International Delegates accompanying Father Melo and the Honduran people, January 2018
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Franciscan Sisters at vigil outside U.S. Embassy in the capital of Honduras
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Dear friends of the people of Honduras,
As you know, Honduras is suffering a deep crisis. But that has not stopped Jesuit Father Melo and his team from continuing their valiant work as one of the few independent media sources in the country through Radio Progreso and at the Center for Reflection, Research & Training (ERIC) where they identify, recruit and train the next generation of leaders to build the beloved community, and “to be the voice of the voiceless.” |
Root Causes of Immigration BlogTo read more on the experiences of the 2018 Emergency Ecumenical Delegation to Honduras, click here |
Honduran Police Attacking Peaceful Protestors with Tear Gas, January 27, 2018
In January 2018, 50 religious, community and civic leaders traveled to accompany Fr. Melo, his staff, religious communities and the Honduran people as they faced repression on the occasion of the inauguration of the new President of Honduras. They, along with a growing chorus of international election experts, challenged the legitimacy of the inauguration due to well documented irregularities. Together, with the majority of Hondurans, the European Union and the Organization of American States they declared the election fraudulent and illegitimate.
Our delegation witnessed the use of tear gas against peaceful demonstrators first-hand.
We met relatives of victims who had been shot and killed by the National Police and Security Forces who used live ammunition as Hondurans exercised their right to protest. We heard the testimony of many families whose loved ones have been killed, disappeared, arrested, tortured, and threatened by those same US-funded and US-trained Honduran Security Forces. We intervened to stop the arrest of the wife and children of an opposition leader. Fr. Melo and his team have suffered recent and repeated death threats, all too reminiscent of the tortured history of Oscar Romero’s Central America. A new law is threatening to close the social media arm of the Radio Station.
This May 2018, Father Melo and a delegation of victims and human rights defenders from Honduras will travel on a tour to El Paso, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago to testify about the rising repression in Honduras and call for peace and justice. Following these visits, they will travel to Washington DC for a National Day of Prayer for Peace in Honduras and a series of meetings with congressional and religious leaders.
On Saturday May 19th, they will return to their homes and communities in Honduras.
In order to help secure their safe return, we are organizing a delegation of accompaniment. We will travel with our Honduran sisters and brothers, departing Washington DC on Saturday May 19th, and returning to the US on May 24th (or earlier, depending on schedules). Ideally, the delegation will include religious, elected, and community leaders, and grassroots friends of Honduras.
Our delegation witnessed the use of tear gas against peaceful demonstrators first-hand.
We met relatives of victims who had been shot and killed by the National Police and Security Forces who used live ammunition as Hondurans exercised their right to protest. We heard the testimony of many families whose loved ones have been killed, disappeared, arrested, tortured, and threatened by those same US-funded and US-trained Honduran Security Forces. We intervened to stop the arrest of the wife and children of an opposition leader. Fr. Melo and his team have suffered recent and repeated death threats, all too reminiscent of the tortured history of Oscar Romero’s Central America. A new law is threatening to close the social media arm of the Radio Station.
This May 2018, Father Melo and a delegation of victims and human rights defenders from Honduras will travel on a tour to El Paso, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago to testify about the rising repression in Honduras and call for peace and justice. Following these visits, they will travel to Washington DC for a National Day of Prayer for Peace in Honduras and a series of meetings with congressional and religious leaders.
On Saturday May 19th, they will return to their homes and communities in Honduras.
In order to help secure their safe return, we are organizing a delegation of accompaniment. We will travel with our Honduran sisters and brothers, departing Washington DC on Saturday May 19th, and returning to the US on May 24th (or earlier, depending on schedules). Ideally, the delegation will include religious, elected, and community leaders, and grassroots friends of Honduras.
We invite you to join the delegation, and to invite your Congressional representative, other elected officials, state and city leaders, as well as religious, community leaders to join us.
We pray you can support this mission and stand in solidarity with our courageous brothers and sisters.
For more information, contact Jose Artiga, Executive Director, SHARE Foundation, 415-558-8634 or [email protected].
With great gratitude and in solidarity,
Jose Artiga, Executive Director, SHARE Foundation
Jean Stokan, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
Rev. Deborah Lee, Executive Director, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Jenny Atlee, Friendship Office/Honduran Accompaniment Project
P.S. We invite you to donate frequent flyer miles and to make a financial donation towards covering the expenses of those who are unable to afford the airfare and in country costs (@ $400/person) of this delegation. Please make your tax deductible donation to: The SHARE Foundation with “Honduras” in the memo section and mail it to: 2425 College Ave. Berkeley, CA 94704 or online at:
http://www.share-elsalvador.org/emergencyappealforhondurans.html