Honduras: Partner faces death threats amid unrest

Some of the hundreds of people imprisoned in Tegucigalpa's sports stadium by military officers and police for defying the imposed curfew and demonstrating peacefully outside the Brazilian Embassy [Radio Progreso]

Amid the ongoing political unrest in Honduras, we are deeply concerned at reports of death threats against Fr Ismael Moreno - director of our partner organisation Radio Progreso - and other staff members

“I have been receiving text messages saying that the sum of half a million lempiras (£16,700) is being offered for my head,” says Father Moreno.

There has been social and political chaos in Honduras since ousted president Manuel Zelaya made a surprise return to the country’s capital.

Transport and communications blocked

After three months in exile, the president travelled secretly to the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa on Monday 21 September and has been there since. The leader of the "de facto" government, Roberto Micheletti, has declared that Zelaya will be arrested the moment he leaves the embassy.

Last week the authorities closed the country’s four airports, blocked roads, imposed curfews, cut power and censored television channels in an attempt to prevent the news of Zelaya’s return spreading across the country and more supporters of the resistance movement descending on the capital.

It is thought that the threats to Father Moreno are linked to the Micheletti regime. It is clamping down on media coverage of the political situation in Honduras and has taken draconian measures, which threaten civil liberties.

Since 28 September, a new decree is challenging the freedom of the press and the police and armed forces have been authorised to “suspend any radio station or television channel that offends human dignity or public officials or criticises the law and the government resolutions”. Public assembly has also been banned for 45 days and freedom of movement curtailed.

Although the community radio station Radio Progreso was closed by the military the day the president was deposed, it has continued to broadcast news about the situation to the local people.

Since the return of the President and subsequent unrest, their programmes have been a vital source of information for Hondurans, as the national media cloaks the situation with soap operas and sports news.

Radio Progreso has been communicating information about the violent repression of those who disobeyed the curfew. It reported from Tegucigalpa that on the afternoon of 22 September Zelaya supporters “formed a protective ring around the embassy, but the army launched tear gas canisters at the crowds and beat men, women and children, arresting hundreds of people and imprisoning them in the city’s sports stadium”.

A broadcaster from Radio Progreso also interviewed one of the 300 people taking refuge from the violence in the Brazilian embassy. Fr Andres Tamayo confirmed that the army was attempting to force out Zelaya and others from the building by “cutting off energy and water …, not letting any food enter and even disallowing the Red Cross to come through”.

The UN Security Council has condemned the “acts of intimidation” against the embassy and appealed for services including water and electricity to be restored.

Clare Dixon, CAFOD’s Latin America and Caribbean regional manager says: “Radio Progreso plays a hugely important role in keeping people informed and supporting them in building strong communities.

"During the emergency of Hurricane Mitch in 1998 the radio made an unrivalled contribution to the work of disaster relief and reconstruction. We are proud to support Radio Progreso's work to defend democracy during the present political crisis”.

She adds: “Negotiation is the only way that a solution can be found to the current impasse and avoid more violence and suffering.”

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