Monday, June 28, 2010

Hondruas: One Year Later


One year after Manuel Zelaya, the former president of Honduras, was rousted from his bed and put on a plane to Costa Rica, some say the new president might face a similar face.

MSNBC reports that Honduran President Porfirio Lobo said the businessmen who supported the plot against Zelaya are plotting against him.

"I know who you all are," Lobo said, shortly before today's anniversary.

Lobo's not the only one to show fear.

"If they did it once, they can do it again," Security Minister Oscar Alvarez told the AP.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has tried to convince the Organization of American States to allow Honduras to re-enter the group, after its suspension following what many say was a coup.

Some have criticized the Obama administration for bolstering Lobo's administration, including Dana Frank, a professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, who argued that Lobo has continued the violence and cover-up of the coup.

For the anniversary, Amnesty International issued a report saying Honduran officials have failed "to address serious human rights violations that followed the coup d’etat of 28 June 2009."

"Since new president Porfirio Lobo took office in January, police and military officers responsible for mass arrests, beatings and torture in the wake of the coup have not been brought to justice," according to the report.

The group added that it's concerned about attacks on journalists and judges who were removed from their posts. It also wasn't convinced that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was correctly implemented.

"Truth commissions should be one part of a comprehensive national plan devised to protect the rights of victims of human rights violations. In addition to this, the government must ensure investigation, justice and reparation for victims," the report said.

Sources: MSNBC, Lexington Herald Leader, Amnesty International

Photo: nydailynews.com

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