(Español abajo)

The Comparsa Anti-chepistica took place on 1 December 2011 at the Autonomous university in Honduras in Tegucigalpa in which a culture of demilitarisation and criticising the police was done artistically and with lots of fun around the campus. The political context is frequent killings including by police, including of students. I asked some questions to some of the organisers, below is the response of Los Hijos del Maiz.

La Comparsa Antichepistica se tomó lugar el 1 de diciembre de 2011 en la universidad autónoma en Honduras en Tegucigalpa en cual una cultura de demilitarisación y de criticar a la policía, lo que se hizo en una manera artística y muy divertido por las diferentes partes de la institución. El contexto político es de asesinatos frequentes, incluso por la misma policía, y en contra estudiantes. Tenía unas preguntas para algunas de lxs organizadorxs, abajo está la respuesta de Los Hijos del Maiz.

Los Hijos del Maiz es un movimiento artístico cultural que difunde un mensaje de conciencia para el desarrollo de las comunidades.

La idea es que a través de las expresiones artísticas manifestar la alta magia  de la vida natural, eso es lo que nos define como personas e individuos.

 Inlakesh, palabra de maya de poder, yo soy otro tu, tu eres otro yo. El mensaje es de unificación para poder trascender hacia una sola unidad, una solo vibración.

Conexión con nuestros antepasados, regreso a las raíces, retornando la sabiduría ancestral…

Miramos, entonces, que es un movimiento que permite a las personas encontrarse en su lugar artístico, dándole la oportunidad de que sean parte de ese maizal.  Un movimiento cultural que permite que las personas encuentren  su lado artístico y liberarse de prejuicios, diferencias y ataduras sociales que nos impone con el tiempo las tradiciones y “la vida”.

- Cuéntanos por favor sobre cómo nació este movimiento y como se están organizando..

Por la simple necesidad de organizarnos comunitariamente de unificación de cultura artística.  “La distancia mas corta entre el hombre y la verdad esta en un cuento”, he aquí el cuento de los hijos del maiz:

En un comienzo, en los tiempos ancestrales de la tierra, los frutos surgían como una sola unidad a beneficio de toda la comunidad.  Hasta que llego un tiempo en que  el maizal fue perdiendo sus mazorcas y sus granos se fueron esparciendo,  influenciados por plagas y cuervos devoradores que los separaron del maizal.

Es momento de despertar conciencia y retornar a nuestras raíces y despertar a la realidad y ser  nuevamente de la milpa a la cual siempre hemos pertenecido. 

- La gente organizada son de organizaciones ya activas que han trabajado juntas antes o es muy nuevo y como trabajan y crean juntas?

La mayor parte de los integrantes hemos trabajado años atrás en grupos y colectivos culturales y artísticos. Hasta un momento dado, se comenzó a trabajar como artistas independientes  fue entonces cuando nos encontramos. Las raíces siempre han existido, ahora bien, a comienzos del 2010  los hijos del maiz han venido trabajando ahora en Tegucigalpa.

Trabajamos,  también, ofreciendo servicios artísticos a empresas publicas o privadas. Siendo así productores independientes, por ejemplo ofrecemos servicios artísticos relacionados con el ámbito escénico, como diferente personajes de piso, música, artesanías.

La forma en que nos organizamos  es haciendo reuniones de practicas de percusión, teatro y talleres artesanales. Trabajamos con nuestras manos también productos en macramé, hilo, jabones naturales, etc.

Actualmente estamos trabajado en un proyecto musical del genero cumbiero que abarca cuentos, poesía y malabares.

Contexto: vivemos en un sistema global dónde el 1% tiene sus manos en la mayoría de la tierra y plata, y controla nuestr@s escuelas y los medios – en Zacate Grante hay un élite pequeño que por la mayor parte tiene el nombre de Miguel Facussé, quien controla la mayor parte de la tierra, dinero y escuelas, y hay mansiones gigantes y playas cercadas al lado de las comunidades que tiene casi nada, en la lucha tomando y permaneciendo en sus tierras.

(Español abajo)

Mansions

Ethel said:

Their mansions are nicer than ours… they have huge mansions, and comparing our ´mansions´ to their mansions, our mansions are hindering / obstructing the expansión of theirs, so it has been because of this that we have been fighting because they want to take away our lands, and I think and I am sure that they won´t get their way. Their mansions are BEAUTIFUL. They have them by the beaches, And to get these mansions, they had removed people, they had beaten people, they took people to courts, dispossessed people of their lands, maybe they had even killed some people, and all that, to have these mansions over there. They are beautiful, they are nice, but they cost the poor, they are at the expense of the poor, at the expense of the, the children who are left on the streets, who are left without the protection of a roof that would protect the children from the cold, and from hunger, but they are not interested in this, they are not interested in the people´s wellbeing, they are only interested in their own wellbeing. And when they run their party political campaigns, they promise even the land, they promise everything but the reality is different, so, because this Mr Miguel Facussé, here had come to trick lots of people, to put people against their own people, from their own villages, to divide us so we kill one another, … this is the weapon that he has, he gives money to these people but the money finishes, and the problem is always the same, so then, he had come to trick the people, with some donuts, with spaghetti, with this rubbish, the people are really marginalised, some don´t know how to read and don´t understand, they are at the whims of him, and so with a few pesos that he gives them they go over there… well so what we know is what we are struggling for, one is looked upon badly for wanting to change these people´s minds, these people don´t understand because he has tricked them. They don´t see the huge mansions that those got, the luxurious houses. And so, they don´t see this, they look so practically blind to one who knows the reality, one knows one is not ignorant, who knows what is going on. Their mansions are beautiful, but my little home made of plastic sheets is more beautiful because I have it with dignity, I have it because of my efforts with my work, and I have no killed anybody, nor have I robbed anyone to have it, I am proud to have my plastic house, yes.

My Little home is more beautiful theirs, because my home has no stain of bloods, and which was built with care and with love, love of the family, love of our children, of not leaving them abandoned, and it is for this that we have been fighting so that in the future they don´t have this problem.

I am going to speak with my name, because I like to, and I want tos ay to this mister, Sir Miguel Facussé, I am Ethel Verónica Corea, and señor, I feel proud to have my Little plastic home, because  my home is not stained with blood, and your houses are tarnished with blood, my home no, and I am proud to have it. My mansion is more beautiful than his, because, mine is built with love.

Anonymous woman:

Here, this is a very beautiful place, I have tried on different occasions to leave, for the so-called American Dream, but, when we are far from this valley, we miss it very much, and one always returns, and one of the things is that this señor, Facussé, he longs for, dreams of and wants these lands, and mainly these lands, where we live, and I believe that this is something he will never achieve, because there will always be these spines here to stop him from entering. The people are more powerful, the people united, than the Mayas who lost their land, because with the Mayas anyone could take over their land, but on top of us nobody is going to tread, it is this way that this señor, I don´t know how he will do it, if he, or god wants to hinder us,  ones would wish that he would die, because the truth is that he does a lot of damage against us, they are doing us so much damage, just with his breath, because his every breath of tongue that he throws out, is like a fire of the dragon, to burn our people, something should touch his conscience, and wake him up that whom he are attacking are humans who perhaps are exceptionally courageous, because we have shown him, that here in the community, and in other parts, we have been part of the struggle, in our lands, in the lands that we occupy to harvest our maiz, to give food for our children to eat, and I believe that this is something he does not understand, because he has all the time, been maintained by the government, because the state always forgives his debts, things that it doesn´t do with the people. Because, here, if a bill comes for $5 for electricity, and one doesn´t pay it, the next comrade who comes along, comes to disconnect the electricity, but for them it is not the same deal. They have factories that use up so much electricity (which they don´t pay), and nobody says anything, and so, I don´t know what will be done. However, I believe that these things will have to change, we have to end all this, that all this, for the poor to change, the conditions we live in, maybe with more dignified housing, because here we live extremely poorly, and so for me, it would be something nice, maybe, it will help us, or, not through electoral politics, because this here doesn´t work….political parties, not this, it doesn´t work for us. They can come and say, look, women, we are going to build some block homes with aluminium sheets… no, we have tried this already and because of the bad experiences we have with this, they always try this, trying to buy people, with beautiful houses, with projects here, with projects there, but, with us this doesn´t work.

About links with the global occupy movement:

Anonymous:

Well, here, we don´t see everything that happens in other countries, but sometimes we see bits and pieces of the news, and I know that what is being lived in other countries is almost the same as what we are living, but, I believe that, in the same struggle, that they use the same strategies that the people use, that the authorities use (against us), as what we use here in our country, because, I see that sometimes people go out and protest with signs, they go out onto the streets, demanding… we, here, not many people can read much English, nobody knows how to speak English, but sometimes we can see that, they go out with their placards, with messages, with something to say, and well here, when we go out with placards, we want our beaches to be free, the land to be free, we want to cultivate maiz, we want to live on the lands, and so I imagine that the same messages are on those placards, and well, we always see (on the news) teargas bombs, we see those tanks of smoke, of water, and so, that is the same as what is being lived in our country. Well, but, sometimes, one must continue the struggle, and keep going until we get what we are fighting for, because for example, I remember when the coup happened, there were millions of people that went out on the streets! For Mel, that they took him out of our country, and this people, from the military coup, went out on the streets, and still today, we are out on the streets, and Mel came, Mel is in Honduras, and some of the comrades who were held as political prisoners are now free of the charges, and can live normal lives now, and work on their careers without any problems, and so with this, that, .. the people is on the streets is something very very good. Partly good, sometimes not so good because sometimes comrades end up beaten, sick, including they have gone so far as to kill some comrades, or have beaten really badly that couldn´t keep going, but, so then, working collectively, the people united, is something very good, it is a very good strategy..

Ethel:

´… and in regards to education, the education here, the oligarchy also manipulates this, because here, practically only this Mr Miguel Facussé, goes and pays the teachers, so that they do what he wants. They don´t teach our children, they should be teaching our children to read, to learn, but they don´t care to. And it has been like this with this problem since this conflict began, that we have been seeing this, before it wasn´t like this, before they taught plenty, they educated, but not now, Miguel Facussé manipulates the teachers and they do what he wants. Because here there are teachers who have their interests, this señor promise them something, he gives them something, and they comply with his wishes.

To give an example, during the struggle, the people would say look this is what is happening to me, and they would say, I don´t care, I am not interested in hearing about this. So why aren´t they interested in this if they  are living in the community, and they are educating our children, they must take an interest in what affects our lives, but they would say they are not interested . And then comes the weekend, they go to the (beach, la virgin..) and if they come and we say listen, we need this and that, they would come and provide, but not for the benefits of the school, because for them the school is something trivial, over there they take money out from people because this is something that they do, take money, and the school is like a place to facilitate this process, and so there is no management of the school´s finances, at least not a dignified management of the funds, we are in some terrible months. Maybe in other countries the same thing happens…  They don´t want the poor to improve their situation. What they try to do is defeat people, the more ignorant our children grow up to be, the less they know, they more they are in their hands, because those who don´t know how to read or write, they get tricked,… the more illiterate people there are in this work, for them is better.

An anonymous youth of the radio collective:

We went there (to see the mansions) some five days ago, we took photos of them, and of the communities, in preparation for a farmers´ gathering that will take place here in Zacate Grande, which will be attended by all the farmers groups here in Zacate Grande, and 150 people from outside and outside of Tegucigalpa… and well, so we went there, doing this work, and working on the program for the event, and well, we see the great big mansions  that all the rich people who are loaded with money have there, who have taken control of the beaches, of the land, of the villagers of Zacate Grande. And, well, we saw how they spend the money, they, in making the luxurious mansions, while the poor are bearing hunger, one always said, over there bearing hunger, and they don´t have something to eat, they have the land stolen from the farmers group, where they cultivate. Puerto Grande has been in this struggle to recover the land for 11 years, here in Puerto Grande, and all the other farmers groups in the communities, have won already to register the name and constitution of the organisation ADEPZA, in these 11 years of land struggle of Zacate Grande, thanks God that nobody has died, nobody, though people have been imprisoned, and  many have had to go through court processes and live for a long time with ´substitutive measures´ where instead of going to prison before court processes finish the accused (of usurpation for example) have to agree to conditions eg of signing at the court every 15 days, not attending protests, not leaving the country, etc… some now have liberty letters freeing these of charges of conditions. We have achieved quite a lot in our 11 years of struggle, we have harvested, just a short time ago we had a harvest of..before we have our spring harvest, and today we had already our end of year harvest, that thanks god, we managed to harvest, the corn to eat. Well, here we are always, working in these communities to benefit our families… well this is what will be left for them, yes, and we here, well, we are always in struggle.

About the radio, well, the radio has been here for a year. Right now, as we are having some issues, we can´t run the radio right now, but within a short time, I believe we will be able to start it up again. But already, we have now a year of experience, of all the time we have had working here. When we just begun, we used to say amongst ourselves, that we didn’t know anything, not how to even use a computer… but little by little we began to learn, not a lot, but yes, a little bit, we were learning. At the beginning we didn´t know what this tool was for, but thanks to some compass, who went to train and learn in La Esperanza, in the little communications school, they came here to teach us, and through workshops, we began to learn how to use a computer, how to use microphones, how to speak, and thanks to god, well, we keep going on working here, and like we always say, we don´t work for money… we work out of our own free will, out of the love we have, the love we have for the radio, which is a great love we have, because we say if the radio didn´t exist we wouldn´t know what to do to entertain ourselves, who knows how many of us would have gone on …say, to be drunks, or become dependent on drugs. The radio for us is a form of entertainment and well we are working, struggling for the land, for the recovery of the land, for land titling, and well, the radio is a machete, a machete of our struggle. The radio was build stemming from the land conflict of Zacate Grande, so we started the radio to raise consciousness, so that people who don´t know what happens in Honduras and what happens in Zacate Grande, find out through the radio. We are going to raise the awareness of these people who don´t realise the struggle that Zacate Grande is in, and this is the work that we do. All the days the radio has run, we had it running from 6am in the morning to 9pm in the evening, everyday. So us compass we sometimes gather together and we are always changing… well today we are 12. We were 18 before, that is how we were… we don´t know why, but here we are, 12, at this radio, working hard, so that the Zacate Grande people, would some day come to be free, like what that sign over there says, we want Zacate Grande to be free of landowners

We always want the help of internationals. We are grateful too to the campers (human rights observers) who come to accompany us, some for months and others for years, and well, it is a tremendous support for this Zacate Grande community, because if they had not done this… we can´t imagine what could have happened. Like where you are going, to Bajo Aguan, there there are so many deaths, so many assassinations, but thanks god we have the accompaniment of the campers, and well this comes to help one a lot, if not, who knows how many would have died, but thanks god, well we thank them, because if they didn´t give the support, and weren´t interested in what happens to us. We feel happy because they always come to visit us, so we were never left alone, not the camp and not the communities, which are always hoping, that one day, our lands get titled, which is a biggest wish, and also for our communities to develop.

If there is no struggle there is no food, and without land there is no food, land is to cultivate for us to be able to give for our families to eat, in our community.

Mansiones

Nos contó Ethel:

Las mansiones de ellos son más bonitas que las de nosotras…ellos tienen sus grandes mansiones y las mansiones de nosotros a las mansiones de ellos…las mansiones de nosotros les estorban a ellos, entonces por eso nos han luchado porque nos quieren sacar de estas tierras y pienso y estoy segura de que no lo van a lograr. Las mansiones de ellos son LINDAS. Las tienen por las playas. Y para tener esas mansiones ellos han sacado gente, han golpeado gente, han procesado gente, las han de sacado de sus tierras,  quizás hasta las han matado, y todo eso, para poder ellos tener esas mansiones allí. Son hermosas, son bonitas, pero a cuesta de los pobres, a cuesta de los, a los niños que dejan en las calles, que dejan sin protección de un techo para que estos niños no sufran frío, que no sufran hambre, a ellos no le interesa eso, a ellos no le interesa el bienestar de pueblo sino el bienestar de ellos, cuando ellos andan en políticas, ellos prometen incluso de la tierra, todos prometen pero la realidad es otro, entonces, porque este señor, Miguel Facussé, aquí ha venido a engañar bastante gente, para ponerle en contra de su mismo pueblo de su misma gente, que nos matemos unos con otros, …(eso) es el arma que él tiene, que él le da dinero a esa gente pero este dinero se les termina, y el problema es siempre así, entonces, él ha venido engañar la gente, con unos churros, con espagueti, con …, eso es malo pues, la gente es ignorante, la que no sabe leer la que no entiende, esa gente está al margen de él, entonces con un par de pesos que les den entonces ellos allí van …bueno lo que tenemos conocimiento es la lucha, de que es lo que estamos luchando, uno lo mira mal pero uno que uno quiera cambiar esta gente, esta gente no entiende porque él los tiene engañado. Ellos no miran las grandes mansiones que tienen,  casas de lujo, entonces ellos no ven eso, tan ciego prácticamente uno se lo mira porque uno saber la realidad, uno sabe no está ignorante, sabe lo que está pasando, ellos, lo que uno decir, las mansiones de ellos son lindas, pero es más linda mi casita que es de nylon porque la tengo con dignidad, la tengo por mi esfuerzo con mi trabajo, y no he matado a nadie y ni he robado a nadie para tener, y estoy orgullosa de tener mi casita de nylon, sí.

Mi casita es más bonita que la de ellos, que mi casa no tiene ninguna mancha de sangre, que se ha hecho con cariño, con amor, amor de la familia, amor a nuestros hijos, a no dejarlos abandonados, y por eso hemos luchado a que ellos en el futuro no tengan ese problema

Voy a decir mi nombre, porque me gusta, y se lo dice a este señor, Don Miguel Facusse, soy Ethel Verónica Corea, y señor, yo siento orgullosa de tener mi casita de nylon, porque, mi casa no está manchada de sangre, y las casas de suyas están manchadas de sangre, mi casa no, y me siento orgullosa de tener. Mi mansión es más linda que la de él, porque, es hecha con amor

Anónima:

Aquí es un lugar muy bonito, he intentado varias veces quizás irme para, que dicen el sueño americano, pero, cuando nos encuentra lejos de este valle, hace falta mucho, y siempre regresa, y una de las cosas es de este señor, Facussé, que él anhela, sueña, y quiere estas tierras, principalmente, estas tierras, dónde nosotros vivemos, y creo que es algo que él no lo va a lograr, porque siempre van a estar estas espinas aquí para que el no entre. Es más poderoso el pueblo, un pueblo unido, que las mayas que ponen su terreno, porque por las mayas sube cualquiera, pero por encimo de nosotros nadie va pasar, así es que este señor, yo no sé cómo va a hacer, si él se, si dios, o él, no quisiera estorbar, se quisieran que se muera, porque la verdad es que a nosotros si hace mucho daño, nos hace muchísimo daño, con solo el respira del el, porque cada respiro de lengua que él tira, es como un fuego de dragón, para quemar un pueblo, se había de tocar la consciencia, y decir que son humanos que está atacando, que somos unas personas humanas que quizás con un valor exagerado, porque a él lo hemos mostrado, aquí en la comunidad, y en otros lados, hemos andado en la lucha, en nuestras tierras, en las tierras que ocupamos para cosechar nuestro maíz, y darle de comer a nuestros hijos, y creo que de eso, él no lo entiende, porque, a él, todo el tiempo, lo ha mantenido el gobierno, porque siempre lo condonan sus deudas, cosas que no lo hacen con el pueblo. Porque si aquí, viene un recibo de cien lempiras de luz, y si uno no lo paga, el siguiente compa que viene, viene a cortarle la luz, y para ellos no es así. Ellos tiene fábricas que ven millones y millones de luz, y nadie le dicen nada, entonces, yo no sé qué va a hacer pues. Pero, creo que estos tendría que cambiar, y terminar todo esto, que todo esto, sea que pobre cambie, su modos de vivir, quizás con viviendas más digna, porque aquí, varios vivimos en extremadamente pobres, entonces para mí, sería algo bonito, quizás, nos ayudaran, o, no por medio de política, porque la política allí no funciona…políticas de partidos, eso no, eso no funciona para nosotros. Ellos pueden venir y decir, miren, mujeres, les vamos a hacer unas casas de bloque con lámina, con lo que … no, que ya hemos probado y por eso nosotros los vemos mal, porque siempre han tratado así, de quizás comprarlo a uno, con casas bonitas, que proyecto por aquí, que proyecto por allá, pero, con nosotros no funciona eso…

Vinculación con el movimiento global de Indignados:

Anónima:

Bueno, aquí se mira no todo que se viven en otros países, pero a veces se mira padecitos de las noticias, y que sí, lo que se está viviendo, en estos otros países es casi igual que lo que estamos viviendo nosotros, pero, creo que, en la misma lucha que ellos llevan a las mismas estrategias que usan tanto el pueblo, como las autoridades, las sucedan aquí en nuestro país, porque, veo que a veces andan con sus carpetas, andan en las calles, exigiendo…bueno, aquí el ingles, casi no se lee bien, nadie sabe hablar ingles, pero a veces se ve y, que andan con sus carpetas que tiene sus letras y algo que decir, bueno aquí, cuando andamos con unas carpetas, queremos unas playas libres, queremos la tierra libre, queremos sembrar el maíz, queremos vivir en las tierras, entonces imagino que eso, mismo, ha de decir en esos carteles, bueno, y siempre se ven las bombas lacrimógenas, que los estanques de humo, de agua, entonces, es el mismo lo que está viviendo en nuestro país. Bueno pero, a veces, hay que dar la lucha, hasta conseguimos nuestro propósito, porque vaya, recuerdo lo de golpe de estado,  era un millonario de gente que salió a las calles! Que por Mel, que a Mel lo sacaron de nuestro país, y que esa gente desde el golpe de estado, salieron a la calle, e incluso todavía, estamos en las calles, y, Mel entró, Mel está en Honduras, y, varios de los compañeros que habían hecho presos ya están libres de cargo, sea, ya pueden tener sus vidas normal, pueden trabajar su carrera que tienen, sin ningún problema, entonces eso, lo que lo … el pueblo que está en las calles es algo muy, algo muy bueno pues. Una parte bueno, a veces pocos se ven poco mal que a veces salen compañeros que, salimos golpeados, salimos enfermos, incluso que a otros compañeros que los matan o los golpean muy fuertes y no aguantan, pero, entonces, es algo que, lo de salir en grupo, el pueblo unido, es algo muy bueno, es una estrategía, muy buena..

Ethel:

´…y lo que es la educación, la educación aquí, la manipulan también la oligarquía, porque aquí, prácticamente solo es el señor Miguel Facussé. Que aquí, los maestros, él les paga, para que hagan lo que quiere. A nuestros hijos no les enseñan, lo que deben a enseñarle, es la lectura y el aprendizaje, ellos no le toman interés. Y desde que entró este problema, este conflicto, está viendo esto, antes no es así, antes estaba enseñando bastante, porque, se enseñaba, pero no ahora, Miguel Facussé manipula los maestros, y ellos hacen lo que él quiere. Porque aquí hay maestros que son interesados, a ellos les promete algo este señor, se les da, y ellos cumplen lo que quiere

Un ejemplo, … cuando en la lucha y dicen miren este es lo que me está pasando eso, ellos dicen – no me importa, a mí no me interesa esto. Entonces, por qué ellos no deben interesarse si ellos está viviendo en una comunidad y está pasando por la comunidad, entonces, están educando a nuestros hijos, debería interesarle,  pero entonces ellos dicen que no le interesa, entonces ya el fin de semana, ellos van a (la playa, la virgen…) y si vienen ellos y digamos fíjense que necesitamos esto esto, vienen y se lo da, pero no para beneficios del centro de Básico, porque el centro de básico es una ´porquería´, allí  a uno les sacan dinero porque eso es lo que hacen ellos, sacar y el centro de básico es como un chequero, entonces no hay un mantenimiento de fiscal, un mantenimiento digno pues, entonces, estamos pésimos meses. Quizás en otros países se viva eso también. Se, casi se ve, y si mira, lo mismo en cada país, se está viviendo lo mismo, porque lo mismo vamos pobre, por ellos solo lo que quieren. No quieren que los pobres se superen. Si ellos buscan el modo de aplastar a uno, es más que sean ignorantes nuestros hijos, que no sepan nada, entonces para que ellos tenerlo a su mano, porque no saben leer ni escribir, entonces, como van a defender ellos, entonces está mala lo que está la educación, bueno para mí, la educación esta pésima.. Yo quisiera que mis hijos no fueran unos ignorantes, porque si engañan unas personas con sus letras en la cabeza ya es que quiere dejarse engañar pero como no saben leer ni escribir ni nada, se los engañan,..Los más analfabetas que haiga en el mundo, para ellos es mejor.

Un joven miembro de colectivo de radio:

Si, anduvimos (allí) hace…5 días, hemos tomadole fotos, a las comunidades, porque, va a ver un encuentro de campesinos aquí en Zacate Grande, hasta, van a estar todos los grupos campesinos aquí en Zacate Grande, y 150 personas que andan el lado de afueras de Tegucigalpa …y pues, si, anduvimos allí, haciendo el trabajo este para hacerlo, un programa que es para el evento, y pues, miramos los grandes mansiones le dan todas las personas allí ricas que tienen el dinero  que sean apoderados de las playas, de la tierra, de los pobladores de Zacate Grande. Y, buen, vimos que, como gastan el dinero, ellos, en hacer las mansiones lujosas, y los pobres pues, aguantando hambre, uno siempre decimos, allí aguantando hambre y no tienen que comer y le roban la tierra, donde cultivos, que tienen, y, pues, el grupo campesino,  Puerto Grande, tiene ya como, más de 11 años de está luchando para  recuperar la tierra, aquí en Puerto Grande, y todos los otros grupos campesinos de las comunidades, pues, ha logrado, ya, lo que es una personalidad jurídica que tiene el grupo, en estos 11 años pues de lucha que se han hecho aquí en Zacate Grande, pues, gracias a dios no ha habido muerto, ningún, digamos así, encarcelado, preso, pues, todo lo que les han puesto  medidas cautelares…no, otro, medidas con carta de libertad, pues se han logrado bastante en la lucha de estos 11 años, hemos cosechado, hace poco hemos la cosecha de… anteriormente tuvimos la cosecha de primavera y hoy tenemos ya cosecha de postrero, que gracias a dios, pues, sacamos, que sea maíz para comer, y, pues, aquí estamos siempre, trabajando en estas comunidades para el beneficio de nuestras familias…bueno, esto es lo que le va a quedar a ellos, si, y nosotros aquí, pues, siempre luchando.

En lo que es la radio, pues, la radio está desde hace un año, al aire,  ahorita, por problemas del, …no podemos estar pero ya, entre poco, creo que sí. Pero un año de experiencia tenemos ya, de tanto tiempo tenemos de trabajar aquí, apenas cuando empezamos, decimos con los compañeros, no sabíamos lo que era nada, ni tocar ni siquiera una computadora .. y poco a poco fuimos aprendiendo, no bastante pero si, un poco, era aprenderla, ni sabíamos lo que era este aparato,  gracias a unos compas, que se fueron a capacitar en la esperanza, en la escuelita de comunicaciones, ellos vinieron a enseñarnos, como, a través de talleres, pero fuimos aprendiendo lo que es manejar una computadora, y como utilizar el micrófono, como hablar, y, gracias a dios, pues  seguimos aquí, trabajando, eh, como decimos siempre, no trabajamos por dinero , sino por la voluntad de uno, porque tenemos el amor que, pues, de , amor de la radio, un amor grande porque si decimos a otros si no existe la radio no tuviéramos un modo de entretenernos, sabe cuántas de nosotros personas anduvieran en que…digamos, allá, bolos, marijuanados o una droga, haciendo a ver qué cosa, pues eso nos sirve como un modo de entretenimiento y pues estamos trabajando para, luchando para la tierra, para la recuperación de la tierra, la titulación de la tierra, pues. La radio es un machete, es un machete de la lucha, la radio se construyó a través del problema que con la tierra de Zacate Grande, er, se puso la radio para, concientizar a aquellas personas que no saben pues que es lo que pasa en Honduras, que es lo que pasa en Zacate Grande, pues si a través de la radio pues. Vamos a concientizar a estas personas que no se dan cuenta la lucha que es de Zacate Grande, y este es el trabajo que nosotros realizamos, pues todos los días que estaba la radio ..lo tuvimos desde las 6 en la mañana, hasta las 9 en la noche, todos los días, lo más que harían, una parte está COMPA, unas compas, y otro rato nos estamos reunidos y siempre estamos variando los.. Bueno hoy somos 12, éramos 18 pero, así nos han sido ..no sabemos porque, y aquí continuamos 12, lo que es la radio, trabajando duro, para que ese pueblo de Zacate Grande, algún día llegue a ser libre como ser por allá aquella rótulos, queremos Zacate Grande libre de terratenientes

Nosotros esperamos siempre la ayuda de internacionales, agradecer también a los campamentistas que vienen a estar con nosotros unos con varios meses otros con años, y pues, es un apoyo tremendo para este comunidad de Zacate Grande, porque si no estuvieran hecho…no imaginamos que hubiera pasado, como vas allá a lo que es Bajo Aguán que hay tantos muertes, tantos asesinatos, pero gracias a dios nosotros tenemos el acompañamiento de lo que es los campamentistas, y  pues eso uno viene a ayudar mucho, si no, a ver cuántos habíamos muerto, pero gracias a dios, agradecerles a ellos pues, porque nos dan el apoyo, interesan lo que nosotros, pasamos aquí, y nos sentimos contentos porque siempre nos visitan, nunca ha hemos quedado solo, lo que es ni el campamento ni los comunidades, esperando siempre, que algún día, se nos titule las tierras que es nuestro más grande deseo y lo que es de comunidades de desarrollar.

Si no hay lucha no hay comida no hay alimentación, si tierra no hay comida… tierra para cultivar para darle comer para nuestras familias, en nuestro comunidad

Context: 25 November 2011 is International Day of No Violence Against Women. Zacate Grande is a community in land recovery movement (ADEPZA) and a human rights camp is on the community to accompany the movement http://www.campamentoshonduras.com. Below are what some women from this community said..

Español abajo: Contexto: 25 de noviembre de 2011 es Día Internacional de No Violencia Contra La Mujer. Zacate Grande es una comunidad en un movimiento de recuperación de tierra (ADEPZA) y un campamento de derechos humanos está en la comunidad para acompañar el movimiento http://www.campamentoshonduras.com. Abajo está lo que nos dijeron algunas mujeres de esta comunidad..

Annonymous woman 1:

On 25 November we had a march for us to protest so that they don´t keep violating our rights anymore and so that they stop beating and abusing us, so that they listen to what we have to say.

We have been organising this activity for 2 years now. The year before the last we held one, which had people coming from other parts, from Tegucigalpa, and it was great. This time we just organised one here with the community. And so women came from Guadales, La Flor and Puerto Grande and it was a really nice gathering because we were reunited, and we talked a lot of what is, violence against women, and what happens, and we saw that we need to meet more to have greater strength, so they stop doing to us what they do to us.

I am going to share my own story, of when I had my first partner, I suffered a lot of violations of my human rights. He beat me, abused me, and practically often raped me since sometimes, one, when one is being beaten and abused, one is not disposed to ´make love´ as they call it, and so it would be done by force, and all this, then, in this time, no, I did not know about women´s rights, until today. I in this time was still outside this organisation of Adepza, and I began to realise what I was living. I heard, and I escape, thanks god, I left the life that I would have had. Right now there is plenty of rights violations but this time as part of a group, the violence is not coming from our group, it actually is coming from the oligarchy which is sending people to beat us and all that. So, its more than this, what a woman lives. Men speak a lot of obscenities to the woman. So, one tries to avoid and prevent, but they are ´charlatánes´ – meaning when a person behaves aggressively, vulgarly, that is the name we put on them.

We are struggling and we hope there will be more support for this, so that they stop violating our rights.

Anonymous woman 2

Well, here in Honduras many rights get violated, .. I´d say generally, rights of all people. Here the laws don´t work well and this is one of the things that needs to end, this thing of when maybe a person has their rights violated and go to make a complaint to the authorities – there needs to be more attention put onto this, more attention, because what they know to do here, those high authorities, is that there is always money involved and from which all the cases remain in impunity, against women, on 25 November, as our comrade said, we have already had 2 years in this, not to celebrate, but to be there for other women who maybe haven´t heard, can´t write, and maybe don´t understand, because the truth is that here, there are lots of compañeras who don´t know how to read or write, and maybe they haven´t understood yet that their rights are being violated, their rights as women, as people, her personal dignity. We value a lot, we value a lot ourselves as women, I know that, the truth is that thanks to god that I am not living this and have never lived it, I am not sure why maybe because of my character, that maybe I demand respect, or some other reasons, I don´t understand because look, my sister was one of the women victims and sometimes thinking about this makes one really enraged, but sometimes it is important to reflect, and to say this is in the past. But they are things we had lived, not just to her, it didn’t only affect her, it affected us as a family too, knowing she was being intimidated, that she was fearful of her partner,  when she did not speak out or try to leave this environment she was in. In this time, what she did was be quiet, and things can´t be like this. Well, these days, we are living a different life, we´d say, more free, .. well you people come here, undertake interviews, put things on the net, for different things, and so this is something that can help a woman. I would like for maybe, the women who are having their rights violated, whose spouses beat her, insult her, and all, for her to speak out. But always knowing that they are scared, she is scared of her husband, and sometimes they threaten her, this is not acceptable and no woman should have to live this anymore, at least in our valley, one should not have to live this anymore because there are people, who are there to support women who are experiencing violence.

Woman 3:

We have been in struggle since 10 years ago already..about 11 years, against this oligarch, whose name is Miguel Facussé, we are women fighters, we work on the land, and we are not just there to stand by men, nobody humiliates us, because we have woken up from this, we have risen and we lift our heads up, we are women who are fighters and we are going to keep fighting. And another of the things that with this Mr Miguel Facussé, we have been fighting against, I am a woman who had 4 charges that Miguel Facussé had pressed against me, and all are for usurpation, damage to environment. Apparently, for him, we damage the environment by sowing our corn, to be able to give food for our children to eat, and so for this he took me to court, and in 2007, I had my first hearings, and during this time I had to keep travelling to the Isla de Tigre in Amapala to sign at the court. Up to now, none of this problem that we have of the charge he placed against us had been resolved, and from there he took me to court for another charge related to the radio, actually related to the radio he had 2 cases against me, for which I have already received a letter of freedom, I have that already with the radio, but there was another in which this sir who came wanting to take photos around here accused us of beating him, saying we had damaged his property and all, well of this case we had finished already. I have got my letter of liberty, and well from this time I have two letters of liberty. However, from the first case against me I don´t have any, but this sir is not going to defeat me like this, because I am a very strong woman. Back in August 2010, they beat me with sticks in the head, from which I had 10 stiches. I was bedridden for two months from this, to recover, and I went to make the complaint though authorities did nothing. So practically violations against me go way back, but I know my rights now, I will move forward, I won´t lose heart ever.

Woman 4:

Just want to say thanks to the human rights campers for giving the time to be here in this village, that here you are always very welcome, and ok, a message too for ´Don  Miguel Facussé´ that here we are not scared of him, that here, the women of Zacate Grande are not scared of him, that including those of us from Puerto Grande, we are not scared of him, because this is the place he longs to have the most, to have in his hands, but here this little house with plastic sheetings that you see here, they will not take us from here, they could remove us, they could throw gas at us but we are always going to be here, we are going to be a spine for him, so here we are, the women of the farmers group, we are standing up and struggle, and we will always continue this struggle

Mujer Anónima 1:

Este 25 tuvimos una marcha sobre esto para manifestarse uno para que ya no sigan violando nuestras derechos y que no sigan golpeando y maltratando, que nos tomen en cuenta.

La actividad ya tenemos 2 años de estar haciendo esto. El año antepasado hicimos, viniendo gente del otro lado, desde Tegucigalpa, y estuvo bonito. Ahorita solo hicimos aquí con la comunidad. Y entonces vino Guadales, La Flor, Puerto Grande y estuvo un encuentro bien bonito porque estuvimos reunidas, hablamos bastante de lo que es, la violencia contra la mujer,  lo que se dan en estos casos, y vimos que hay que reunirnos más a tener más fuerza, para que no nos sigan haciendo lo que nos hacen..

Bueno voy a hablar de mi persona, yo cuando tuve mi primero pareja, yo sufrí bastante violación.  Este me golpeaba, me maltrataba, incluso prácticamente hasta unas violaciones porque a veces uno no.. Cuando está haciendo golpeado maltratado entonces está indispuesto a lo que es hacer  ´el amor´ como dice entonces a la fuerza tendría que hacerse, y todo eso, entonces, en ese tiempo, no, yo no sabía que había eso de la derecho de la mujer, hasta hoy, en aquella tiempo yo andaba fuera de lo que es la organización de Adepza, y yo dando me cuenta de todo lo que estaba viviendo. Yo oí, escapé y gracias a dios salí de la vida que yo tendría. Y ahorita se haber bastante violación pero ya en grupo pero no es de nuestro grupo pero sino que lo de oligarca que nos está mandando a golpear y todo eso entonces, es más que eso, eso es lo que se vive la mujer. El hombre le dice bastantes obscenidades. Entonces, uno, trata de manera de evitar, pero ellos son ´charlatanes´ por decir así. Es cuando una persona se aporta agresiva, vulgar, aquí así se le dicen …charlatán, que no sé que..

Estamos luchando y esperamos que haya más apoyo sobre esto, que ya no nos sigan violentando

Mujer 2:

Buen, aquí en Honduras se viola mucho los derechos..digamos en general, derechos de todas las personas. Aquí las leyes no actúan bien y es unas de las cosas pues que tiene que ir terminando eso de que quizás si una persona que ha violentado sus derechos y va poner su denuncia a las autoridades quizás tiene que poner atención, más atención, porque lo que saben hacer aquí, que, bueno, máximo las autoridades, los….es hay dinero de promedia y todos se quedan en la impunidad, bueno, damos gracias a estas personas que traen lo que es el día internacional de la no violencia contra la mujer, el 25 de noviembre, como dice la compañera ya tenemos 2 años en esto no a celebrar sino a servir a las demás mujeres que quizás no escuchan, no entienden, porque la verdad es que aquí, hay bastante compañeras que no saben leer, no saben escribir, y quizás no entienden ellas, quizás están siendo violadas, sus derechos como mujer, como persona, su dignidad de ella, – valemos muchos, valemos muchos nosotras como mujeres, yo sé que si, la verdad es que gracias a dios, de que yo no estoy viviendo eso y nunca lo he vivido, porque no sé si será por mi carácter, que talvéz me he dado a respetar, o no sé, no entiendo porque vaya mi hermana ella fue unas de las mujeres víctimas que esa a veces cuando se recuerda de lo que hace pegarle cólera a uno, pero a veces hay que reflexionar,  y decir esto ya es el pasado, pero son cosas que se vivieron, que no solo a ella quizás le afectaba, no solo a ella, le afectaban sino también a la familia, siempre por la misma intimidad que tenía ella de que le tenía miedo a su pareja, ella no decía o no trataba de salirse de este ambiente que tenia, entonces, ella no que hiciera era callarse, y las cosas no son así, bueno, ahora vivimos una vida distinta, digamos que, más libres, ..bueno ustedes vienen aquí, toman las entrevistas, las tiran por internet, por cualquiera cosa, entonces ese es una ayuda para uno de mujer, y yo quisiera que quizás las mujeres que están siendo violadas sus derechos, que su esposo le pegan, que la insultan, que todo, hablaran ellas, .., pero ese es por lo mismo, que tienen miedo, tiene miedo a su marido, o que, la amenazan, entonces eso ya no se tiene que estar viviendo aquí, o por lo menos, en nuestro valle, no tiene que se estar viviendo esto porque hay personas, que están para apoyar con eso lo que es la violencia contra la mujer

Mujer 3:

Nosotras hemos estado en la lucha desde 10 años ya, sobre 11 años, contra este oligarca, que se llama Miguel Facussé, somos una mujeres luchadoras, trabajamos la tierra, y, no paramos a la par de hombres, y nadie nos humillar, porque ya estamos despiertas de la humigaciones, ya nos levantamos, ya levantamos la cabeza, y somos unas mujeres luchadora, y vamos a seguir luchando. Y otra de las cosas que con este señor Miguel Facussé, hemos venido luchando, yo soy una mujer que tengo 4 procesos que me ha puesto Miguel Facussé, y todo por usurpación, y daño a medio ambiente, supuestamente a el, nosotros dañamos la ambiente con sembrar nuestra maíz, para darle a comer a nuestros hijos, entonces por eso el me procesó a mí, en el 2007, yo tuve mi primer proceso y en ese tiempo yo estoy yendo a firma a la isla de tigre, Amapala, y hasta la.. no nos ha resuelto nada de este problema que tenemos, la demanda que nos puso, y de allí vino otra demanda por la radio, bueno por la radio son 2, que ya hay una carta de libertad ya la tengo para la radio, pero la otra que es por un señor que vino a querer tomar fotos aquí, y dijo que lo hemos golpeado, que lo habíamos arruinado el carro y todo eso,  pues de eso ya salí, ya tengo mi carta de libertad, pues en este etapa tengo 2 cartas de libertad, pero, de la primera denuncia no tengo ninguna, pero, este señor a mi no me va a derrotar así, que no soy una mujer muy fuerte, incluso hace un año ya en agosto, en 2010, me dieron garrotazos en la cabeza, que dio 10 apuntadas, y que dé con balaciente, pasé casi 2 meses en cama, reposada, y puse yo la denuncia y no me hicieron caso, entonces, practicamente, me han venido violentando desde hace tiempo, y , pero ahora yo sé mis derechos,  sigo adelante y no voy a desmayar

Mujer 4

Solo para darle la gracias a ustedes para darnos el tiempo de estar aquí en este aldea, que aquí siempre son muy bienvenidos, y bueno, un mensaje para el ´don Miguel Facussé´ que aquí no le tenemos miedo, que aquí las mujeres de Zacate Grande, no le tenemos miedo, incluso las de Puerto Grande, no les tenemos miedo, porque es el lugar que el más añila, para tener en sus manos, pero aquí en esta casita de nylon que mira aca, no se van a salir de aca, nos pueden sacar, nos pueden botar la gasa pero siempre vamos a estar aquí, siempre, vamos a ser una espina para el, así es que, aquí estamos, las mujeres del grupo campesino, están en pie a lucha, y siempre vamos a seguir así.

Más información..

Exposición de la periodista Dina Mesa de Cofadeh (El Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras) sobre el femicidio en Honduras.

AUDIO: http://www.box.com/s/imhr6jp3i835ay2lhgai

Before its launch on 15 October, several organising meetings were held, including on the Wednesday just before, where 80 people from diverse political backgrounds came and real pushes towards building a democratic movement. For example, it was strongly argued and consensus was being built that the organising meeting would be simply to decide on the structures that would facilitate the democratic consensus process, that this meeting would not decide on behalf of the general assembly where we were to occupy.

The processes are never easy with such diversity amongst us. Not all of us were thrilled about how the first general assembly went, or other processes, but some of us are inspired by the efforts we collectively are and continue to be making. ´This is what democracy looks like!´

We endured limitless police harrassment and abuse, living on very little sleep, long discussion processes, etc… but we were awaken by feelings of hope and solidarity, of happiness in getting to know one another more and more, and people keen to join us, excited about the workshop space we have created amongst other spaces, content in seeing our new home and community get set up, making this a space of education, of sharing, of all of us learning lots. We grew quite attached to this space and tried to make it open as much as possible

The violent eviction does not end the movement, we are here to stay….. Occupy Sydney continues a lot of work together and it is up to us democratically collectively to decide what shape it is to take in the near future.

Everywhere in the world a tiny elite has the money, controls the media, our education system, etc, and this movement is against this system. You are part of the 99%, if you aren´t already part of occupied, talk with occupiers and if youd like, become part of and help build this horizontal leaderless movement, help make it horizontal and leaderless if it doesnt appear to be, shape it

love, an annonymous occupier

ps latest news: reoccupation is happening at Martin Place!!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ?

Basically, there’s been heaps of activation going on in “camps” and on the “streets” … I need an injection of art for the Art Action Union to continue to claim to be art based…

You, our members are out there seeing it and sharing it and making it!  Throw some up on our pages please, and I will share them around…

Please don’t submit art via email, but either post to our facbook or find some of the galleries (links below) …

This blog looks way tooooo unartistic… some of the best ones are going here.

It doesn’t need to be your art, you can share that of other people of course, but please ensure to acknowledge the original artist please.

I’m watching

Now, first thing to do is go to this page http://www.facebook.com/ArtActionUnion.org and post on the wall… I can share it easily to a couple of different pages there…

Then, go to the facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/20811007244/ and do the same.

Everything facebook is also twitter…

Also, there are a number of art galleries/groups at Redbubble, find links to the groups we’re associated with there from our Profile Page here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/artactionunion scroll down a little for “hosting groups”.

We nearly had 5000 followers too, so I still feel sick! It was a year of damn great networking and activity and sad to see wiped in the corporate way of things. But we shall perservere!!!

We also lost the “page” page but luckily I held onto this group because my “real” identity was the one who started it…

Optimistically, I am seeing this as an opporutunity to do some hardcore marketing… when I stop being sick.

I will keep you posted when I figure out exactly the best way to manage this new challenge…

Sorry guys, it seems I breached the terms and conditions (no doubt along with many other groups and organisations that enjoy the profile page functionality of facebook) by not using my real name, which is silly cause this is like a job to me and I needed to keep my personal life and art separate from the Art Action Union concept.

But I am not even afforded the opportunity to plead this case, as they apparently want a scanned copy of my driver’s licence or passport to prove my identity… so I am in a conundrum….

I will set up a new page in the near future… However, please spread the word that we are living here on facebook for now: Our Group page – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20811007244

If you know people that were following us before, please invite them here … we are now a disconnected bunch.

If you have any ideas feel free to email me at:
contact@artactionunion.org

There is also the blog, which I will be communicating through at wordpress:
http://artactionunion.wordpress.com/
You can sign up here to get updates in your inbox.

Please, help us rebuild!

Tearfully and sadly,

Kath

and don’t forget to
“aspire to inspire”

On 27 January 2011, 1 year after President Zelaya re-exiled to Dominican Republic, defacto president Lobo inaugurated his regime, and 300,000 came out to farewell President Zelaya…

20,000+ came out to demand the unconditional and safe return of President Zelaya and 200 other politically exiled Hondurans, as the people continue to organise for change.

In this post I’d like to show photos from this day, and also to share about some struggles within the resistance from people I’ve spoken with that I haven’t written about…

for example, talking with the Platform in Defence of Patuca River

Tawahk defending from hydroelectric dams on Patuca River

The communities (including the Indigenous community Tawahks) against the damming of the 450kms Patuca River are beginning to work together to oppose the dam ‘Patuca 3′

So there has been other ‘Patucas’ before, like Patuca 2, which was when the Harza Company of US came and wanted to impose a dam in 2008. Communities fought against this, and in August 2008 Hurracane Mitch came and ruined the shores of the river, this made the company realise the river was too fragile to sustain the project plan, and it is far away,  and doesn’t hold water, it wouldn’t make the profits, so they went away.

Patuca 3 was when President Zelaya talked with Taiwan to make a project here. The community organised against this and this was withdrawn too after Taiwan undertook evaluation, seeing the capacity of production is half of what is said. But with the coup, community leaders became threatened and persecuted and projects for the Indigenous communities were taken away.

Now defacto president Lobo is talking with Sinoydro – a company of China which built ‘3 gargantas’ (3 throats) in the famous Chinese City, it is amongst the biggest hydroelectric dams in the world. There is a feel that it is not investigating what is happening in Honduras. It is suspected that because of rivalry between China and Taiwan the Chinese government wants this Chinese company to have this project no matter what, without concern for the success of the project or environmental impacts for this river and communities.

Tawahks are a small Indigenous group of 500 at risk of extinction. If the river dries and dies, their survival too, won’t make it. Going ahead with such project then, is reasonable to say, is genocide. The risk is grave, because this ‘government’ sells anything and everything just to enrich a few already rich people. Worse still, the regime is desperate. It feels affected and surprised by constant demonstrations against it having expected Hondurans to sleep through the coup. So it thinks it needs to partner with transnational capital, and to them, ‘model cities’ sound good. Privatise whole cities.

Garifunas are organising too…

I spoke with 2 Garifuna leaders of Tegucigalpa, here is some of what they said:

Garifunas live on the North Coast, Bay Islands and there are 1000 living in Tegucigalpa, to study, work, send money home if they have work…

Amongst their bigger concerns with the coup are that unemployment increased remarkably and their community is very affected, and access to education especially university education,that the 4% transfers from the state budget to local councils for projects have stopped, that the Garifuna Hospital has closed, and health centres in the community now have no medicine..

95% of Garifuna who live in the city can no longer send money to their families and communities, Garifunas are leaving school and university early for financial and health reasons, militarisation of Aguan – many Garifunas live there

There are more general issues that have always existed too, such as lack of technological access for teachers…and in Colon/Gracias a Dios,

‘Problems are potable water, lack of communication, electricity – people have to buy petrol and have light only short period at night, classrooms have no electricity and so students don’t learn to use machines and computers and are disadvantaged when they go to uni’

Violating human right to health: The State is not giving health, infrastructure, highway, electricity, to the 52 Garifuna communities of the North Coast.

‘what use is medcine if there is no water? All the 52 communities face the same problems’

‘We need a true democracy, they have to come to the people all the time not once every 4 years. We need to be actors of our own destiny.’

Leaders of the Garifuna community will be amongst those attending the Self-Convocatory Constituent Assembly of the Indigenous this month, to discuss what needs to go into the new constitution the current one being broken by the coup, and being discriminatory to the poor majority of Honduras.

Unionised workers of the Autonomous University of Honduras UNAH, presente in resistance (sitraunah)

‘Golpistas use images of beggars to ask for international funds to exploit natural wealth. We are not silenced, we will make change.’ Said some of the unionists..

Sitraunah has been attacked endlessly in 2010, with around 150 dismissed from the cleaning and security departments, some still not reinstated after a 3months hunger strike ended not by the unionists but by military invasion of the university and Red Cross van dragging away the hunger strikers for treatment.

I spoke with Marco Antonio Moreno, president of Sitraunah Section 1, who said,

‘These attacks are not casual, but causal from the coup. We united to FNRP (resistance) and demanded the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) to restitute a state that uses popular power and creates participative democracy with workers and campesinos, students, villagers, professionals, all for the NCA, workers to refound the state of Honduras.’

‘Today there are situational problems where rights are being abolished of campesinos, teachers, workers.’

‘This coup regime has carried out actions to annul and eliminate all rights and conquests which are products of struggles of organising and people. The unity and action of the national resistance has to be put in practice in the near future to realise at the national level, the mobilised and organised people to achieve the strategic objectives of the constitution to refound the state and reivindicar the tactical aspects of the peoples struggle.’

He said current attacks include being from the Congress which is trying to take away UNAH’s exclusive rights to direct higher education and the corresponding budget.

Sitraunah is talking and planning their directions for the year, to defend their collective contract (it never took more than 4 months to negotiate before, but under coup regime, the negotiation is taking 1.5 years, and counting) to bring participatory democracy back to the university instead of having the director continue to make all the decisions – there is no current legal university council,

Sitraunah turns 50 this year.

So here we are….the last post for now. Thanks for accompanying the struggle, and me… so there are 7 posts altogether see them all here http://artactionunion.wordpress

Monthly summaries (note that there are shorter ones if you roll down before clicking), links, etc, are on http://www.sydney-says-no2honduras-coup.net

Get in touch latinamerica.emergency@gmail.com to say hi, to say you want to participate behind the Honduras banner on International Womens Day in Sydney, to request monthly summaries, etc.. Thanks for making the effort to be informed most of all

El Aguan Resists   …Aguan is where there is a major agrarian conflict between large land usurpers and farmer collectives.

Supreme Court of ‘Justice’ suddenly takes away a law which legalises land titles for small farmers – farmers defend their rights

A week ago, when I met with Pedro of CEHPRODEH (a development org working with farmers) to record an interview (which will hopefully be on 2ser Climate Justice radio, listen out for it ), I found out that..

out of nowhere, all but one judge of this so-called court passed a resolution to abolish the decree 18-2008, a decree which legalises land titles for small farmers who have been living and working on the land for a long time. 10,000 families will be directly affected by this change.

A press conference was immediately called at the Via Campesina.

María Paulina Bejarano, Coordinador of campesino Organizaciones in Honduras (COCOCH) in resistance, said:

‘For us, it is hard, to know that tracters are going to arrive where our campesinos who are producing on the land, and destroy all the campesinos’ projects – schools, churches, agricultural projects – we know that what this will lead to are evictions, because this is the response of the regime of this country. What we ask is for an international commission to come and investigate …..They are trying to disappear the campesino movement and use the land for production to export to transnationals.’

Ramon Navarro, President of the National Association of Honduran Campesinos ANACH:

‘The decree 18-2008 is a law that permitted for the campesinos to maintain their land legally. Even though they are already on the land, since they don’t have the legal documents, they are taken away every now and then. This decree was so that campesinos could obtain land titles. Now with the abolishment of the decree, …they will go back to remove and evict the campesino comrades with the army and the large landholders are going to take advantage of this situation, they are going to destroy the crops, its going to be a disaster….It was the President Zelaya who gave us this decree, it was just a palliative, it wasn’t the solution. We demand a Integral Agrarian reform.’

Rafael Alegria, La Via Campesina:

‘We call on different human rights organisms, ….to maintain alert because there is no doubt that there will be direct violations of human rights against the campesinos, because the campesinos are not going to leave these lands, they are going to stay on these lands, and they are only going to remove them at the point of bayonets, of police, of military…farmers must be defended because they build food sovereignty, to feed the people; the abolishment of this law is an attempt against the campesinos and against the food sovereignty of the people’

I can’t see well myself, but the pictures below are of the Via Campesina Buildings, with bullet wounds from an attack after the coup. ‘I was here alone when these shots were fired, if I worked on the computer at this time I would have been dead’ said one organiser of the office.

Below is the photo (pressed on a tshirt) of a campesina organiser who was assassinated  in 2010.

On 26 January 2010, a mobilisation walked past of campesinos on this street of the capital city. Where they began walking, I don’t know, but I followed them to the Congress.

Many police as usual, but more people.

They filled the streets. The shopping centre closed its gates for a few minutes.

No  to the abolishment of 18-2008. No to violation of campesinos human rights and honduran food sovereignty. Simply.

Mostly land usurpers of elite want the land for biofuels. When I asked Pedro (CEHPRODEH) about this, biofuels, he said,

‘…we never say bio, we say agro, because bio is like life, we
decided that these people never do life, everyday they do death.’

The biofuels wanting to overtake Honduran lands are Palm Oil, Jatropha (Pin~on), and Ethanol (Maiz/Sugar Cane). Theres not enough food in Honduras, its in food deficit, yet land for biofuels production expands and expands…

Children in Resistance

Oscar is now 11. He gave me copies of a book he wrote and published last year called ‘My Pencils in Resistance’. He is super super intelligent and has including given impressive speeches at protests. He is not the only child who form part of this resistance. In the weekend there  was a meeting of children in resistance! They decided as a collective to meet regularly to discuss and learn politically.

As mentioned in a previous blog, children in Aguan, demonstrated on 15 December 2010 one month after the massacre of 5 campesinos, they protested the killing of their parents and their friends’ parents. There is a very high level of consciousness at such young ages, but because of what they are exposed to everyday that no children should have to live – adults in their communities being assassinated, soldiers pointing guns at them (in the rural areas), hitmen about, violent evictions from their makeshift homes.

Teachers demonstrate against privatisation of education and against 2000 teachers not having been paid in 2010

On 24 and 25th January, there were marches from a school where teachers held assemblies to the Congress to protest dodgy moves to privatise education and against violation of teachers’ rights including teachers’ rights to be paid.

Monday

The protests are against many things, but one of the more important is protesting the ‘accidental’ suspension or abolishment of the teacher’s statute (award outlining rights and obligations), partial abolishment of the same unscaling the teachers’ increases with the minimal salary and pretensions to ‘municipalise’ (privatise) education.

‘There is no difference between Hitler and Bush’

Marvin Garcia, the Teachers’ Education Union of Honduras talked  about the 2000+ teachers who have yet to be paid or backpaid:

‘All of the year of 2010, they have not been paid, from 1 February 2010 to 31 December 2010 – many teachers did not receive their salaries in this time, and so, this is regrettable, because, imagine where they are going to get food, from what are they going to pay the rent, the studies of their children, the housing, morning tea, and so, this is inhumane. We hope that the authorities put their hands in the conscience that we can change their attitude…we don’t want some to be on top and others underneath. What we want is that we share everything, because we all belong to the same territory.’

Children playing in defiance, in front of the police.

Suyapa the amazing singer (and street vendor of lollies and snacks) singing vibrantly critically and beautifully about problems of the country including about the cops (chepos).

Grandmothers are in resistance too. Dionisia who always wears one colour, is with her megaphone – which she bought instead of the blender her (ex) spouse wanted her to buy to make juices for him.

Tuesday. Also Honduran Women’s Day.

This day to get to the school where teachers gathered I walked past the congress. I could not get directly there because the military and police closed off roads around the congress while the military decorated themselves to march to ‘celebrate’ a new session of parliament (????!!!!).

Marvin Garcia: ‘and in a short time, we are going to set off in a peaceful march, to protest the violations of the rights and conquests of every Honduran, over there in front of the National Congress.’

I asked him: ‘And how are you going to enter right now that the area around the Congress is militarised?’

Marvin: ‘We look for peaceful ways, I repeat, to not hurt nor counteract violence against violence. We are people of peace. We look for harmony and love between everyone. We don’t want violence, we are going there in peace and tranquility, and always avoiding attacks, we don’t attack. We only defend ourselves and we act with prudence.’

And just like that the teachers set off.

Teachers held up a sign asking their Education Minister which way he was going to go, and to get himself out of there.

Then we walked past THIS, blocking the main bridge to the congress and we paused for a long time. At one point the contingent began to run forward for 2 metres but then stopped, either they were trying to intimidate, or they were about to attack but changed their mind. Or they were tricking us, because a lot of us with cameras stayed taking photos and footage of these and when we caught up with the protest which had moved on towards other bridges, we were at the back and a bit behind

So when we tried to catch up all of a sudden one of us screamed ‘run back’! And so we all did, like the people who were in front of us…

Teargas bombs were thrown at teachers at another point they reached to prevent them from moving towards the congress. One teacher leader was impacted on his body. The repression was heavy and a lot of people were desperate for water and could not breathe.

See the repression … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQxvyyHDtao

Tomorrow: 27/1/11 call out for huge protest:

Big mobilisation this Thursday 27/1 of National Front of Popular Resistance in protest. At the one year anniversary of the forced exile of our General Coordinator Jose Manuel Zelay, by this military coup continuation regime. Meeting place: Pedagogical University,  8am.

On a Sunday morning 9 January 2010, in Opalaca near la Esperanza, Copinh (Council of Popular and Indigenous Organisations in Honduras) came to a community meeting where community members began to express their thoughts and feelings about the proposed-to-be-imposed hydroelectric dam..

Some of what they said:

‘We have to struggle for what we have… we talk with our children, families, -what will we be left with? How sad it will be that we won’t be owners of the land…We are not going to sell ourselves’

‘Without water none of us will live’

‘This is affecting our people, our culture, everything for our body…it affects us’

‘The resources that we have we must defend to the end, to the end of us. It’s our children and grandchildren who will suffer the consequences…Lets defend the rights that belong to the people, our richness – we have the mother earth. If we sell it what are we going to do?

‘We have talked a lot, lets start to plan some action’. And they will too. Planning is in the works. Opalaca will not accept this imposition.

Zacate Grande – protesters accused of ‘disobedience’

On Tuesday 11 January delegations of national (including human rights organisation COFADEH) and international observers visited boiling hot Zacate Grande on this day of hearing of charges against 14 people who protested the illegal eviction of their neighbour a long term and legitimate resident in the context of large landholder’s conquest to appropriate all land of Coyolitos Zacate Grande. Coyolitos is where there is a resort for the elite, and a community struggling to defend their land. Eviction orders are sent by HSBC bank for presumed defaults on mortgages but the mortgagee in this case appears to not exist and is instead a false name likely to cover for agroindustrial business person Miguel Facusse.

The case is proceeding in the Amapala Court that you have to take a boat to. On arrival, the sign in the picture says: ‘Welcome to Amapala, from HSBC bank’. HSBC bank’s guards also participated in the violent eviction against protesters, along with the navy, police, army, …

We arrived at 10am and many community members also came and sat across the court in extreme heat. This case was not heard until after lunch, and when it was heard, it was suspended for the case to return to court on Friday. Below is a photo of the court.

Update: On Friday, the judge decided that the 14 were guilty of disobedience for impeding the illegal eviction – apparently if they were to find these unguilty then they had to also return the house to the man illegally evicted. The Amapala court gave the order of auto prison while sentencing finalises, and COFADEH placed an appeal so the 14 instead of going to prison now have to sign at the court every 15 days – the appeal generally takes 6 months to finalise, and is now at Choluteca Court (the next level of appeal will be Supreme Court). They can also plead guilty and ask for ‘pardon’ instead but the implication of this other than that they have committed no crime and shouldn’t have to do such a thing, is that this will lead to evictions going ahead against everyone – what Miguel Facusse wants. If you wish to take action eg by writing a letter, please email jellygoblin@riseup.net and when further information is available about where and how to send pressure, I’ll pass on.

Reinforcing Impunity and Defencelessness – arbitrary closing of corruption case against ex president Carlos Flores and Cardenal Oscar Rodriguez

Spokesperson of Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ) Victor Fernandez in a press conference made public denouncements about the the state of impunity the Department of Public Prosecutors is strengthening. MADJ/COFADEH initiated a case that this president Flores corruptedly legislated for 100,000lempiras (1 dollar =20lempiras) to be given every month to the Catholic Cardenal like a stipend, from state funds, from 2001. President Zelaya (deposed by coup in 2009) stopped these payments but they resumed following the coup. This case denouncing corruption was proceeding only to be stopped by the Public Prosecutor asking for the case to be closed due to ‘insufficient evidence’. But there is evidence – the payments were legislated and published in the Official Gazette, and is illegitimate use of state monies.

13 January 2010. Lgbti community and supporters demand justice, 13 months after killing of human rights defender Walter Trochez and many others of the community. At the Department of Public Prosecutors, death squad vehicles also paraded as usual.

We gathered at San Felipe at 9am at the roundabout.

Holding a photo of Walter Trochez, killed 13 December 2009. ‘We demand justice!’

What do we want?

Justice!

Justice for…?

For Walter Trochez!

As we arrived outside the Department of Public Prosecutors (Ministerio Publico) there was this contingent of police with shields.

At the protest as well as HIV/LGBTi organisations, present was the resistance collective of Plaza La Merced, human rights organisations Ciprodeh and Cofadeh, alternative (an mainstream manipulative) medias, …

Another thing people were yelling out was, why are there so many vehicles without numberplates???? Below, 2 police vehicles without numberplates

Here is below someone who came from the DPP building filming the protesters, presumably to collect intelligence for political persecution.

The parking area of the DPP guarded by police is high traffic with most or at least half the vehicles being without numberplates and with tinted windows. Below are many examples, and by no means all we saw, it was constant, and me and my camera are both a bit slow to capture the images most of the time. People said before the coup, it wasn’t like this, the official vehicles had numberplates. Protesters assured that at night it is these same vehicles that go out and kidnap and kill resistance members including of the LGBTi community.

Slow reflex means sadly didnt capture what happened here. This one parked in front of DPP and out came 4 people including one woman carrying weapons, they came out and went inside the DPP.

Protesters announced: we have no fear. We know that you are watching us, and that you will kill us, but we will not be silenced. We demand justice, this impunity must not go on.