone needs to know what's going on.

In peace all,
FreeSpirit ~

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:00 pm
Did you read the article, Gorilly Girl? The article is the very first page - no need to go through any windows to get there.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:02 pm
Hi FreeSpirit Running :)

the computer address for that petition website is in the USA, so it would be easier for people in North America to visit it, compared with a person in Australia, as I am... but I visited it easily....

Anyway, here is the petition webpage:

http://www.iacenter.info/honduras/safeguardhondurasdelegation/

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:05 pm
Platforms with highly armed sharpshooters installed outside the embassy, using telescopic and infrared targeting systems, just meters away from the windows of the building where the president, his family, and many others are held hostage by the regime. (from Platforms with highly armed sharpshooters installed outside the embassy, using telescopic and infrared targeting systems, just meters away from the windows of the building where the president, his family, and many others are held hostage by the regime. (from Quotha.net)


Radio Globo reports: Snipers fire on Zelaya

Mercenaries and paramilitaries arrive in Honduras

Urgent - Take Action Now!*

Call Now - demand and end to the attacks on Zelaya and a restoration
of civil liberties.

Honduras Desk, U.S. State Department 202-647-3482
State Department Main Switchboard 202-647-4000
White House 202-456-1111
OAS Washington Office 202-458-3000
The situation is grave in Tegucigalpa. According to a message from the
organization, Pastors for Peace, /Radio Globo/ from Honduras is
reporting that snipers are shooting into the Brazilian Embassy where
President Zelaya and hundreds of supporters have taken refuge. There is
no word yet on injuries.

Also, according to an Oct. 9 AP report, paramilitaries from Colombia are
arriving in Honduras now. Many of these paramilitaries were trained in
torture and repression at the infamous School of the Americas in the U.S.

Support the people of Honduras in their heroic struggle against the
brutal coup regime!


Thousands of courageous working people are taking to the streets, in spite of the growing brutality of the criminal right wing forces, who are armed and trained by the U.S.
The following is a report from the delegation of U.S. activists in
Honduras, who will be holding a news conference today, October 9, at 5pm EST at the offices of the Bottlers' Union, a center in Tegucigalpa of
the National Front for Resistance Against the Coup:

In the last 24 hours, the situation in Honduras has reached a profound level of urgency. The illegal, de facto Micheletti regime is clearly reaching a point of desperation---and there is a serious danger in this, as the rightwing can and will do anything when they are desperate.

Last night, we received word that at the Brazilian embassy, where President Manuel Zelaya has been seeking refuge, two scaffolds had been erected and two snipers placed on them---one from the Honduran police and one from the Honduran army. Heavy military activity was also occurring on the ground around the embassy, with military convoys placed at strategic places all around the windows and doors of the embassy. The fear is that an assassination attempt on Zelaya's life may be carried out soon.

Another alarming report relayed to us today from Honduran human rights leaders is of the presence of 120 paramilitaries---experts in killing---from other Latin American countries in Honduras. Many of these paramilitaries have been trained at the School of the Americas based in Georgia.

Today while we were in a meeting, the human rights leader we were meeting with received a phone call that police at the pedagogical university had given protesters there 10 minutes to disperse or face dire consequences. Military convoys had been brought in to surround the protesters.

As this email is being written, members of the U.S. Delegation in Solidarity with the Honduras Resistance are at the U.S. embassy, attempting to meet with representatives there to alert them of the situation and demand the discontinuation of U.S. aid to the de facto regime, a freeze on the assets of the golpista government members, and the abandonment of any electoral process that doesn't first involve the restitution of President Zelaya, as is the will of the Honduran people.

The delegation also reports that despite the coup government's
announcement that it had lifted the ban on civil liberties, the country
still remains under martial law. The coup government is telling the
world that it has lifted martial law, but they haven't told anyone in
the police or military, from the top commanders to the troops in the
streets. There is still a massive armed presence, and protesters and
dissidents are still being brutally attacked and arrested.

That's why it is so important for us to support the Delegation in
Solidarity with the Honduran Resistance. The corporate media is echoing
the coup government's press releases claiming that martial law has been
lifted and civil liberties restored, and ignoring the fact that
repression is intensifying. We need you to help get the word out.

What you can do now:

Call

Honduras Desk, U.S. State Department 202-647-3482
State Department Main Switchboard 202-647-4000
White House 202-456-1111
OAS Washington Office 202-458-3000
Demand an end to the attacks on Zelaya and Honduran activists. Demand a restoration of civil liberties in Honduras.

*Sign the Petition* - Demand safe passage for the U.S. delegation

This is what I got..I read and then went way down yunder and did the sign the petition....This is a horrid act simone and I fear for these guys...

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:06 pm
Kick me in the head..simon...OMG me and my typos....sorry...

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:08 pm
I am extremely angry that after all of the non-capitalist news that we offered the U.S. people about Honduras, they are still either ignoring the issue, or supporting the brutal coup regime, or supporting Obama's policy (of a slap on the wrist for the coup regime in the media, while maintaining practical economic and military support for the regime - which is dependent on the USA because 70% of Honduras trade is with the USA, and much of the Honduras economy is owned by U.S. corporations and U.S. citizens).

The blood of the Honduran people is on YOUR HANDS, U.S. citizens!!!

It is time for you to stop letting your government/corporations support the brutal coup regime!!!

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:10 pm
Hi Gorilly Girl. Kick you in the head? I don't understand. I do martial arts - but I only use it to defend against people who do physical violence - I never use it to attack people.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:12 pm
I spelt your name wrong...Yes I do need a kick in the head....LOL

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:14 pm
Thankyou for pasting the news article here, Gorilly Girl :)

By the way, my name is "Simon", not "simone" :(

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:18 pm
No-one needs a kick in the head, Gorilly Girl :)

We all have the right to a life free of violence. And you know what? In Venezuela, the democratically-elected socialist government has passed a specific women's rights law for this: a law for the right of women to a life free of violence.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:19 pm
I know...I know...OMG I am so embarressed....I told you I had fat fingers...My bad I know you aint simone....gezzzzzzzz I feel like the village idiout...LOL

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:20 pm
Sending a Green Star is a simple way to say "Thank you"
You cannot currently send a star to Simon because you have done so within the last week

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:24 pm
We all make mistakes :)

Saturday October 10, 2009, 8:27 pm
Thank You! Your star has been sent to Gorilly.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 10:08 pm
Thanks Simon...

"Thank you for appealing to Obama, Biden, Clinton, Congressional leaders, U.N. leaders, the OAS, FIFA and World Cup leaders and sponsors and members of the media to Demand the Obama Administration Safeguard the Security of the U.S. Fact-Finding Mission to Honduras!"...

Sunday October 11, 2009, 4:01 am
Thanks Simon and signed! The pass to a friend link didn't work though I think as it gave me the web not working page then, lol!

Sunday October 11, 2009, 7:49 am
Hello Simon hon, thank you ever so kindly for providing the link to sign this petition. I certainly appreciate it. Every signature helps, I shall forward this.
Here is my confirmation:

Thank you for appealing to Obama, Biden, Clinton, Congressional leaders, U.N. leaders, the OAS, FIFA and World Cup leaders and sponsors and members of the media to Demand the Obama Administration Safeguard the Security of the U.S. Fact-Finding Mission to Honduras!

Peace to all in the Universe ~ love ya Simon for all that you do and all that you believe in, you rock!

~FreeSpirit Running ~

Sunday October 11, 2009, 10:08 am
Thannnxxx.. this is horrible.. surely they should have more diplomacy when it comes to shooting into someone else's embassey.. this will cause more conflict in this country.. I hope the world will step in and take action

Sunday October 11, 2009, 1:28 pm
Thank you for appealing to Obama, Biden, Clinton, Congressional leaders, U.N. leaders, the OAS, FIFA and World Cup leaders and sponsors and members of the media to Demand the Obama Administration Safeguard the Security of the U.S. Fact-Finding Mission to Honduras!
The photo of the snipers is horrible. The US should be putting a stop to this military dictatorship.

Sunday October 11, 2009, 3:39 pm
So right Eleanor! This is exactly the sort of thing we Should be involved in (but in a Good way!).. restoring an Elected President to office... instead of trying to Overthrow elected leaders like Chavez in Venezuela!

Sunday October 11, 2009, 11:27 pm
The US and Israel are probably behind the entire thing. This is their style for sure.

Monday October 12, 2009, 4:36 am
Simon, thanks for this important article. Signed! There are many causes on which we agree!

BTW Elsie, your comments here are so beyond ridiculous that further reaction would be a waste of letters! Get real!

Monday October 12, 2009, 10:51 am
I, too, had trouble with the page, but, signed the petition from your link. And, thanks to Gorilly Girl for posting the article.

Monday October 12, 2009, 12:49 pm
In being ignorant of the full detail of what and why the current events are unfolding and happening in the Honduras, I cannot speculate. The two things I do know is that this country was for the longest one of the more peaceful regions in Latin & Central America. It appears both sides are at fault, Zelaya for attempting to become a permanent el presidente fixture and the rogue regime for degrading into military force. The last thing in me knowing is that in bringing in snipers and foreign paramilitias only leads to one result...the taking of innocent lives. That is intolerable.

Petition signed, unsealed for all to see and delivered...

Monday October 12, 2009, 1:49 pm
Simon:

I had a problem with the link to the site. It said the file had been taken down. More dirty work by the coup regime perhaps? Fight on!

Dave

Monday October 12, 2009, 2:04 pm
Bad link...

Monday October 12, 2009, 3:38 pm
Signed. Thanks Simon.

Thank you for appealing to Obama, Biden, Clinton, Congressional leaders, U.N. leaders, the OAS, FIFA and World Cup leaders and sponsors and members of the media to Demand the Obama Administration Safeguard the Security of the U.S. Fact-Finding Mission to Honduras!

Please consider contributing to the International Action Center and its projects.

Monday October 12, 2009, 4:34 pm
Hello everyone, Simon has kindly provided the link for us in one of his comments, as I had trouble also. Here it is, pass it on and thank you again Simon hon!

http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/21829/

Just copy and past in your address bar folks ~

Much love & peace,
~ FreeSpirit ~

Monday October 12, 2009, 4:35 pm
Shoot...lol, you all know that I meant to say "copy & paste" right? Sorry...

In peace,
~ FreeSpirit ~

Monday October 12, 2009, 6:38 pm
Good on you everyone who sent the emails from the website! :) And good on you everyone who noted the article,and everyone who commented here! : )

Monday October 12, 2009, 8:43 pm
Hi Bruce Anderson. You wrote:

"In being ignorant of the full detail of what and why the current events are unfolding and happening in the Honduras, I cannot speculate. The two things I do know is that this country was for the longest one of the more peaceful regions in Latin & Central America. It appears both sides are at fault, Zelaya for attempting to become a permanent el presidente fixture and the rogue regime for degrading into military force. The last thing in me knowing is that in bringing in snipers and foreign paramilitias only leads to one result...the taking of innocent lives. That is intolerable.

"Petition signed, unsealed for all to see and delivered..."

Well first of all, good on you for signing the petition (sending the emails?)

As for the other things that you wrote:

Good on you for being humble about what you don't know. However, the things that you say that you do "know" are actually incorrect.

Honduras is notorious for decades of being a military dictatorship, and a base for U.S.-supported fascist terrorists (e.g. the "Nicaraguan contras") and fascist death squads, who committed many atrocties in a dirty war throughout Central America, including within Honduras itself. Clearly any talk of a historically "peaceful" Honduras is very far from the reality.

You claimed that Zelaya is "at fault"... "for attempting to become a permanent el presidente fixture". But, IN THE REAL WORLD, Zelaya is popular, and is the democratically-elected president of Honduras, elected by and supported by the majority of Hondurans. They support him, because he significantly increased the minimum wage, he put a halt to future mining concessions (because current ones are devastating the environment and rural communities of Honduras), he proposed a referendum to begin a democratic process of creating a new, much more democratic and egalitarian constitution (to replace the current one, which was created by a military junta, and concentrates power and privileges in the hands of the megarich owners of corporations), and for other policies which benefit the people, but reduce the power of the megarich owners of local corporations, and U.S.-based and Canadian-based multinational corporations - which is why the U.S. corporate media, and the corporate coup-makers in Honduras don't like Zelaya and are oppressing the people of Honduras.

The claim that Zelaya "attempted to become a permanent president" is a bogus claim, totally without evidence. The fascists and other rightwingers (the fascist coup-makers and the U.S. capitalist media) make that claim. But there is no actual evidence for it! It is simply the usual capitalist propaganda that the megarich owners of media corporations and other corporations regularly spew out, to try to fool us working class people, to further the agenda of the megarich owners of corporations.

If you read the many other articles that I have put on Care2 about Honduras, you will learn more details of what I am talking about. :)

Tuesday October 13, 2009, 8:46 am
Thank you so much Simon! Hugs ♥

Wednesday October 14, 2009, 1:19 am
You're welcome, Rocio :)

Thursday October 15, 2009, 1:10 am
The petition has NOT been removed -- when you click on VISIT SITE from this post, you get a message saying that the file could not be found: "We're unable to locate the file you're looking for. Please email us the URL so we can provide you with the right link. Click here to go back" -- Don't bother with any of that!!
Just look at the list of Latin American countries directly to your LEFT ! --

It's very easy to get to the petition from that page -- ALL YOU HAVE TO DO is click on HONDURAS in the LIST on the LEFT under the heading 'Latin America' -

The petition is the third item down from the top!!
(Later it could be the 4th or 5th since all updates on the situation are posted on this page!!)

Thursday October 15, 2009, 1:31 am
The snipers and shooting are the latest methods being used, but please read what the coup-masters & security forces were using on the Brazilian Embassy BEFORE:

The Sound and Fury of the Honduran Coup: Acoustic and Chemical Attacks on Brazilian Embassy
By Laura Carlsen
Americas MexicoBlog
Tuesday, Sep 29, 2009


-- "Acoustic arms" employed by coup government against Brazilian Embassy and protesters
-- Analysis of chemicals used in attack on Embassy
-- Reports of radioactive cesium
-- Offshore factory workers forced to make up days lost due to coup curfews
-- Political ground shifted to demand for constitutional reforms

We have received many reports today of the use of sonic devices and chemical warfare in attacks on the Brazilian Embassy by the Honduran coup. The use of Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) has been confirmed by observers and journalists, who report that the devices are being installed throughout the area. Numerous photographers have also documented their use.

The UN Security Council today called upon the de facto government of Honduras to "cease harassing the Brazilian Embassy" and "condemned acts of intimidation." (See photo above: the caption on the first photo of the LRAD reads "State-of-the-art Israeli artifact used in repression and torture that causes damage to the ear and loss of equilibrium. What President Zelaya denounced from the Brazilian Embassy.") The second photo (below) shows the installation near the Embassy.These devices are described as a "non-lethal weapon" produced by the U.S.-based American Technology Corporation. They emit painful sound at 151 db. with a range of 300 meters on land, and are used in situations of war and to control demonstrations.

While acoustics weapons have been used over the past several days, today the Armed Forces actually began to spray the Embassy with poisonous gases and by some accounts pump them into the building through the drainage system. The Honduran News Network reports that First Lady Xiomara Castro de Zelaya climbed a ladder to ascertain the source of the attacks and was sprayed with chemicals. She and others in the Embassy are reportedly bleeding profusely as a result of the effects of the chemicals.

Father Andres Tamayo described the situation to Radio Progreso, "Over a thousand soldiers in front (of the Embassy) left and returned with a cistern and helicopters spraying gases. There are also neighbors that lent their houses to spray these substances and house the military. They have placed pipes to spread the gases. We feel a tightness in our stomachs and throat, vomiting, dizziness and some people are urinating blood. There are more than a thousand people around here and at this moment all we can do is drink a little milk."

A press conference was called to reveal the results of the analysis of the gas, done by public health specialist Dr. Mauricio Castellanos:

- Above normal concentrations of ammonia, which is used as a base of pepper gas;
- Concentration detected between 100 and 200 particles per thousand;
- Hydrocyanic acid, which produces a rapid reaction upon inhalation when it comes in contact with the iron in the blood producing vertigo, nausea, stomach pain, headaches and breathing difficulties

The report concluded, "This mixture is a purely military technology, prohibited under international treaties. Exposure for a prolonged period is lethal to any living organism."

Juan Almendares, a Honduran medical doctor and human rights leader, states:

"The occupants of the Brazilian Embassy that accompany President Manuel Zelaya Rosales, his wife and family, communities and protesters are the object of the launching of chemical arms from helicopters and airplanes or on the ground troops and the use of sophisticated sound and electromagnetic equipment that have produced severe diarrhea, vomiting, nasal hemorrhages and gastrointestinal problems in both the Embassy and surrounding areas."

"According to the clinical reports, this could be due to the usage of toxic substances including: pesticides, chemical components of gases, radioactive substances like radioactive cesium and toxic mushrooms."

"It is urgent that an international medical team from the United Nations and the World Health Organization be sent. We are facing an irregular war against the people of Honduras. The Armed Forces do not allow the International Red Cross entry into the Brazilian Embassy, violating all international health treaties and conventions and human rights."

Numerous reports, including Honduran News Network sources, also mentioned the use of radioactive cesium. If the use of radioactive cesium is confirmed, the consequences are very serious. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry finds that the effects of high levels include the symptoms listed above and even coma and death.

This is the notorious "day-after" effect of nuclear bombs. The agency adds that "it is reasonable to expect that individuals exposed to high levels of radiation from a source of radioactive cesium will develop the same types of cancer observed in survivors of the atomic bombs in Japan."

As described in the Sept. 22 blog, embassies are protected under the Vienna Convention and any violation of this is an international issue. With the notable exceptions of Colombia and the United States, all nations of the region expressed concern about the Honduran situation at the 64th UN General Assembly meeting.


And, from the same article, read what is happening to Honduran workers who are employed by US & multi-national brands:

"As the society breaks down into a coup-provoked crisis, the Women's Collective CODEMUH writes that workers in offshore assembly plants have been forced to work overtime to make up for time lost due to the coup's curfews, in clear violation of labor law.

The Collective notes, "According to Article 23 of the Labor Code, ‘Workers can participate in profits or benefits of the boss, but never assume the risks and losses,’ meaning that business cannot charge workers for the losses caused by the national political crisis, which the businessmen and women are key actors in causing. Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot force workers to pay for the losses that you provoked with the coup d'etat.”

"We call on transnational brands like Nike, GAP, Adidas, Hanes, HBI and Walmart, among others, as well as university students in the U.S. and consumers in general, who wear the products produced in the sweatshops of Honduras, to demand the offshore industry pay its workers for the days they did not show up for work due to the curfew of the de facto government, without requiring that they make up these days. And that the workers refuse to accept these extra days." "


The above are excerpts from the article, which contains many links, which is why I've made it possible to link to the article on site, if anyone wants to investigate the links.

Thursday October 15, 2009, 1:33 am
http://www.iacenter.info/honduras/safeguardhondurasdelegation/ -- Assure Safety of U.S. Fact-Finding Delegation to Honduras

Thursday October 15, 2009, 1:39 am
The Amnesty link provided by FreeSpirit Running is to "Stop Child Executions, certainly a very worthy cause, but I couldn't find anything about Honduras on the Amnesty site with that link !

Thursday October 15, 2009, 2:27 am
Here is another ACTION to take on Honduras, from the same source:

http://www.iacenter.org/honduras/honduaras_petition093009/ : Tell Obama and Clinton: Stop attacks on Zelaya!

At this moment the Embassy of Brazil in Tegucigalpa where President Manuel Zelaya has been staying since he returned to his country on September 21, together with his family and close to 100 supporters, is being blockaded and attacked with chemical and electronic noise-producing weapons by the Honduran military. Poisonous chemicals and gases are being thrown from helicopters. The entrance is guarded by heavily armed troops who do not allow the delivery of food or other necessities. Water and electricity have been cut off several times in an effort to starve and hurt those inside.

We demand the immediate cessation of these terroristic measures and the re-installation of President Zelaya to office.

We also demand the end of all acts of repression and violence by the illegitimate government of Roberto Micheletti against the people of Honduras and the immediate release of all the people detained for protesting the military coup.

Sincerely,

(Add your name here)

The above letter can be edited - I added that fact that there are now snipers posted and shooting into the Embassy - and then e-mailed to President Obama & Secretary Clinton

Send your message or call:

President Barack Obama at: info@messages.whitehouse.gov or info@barackobama.com

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at: Main switchboard State Dept. 202-647-4000; (202) 647-3482 or email doing the following:

To e-mail the U.S. Department of State, please visit the following website: http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state. If it does not allow entrance (it didn't for me), go to their main website: http://www.state.gov and then click "contact us" (http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php ) and then select "1 How can I contact the U.S. Department of State?"

Thursday October 15, 2009, 2:08 pm
So sorry all, I meant to put the link that Simon provided:

http://www.iacenter.info/honduras/safeguardhondurasdelegation/

which was the same one that Alba so kindly provide, ty Alba.

All worthy causes ~
In peace,
FreeSpirit ~

Friday October 16, 2009, 7:17 am
Good on you Alba Nuova :) I sent emails, using the help given on that website you gave us :)

Thanks for commenting here, FreeSpirit Running :)