Zelaya is based at the Brazilian embassy along with members of his cabinet. Early this morning, police and military violently dispersed a large crowd that spent the night in front of the Embassy to support Zelaya and in defiance of the 5pm curfew instituted as part of the state of siege declared by the coup regime. There are reports of wounded and two dead from this morning's attack.
The power at the Brazilian embassy has been cut. News transmissions from independent media stations have been cut. The state of siege has been extended and the coup regime is telling people to stay in their homes. The streets are deserted. The military has mounted a six block solid cordon around the Brazilian Embassy. There is a high level of concern about the possibility of an attack on the Embassy and bloodshed. The situation is extremely tense.
We have just received a report from the human rights organization, COFADEH, that their offices have been attacked with tear gas.
U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. State Department and their Congressional Representatives to demand that the U.S. government: •pressure the de facto government of Honduras to refrain from using violence against nonviolent protestors, human rights organizations or the Brazilian Embassy.
•pressure the de facto regime to cease its repression of the freedom of expression and information in Honduras
•impose full economic and trade sanctions on the coup regime
•unequivocally support the return to power of elected President Manuel Zelaya
The Honduran police and military have committed grave human rights violations under this coup regime, often during instated curfews. Please help to prevent bloodshed in Honduras. Contact the U.S. State Department (202.647.4000) and your Congressional Representatives (202.224.3121) to demand that the U.S. send a strong message to the coup regime in Honduras to refrain from violent assaults on civilians, human rights organizations and or the Embassy of Brazil.
Check the Quixote Center website (www.quixote.org) for updated information and action alerts.
