Militarization and Resistance in Honduras - An Eye-witness Account

Patty Adams is one of two US citizens working with the DC-based Quixote Center and the Hemispheric Social Alliance to coordinate a permanent international presence in post-coup Honduras. Since the June 28 coup, civil society resistance has been vibrant, nonviolent, and tenaciously persistent, even in the face of violent repression. Come hear Patty speak about life under the Honduran coup regime, the goals of the grassroots social movements, and what U.S. citizens and other internationals can do to support Hondurans' struggle for democracy. The event is free; donations accepted.

Co-sponsored by IF, Resource Center for Nonviolence, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Redwood Nonviolence Community
Information: 831.426.6537.

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Militarization and Resistance: The Amazing Struggle for Democracy in Honduras and Why We Should Care

Patty Adams has over a decade of involvement in nonviolent direct action and global justice activism/campaigns, including 8 years in Central America where she coordinated dozens of international delegations. She is an experienced nonviolence trainer, and she has worked in trauma healing and transformation.

The Honduras Accompaniment Project was organized in response to the call from popular movement groups in Honduras, especially the National Front of Resistance to the Coup (El Frente), for ongoing presence, support, accompaniment, and information gathering and dissemination. Her visit to Santa Cruz will come on the heels of leading the seventh post-coup international delegation to Honduras. Additional delegations are being planned for late October and beyond. These delegations have accompanied marches in an attempt to diminish the risk of violence, documented violent repression of popular protests throughout the country, used that documentation in advocacy work with national and international power-holders to hold them accountable, and shared information with the public at large to overcome the media blackout on the protests and on the severity of the ongoing political crisis in Honduras. Some additional work that is emerging in response to social movement appeals includes providing resources, training and support in active nonviolence and its applications in Honduras.

Honduras overview:
On June 28, 2009, a coup d'etat executed by the military and legislative branch of the Honduran government forcibly ousted democratically-elected president Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, and a military dictatorship has subsequently emerged. Seeing the coup as a threat to their democratic aspirations, broad sectors of Honduran society have taken to the streets daily in nonviolent resistance to the coup, demanding a return of their president and the rule of law. The international community has reached near-unanimous consensus in rejecting the de facto regime and pressing for the reinstatement of Zelaya and the restoration of rule of law. The Honduran regime has consistently rejected international proposals for a negotiated solution, and it has responded to the nonviolent people's movement with excessive use of force and violence. Thousands have been illegally detained in the course of daily activities or while exercising their constitutional right to protest, hundreds have been injured, and at least a dozen have been killed. Nonetheless, the protests continue, the regime remains shaky, and the outcome of the conflict is uncertain.