[haw-info] a call for action on US policy toward the Honduras coup

[Jim O'Brien]

This message is sent in behalf of Margaret Power and Marc Becker, Latin
American historians who are members of the Steering Committee of Historians
Against the War.

On June 28, 2009, the Honduran military overthrew and expelled the
democratically elected government of President Manuel Zelaya.  Although
President Obama initially condemned the expulsion of President Zelaya,
subsequent statements and actions from the U.S. government have been much
more ambivalent to supportive of the illegal Michelletti government.  When
President Zelaya attempted to return to Honduras from Nicaragua, Secretary
of State Hilary Clinton labeled his efforts "provocative."



In addition, there is strong evidence that a sordid cast of U.S. characters
was involved in planning or at least supporting the coup, and continues to
offer support for the illegal Michelletti government.  One such individual
is Otto Reich, who was involved with the Reagan government's illegal funding
of the Contras against the Sandinista government in the 1980s and
participated in the Iran-Contra scandal.  Lanny Davis, who is close to the
Clintons (he was Bill Clinton's attorney in the impeachment hearings), works
with the Honduran chapter of the Business Council of Latin America, which
supported the coup.



It is critical that we condemn the coup because it is illegal and we must
let Obama know that the days when the U.S. government could support coups in
Latin America with impunity are over.



A number of Honduran and international organizations are calling on people
around the world to participate in the International Day of Action Against
the Coup in Honduras on August 11th.  On that day they have asked people to
write, call (202) 456-1111, or email (whitehouse.gov/contact) the White
House and ask President Obama to condemn the coup, to restore the
constitutional system and President Zelaya, and to protest escalating human
rights violations.



For more information see: http://viacampesina.org/main_en/.
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