On October 23rd, Crude made its debut in D.C. at the Landmark E Street Cinema. Crude, a documentary about the $27 billion dollar “Amazon Chernobyl” case, is making similar debuts across the nation in 2009. Here in Washington, viewers piled into the theater, even at the10:15 PM showing, only to be greeted by director Joe Berlinger whoopened the film stating, “I don’t want to say enjoy the film, because it’s not enjoyable. I hope that it’s provocative so that we can talk about it.” And talk about it we did.
“If that kind of barbarity can be directed against the highest-ranking
person in the country, what will happen to the rest of us?” asked the
activists at COFADEH, the Committee of Families of Detained and
Disappeared in Honduras, right after the June 28th coup that sent
President Manuel Zelaya into exile. Now the answer to that question
can be seen in COFADEH’s hard-hitting October 22nd report, “Statistics
and Faces of Repression.”
LAWG celebrates—and I personally celebrate—that yesterday the
U.S. House of Representatives approved H.Res. 761, introduced by Rep. Jim
McGovern and 33 co-sponsors. This resolution remembers and
commemorates the lives and work of the six Jesuit priests and two women
who were murdered in El Salvador nearly twenty years ago, on November
16, 1989.
Soon after its world premier at the Sundance Film Festival this past January, multiple awards began recognizing Crude
as one the most poignant documentaries hitting theaters this year. For
all of you deeply concerned about human rights violations, the
displacement and destruction of indigenous cultures, increased
environmental degradation, or irresponsible development by
multinational corporations, Crude is being recognized as an
artistic masterpiece that tells the story of the “Amazon Chernobyl” case
in which all these areas of concern intertwine. The final result is the
creation of a powerful message for increasing awareness among
individuals of how the gas they pump has tangible effects on
individuals in other parts of our world.
Despite the Micheletti government’s announced intention following
international and national pressure to lift the state of siege, the
notice has not yet been published in the official gazette, and rights
violations continue. The de facto government issued a new decree
allowing the government’s telecommunications agency to revoke licenses
for radio and television stations that transmit messages that promote
“social anarchy,” ensuring that censorship can continue. Police
continued excessive use of force against protestors, and some
protestors remain in detention. Meanwhile, hopes for dialogue increased
as the Organization of American States negotiators arrived, but no end
to the crisis is yet in sight.
After a long life, touching millions of people with her powerful voice
and commitment to social justice, Argentine folksinger Mercedes Sosa
passed away on Sunday, October 4th, 2009. Sosa set an incredible
example of how music can change the world.
Her deep, rich voice and emotionally charged performances became the
rallying cry for a generation of Latin Americans oppressed by
dictatorships. In a time of terror, she chose to be “the voice for the
voiceless ones” and sing words that were forbidden. In her more than
fifty-year career, she pioneered a new movement in music, which buried
itself deep into the soul of every listener, as personal as it was
political.
As international and domestic concern mounts over the suspension of
constitutional rights declared by de facto Honduran President Roberto
Micheletti on September 26th, the government promises to restore
rights, but does not yet act to do so, and human rights violations
continue.
Apelamos al gobierno de facto de Honduras para que restablezca las libertades civiles garantizadas en la Constitución, respeten los derechos humanos y la libertad de expresión, acepte la supervisión y mediación internacional, y retome el diálogo con la administración del constitucionalmente elegido Presidente Manuel Zelaya. Apelamos a todos los hondureños para que resuelvan este conflicto por medios pacíficos.
Estamos muy preocupados por la decisión del gobierno de Micheletti de suspender, mediante el decreto publicado en el boletín oficial el 26 de septiembre de 2009, las libertades civiles garantizadas constitucionalmente. También nos preocupan las violaciones a los derechos humanos y a la libertad de expresión que vienen teniendo lugar desde que regresara a Honduras el Presidente Manuel Zelaya el pasado 21 de septiembre. Apelamos al gobierno para que cese de inmediato con el uso abusivo de la fuerza por parte de los efectivos policiales y militares contra protestantes pacíficos; con las detenciones arbitrarias; y con el acoso, la vigilancia y los ataques contra defensores de los derechos humanos. Exhortamos al gobierno a poner fin a los actos de hostilidad y acoso dirigidos contra de la Embajada brasileña. Estamos sumamente preocupados por las restricciones que tiene la libertad de prensa, entre ellas la suspensión de las garantías de libertad de expresión ordenada en el decreto del 26 de septiembre y las medidas de corte de energía, ocupación y clausura de los medios de comunicación.
Exhortamos al gobierno de facto a aceptar de inmediato a los mediadores de la Organización de Estados Americanos y apelamos a la Corte Suprema y al Congreso de Honduras para que accedan al pedido de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de realizar una visita para verificar las denuncias de abusos a los derechos humanos desde el 21 de septiembre. Asimismo apelamos al gobierno para que permita el ingreso de otros relatores especiales de la ONU y la OEA para vigilar la situación de los derechos humanos.
Por último, exhortamos al Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos a que abogue decididamente por la protección de los derechos humanos y las libertades civiles, y a que utilice todos los medios diplomáticos para restituir el orden constitucional en Honduras y propicie, junto con la Organización de los Estados Americanos, un proceso de diálogo nacional.
We call on the de facto government of Honduras to restore
constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties, respect human rights and
freedom of expression, accept international monitoring and mediation,
and establish dialogue with the constitutionally elected administration
of President Manuel Zelaya. We call on all parties in Honduras to
resolve this conflict through peaceful means.
We are greatly concerned about the Micheletti government’s decision to
suspend constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties through the decree
published on September 26th, 2009 in the official government
newspaper. We are also concerned about the violations of human rights
and freedom of expression that have taken place since President Manuel
Zelaya returned to Honduras on September 21st. We call upon the
government to immediately cease excessive use of force by police and
military directed at peaceful protestors; arbitrary detentions; and
harassment, surveillance and attacks against human rights defenders.
We urge the government to cease acts of hostility and harassment
directed at the Brazilian Embassy. We are gravely concerned about
restrictions upon the freedom of the press, including the suspension of
guarantees of freedom of expression included in the September 26th
decree and actions to cut off power to, occupy and close media outlets.
We urge the de facto government to immediately accept Organization of
American States mediators, and call upon the Honduran Supreme Court and
Congress to accept the request of the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights to conduct a visit to verify the reports of human rights
abuses since September 21st. We further call upon the government to
provide access to other UN and OAS special rapporteurs to monitor the
human rights situation.
Finally, we urge the U.S. State Department to advocate strongly for
protection of human rights and civil liberties, and to use all
diplomatic means to restore constitutional order in Honduras and
support, in conjunction with Organization of American States, a process
for national dialogue.
Jean Stokan
Director Institute Justice Team, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Reverend John L. McCullough
Executive Director and CEO Church World Service
Vicki Gass
Senior Associate for Rights and Development Washington Office on Latin America
Robert E. White
President Center for International Policy
Jennifer Atlee
Co-Director Quixote Center
Viviana Krsticevic
Executive Director Center for Justice and International Law
Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister Michael Neuroth, Policy Advocate on International Issues United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
LaMarco Cable
Program Associate for Advocacy and Education Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ
James E. Winkler
General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society United Methodist Church
John A. Nunes
President and CEO Lutheran World Relief
T. Michael McNulty
Justice and Peace Director Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Sarah Stephens, Executive Director Bart Beeson, Program Associate Center for Democracy in the Americas
Mary B. Campbell
Associate Director for Companionship, Advocacy,
and Education for Latin America and
the Caribbean, Global Mission Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Erin Kliewer
Executive Director STITCH
Amanda Martin
Director Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
Eric LeCompte
National Organizer SOA Watch
John Lindsay-Poland and Susana Pimiento Chamorro
Co-Directors Fellowship of Reconciliation Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean
Marie Dennis
Director Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Nan McCurdy
President CEPRHI, Ecumenical Committee of English Speaking Church Personnel, Nicaragua
Stephen Coats
Executive Director US Labor Education in the Americas Project - USLEAP
Kristen Moller
Executive Director Global Exchange
Dave Robinson
Executive Director Pax Christi USA: National Catholic Peace Movement
Roz Dzelzitis
Executive Director May I Speak Freely Media
Laura Carlsen
Director, Americas Program Center for International Policy
Barbara Mecker
Staff Liaison, Latin America/Caribbean Committee Loretto Community
Sharon Hostetler
Executive Director Witness for Peace
Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary American Friends Service Committee
Sarah Aird
Board Member Amnesty International USA
Manuel Pérez Rocha
Associate Fellow Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project
Jim Vondracek
Managing Director Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Jose Artiga
Executive Director SHARE Foundation
Ruth Messinger
President American Jewish World Service
The democratically elected President, Manuel Zelaya, is back in
Honduras! During the past three days, thousands of people have been
gathering in the streets outside the Brazilian Embassy--where Zelaya is
currently staying--to show their support. But the Honduran security
forces have used tear gas and violence to break up this demonstration.
What does this mean for a concerned activist in the United States like you? If you were ever going to act, now is the time!
Our Campaigns 
