[governance] Regarding Honduras - My take of the story!

[Carlton Samuels]

All orthodoxy aside, I was a little surprised myself that the obvious
utility of the Internet you were promoting was not as obvious as I thought
it'd be!

On a personal note, I was scheduled to be in Tegucigalpa on Sunday, 28th
June for a regional technical meeting pertaining to research and education
networks and was informed by email - facilitated by the Internet - late in
the evening on Friday, 26th July that the meeting was canceled due to the
"unstable political situation".

Maybe that was why I saw the connection.

Carlton Samuels

On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 9:04 AM, Eric Dierker <cogitoergosum at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Gentlemen,
>
> The Question that is Honduras is appropriate for this list.  In my defense,
> I was trying to get to the issues of who and why the data we were getting
> was "off norm". My hope was to get some substance to the obvious answer --
> the internet!
>
> You folks just tried to get to heartstrings instead of, or skipping over,
> the internet and its role in a political transition. Just like Somalia, Iraq
> and Iran and now Afganistan the Honduras are being known about through the
> net. How that net is governed as a catalyst for understanding is critical to
> its continued success as an eye opener.*
>
> But lest we forget there are factors we must keep in the forefront.
> Education is marketing and marketing is education. In developing nations
> progression as in revolutions the work must be done outside to inside,
> inside to inside, outside to outside and finally inside to outside. The
> Honduras are a case for a digital divide. Access to information is a
> keystone. Those that are savy obtain the information and then relate it to
> others. So now we must watch and learn how the savy use that technology --
> for themselves or for their countrymen.
>
> Again I ask; Why the overload of women? Why the dearth of 20 to 30? Where
> is the highly sophisticated and tech savy Holy See? Just how is the Internet
> access being used and controlled?
> *look at the questions being asked for IGF and how they directly apply to
> Iran and Honduras.
>
> --- On *Tue, 7/7/09, kpeters at tldainc.org <kpeters at tldainc.org>* wrote:
>
>
> From: kpeters at tldainc.org <kpeters at tldainc.org>
> Subject: Re: [governance] Regarding Honduras - The other side of the story!
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org, "Rui Correia" <correia.rui at gmail.com>
> Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 11:46 AM
>
> Thank you for your understanding! I know this was not internet
> governance related, but was approached by desparate Honduran friends
> to get their side of the story out to the world. I wrongly assumed
> that this group of supposedly civil society folk would welcome the
> voice of the missunderstood and perhaps apply this knowledge in their
> civil service duties in their respective countries. Again, I was
> wrong.   Thanks for your understanding, however, singular as it was!!!
> -Karl
>
> Quoting Rui Correia <correia.rui at gmail.com<http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=correia.rui@gmail.com>
> >:
>
> > Somehow, whereas I recognise that this is not the right forum for this
> > discusion, I cannot help thinking that in different circumstances
> (different
> > countries, different ideologies) this matter would be enjoying much more
> > attention ...
> >
> > ........ but then again, it has always been that that way ....
> >
> > Best regrads,
> >
> > Rui
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 2009/7/7 Jean-Louis FULLSACK <jlfullsack at orange.fr<http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jlfullsack@orange.fr>
> >
> >
> >>
> >> What, by the hell, has this pamphlet to deal with Internet govenance ?
> >>
> >> Are the webmaster and list moderator both sleeping or collusive ?
> >>
> >> Ban this from our List !
> >>
> >> Jean-Louis Fullsack
> >>
> >>
> >> > Message du 04/07/09 21:11
> >> > De : "Karl E. Peters"
> >> > A : governance at lists.cpsr.org<http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance@lists.cpsr.org>
> >> > Copie à :
> >> > Objet : [governance] Regarding Honduras - The other side of the story!
> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > All international observers,
> >> > Here below, please find a position paper in both Spanish and
> >> > English from the Honduran people in explanation of what has transpired
> >> > there. It was sent to me yesterday in hopes I could give it
> >> > international exposure.
> >> > Please read the statement below for a perspective missed by the
> >> > mainstream media, the truth. If you do not read Spanish, just skip
> down
> >> > a little and read the English translation. THANK YOU!!!
> >> >
> >> > SPANISH
> >> >
> >> > > Pronunciamiento Civico a la Comunidad Internacional
> >> > > Pronunciamiento cívico a la comunidad internacional en general y a
> los
> >> cristianos en particular
> >> > > Como es sabido, al igual que la mayoría de sus vecinos
> >> latinoamericanos, Honduras sufre de grave subdesarrollo en lo económico,
> >> social, educativo, cultural y político. No obstante, en los últimos días
> >> este pequeño y desfavorecido país ha demostrado increíble fortaleza
> digna de
> >> gran elogio.
> >> > > En un hecho sin precedentes, el Congreso Nacional, el Tribunal
> Supremo,
> >> el Fiscal General, el Procurador General de la República, y la Comisión
> >> Nacional de Derechos Humanos por unanimidad actuaron en defensa de la
> >> Constitución de la República en contra de una amenaza real y presente.
> >> > > Como resultado de su negativa a acatar las normas y reglamentos
> >> establecidos en la Constitución, Manuel Zelaya fue legalmente removido
> como
> >> Presidente de la República de Honduras el 28 de junio de 2009.
> >> > > La remoción del Presidente Manuel Zelaya no puede ser llamada "golpe
> de
> >> Estado" pues no cumple con dos características fundamentales de este
> >> fenómeno político: La primera característica es la toma del poder por
> >> > > los militares y la segunda, la ruptura del imperio de la ley. Las
> >> medidas adoptadas por las Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras se basan en una
> orden
> >> judicial y su finalidad era restablecer el imperio de la ley, que estaba
> >> siendo violado constantemente por el Ex-Presidente Zelaya. Incluso las
> >> iglesias católica y evangélica en vano instaron previamente al ex
> Presidente
> >> Zelaya a caminar en el camino de la razón y que desistiera de sus
> >> actividades ilegales. Después de la intervención de las Fuerzas Armadas,
> la
> >> Constitución sigue en vigor y se respeta plenamente por la sucesión del
> >> poder establecido por la Carta Magna, que nombró a un nuevo Presidente
> >> Constitucional.
> >> > > Lamentablemente, este valiente acto de los organismos
> gubernamentales,
> >> en defensa de la verdadera democracia y realizado en un espíritu de
> unidad y
> >> el patriotismo, no ha sido bien recibido por la comunidad internacional.
> >> Todo lo contrario es cierto. La OEA, las Naciones Unidas e incluso los
> >> Estados Unidos han presionado a esta pequeña nación hasta el punto de
> >> amenazar con sanciones y con aislamiento total. Hasta el momento de
> escribir
> >> esto, Honduras ha sido categóricamente denunciada por ellos sin el
> beneficio
> >> de una investigación objetiva de los acontecimientos que finalmente
> >> condujeron a sus ciudadanos a deponer a su Presidente.
> >> > > Hay días difíciles por delante para los hondureños; días cuando su
> >> verdadera convicción sobre la democracia estará a prueba. Muchos
> comienzan a
> >> dudar de que se ha hecho lo
> >> > > correcto. Otros se inclinarán ante la terrible presión de la
> comunidad
> >> internacional. Por último, otros se verán sacudidos por algún ataque en
> >> contra de la convicción moral de su decisión. Quién sabe si tal vez
> Chávez
> >> cumplirá su amenaza de invadir el país. ¡Pocos eran conscientes hasta
> ahora
> >> de cuán lejos han llegado los tentáculos del nuevo totalitarismo del
> siglo
> >> 21!
> >> > > Dios, que quita y pone reyes, no ignora el dilema que enfrenta
> >> Honduras. Él está allí, esperando que Su pueblo le clame con fe intensa
> y
> >> sincera. Oremos para que las nuevas autoridades de Honduras hallen
> gracia
> >> ante el resto de la comunidad internacional. Oremos que este nuevo
> gobierno
> >> se mantenga firme en su determinación de completar lo que ha comenzado;
> y
> >> oremos que la familia hondureña permanezca unida.
> >> > > Nosotros como pueblo cristiano estamos pidiendo a la OEA y a la ONU
> que
> >> escuchen a nuestro Congreso, nuestra Corte Suprema de Justicia, nuestro
> >> nuevo Presidente, nuestras organizaciones civiles, y a nuestras
> Iglesias, a
> >> fin de comprender mejor lo que está sucediendo en Honduras, antes de
> pasar
> >> juicio sobre los acontecimientos de este último fin de semana.
> >> >
> >> > ____________________________________________________________
> >> >
> >> > ENGLISH
> >> >
> >> > CITIZEN'S POSITION STATEMENT - www.enpazylibertad.org
> >> > Like most of her Latin American neighbors, Honduras suffers from
> >> > severe underdevelopment in the economic, social, educational,
> cultural,
> >> > and political arenas. Notwithstanding, in recent days this small and
> >> > disadvantaged country has shown incredible fortitude worthy of great
> >> > praise.
> >> > In an unprecedented event, the National Congress, the Supreme
> >> > Court, the Attorney General, the Solicitor General's office, and the
> >> > National Commission on Human Rights unanimously acted in defense of
> the
> >> > Constitution of the Republic against a real and present threat.
> >> > As a result of his refusal to abide by the rules and regulations as
> >> > set forth in the Constitution, Manuel Zelaya was legally removed as
> >> > President of the Republic of Honduras on June 28, 2009.
> >> > The removal of President Manuel Zelaya cannot be called as a
> >> > "coup d'état," because it does not comply with two fundamental
> >> > characteristics of this political phenomenon: The first characteristic
> >> > is the seizure of power by the military and the second the breakdown
> of
> >> > rule of law. The action taken by the Armed Forces of Honduras was
> based
> >> > on a court order and its purpose was to restore the rule of law, which
> >> > was being consistently violated by the President Zelaya. Even the
> >> > Catholic and Evangelical churches previously urged former President
> >> > Zelaya to walk on the path of reason and to desist from his illegal
> >> > activities to no avail. After the intervention of the Armed Forces,
> the
> >> > Constitution is still in force and is being fully respected by the
> >> > succession of power established by the Magna Carta, which appointed a
> >> > new Constitutional President.
> >> > Unfortunately, this courageous act by governmental agencies, in
> >> > defense of true democracy and done in a spirit of unity and
> >> > patriotism,20has not been well received by the international
> >> > community.  Quite the opposite is true.  The OAS, the UN and even the
> >> > United States have pressured this small nation to the point of
> >> > threatening sanctions and total isolation. Up to the time of this
> >> > writing, Honduras has been categorically denounced by them without the
> >> > benefit of an objective investigation of the events that ultimately
> led
> >> > to its citizens deposing its President.
> >> > There are tough days ahead for Hondurans; days where their true
> >> > convictions on democracy will be sorely tried.  Many will begin to
> >> > doubt that the right thing has been done; others will bow before the
> >> > terrible pressure of the International community.  Still others will
> be
> >> > shaken by the attack against the moral conviction of their decision.
> >> > Who knows, maybe Chavez will make good on his threat to invade the
> >> > country?  Few were aware until now of how pervasive are the tentacles
> >> > of the New Totalitarianism in the 21st century!
> >> > God, who raises and casts down kings, is not unaware of the dilemma
> >> > facing Honduras.  He is there, waiting for His people to cry out to
> him
> >> > with intense, sincere faith.  Let us pray that the new authorities in
> >> > Honduras find grace before the rest of the world community, that they
> >> > remain firm in their resolve to complete what they have started and
> for
> >> > the Honduran family to remain united.
> >> > We are praying, but we also ask that you share this letter with as
> >> > many people possible and advocate for our nation Honduras before your
> >> > church congregation, your local radio and news Media, your local
> Chamber
> >> > of Commerce, with your State Governor, your State Representative, your
> >> > State Senator, and your President.
> >> > We as a people are asking that OAS and the UN listen to our
> >> > Congress, our Supreme Court, our new President, our civic
> organizations,
> >> > and our Churches in order to better understand what is happening in
> >> > Honduras before passing judgment on the events of this last weekend.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > ____________________________________________________________
> >> > You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
> >> > governance at lists.cpsr.org<http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance@lists.cpsr.org>
> >> > To be removed from the list, send any message to:
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> >> >
> >> > For all list information and functions, see:
> >> > http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> ____________________________________________________________
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > ________________________________________________
> >
> >
> > Rui Correia
> > Advocacy, Human Rights, Media and Language Consultant
> > 2 Cutten St
> > Horison
> > Roodepoort-Johannesburg,
> > South Africa
> > Tel/ Fax (+27-11) 766-4336
> > Mobile (+27) (0) 84-498-6838
> > _______________
> > áâãçéêíóôõúç
> >
>
>
>
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