OPINIONS & EDITORIAL

Monday, September  30,  2002 Online Edition 37

Now we are waiting to see the proof.

Honduras This Week celebrates 14th anniversary

Fourteen years after its foundation, Honduras This Week continues to serve as an informative bridge between Honduras and the rest of the world, thanks to its accurate, in-depth and authentic journalism.

During this period of time, this weekly has made a difference not only by becoming the only English paper published in the country, but also by providing unique perspectives on important issues.

The ongoing growth experienced by this print media enterprise can be easily detected by the increased number of readers and followers of our web site in practically every point of the world. International awards and prizes both to the hard copy as well as to the on-line edition reinforce the acceptance and influence this humble, yet strong paper has reached.

In occasion of celebrating the 14th year of it’s foundation, the staff and administrative personnel of Honduras This Week sends its gratitude to sponsors and readers whose suggestions, criticisms and praises have lead us to be where we are today. 
 

WHAT TO DO WITH IRAQ?

Dear HTW: Some comment is needed on the fictional account “US gunning for war despite Hussein’s UN gesture” by Ben Pilgrim (HTW/Sept. 21).

The Eleventh Hour proposal tendered in England by the Iraqi Sub-Ambassador did include the words ‘unfettered inspections’ however what he most emphatically stressed was except school, universities, hospitals and all medical research facilities. Herein lays the dilemma. By his own omission he stated where to look. Military targets will not get the job done. Targeting civilian installations brings a different light to the whole event.

Follow the money — Check our Nelson Mandela’s history, education and background. We should cut him off. Even his about face gestures would only bring further problems to his already transparent motives.

Iraq owes Russia 7B$. They will be behind us as soon as we guarantee the money.

The US does not need the rest of the world. The estimates cost of this little deal is 1% of our GNP for a year. The last coalition was a gesture on our part, the forces were not necessary and in fact, caused logistical problems resulting in casualties.

Will there be peace. Muslims in the Middle East know there is a bad seed. On faith, they condemn, in their minds and hearts, they live in constant fear. Speak to some that live here or anywhere outside their country. On the face of intervention to eliminate Hussein, they are outraged. For their families, their country they pray for it. The problem truly is, they do not know what to do about Iraq, how to do it or when to. Recent history from the last 30 years has shown them prosperity and a place in the world. One country will not take that away from them.

There will be a new era when the shadow of death does not plague the region.

The main problem with the extremists is they believed their faith would bring them to the pinnacle of societal evolution and riches. Most are still living in the 11th century.

Steve Harrell. Via Internet


EDITOR'S NOTE: In the 09/21 issue of HTW a front-page article titled "Child Killings Continue In Honduras" was attributed incorrectly to W.E. Gutman. The byline should have given credit to Casa Alianza, a local NGO working with street kids.


 

The Migra

Ever since biblical times, immigration has been relevant to mankind.

God commanded Moses to lead Jewish people on an exodus to the Promised Land. The countries of India and Pakistan suffered a painful immigration. The Spaniards to America and the Jewish people back to Israel.

Human migration is widespread and sometimes even secretive as when produced by crusades and military invasions.

In Central America immigration has the same effects as in the rest of the world. Immigration and emigration are almost synonymous, they both refer to immigration as a benefit for the immigrant.

It is amazing the way our country has been inhabited by immigrants, not only in a messy and uncontrolled way but also legally and smoothly done.

The most important Central American exodus was the Salvadoran one into our country before the 1968 war, when an unknown number of illegal immigrants sought refuge in Honduras.

Consider the eight borders we share with the rest of Central America, through which people flow without following established immigration procedures. We would have to build a wall akin to the Berlin wall in order to control immigration in Honduras. This is a social fact that highlights the huge divisions set by a boundary that society has conveniently broken.

Freedom to travel the world is a right everyone has and should never be questioned, but uncontrolled immigration in these countries should.

This is a total nightmare, there are cases that are completely illegal, but covered up by legal procedures.

Daily press reports inform of persons harmful to the stability of countries, but whose personal documentation has been altered and has fooled the system.

It is no longer a secret that in our national registry more than 200 thousand people possess false identities. We have become a natural corridor to America for people traveling south to north and viceversa. Immigration civil service employees haven’t been rotated in almost 30 years.

The documents issued by our National Registry are simply not trust worthy and it has been acknowledged that ever since the first registry was established, political manipulation within this institution has been rampant and has even caused violence.

It’s best we identify Hondurans by their recognizable accent and mannerisms, because if we place our trust in identification papers, we are fried.

Letter from Honduras: On Deadeye and Patriotism

By Nigel Potter

It has been a boisterous week. First, one of my sister-in-laws, Maria returned home and announced she had bought a TV and was bringing it to the house. My wife, one of many sisters, went berserk. “For God’s sake,” she said. “What are you thinking? What about shoes? Clothes for the kids?” She has a point. Maria has four kids by four different men and has shown no interest in looking after any them, except the latest because the father has stuck with her.

Maria turned on her older sister, my wife, with a vengeance. “Just keep out of my life. Mind your own business,” she said. Which is fine, if she was looking after her own business and her own kids. But she’s not. Her oldest daughter lives with us, and a younger sister and brother live with their grandma up the road. The daughter with us is a difficult, exasperating child, though quite sweet in her slightly mad way. She is epileptic and has serious learning difficulties. She is 13 but has no idea how old she is or when her birthday is. It’s fine for Maria to visit for a weekend every six weeks and play mother, but the daily care and hassle is ours.

I suppose the TV is some kind of pay-off. Buy your kids a telly and feel like a caring mother. But she hadn’t reckoned with me - I hate TV. One of the few joys of settling in a backward banana republic like Honduras is you can mostly escape the scourge of deadeye. I like to see my children out playing, making toys out of anything that comes to hand, using their heads and imagination. I strongly object to them being goggle-eyed in front of the dumb show.

So it came to a show down. “Stay out of my life,” said Maria. “No problem,” said my wife. “Just look after your kids. And if you won’t or can’t, then let us get on with the job and don’t come with your mighty airs and tellies.” And it ended in tears, as it always does, and the two lassies pulling each other’s hair. My wife came home, disheveled and distraught. And here I am a deputy-head of a secondary school and supposed to be teaching a course on Human Relations. “Don’t worry,” I comforted her, “human relations takes in everything - swearing at your sister and pulling her hair, as much as turning the other cheek.” So true, un-Christian, but true. And then it was out of the house and into the street. Independence Day, looming and generally a suffocating week of patriotism. Now, I hate patriotism as much as I do TV, agreeing whole-heartedly with Sam Johnson that it is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Indeed, I think Hondurans have every right to ask not what they can do for their country, but what can their country do for them. For the vast majority, their country has done bugger-all for them, and they deserve better. So when my wife said she was organizing a torchlight procession for her students I did not exactly jump for joy. I just said I hoped it went off all right, and she headed out into the night with a few lanterns and candles, calling out, “Watch us as we go by.”

I heard them before I saw them. A few raucous cries and shouts brought me to the door, and I saw colored lights bobbing about in the distance. The procession came shambling past our door - a dramatic, colorful sight to behold, bellowing slogans, “Long live kids! Up the young’uns! Long live drink!” and so on.

It was wild but contained, spontaneous but controlled. It was real. It bordered on the anarchic; it was alive, full of energy. Here people seemed drunk but were, in fact, quite sober. It was a demonstration, protest, and a celebration all rolled up in one. Such moments are so rare in Honduras. Only once can I remember a similar letting-go-dancing to half-a-dozen marimba bands in a town square with hundreds of others, of all ages and types, during a fiesta. And here again, for a few moments, the poverty and despair around us were resisted, or at least forgotten.

I congratulated my wife when she came in. The secondary school where she works is a pretty awful place, under-funded, few resources, little or no academic or intellectual tradition or interest, a few good teachers and some awful ones. Yet something had undeniably happened. “Well,” I said, “ You must be doing something right.” I may be a patronizing bastard, but this was a small victory. Besides, I still don’t think patriotism had much to do with it.
 

Monday, September  23,  2002 Online Edition 36

TEACHERS’ STUBBORNNESS

Without settling any arrangements, teachers continue on the streets alleging adjustments need to be made to their wages. If that happens, the result will be a financial crisis for the government.

It is not that the government does not want to grant the increase, the fact is that the government budget is out of its economic measures and possibilities to overcome a crisis.

It is easy to make an analysis on the national economic situation and predict in a few words that in little time the country’s economy will collapse. Irresponsibility becomes obvious when the state engages in more commitments without taking under consideration the sources of the resources that the true economy generates.

An increase for teachers and the rest of the bureaucratic group can not be approved while the country refrains from developing and we still see children begging in the streets.
More advantages can not be given while more than 80 percent of the population is facing great disadvantage with the modern world - a world from which we can only hear about technology, for it is practically impossible for our population to incorporate modern materialistic technology.

Not to be ignored is the international cruelty which totally ignores the prices of our products and, when possible, sadistically creates competitiveness - reducing our products to unspeakable extremes of price degradation, as is the case of coffee. This industry would set for future generations an example of how poor producers are treated.

The teachers weak capacity of negotiating has left us without space to support them, and being witness to their violent behavior we can say that very few ways have been left to satisfy their requests. The best for everyone is to consider this elective year to be over, and for teachers to be fired and not paid due to the inappropriate attitude they have carried.

This opportunity needs to be taken to privatize schools, being that the teachers interest is no other than to continue to work, they then would have to take actualization training and analysis workshops on the advantages of educating a country.

I now can point out the mistakes the teachers made were to cancel classes and the perform criminal actions such as the one of beating off a policeman or the act leading students to take their desks in front of the ministry of education.

Meanwhile, in other spheres, the greatest of protest is related to superproduction, in Honduras, we insist in deteriorating the little we have.

A university teacher pointed out the right they had to benefit from education as any businessman does from his business. We know that this right is undeniable and its about time they think this way in order to become more independent.

National syndicate representatives have changed some of their ideas for they came to acknowledged that the worlds economic situation is depressed and working opportunities are less everyday.

Is there any volunteer to advise teachers?
We are all important in this small country. We all have a destiny in it. We can make a lot of beautiful and good things. What we can not do is abuse the system and break the national capacity without measuring the consequences.

It is a concept matter, a teacher that receives a salary for teaching is an education employee. Teachers should be more patient when claiming something and they should remember they graduated thanks to the taxpayers.



US gunning for war despite Hussein's UN gesture

By BEN PILGRIM

Despite Saddam Hussein’s pledge to let UN weapons inspectors into Iraq, the US is still preparing its people and military for war.

Iraq gave their co-operation, ‘without conditions’, to the UN last Wednesday, offering unconditional access but US President George W. Bush dismissed it as a ‘ploy’ and started to move troops and equipment to the Middle East, in preparation for action.
Bush has also started talks with leaders of the US Congress, hoping to pave the way for a congressional resolution authorizing the president to use force against Iraq.
He wants to get the Security Council to pass a new resolution giving Iraq both a tight timetable to allow the inspectors in to do their work and a threat that force could be used if it does not comply.

This would make it easier to justify resorting to force if Iraq strings out the inspection process through the winter.

Once Hussein had given permission for inspectors to re-enter his country Bush stressed that Iraq should be carrying out other measures as well, including an end to any links to terrorism and accounting for prisoners of war from 1991.
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair agreed with Bush, citing previous broken promises as a reason not to trust Hussein.

However, the rest of the UN Security Council were not as quick to dismiss Hussein’s offer with France and Russia both welcoming the move. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said, “Thanks to our joint efforts, we managed to avert the threat of a war scenario and go back to political means of solving the Iraqi problem.”

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Iraq to co-operate with the inspectors and to disarm any weapons of mass destruction.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela warned the US to keep within the remit of the UN. Speaking from South Africa Mandela said, “If President Saddam Hussein has said the UN inspectors can come without condition, what right has [George Bush] to come in and say that the offer is not genuine?”

Mandela added, “On this question of Iraq they are absolutely wrong. It is the United Nations that must decide. We must condemn that very strongly. That’s why I criticize most leaders all over the world for keeping quiet when one country wants to bully the whole world.”

China, another permanent member of the Security Council, expressed relief over the Iraqi move. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan told a news agency, “The Iraqi decision is what the international community has always hoped to see.”

Iraqi officials have already held meetings with the top UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, and it’s hoped that progress is being made to gain readmission to test the true resolve of Saddam Hussein’s co-operation. Blix will be meeting with all members of the UN Security Council as soon as possible.

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz has said that Baghdad’s pledge to readmit weapons inspectors had removed any justification for an US-led attack.
Mr. Aziz said the US was desperate for war with Iraq, citing its oil as the true motive for attack.


 

Corruption Is No Light Matter

Dear HTW,

With indignation I read an article titled “Corrupt Honduras Government Still Better Than Guatemala and Nicaragua” by Ben Pilgrim (HTW/Sept. 07).

The title alone conveys a message of consolation to a very disturbing and disgusting fact in Honduras. What it says to me is lets let the government know that its not such a big deal to be corrupt because, hey, Honduras is not as bad as neighboring countries.

The mere fact that Honduras is named as having one of most corrupt governments in the world is a serious, outrageous fact. Being part of the government is about working for and representing the people’s interest, but here we have only that individual claiming to care about his country while stuffing his pockets.

The government is simply building its own nest of interest and enjoyment at the expense of the poor people and those organizations, groups, and countries that are trying to help Honduras develop.

How is it consolation to know that Guatemala and Nicaragua are worse off than Honduras when Honduras has a corrupt government and is one of poorest countries in the world?

Ana Garcia
Antwerp, Belgium

Copaneco Tells Carvill To Reconsider

Dear HTW,

I was more than upset by the treatment writer Aine Carvill received and her memories of the “ladrones” in Copan Ruinas. After 11 years of living and working with the tourism sector here I admit problems do exist. However, the situation as she described it has another side.

Atitrans remembered the woman who had such difficulty in traveling. Atitrans said she spent a lot of time with this woman, calling to check hotels, and making sure she understood what her connections would be. Carvill writes, that at 4 a.m. she was “abruptly woken by reception to tell me a coach was waiting outside to haul me back to Copan!” I have faxed a copy of her ticket voucher that clearly states she was to be picked up at 4 a.m..

If she was “totally unprepared” for their reaction when she arrived asking for a refund, it’s probably because they were “ totally unprepared” for someone deciding they deserved a refund after choosing to miss the bus. The voucher clearly states “No Refund.” They kept their part of the deal, she did not keep hers.

“Unhelpful? Rude?” Atitrans in Copan Ruinas said that same woman stormed into their office, camera in hand, snapping pictures of the owner’s daughter, and threatening them with bad publicity. She glosses over her rude behavior in the article and calls it the “ wrath of this Irish woman.”

“No guide” at the ruins means you didn’t want one, not because they weren’t available. A private guided tour costs $20. Handbooks are also available. Copan Ruinas also has a Tourist Information Center that would have helped you.

Copanecos pride themselves in taking care of their visitors because their livelihood depends on it. Ms. Carvill, you show contempt for this country, it’s people, and the service industry. Take responsibility for your actions.

Bullying people into reimbursing you for money they don’t owe you for your bad decisions makes you a doubtful candidate for a travel writer. Your tirade of walking down main street screaming to anyone who would listen about the “Ladrones” who live here would have gotten you arrested in a lot of countries.

Elizabeth Nutter-Valladares
Copan Ruinas
 

Monday, September  16,  2002 Online Edition 35

September 15, 1821
Lazarus, my people, rise and declare yourselves.

Back then Guatemala’s population was about a million inhabitants, from which only 50,000 were Creole. Its worthy to observe that Central America's independence proclamation was an initiative taken by the Creoles, not by the Indians.

Jose Cecilio del Valle raises the flag as an action to protect the artisans who at the time were affected by the import of English textiles. This group of artisans was a united and strong group that had at least 5,000 production centers and were regarded as the most respected capitalist strength of the coming independence.

Ever since that unforgettable time, smuggling commodities became one of the main businesses of those who economically spoiled the Central American industries.

On September 13 of that year, the documents of the Iguala Plan arrived in Guatemala, and, as a splash of cold water in the face, the attachments of the Cuidad Real de Chiapas to such a plan.

Gabino Gainza rejects the Iguala Plan for he considered the gesture as an act of disconsideration and unfaithfulness against the Spanish Kingdom.

Guatemala’s Mayor Mariano Aycinena asked for an extraordinary meeting to express a request in regard to the Independence Act. The board that was integrated by all authorities and government representatives that lived in Guatemala was called to meet September 15.

The meeting was open to the public and people present were approving and proclaiming independence. They asked for proclamation in that precise moment, for they considered the act to be unable to be rescheduled. The independence requested was clear. It requested the same from Spain, Mexico, or any other nation.

The first government was under the power of Gabino Gainza, and the provisional commission became a Provisional Consulting Board.

It was not the independence, but the revolution that left the Spanish judicial organization without any effect. The historical document: “Central America Independence Act” was recommended by Jose Cecilio del Valle, and it was approved without making any substantial modifications.

Part of this act declares: National Palace of Guatemala, September 14, 1821.

Having been made public the indubitable desire of independence from the Spanish government, the people of this capital declared on paper and by word that mentioned authors of this act and in a particular way that some of the most enthusiastic independence representatives did not sign this act for they were not government employees elected by the people. In the instance of Valle, the case is rather peculiar for he was the compiler of the Independence Act. Despite being one of its most important promoters he did not sign the act. But his contribution has been precise and efficient.

181 years have passed since this dramatic act took place. It was one of the most unexpected happenings that has made part of our history. In this history, the facts of the new Central American people have been registered by different authors, being outstanding the ones written by Alejandro Marure, and Lorenzo Montufar, among others. Even though the independence was decided, the time was hard for those who were in charge for they lacked almost everything but the talent and firm desire of the Central Americans of those times.

Despite the importance of our Independence history, the teachers of this country have decided in a unilateral way to take us, year by year, away from the privilege and duty of remembering by canceling traditional marches and patriotic speeches that involve students as well as government representatives. For those who know the meaning of freedom, this day shall be remembered for the many godson's of this country and the Central America of Morazan.

September 15 is the holy day Central American countries have in common. This holiday is celebrated in the main streets with marches and parades, making emphasis on the participation of state and government authorities.
In the past, church people went to the level of painting their homes front and decorating the sidewalks according with the occasion. It was an honor to participate. Many of these customs are still practiced today, but on a lesser scale and with less enthusiasm from the people. The country suffers because of this decline in spirit.

The Cycle Of Corruption

Dear HTW,
I just finished reading Ed Elsner’s letter in the September, 9 edition of HTW about his frustrations in dealing with the various government agencies in trying to exit the country. While reading the letter I felt that most retiree’s and other foreigners living in Honduras shared at least some of his experiences themselves.

What was painful was that as he described each situation I wanted to shout at him “Hey, Ed, What’s the matter with you? Just give them some money. Those of us that have been through the ringer and know the value of the “bite” recognized that some of those situations could have been solved for relatively little money.

That is when it hit me that we have become so casual about giving the “tips” that are required, that we blame a person like Ed for not playing along, rather than the government for not trying to fix the situation. Is there any doubt in our minds that the situation he describes with the policeman who found his automobile papers to be “not in order”, falls into the Lps. 80-150 range depending what kind of car you drive or clothing you are wearing? We all know the going “rates” for various help and it pained me to read of a man in his condition suffering at the hands of the corrupt.

I hope Ed is able to finally arrange all of his problems and exit the country without more delay.
James Lakes
Via Internet


Professor Calls Gallardo On Claims

Dear HTW,

I must say I was in Shock when I read the first of Robert Gallardo’s three-part self-promoting tale of his visit to the Platano River Biosphere Reserve (PRBR) in la Mosquitia (HTW/July 27).

I can not believe the lies used by Mr. Gallardo to promote himself as the know-it-all while denying credit to the real naturalists who have studied and written about the flora and fauna of the region for more than 30 years.

Gallardo knows there are Honduran and North American naturalists who have spent six weeks, six months, even two or three years in the PRBR, not just six days like he did on this trip.
As far as any new bird species, I guess Gallardo has no access to the internet or scientific publications, and neglected to read research done by national and international organizations working in the PRBR. If he had read that information he would have found out that all the “new” species of birds he “discovered” have been reported by several other scientists.

Here at the National Autonomous University in Honduras, we would be extremely interested in any “new” species of birds or any other species found by Gallardo.

Several documents about Honduran flora and fauna in general and specifically within the PRBR are available. I am not sure which bird list he has for the PRBR, but the one I have has all the birds he listed in his article.

At the UNAH, where PRBR research has been done for several years, we do not advertise our research because we are not competing with NGO's or tour companies for green money, which would not be ethical.

I hope that in the future Gallardo is a bit more humble, and that he takes the time to consult local experts on Honduran flora and fauna as well as the literature available and gives credit where it is due before trying to deceive unknowing tourists about his “knowledge” of Honduran flora and fauna and his “discovery” of new species.

Sincerely,
Sherry (Pilar) Thorn
Biology Professor
UNAH
 

Monday, September  9,  2002 Online Edition 34

Damage Award to AIDS Victim Is A Long Step In the Direction of Government Responsibility

By LORENZO DEE BELVEAL

The weekend announcement of a cash award of Lps. five million to a patient who was accidentally infected with AIDS via a faulty blood transfusion constitutes a truly historic break with the shameful past. It deserves to be celebrated as a long first step away from the
immunity- disgraced decades that comprise Honduras dark history.

When Maria Juarez checked into one of the major teaching hospitals in Honduras for removal of a stomach tumor, she thought she was in good hands. Indeed, she should have been. But when, during the course of the surgical procedure, it became necessary to replenish her blood supply, the transfused blood happened to be a donation from a carrier of the deadly AIDS virus. Result: Senora Juarez got rid of her tumor, but received the AIDS infection in return.

Perhaps this single high-priced tragedy will serve to urge Honduran health authorities to take more precautions to insure that the nations blood supplies are safe. It should come as no surprise to anyone, especially health officials, that with 60 percent of Central Americas HIV-AIDS cases in Honduras, all resident blood donors have to be viewed as suspect.

It is a well-known fact that drug addicts regularly augment their incomes by selling blood to public blood banks. It is furthermore widely recognized that needle-sharing among addicts is a major method by which the virus is passed among the drug-addicted population.

A second mode of HIV-AIDS transmission is via unsafe sex practices with infected prostitutes and others. Honduras is also in the top international ranks in terms of its burgeoning sex-industry.

Taken all together, it is almost unbelievable that the Honduran professional corps could have been blind-sided by the AIDS virus. With the malady as rampant in Honduras as the well-publicized figures indicate, its hard to imagine a nook or cranny in the nation without its own frightening statistics. Failure to protect the blood supply from contamination seems to clearly surpass carelessness; its much more on the order of criminal negligence.

The fact that the Honduras government has accepted its responsibility in this unfortunate incident should stand as a lingering warning-flag against any further lapses of this nature. It is worth noting that the court decision in favor of Sra. Juarez called for reimbursement in the amount of Lps. 12 million. But even after halving that amount,
it remains an expensive prompt for meticulous safeguards in the handling of the nations blood supplies.

However, the implications of this case go far beyond mere monetary recompense for a grievous wrong. The act of accepting the responsibility and paying for it - regardless of the amount involved - signals a refreshing change of conduct in governmental affairs. This would never have happened under the aegis of predecessor Honduras administrations.

The cloak of constitutionally-conferred legal immunity that covers the cadres of political functionaries, also extends to protect the government itself from any form of criminal or civil retribution - regardless of how well deserved. The “divine rights of kings” was deemed to also extend to a sovereign nation, and - ipso facto - government “could do no wrong”.

This award offers clear acknowledgment that such ‘untouchable status is undeserved; that the misdeeds of government functionaries are, or should be, as reachable by law as those of private individuals. Perhaps it should be even more so - in view of the implicit obligation of government to protect its citizens from harm from outside sources. The obligation should be even more direct when the threatening source is from the minions of government itself.

“One swallow does not make a spring,” and one event of this kind, regardless of how dramatic, does not constitute a trend. Nevertheless, it must be seen as an indicator that those in charge of setting public policy have, for whatever reasons, chosen to pursue an honorable course in settling accounts with a greatly wronged citizen. At the very least, it is an indication of a national conscience - and answerability - on the part of faceless government.

This is surely a step in the right direction.

Much as we must sympathize with Sra. Juarez and her family, it seems not too much to hope that, through her medical tragedy, the conscience of the nation has been pricked in a significant and lasting way.

And that, as a result, Honduras may be on the road to a more responsible and more humanitarian kind of conduct with its own citizens - as well as the world at large.
 

Fed-Up American Tries To Flee

Dear HTW:

After 16 years of living in Honduras, and hearing everyone say, “Things were better before,” - in other words, “things are worse now” - I’m getting out.

I had a legal resident visa with Gobernacion y Justicia, where I was asked for the same proof of income year after year despite being retired with a fixed income. I changed to Instituto Hondureno de Turismo to take advantage of a provision for a duty-free car import, but after all the problems, delays & legal costs, it would have been simpler and cheaper to simply pay the duty. I had to go to Tegucigalpa for the dispensa, the duty-free order, & my license plates, as it could not be done in my area. The system is designed by & being run by humans. Why is it so hard for the average Honduran functionary to act human & do things the easy way?

Is Teguz the Honduran Rome?

I wonder what Hondurans in the U.S. would say if they all had to go to Washington, D.C. for their license plates. Is the government here intended to serve the needs of the people, or are the people here merely to pay tribute to official bullies who think the country is their personal finca?

Turismo, unlike G y J, wants a monthly, not yearly, account of the dollars I cash - on time, in only a single receipt, or I lose my visa. In my country (U.S.), we treat ex-con parolees about the same – perhaps a little better. In the U.S. we deport undesirable. In Honduras they retain you for purposes of extortion.

Now I want to leave but am told I cannot take my U.S. citizen children out of the country without a notarized authorization from a Honduran attorney that knows neither me or my kids. These kids are U.S. citizens, mind you, and I’m their biological father. My wife and I live together. What child welfare guarantees does some anonymous lawyer provide to minors by signing a paper for Lps. 125?

Now I want to leave. After years, Turismo has not seen fit to issue me my “carnet”, which should automatically come with the visa, yet immigration at the airport will not let me leave unless I have it. Do they sell the bread wrapper in the stores for Lps. 5, but if you want the bread inside, have to pay five more? Anywhere else this would constitute unlawful detainment, both for me & my children. What’s so hard about issuing a “carnet” as part of a visa?

On my way to El Progreso last Friday, the police stopped me in a routine “operativo.” They were not looking for drunks or criminals, but “papers.” The cop asked me for my papers, took them & sauntered away for 10 minutes while I sat in the hot sun. He returned to
tell me, as he contemptuously slapped the papers with the back of his hand, that they were “not in order.” I asked, trying to keep a friendly demeanor, what precisely was “not in order”. He repeated that they were “not in order” — as though to a retarded child unable to understand.

I asked him to tell me what was wrong, but he again walked away, apparently to add to my desperation. I drive with a hand control because I’m a quadriplegic. I have driven 100 percent accident-free, much of it in ice & snow, for 45 years, accumulating approximately one million miles. The policeman returned, and told me he was going to impound my car. The reason he gave was it was against the law to drive with a hand control. (No one told me that when I bought the license.)

We had just seen the aftermath of six grisly accidents, with broken glass, the twisted vehicles with the roofs smashed down to the seats, pools of blood on the pavement. Yet the “policia de transito” spends all their energy making sure we all have paid money to the state instead of involving themselves in highway safety. A driver’s license in Honduras does not require a proven ability to drive, only money. Most people I know, and myself, fear going out on the highways because of the blood bath and arbitrary police generating state revenue.

Customs is abusive. I’m trying to send my personal belongings out on a container, but they have held it up, insist on emptying it out for inspection and give the impression of trying to find some anomaly. I’m a 61-year old retired educator. Do they fear I’m some member of the drug cartel or a terrorist organization?

They have a gift in Honduras for picking on the wrong people. Maduro's “zero tolerance” is aimed at street punks but the real “asaltantes” in Honduras work for the government, including the courts.

The street tough may take my watch or Lps. 500 but the government official will steal my property & deprive me of basic civil rights.

Official stupidity has chased tourism away, killing the goose that laid the golden egg. Do the fat cats think they’re going to generate all the country’s revenue with coffee & hurricane relief? A free country? A democracy? Stop deceiving yourselves!

Good-bye! (If they let me out of the country.)
Sincerely,
Ed Elsner
Via Internet
 

Frontiers or Nightmares

Efforts continue to sustain a sense of unrest in the Central American (CA) region.

When CA politicians see a country in turmoil they look for measures to compensate for popular vexation, and a verbal battle is started on territorial interests. Such was the case with the Nicaragua of Bola F1os who sustains a regimen in dispute to mitigate hunger to which such country was subdued by the Sandinistas, and by past President Arnoldo Aleman E1n, then to disorient the country that, claims more bread than international conflicts, a figure has been created of tension by means of the marine boundaries with our country.

In the same manner, the Republic of El Salvador has undertaken the task to blow the dust off documents punctiliously studied by renowned World authorities on international litigation, such as the: Court of Hague, and makes a circus of it’s country after recently making note that, the maps, presented by our country to the most competent litigation tribunal of the World were faked.

It is important for us to make it clear that, due to our duties in 1985 in the city of Rome, we undertook the task of contributing voluntarily with the ‘Foreign Affairs Secretary” in Rome. As requirement to enter was to be on the last year of school or a professor of an Italian University.

As strict as it was we managed to have access, and the product of this was photocopies of 20 maps. As a distinctive of authenticity we ask the Secretary to “stamp” them with the

This is my role with this story. It is sorrowful that, El Salvador finds a good road to discredit the maps presented by Honduras that I ratify some of those maps I got from the Institute.

Ten years have gone by since the Hague Tribunal sent forth its resolution regarding the boundaries with El Salvador. For Honduras it has been arduous to be called upon such a trial because out of our territory also came out a territorial strip for centuries ours.

No one invoked “Lenca” territories as the natural enclave where the Honduran nation rests. Today, those grounds(territories) are separated forever from Honduras.

It is useless to gather hopes from judgments that, since “day one” were accepted as unappealable. It is however a ‘boomerang’ to El Salvador to doubt the most prestigious Organism on Earth, irresponsibly saying that, “they” have accepted a ‘false’ document presented by Honduras. Please. We won’t doubt in principle The Hague, no one has done it .

In those times our position was that Honduras should look into refreshing Bolivia’s case within the World Community as to not isolate the country as what happened to Bolivia. We once again, made it clear that, it is important for our Honduras to have with utmost clarity and precision enough space, clearly marked, and at any ‘tide’ our way out to the Pacific Ocean.

The International Community should be alerted to the intention to leave us stranded, and to take away our rights of exits to the Pacific Ocean. The Honduran thesis should always be that we won’t accept another Bolivia and we fully understand that judgment took this principle into account.

La Isla del Conejo(Rabbit’s Island)is therefore, part of a dirty game where with subtle lines of delimitation Honduras won’t have access to the Pacific Ocean. This can not be, and should not be.

Monday, September  2,  2002 Online Edition 33

Chiquitolandia

Jonathan Swift must have had Tegucigalpa in mind when he wrote of Gulliver's travels through the land of Lilliputia. Partly because of poorly planned urbanization, Honduras seems to have been tailored for small people and things.

A world of "micros" is the world of the Honduran. The trademark of our parks in Tegucigalpa is a tiny yet spectacular design. But we also look around and see narrow streets, boulevards and medians, microscopic traffic lights, narrow sidewalks, rubblework masonry, and dangerously small sewage drains. This is depressing! If our surroundings were an indication of how Hondurans are as a people and culture, then we might as well be Lilliputians.

Are the architects in Tegucigalpa asleep? Usually a highly creative class, they have failed us in the area of urban planning. Why haven't the architects tapped into the enormous potential the city has to make it as outstanding as the Honduran people?

We have underestimated our potential, and this is not new. This attitude of underestimation dates back to colonial times when priests started to construct the churches that are now our only tribute to our Colonial history. And what a tribute! Take a look at our Cathedral, not even half a block in parameter. This is a measly omage to an institution such as the Catholic Church, a telling sign that even in colonial times Hondurans were underestimating the importance of well-planned monuments to our culture.

However, this does not mean we have to continue with this spirit in all that we do. The respectable Honduran does not think small so we should not let this tendency of small-minded planning become a Honduran tradition. It's time to think big and realize our potential!

And I'm not talking about modern glassy structures, either. I'm talking about using what we have to realize our potential. Look no further than the exquisite Honduran marble and stones that treat you to an incredible visual delight of gem-like colors. Just look at the Central American Bank and marvelous homes in the capital whose construction is based on these marvelous gems of Honduran heritage.

We thought the monument erected in the bust of Cesar Castellanos (the mayor of Tegucigalpa whose helicopter went down during Hurricane Mitch), would serve as a memoriam to his great service to this city. Alas, it is only a memory, as the bust they erected can barely be seen. So much for paying tribute to such a dedicated leader.

Like Cesar Castellanos' monument, many things in our country go unseen by an apathetic citizenry. Corruption, opportunism, and dirty politics are just a few bald faced activities that people have chosen to ignore over the years.

The lack of vision in our country does not indicate laziness or stupidity but a combination of a corrupt political system and citizens beat into an apathetic state by years of false promises.

Now, as we see new politicians stepping out to promote organized, citizen-oriented urban development, we feel disgusted. Their idea of urban planning includes a row of ugly, Lilliputian tract housing. But I plead with you, its time to stop the apathy and get involved! As long as this gross apathy continues so will the corrupt system. Demand more for Honduras! Log onto to www.AlcaldiaDeTegucigalpa.com and send your opinions to the webmaster addressed to the Senor Alcalde, Miguel Pastor. And please, if you are an architect, send planning suggestions!

 

Citizen Offers Up Advice

Dear HTW

I want to tell you about a situation that I encountered here. On August 5th I went to a Credomatic ATM to make a withdrawal. After typing in the amount desired, a message appeared on the screen stating that it was unable to communicate with the transmitter to my bank and to try again later. I tried later on that afternoon and received the same message.

At home I decided to check my account on-line and found that funds were withdrawn each time that I received the “can not communicate” message.

I went to Credomatic with a copy of my bank statement and they did nothing at all. They told me to inform my bank and to let my bank do a trace to see if I actually received the money or not. They didn’t check the ATM machine, close it down, put up a warning, nothing. They also told me that I was the only person who had this problem.

Two days ago I met a young woman from the Netherlands who told me that she had spoken to the manager about the same problem. She would never had known that the money was leaving her account except her father e-mailed her to find out why she was spending so much money all of a sudden. She never received the money, but would return to the ATM to try again, and again, each time receiving the same message, and each time having her money going somewhere, but not to her.

My warning to tourists arriving in Honduras. DO NOT USE THE ATM MACHINES. The bank doesn’t accept any responsibility.

Robert A. Berry
Via Internet