Small World News

[Editor's Note: As many of you have heard, the President of Honduras was overthrown by the military on 28th of June, 2009. Since then there have been a variety of reports coming out of Honduras, however by and large the information is very much under control. Due to this climate of repression, we are endeavoring to establish a project here, or at the very least provide tools for citizens in Honduras to report about what they are experiencing. What follows is the first email we have received. We will be endeavoring to get well-sourced material and firsthand accounts. If you know individuals in Honduras, please get in touch!]

<—Spanish Follows—>

Today has been a very tragic day for our country.  The army’s violent repression continues against the demonstrators protesting peacefully for the restoration of constitutional order and democracy in Honduras.

The outcome is as follows:
-At least two people dead.  One of those is a member of the Honduran Telecommunications Company union (Hondutel), who died after being crushed by a vehicle driven by military in the area surrounding one of this government entity’s buildings.  The second casualty a young person during the afternoon that was among the group of demonstrators supporting the people’s response to the coup.

-Various people illegally detained, having been taken to different police stations violently and by force.  Some of these people have not been returned to their families, in some cases bypassing Habeas Corpus or personal exhibition.

- Raiding of some homes of social leaders, media voices, and mayors of some of the country’s municipalities, who have been detained without judicial order and are being taken to military battalions (kidnapped).  Information is circulating about the supposed existence of a list composed of names of persons that make up farmers’ and workers’ groups, human rights organizations, and others who would be submitted to this type of violation of their most fundamental rights.  All of this for having expressed their position against the coup.

- The international press is being pressured to not broadcast the violent and repressive events that the Army and the Police are carrying out to reduce the people in favor of the restitution of President Zelaya.  In the afternoon journalists from the Telesur Channel — who were transmitting live images to the entire world from a building close to the Presidential House about the events in that which the demonstrators were being assaulted by the Army — were taken by force from the building, their equipment confiscated and taken  to the Migration and Immigration offices (we think with the goal of expelling them from the country).  This means that many few international media chains are giving wide coverage of the events occurring in the country.

-The suspension of constitutional guarantees continues: a curfew at night beginning at 9pm, the close of the communications media that had expressed a position critical towards the group usurping power, and the blocking of international news channels in cable television.  Additionally there are intimidation campaigns en the media allied with the new “government.”  Last night Mr. Billy Joya was invited to a debated and national opinion program, as an analyst concerning the situation that implies the supposed “constitutional transition.”  This man is ex-military, retired, that supposedly is indicated as one of the principal people responsible for the disappearance, death, and torture of hundreds of Hondurans in the 80s when terror was imposed as part of the national security policy.  You can imagine the psychological distress and what this means for many people to see on the screen a man like this, who is linked with the events of terror during the age of disappearances in the country.

- An environment of uncertainty and confusion is being promoted among the population, of which a good number can be found terrified and huddled in their homes.  The communications media that are functioning present interviews of the new government officials affirming that this is not about a coup, but rather a “democratic transition,” which is untrue under any light.

A government like this that already has the blood of at least 2 people on its hands and the kidnapping of so many other people CANNOT call itself a democratic government.  On the contrary the government of Mr. Roberto Micheletti has converted itself into an assassin, intimidating, and oppressive government.

Fortunately, there are people in the streets resisting despite all the tear gas, the bullets, and the rain.  Chains of solidarity have been created too attend to the demonstrators with food, water, and medicine, as well as the work to liberate them when they have been detained by the Police.

Thank you for the support and solidarity of the international community and the people sensitive to this problem that has violated the rights of an entire people.

We ask you once more to circulate this information that comes from our country, so that the world knows what is happening and so they do not forget us.

Regards,
Éver Guillén

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:

El día de hoy ha sido muy trágico para nuestro país. Continúa la represión violenta por parte del ejército hacia las personas manifestantes que están protestando en forma pacífica para lograr la restitución del orden constitucional y la democracia en Honduras.

El saldo es el siguiente:

- Al menos dos personas muertas.  Una de ellas un miembro del sindicato de la Empresa Hondureña de Telecomunicaciones (Hondutel), quién murió luego de ser atropellado por un vehículo conducido por militares a las afueras de una de los edificios de esta ente gubernamental. El segundo muerto un joven que se encontraba en horas de la tarde entre el grupo de manifestantes que apoyan la respuesta popular al golpe.

- Varias personas detenidas ilegalmente; quienes han sido llevadas a diferentes estaciones policiales utilizando la violencia y la fuerza. Algunas de estas personas no han sido entregadas a sus familiares, eludiendo en ocasiones el recurso de hábeas corpus o exhibición personal.

- Allanamiento de algunas viviendas de líderes sociales, comunicadores sociales y alcaldes de algunos municipios del país; quienes han sido detenidos sin orden judicial y están siendo llevados a batallones militares (secuestrados).  Se circula información de la supuesta existencia de una lista compuesta por nombres de personas que integran grupos campesinos, obreros, organizaciones de derechos humanos y otros quienes serían sometidos a este tipo de violación a sus derechos más elementales; todo por haber expresado su posición en contra del golpe de Estado.

- La prensa internacional está siendo presionada para que no transmita los hechos violentos y represivos que el Ejército y la Policía están llevando a cabo para reducir a las personas que están a favor de la restitución del Presidente Zelaya.  En horas de la tarde periodistas del Canal Telesur, quienes estaban transmitiendo imágenes en vivo y a todo el mundo desde un edificio cercano a Casa Presidencial sobre los hechos en los que las personas manifestantes estaban siendo agredidas por el Ejército;  fueron sacados por la fuerza de este edificio, sus equipos decomisados y llevados a las oficinas de Migración y Extranjería (pensamos que con el fin de expulsarles del país).  Esto ha llevado a que muy pocas cadenas internacionales estén informando ampliamente sobre los hechos acaecidos en el país.

- Continúa la suspensión de garantías constitucionales, el toque de queda por las noches a partir de las 9 p.m., el cierre de medios de comunicación que habían expresado una posición crítica hacia el grupo usurpador del poder y el bloqueo de canales internacionales de noticias en la televisión por cable; además existen campañas de intimidación en los medios alineados con el nuevo “gobierno”. La noche de ayer fue invitado a un programa de debate y opinión nacional el Sr. Billy Joya,  como analista sobre la situación que implica la supuesta “transición constitucional”.  Este señor es un ex-militar retirado quien supuestamente está indiciado como uno de los principales responsables por la desaparición, muerte y tortura de cientos de hondureños y hondureñas en la década de los 80 cuando se impuso el terror como parte de la política de seguridad nacional. Ustedes imaginarán la presión psicológica y lo que significa para muchas personas ver en pantalla a un tipo como éste, quien está vinculado con los hechos del terror durante la época de las desapariciones en el país.

- Se incentiva el ambiente de incertidumbre y confusión entre la población, la cual en un buen número se encuentra atemorizada y agazapada en sus hogares. Los medios de comunicación que están funcionando presentan entrevistas de los nuevos funcionarios afirmando que no se trata de un golpe de Estado, sino de una “transición democrática”; lo cual es a todas luces falso.

Un gobierno como este que tiene ya la sangre de al menos 2 personas y el secuestro de otras tantas personas NO puede llamarse un gobierno democrático.

Por el contrario el gobierno del Sr. Roberto Micheletti se ha convertido en gobierno asesino, intimidatorio y represor.

Afortunadamente, hay gente en las calles resistiendo a pesar de los gases lacrimógenos, las balas y la lluvia.

Se han creado cadenas de solidaridad para atender a las personas manifestantes con alimentos, agua y medicamentos, así como la gestión para liberarlos cuando han sido detenidos por la Policía.

Gracias por el respaldo solidario de la comunidad internacional y de las personas sensibles a este problema que ha violentado los derechos de todo un pueblo. Se solicita de nuevo hacer circular toda información que llegue desde nuestro país para que el mundo sepa lo que está pasando y que no se olviden de nosotros.

Un saludo,

Éver Guillén

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Here is the transcript of our second update from Tehran, this is transcribed by a volunteer and you are welcome to help us if you think the transcript may have mistakes!

Transcript:

Hello I am reporting from Tehran, Iran and I’d like to share some news about the events happening here going on with the violence and the protests that are started at the last big election – the presidential election in Iran.

Uh, generally, uh, violence has been replaced by peaceful rallies and most of the protesters and Moussavi supporters are trying to uh, demand their requests in peace which usually is in Tehran and other big cities. Uh, yesterday a very big rally happened in Toopkhaneh square in the center of Tehran, uh, by Moussavi supporters in memory of the martyrs, uh, that were killed during the past days.

Moussavi [garbled] were there and [garbled] speech asked his supporters to stay calm and demand their requests in peace. Today hall line is open to have a Friday prayer and the Supreme Leader would have a – a speech but he is [garbled] the events that have happened here. Processors and Moussavi have decided to not [garbled] and there will be no officiall [garbled] of Moussavi and his supporters today but they planning to have a very huge rally tomorrow in Azadi Square on Saturday afternoon and one of the most important political parties in Iran have requested uh, to have legal ready uh, tomorrow.

Other than that, uh, people uh, go to the rooftops and shout “Allahu Akbar” and “Down with Dictator” each and every night. And, uh, I see that, uh, more and more people involved in these events and shout on their rooftops.

Uh, I think that things are moving toward peace and people are trying to use peaceful talks and negotiate with the government and regime to demand their requests. And I’m happy that less violence is happening here.

Thank you for your time and thank you for listening and thank you for support.

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This will be our second audio update from an Iranian based in Tehran. We know the audio is rough, but so is the situation in Tehran now. Although the streets seem to be calming, there are still many difficulties with our communication. We will continue to work on this and hope you will continue to stay tuned for more updates from people Alive in Tehran.

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[Editor's Note: This is a full transcript, minus names, of the first audio dispatch for what will hopefully become "Alive in Tehran." Special thanks to @peech____!]

HI [name], I’m [name] and I’m calling from Tehran, Iran. I’m just trying to give my personal experience in daily life in Tehran and Iran – to clarify some misunderstood stuff about the , uh, events happening in Iran because I think the media coverage has been very low and there have been many situations about this stuff happening here.
Generally most of the events are happening in [garbled] Tehran and other big cities in Iran and life experience lies by area. For instance in our area things are very calm but in central areas, uh, i think there are many events happening, specifically in evenings, afternoons, uh, and during the early hours of the night.Uh, most of the people are worried about their safety and security including myself and my family, uh, we just need the safety of people and I think that this whole situation is moving toward a worse case and involves the regime and [garbled] actions and making wrong decisions.

During the last 24 hours our government has made some [garbled] decisions and stayed against what people are demanding in the country and has made many people angry at them, and, uh, I think that it has worsened the situation in Iran.

For now, things are very calm – specifically during the mornings despite the rumours on both sides. They are trying to decieve people in the other sides and other campaigns. However they have new rallies during this afternoon and evening and I guess that things will be worse than the past few days and I just hope that they calm down and settle things down.

However, other than the bad life experience in Iran, we worry about the economic situation because prices are going very quickly and they are having many attacks to banks and many economic organizations are down or closed and, uh, many of the private companies and corporations are out of order – they have closed their services to people and uhm, people are very worried about the future of the country.

Many of them just demanded Democracy and uhm free election but now they are worried about the future of the country because things are driving toward a revolution and this is not a good situation for everybody in the country.

I just hope that things change here [garbled] and communications inside the country and with the outside world is very bad. They have reduced the bandwidth of internet connections, many of the websites are closed or hacked and this has been another [garbled] to let the rumours find their ways inside the society and people don’t have official sources to get their news.

I hope that things settle down very quickly. Thank you for listening and I hope that you keep your support and help Iranians to find the best future and the real Democracy here in Iran. Thank you.

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[Editor's Note: We have cut the speaker's name from the beginning of the audio for his safety. We hope to have more dispatches to come later today and in the coming days.]

Here is a short 3 minute audio clip from a brave soul in Iran who has volunteered to join us in attempting to report what is happening there and publicize the voices of Iranians inside the country.

If you are in Iran and want to participate, please comment below, email us, or contact me via twitter.com/BaghdadBrian. Our only goal is to support the people of Iran to get their voices heard around the world.

We will have more to come, including a website soon.

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