|
NATIONAL NEWS |
|
NATIONAL NEWS |
|
|
| Monday, January 30, 2006 Online Edition 4 | |||
| Honduras inaugurates President "Mel" By Don Peat & Alexandra Winton The National Stadium in Tegucigalpa was filled with 30,000 people on Friday as Hondurans gathered to watch the inauguration of their new president. Manuel "Mel" Zelaya Rosales assumed the presidency just before noon when new Congressional President Roberto Micheletti received the presidential sash from former president Ricardo Maduro and passed it to Zelaya. Cheers erupted from the crowd as Zelaya symbolically assumed the executive office. Zelaya then moved to the central podium on the stage, constructed to resemble a Mayan temple, and gave his inaugural address. "We all have a challenge ahead of us, together we can conquer it, only together do we have the capacity to go forwards," said Zelaya. In his speech, the new president outlined his goals for the next four years. He promised that no child would have to pay for public school and that within the next two years all schools will be equipped with computers. He promised that he would work to lower the price of petrol, begin a reforestation program, and bring an end to illegal logging. "We can rebuild hope- it is our number one resource," said Zelaya as the Honduran political elite and dignitaries from around the world listened from nearby stages. President Zelaya shared the stage with first lady, Xiomara, Vice President Elvin Santos, and his wife Becky de Santos. Congressmen, mayors and newly appointed cabinet ministers were in attendance along with former president Carlos Flores.
Heads of state from Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica attended the inauguration. In all, 46 nations sent some form of diplomatic representation. President Vincente Fox of Mexico, Prince Felipe of Spain, and Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer of Cuba received the most enthusiastic responses from the crowd. A lukewarm reception was given to President Maduro as he entered the stadium with many in the crowd chanting, "Out! Out!" Zelaya entered the stadium to a cheering crowd wearing his characteristic beige cowboy hat. Following his speech, President Zelaya made his way to Casa Presidencial where a lunch was held for the visiting heads of state. The presidential election was held on November 27, 2005. Zelaya, the Liberal Party candidate, won with 49.9 per cent of all votes cast defeating National Party candidate Porfirio Lobo Sosa by only 69,000 votes.
President Zelaya was born in Catacamas, Olancho, on September 20, 1952. He is a businessman and lifelong politician. He and his wife have four children: Zoe, Hector, Jose Manuel, and Xiamara Hortencia.
Final Farewell – An Interview with President Maduro By Don Peat After four years in office, President Ricardo Maduro Joest walked out of Casa Presidencial and back into private life this week. Interviewing the president on Wednesday, less than 48 hours before his successor was inaugurated, we discussed his time in power, his departing thoughts, and his hopes for the future. Meeting with Maduro one thing becomes clear very quickly, this is a man of numbers. The successful businessman and former head of the nation's central bank can list figures for almost every national issue. Knowing the statistics helped him identify problems within the country and knowing how the statistics have improved is how he measures his success. "Economically we've gone from 2.3 per cent growth to 5.4 per cent," said Maduro quantifying his economic achievements. Financially, Honduras has made gains under Maduro's administration, more companies pay sales tax, more tariffs have been lowered, and industries like tourism and textile manufacturing have flourished. But despite his preoccupation with numbers, to Maduro the means have been just as important and historically significant as the ends. It is with his institutional reforms, changing how government worked in key areas, that Maduro believes his presidency has made the greatest impact. "People want to see me fighting crime and serving a child a school lunch, and these are important things, but the institutional reforms may yield the most impact over time," said Maduro. In almost every national issue facing the nation Maduro has attempted to attack the problem by trying to change the government institutions that aided the problem. With judicial reform Maduro sees perhaps his most recognizable achievement. When he came to office, Congress elected the Supreme Court judges every four years following their own congressional elections, reducing the ability for the two bodies to act independently and politicizing the judicial process. Maduro's judicial reform now sees judges elected every seven years with a filtering process for nominees before they reach Congressional review. "I've always felt rule of law is a fundamental part of a modern, developed, and lasting democracy," said Maduro on why he worked for judicial review, "It's difficult to have confidence in public institutions if you don't feel there is a reasonable amount of justice." Other institutional reforms encouraged by Maduro included administrative simplification, elimination of civil servant immunity, and telecommunications reform. "I've always believed in democracy but that's the hardest system to govern with because in a young democracy, in a poor country, the degree of expectations of the people always runs way ahead of the capability of government to face and to solve problems," said Maduro. One area where Honduras saw a significant change during Maduro's presidency was debt forgiveness. The global community condoned billions of dollars of Honduras' foreign debt, allowing money earmarked for debt payments to other nations to be invested instead in social programs in Honduras. "I think debt forgiveness was something fabulous and mainly due to the foreign community," said Maduro, "now we need a law to ensure whatever indebtedness we go into in the future will be socially profitable and I told that to congress today." "Its almost inevitable to go into debt," said Maduro, "the capacity of the country to invest for itself in the government is very limited because what tends to happen in developing countries is that your current expenditures grow so fast that you have nothing left for capital investment, for things like schools and health centres, so eventually you have to depend on donations or financing." One of Maduro's most publicized campaigns was against crime, specifically the maras (gangs) plaguing Honduras when he came to power. "We realized that there was a perception of impunity," explained Maduro, "there was a feeling that the state couldn't take a criminal, capture him, try him, and sentence him successfully." The most troubling aspect of crime to Maduro's administration was the maras because they epitomized the perception of criminal impunity. As a result, Maduro's government passed sweeping legislation that permitted the arrest and sentencing of any individual officials could prove belonged to a gang. Just being a member was a crime. Though some groups objected to the legislation, Maduro stands by it. "It was the right thing to do, we lowered crime rates dramatically in the last four years," said Maduro, "now we need to go after the social causes such as lack of healthcare, education, housing, and jobs." As for failures, Maduro is candid about where he believes he came up short, "We've done a lot, though I feel like we've done a lousy job of communication, not all our fault, the media weren't naturally cooperative with us, we were more doers than communicators." Though he was head of the government, he is quick to point out he was not alone during his term in office, "I felt very proud of our team, they are very capable, professional people with very few exceptions, who accomplished an enormous amount." When asked if he's leaving office satisfied, Maduro admits some apprehension, "It's mixed, we have a lot of unfinished agenda items but I think we've done an enormous amount of things and I think we've done very basic ones that we'll see the value of in the future." "I think I'm leaving a better country fundamentally," said Maduro. Hondurans may not be as confident about Maduro's record. A CID-Gallop poll from January 12-17, 2006, asked, "How will departing President Ricardo Maduro be judged?" Of the 1,208 Hondurans asked, 26 per cent believed he would be considered a "great president" while 35 per cent believed history would see him "as a bad president." Six per cent considered him mediocre and 27 per cent thought he would be considered the "same as everyone else." As he moves into his post-presidency life Maduro, a self-described incurable server, has a mixture of plans. He wants to return to FEREMA, the education charity he started after his son's murder, and to work with the Inter-American dialogue, a US-based NGO. Maduro also hopes to start a non-profit micro-credit agency to help the poor, continue to earn a living, and learn to fly. Operation smiles on Honduras By Hannah Spurr Over 100 children and young adults are to receive life-changing cleft palate surgery when a team of specialised surgeons arrives next month in Tegulcigalpa, in Operation Sonrisa's latest international mission. Stationed in San Felipe hospital from February 8, the 50 strong mix of Honduran and foreign doctors will be conducting two weeks of surgical and post-surgical procedures on children aflicted with the facial deformity. Though it is their 10th stint in Honduras, Giannina Guell, executive director of Operation Sonrisa Honduras, insists the need for cleft palate surgery remains just as high. "The Honduran Government just doesn't have enough money for this type of surgery. They can afford emergency only. So you have this child who is malnourished, can't talk and can't go to school but because they are not going to die they won't be treated," Guell said. While last year's international group included primarily Canadians and Columbians, 2006 has a distinct South American component with volunteers from Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia and Bolivia. Roma Downey, star of Touched by an Angel, will also cast a much needed spotlight on the cause, alongside a scheduled documentary and infomercial. All factors, Guell believes, will further promote the importance of this surgery. "It is very exciting for them to choose Honduras. They (the documentary crew) will be following a child from before the surgery to post-operative care," she said. Heading into its 24th year, the private non-profit organizationfounded by Dr. William P. Magee and his wife Kathleen has sponsored surgical missions to as many as 25 developing countries, from Africa to Central and South America. Afflicting between 1 in 600-800 births, babies born with the deformity are often stigmatised, enduring shame, embarrassment and exclusion from school. A plight, according to Guell, that makes Operation Sonrisa so much more important. "It is so worthwhile... what we do does make a difference," she said. According to Guell, the training of local doctors differentiates Operation Sonrisa's work from other missions. And this year will be no different. "We have always trained local people which makes a huge difference once the mission leaves. They can do it on their own. You can't just give someone a fish, you have to show them how to do it," she said. Since it's inaugural mission in 1997, the local team has expanded to include certified plastic surgeons and dentists. And the differences can also be seen in the patients. "The difference we've seen is that in the first few years, we saw mainly adults and teenagers who hadn't been operated on. Now we get children earlier. We see more babies and 3-4 year olds. We've seen a huge difference and that is why we do this. It is the greatest reward," Guell said.
|
Municipalities inaugurate mayors By Alexandra Winton The village of Valle de Angeles was one of the hundreds of municipalities across Honduras gathering to inaugurate their newly elected officials this past Wednesday. Manuel de Jesús Torres was inaugurated as mayor on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 25. This is only the second time in the town's history that a mayor from the National party has been elected. When asked why he thought he won, the mayor replied "because I worked, because I fought, I didn't lie to the people and I did good work as a councilman." Half the town seemed to have turned out to welcome Torres to his new position and there were loud cheers and bursts of fireworks as former mayor, Sebastian Artica introduced Torres. During his dramatic
inauguration speech Torres presented his new councillors; Transito
Vallcoares, Luis Ponce, Puis Salgado, Claudia Midence, Wilfredo Ponce,
Eloner Espinal, Marco Antonio Palma, Juan Antonio Ilias, and the deputy
mayor Maribel Ponce. Torres promised the cheering crowd that he and
the council "are going to work, work, work for you." Torres
also spoke of hard work, security, transparency and encouraging tourism.
Hard work was one of the traits Torres was known for during his four
years serving on town council and door-to-door campaigning. The new mayor said that he felt busy and concerned because he has a lot of work ahead of him, but promised that he will work until the day he leaves the position, to ensure all the his tasks will be completed. He also said that he was optimistic and has a lot of support behind him. Maria Dolores Cerrato, a citizen of Valle de Angeles, was at the ceremony and said that Torres has some work ahead of him, as the town needs a public parking lot and public bathrooms for weekend visitors. She also mentioned a need for more local employment, as many people commute to Tegucigalpa for work everyday. Plans for his term are to fix the sports arenas and promote sports for the young people of Valle de Angeles. He is also concerned with providing potable water and electricity to all the citizens of the town.
New transit laws By Hannah Spurr The laws have sparked widespread protests with numerous blockades early Monday morning crippling major traffic routes throughout the capital. According to Head of Metropolitan Police Francisco Murillo, over 26 people have been arrested in connection with the protests which affected thousands of people on their way to work. They are set to face charges of obstructing public access and the free circulation of people. The 129 new laws are an overhaul of the 1955 General Transit Regulations, replacing the old expansive regulations with tougher penalties for offences. The legislation also provides for the restructuring of the National Sub-division of Transit which is now no longer under the exclusive domain of the National Police. Under the new laws penalties vary according to the seriousness of the offence with three degrees of severity. The highest penalty can cost the motorist up to a third of their monthly wage. 38 serious infractions carry penalties of 900-1000 Lempiras. 27 lesser offences will attract fines of up to 800 Lempiras, and then 11 slight offences carry fines of 400-500 Lempiras. Driver education is also a target of the new legislation, with a divison between specialised and a non specialised class of licence replacing the old system. To qualify for a specialised licence, the driver must own an identity card, have literacy skills, be over 18, pass a medical examination and theory and pratical tests. To receive a specialised licence the age has been raised by four years from 21 to 25. Several years of experienced driving and a clean criminal record are also necessary. Daniel Molina, of the National
Transit Direction, has defended the laws, saying that those who obey
them need not fear the changes or severe penalties.
Possible renewal
of immigrant Status At last weekend's summit in El Salvador Central American presidents made recommendations for permanent status for immigrants in the US. Ford was confident that an extension of the TPS is a viable result of the review, after the positive recommendations made by the governments. Ford commented it was an opportune time to debate the issue of permanent status as the United States reviews its migration system. Earlier this week, congressmen from Florida made recommendations to President George W. Bush advising him to consider the extension of the TPS for migrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. They argue that cancellation of the TPS would devastate the economies of the Central American countries which largely depend on money sent back from the United Staes. An alternative suggested by the United States government involved a program of temporary work, in the situation that the TPS was not renewed for a sixth time. Ford however did suggest that rather than just renewing the migrant agreement for another year that a more permanent solution must be found and this is the opportune time to make those recommendations. El Heraldo US delegation
announced Born August 4 in San Antonio, Texas Gonzalaz was raised in Houston alongside seven brothers and sisters. Gonzales had been a close confidante of American Presdident George W. Bush since his days as Governor of Texas, serving as his Chief Counsel from 1995 to 1997 before his appointment to the Supreme Court. He has served as close counsel to the President since 1999. Gonzales was appointed to the post of Attorney General in 2004 as a replacement for John Ashcroft who was retiring. Gonzales has been regarded as a controversial figure and several civil liberty groups have opposed him. Before his association with George W. Bush, Gonzales was a lawyer for Hallburton and energy company Enron. Opposition towards his appointment largely stems from his actions following September 11 and his crucial role in the passing of the Patriot Act , which confers power on authorities to arrest, detain and question people who are suspected of terrorist activity. Gonzales is a Harvard graduate who has, over the years served in the US Air Force, as Director for Catholic Charities and Big Brothers and Sisters in Houston, Texas. Gonzales is the first Hispanic ever appointed to the post of Attorney General. Gonzales has been honoured with numerous awards for both his leadership and skills as a lawyer. Honduras This Week Meningitis
scare Fernandez said they believed the cases were from different parts of the country but if results indicate a similar point of origen then necessary measures will be taken. The cases that have appeared to date correspond to others of bacterial and viral type, but this is the first time there has been such a high number of cases. Both types can be controlled if they are treated on time. Those affected by the disease are usually between three months to their early teens, with the vulnerable adult age group being 26-54. The main symptoms of the disease are vomits, high fever, headaches, stiffness in the neck and sensitivity to the light, among others. El Heraldo Tela Bay hotels
chosen Although the placing of the first stone was promised by the government of Ricardo Maduro, the date for construction to commence having been put forward a number of times, it will be the task of the new administration to bring the work to a close. "The agreements and foundations remain in place, along with the promise of the new government to comply with the tourism strategy over the long term," stated Pierrefeu. El Heraldo |
||
| Monday, January 23, 2006 Online Edition 3 | |||
| Government prepares for transition
By Don Peat Both the incoming and outgoing presidential administrations were busy this week as the January 27 inauguration date approaches. In his final days in office, President Ricardo Maduro addressed the nation and received numerous international recognitions for his accomplishments while President-elect Manuel Zelaya met with the World Bank and readied for the inauguration. On Sunday, January 15, Maduro addressed the nation in a televised speech from Casa Presidencial. In his address, which lasted just under an hour, Maduro highlighted the achievements of his term in office. He discussed gains in the areas of security, anti-corruption, social action, economic policy, and physical infrastructure. "The main mandate which I received with my election to the Presidency of the Republic was the fight against the delinquency and to improve the citizen security," said Maduro, "with pride I can say that from the first day of my government to the last one, I have worked to fulfill that mandate." Maduro then went on to list his government's achievements in strengthening the nation's security including the passage of the anti-maras law and the hiring of new police officials while removing others accused of corruption or illegal activity. Statistically speaking, Maduro's administration saw the capture of more than 2,000 gang leaders, a 60 per cent reduction of gang activity, a 30 per cent reduction in murders, a 95 per cent reduction in bank robberies, a 92 per cent reduction in kidnappings, and seized more illegal drugs in 2004 than in the previous nine years.
One of the reoccurring themes of Maduro's speech was that many of his government's achievements will benefit the nation in future years, "we've planted the seeds of prosperity," said Maduro. This theme was clear in his economic review where Maduro pointed to the signing and implementation of CAFTA as an economic initiative that will reap financial benefit in the future. The forgiveness of Honduras' debt by other nations, in deals brokered by Maduro, also will have a lasting and continuing positive impact on the country. "People of Honduras: Although it is almost impossible to summarize four years of work in a few minutes, I have reviewed the most excellent advances during my government in social, economic, institutional matters and the fight against corruption. From all these examples one thing is clear, that together, with vision, commitment, sacrifice, and chiefly patriotism, together we have constructed a better future for our dear Honduras," said Maduro as he concluded his speech. On Wednesday, Maduro received the first Central American passport and recognition from the G-16 for "distinguished work and valuable contribution to the process of building the country." Formed after Hurricane Mitch, the G-16 is the group of countries that constitute the consultative group for cooperation with Honduras. Meanwhile, President-elect Zelaya continued to prepare to assume the presidency. Last week, he met with the World Bank and other international organizations. Also last week, in a ceremony at the National Congress Zelaya and the 128 elected congressmen received their credentials of office from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Preparations continued for the inauguration ceremony at the national stadium in Tegucigalpa. The three-day inauguration schedule was also released. Festivities begin Thursday, January 26, with the arrival of heads of state and official missions from around the world. President Vincente Fox of Mexico and Prince Felipe of Spain are some of the world leaders that have confirmed they will attend. President Fidel Castro of Cuba was invited to the event but is not attending. That evening a cultural event in honor of the visiting dignitaries will be held at Casa Presidencial. Friday, tens of thousands of Hondurans will attend the National Stadium for the Transmission of Presidential powers beginning at 7:45 a.m. and lasting until around 1 p.m. That afternoon, special guests of the inauguration will attend a lunch at Casa Presidencial or Chiminike Discovery Center. That night and Saturday, the visiting delegations will depart from either Toncontin airport or Hernan Acosta Mejia Airbase. Members of the press wishing to cover the inauguration events spent this week trying to get credentials from the government in the Hotel Plaza San Martin. More than 1,100 press officials had requested official access to the ceremony. The line-up for credentials lasted approximately three hours. The delay was due to government officials having to register, fingerprint, background check, and photograph each member of the press wishing to receive a pass. The last inauguration was held in January 2002 when President Maduro assumed office. Maduro's installment ceremony was held in Copan Ruinas. Toncontin Airport renovation ready for inauguration By Alexandra Winton "Behind these walls we are building the new Toncontin International Airport," state the many signs posted around the construction sites of Tegucigalpa's airport. The airport is a hive of activity, in preparation for the presidential inauguration taking place on Friday, January 27. A new building of more than 6,000 square meters should be open by Monday, January 23 to receive the many people coming from all over the world for the inauguration. Pedro Grave de Peralta, public relations manager at Toncontin said they are working with many people to help welcome all of the international guests at the airport. He mentioned guests like Prince Felipe of Spain. Presidents from seven Latin American countries are also coming, including Vicente Fox of Mexico, Martín Torrijos Espino from Panama and Colombian Álvaro Uribe. Mexican singer Pepe Aguilar, artists like Guillermo Anderson and other performers will also be arriving. The remodelling of an older, 8,000 square meter building, and general modernization is underway. Changes include new air conditioners, escalators, a new immigration area and a new road leading into the airport. "We're talking about more than $12 million for the new building, remodelling of the old one and all the equipment going inside," said Grave de Peralta. Though the airport is under heavy construction, this did not seem to be bothering travellers. "I noticed they're remodelling, but it didn't really affect me at all," said Carlos Martinez, who was dropping off a co-worker. "I think it's a good job for the future. Right now it's not the best because they're still working, but when it's finished it will be good because we need the best airport," said traveller Jorge Molina. It is a slightly different story for airport staff, who have been putting up with the work for months. Miguel Moncada, who works for American Airlines, complained of dust and lack of space for travellers. "Sometimes you see a cloud of dust, and in the morning our computers are all full of dust," he said. Nevertheless, Moncada knows the work is necessary and mentioned that the airport is going to be much better when it is done. Some of the work that began last May will be completed next Monday, while the rest is expected to be finished by May of this year, said Grave de Ralta. A grand opening is expected for next May.
|
US Medical Brigades in Honduras By Ruth Winkler The United States Air force, along with medical specialists from the Wilford Hall Hospital and the Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, are currently performing eye surgery in La Ceiba. Meanwhile, United States Air force specialists from Madigan Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington, are performing the same work in Choluteca. On the first day of the projects, January 17 medical groups from the United States and Honduras saw 531 patients in the Atlántida Hospital in La Ceiba and completed 59 of 112 programmed operations. In the Southern Regional Hospital in Choluteca 368 Hondurans with limited resources were seen and 36 of 172 operations were successfully completed. During the financial year of 2005, Honduras received 13 medical brigades including: eye surgeons, hand surgeons, eyes, nose and throat specialists, pediatricians and dentists. In 2006, 17 medical brigades, covering the same medical specialties, are committed to coming. Since the beginning of the 1980's, the North American military has been involved with civil action and training doctors in Honduras. The medical brigades that arrive in Honduras are on short-term placements, usually of two weeks, designed to provide preventative health care assistance in the form of general medical care and education of personal hygiene and care to prevent illnesses. These high profile missions provide training opportunities, build relations with medical professionals and can be a powerful weapon that benefits both parties. Honduras is one the countries that most benefits from the American medical brigades, with between 15 and 20 arriving each year. These brigades work alongside Honduran doctors and the Center of Military Medical Service, which, through the American Embassy, is the institution that identifies and gives out the names of the Honduran localities in greatest need of attention and medical care.
New Congressional President The Liberal candidate, Roberto Micheletti, was named as the next president of the National Congress on Thursday January 19, after gaining the votes of the Christian Democratic congressmen who had been in intense negotiations with the Liberal party, finally putting an end to the crisis that had been hanging over the country. This marks political defeat for the National Party, which up to the last moment had held aspirations of remaining in power, and the Democratic Unification Party (UD) whose congressmen had hoped to hold key posts under the direction of the National Party, with which they had formed an alliance. The end of the conflict was announced following a meeting at the house of the former President Carlos Flores by the Christian Democratic leader Arturo Corrales and congressman Micheletti, who revealed the posts that the Liberals, Nationals, Christian Democrats and Pinuists will hold. Unless some of the parties decide not to take up their assigned posts, Micheletti said that the Liberal Mary Elizabeth Flores (Lizzie), daughter of former President Flores, will partner with him as vice president of Congress. Maduro receives Central American passport Honduran president Ricardo Maduro became the first holder of a Central American diplomatic passport on Wednesday. The new document is being issued as part of the process of integration taking place in Central America and is already accepted by Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. Chancellor Mario Fortín handed over the passport to Maduro in Casa Presidencial, telling journalists, "Now it is implemented in Honduras. Guatemala and El Salvador will also do it soon and Nicaragua will finish implementing it at the end of the year, in order that the existing books that are still circulating in large numbers will have run out." The passports were obtained through a process assisted by the International Organization for Migration (OIM) and have 32 security measures that not only guarantee that a Honduran will be identified in any foreign immigration office, but also guard against any falsifications. "It is the most secure that the country has ever issued in its history," assured the Chancellor, explaining that the current passports are given by the Ministry of Interiors. Fortín advised that passports that are still valid would continue to be so up until their expiry date. The cost of the new passports is $35 for five years and $50 for 10 years. Diplomats indicated that the single passport plan was a decision to be made separately by each country and is not suitable for everyone. El Heraldo Arms registration amnesty ends Honduran authorities closed the period of grace for the population to register their arms with a total of 170,000 devices registered, the police informed on Wednesday. "There had been a period of grace for one year so that people would register their arms without having proof of purchase or any type of document, but on Friday this period came to an end. In that time they managed to register 170,000 arms," said the spokesman for the police, Gustavo Fajardo. During the special time for inscriptions, each person was allowed to register up to five arms, including mechanical or semi-automatic revolvers, pistols and guns, but not heavy or war arms that are only authorized for use by the military and police, said the spokesman. The period for registration began July 14, 2004 but was allowed up until the past Friday. From then anyone wishing to register a gun will have to present its proof of purchase, or a document certified by a lawyer that indicates that the weapon was acquired in a legal manner. Anyone found with an unregistered gun will now be detained and could face between three and six years in jail. El NuevoHerald.com Amnesty International adopts three prisoners of conscience Amnesty International announced on Thursday 19 that it had 'adopted' the cases of three 'prisoners of conscience' in Honduras and denounced a campaign orchestrated against community leaders and human rights defenders in this country. On calling for the immediate release of the three prisoners, AI signaled that "indigenous activists and defenders of human rights in Honduras have been turned into second class citizens, and as such, they are receiving second class justice." The prisoners in question are the indigenous leaders Feliciano Pineda, and brothers Marcelino and Leonardo Miranda, all three from Montaña Verde, Gracias, department of Lempira. According to AI all of the detainees are victims of a campaign against indigenous leaders in order to impede the reclamation of land and property rights titles and the protection of the environment. El Heraldo
|
||
| Monday, January 16, 2006 Online Edition 2 | ||||
| US Ambassador outlines goals for 2006
BY DON PEAT Immigration and cooperation are the key priorities for the United States in its relationship with Honduras in 2006. In his first press conference with the Honduran media, American Ambassador Charles Ford discussed several areas of interest for the US in Honduras including corruption reform, transnational crime (drugs, terrorism, illegal migration) abrogation, CAFTA implementation, and socioeconomic development. "At a government level - today's government, they are distinct, they have their distinct traditions, perhaps have their distinct priorities," said Ford when addressing the press on Wednesday morning, "but at the level of the basic interests of Honduras I don't see any difference between the basic interests of the US and the basic interests of Honduras." The discussion focused primarily on the reduction of illegal migration from Honduras into America. Ford discussed several changes to migratory laws that the US Congress is currently discussing. New laws for longer periods of detention for illegal immigrants and increased cooperation between governments in crackdown efforts are being considered. Ford also supports larger and more encompassing temporary worker programs. "Ultimately, we all know the true solution to illegal immigration is to offer hope and opportunity through education, health, security, justice, and work here in Honduras," said Ford. The ambassador hopes the changes in migratory laws will ensure a greater degree of stability of level of clarity for temporary workers in the US and for how illegal immigrants are dealt with. Currently, many temporary workers from Honduras fall under vague regulations passed to help mitigate economic disaster after 1998. The temporary worker status protection program was implemented for Hondurans after Hurricane Mitch. It allowed Hondurans, and victims of other natural disasters, to work in the US legally and helped divert money back into their home economies through remeses (remittances) sent back from the United States. Another economic issue important to Honduran-American relations is the successful implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which comes into effect this year. Ford mentioned the need for the US to see the Honduran government cracking down on intellectual property rights as a very important issue for the continued cooperation between the countries in tearing down trade barriers. As the representative of the US government in Honduras, Ford also reinforced his duty to help protect the rights of American citizens and their investments. "Fifty American citizens have been murdered in Honduras in the last 10 years and a significant amount in the last year," said Ford, drawing attention to the issue. Ford congratulated president-elect Zelaya on a hard fought campaign and stated he hopes to have as much cooperation with the new government as he has had with the government of President Maduro. When asked how the US government
felt about politicians like President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and
President Fidel Castro of Cuba, leaders whose politics differ from
the US, being invited to the inauguration, Ford was diplomatic, saying,
"They are heads of state and it is the decision of whichever
sovereign government if they want to include the heads of state of
other countries. So this doesn't cause us any worry."
By ALEJANDRA PAREDES The Japanese government through its embassy in Tegucigalpa has vowed to cooperate with Honduran education on the repair and building of one hundred schools over the next few years. Top authorities of the Honduran and Japanese government met with the international cooperation organizations and parents, students and teachers at the Las Americas School in Colonia Centroamerica Oeste to make the historic announcement. The ceremony included speeches from Ambassador Takashi Koezuka and President Ricardo Maduro. The director of the Las Americas School, Iris Janeth Mendoza thanked the Japanese government "for truly believing education is important for the future of our country." An investment of 1.7 million Lempiras is to be spent on the building of five class rooms at the Las Americas School, which has 1,412 students from grades one to nine. This school is the first of 100 to be improved with the help of the people of Japan, represented by its embassy, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), along with their volunteers and experts.
The event was enhanced by the participation of Jose Luis Recinos, Honduran actor who performed a Japanese theatre piece. "One Hundred Sacks of Rice" a true story, from feudal times, about the destruction of the town of Nagaoka, which was destroyed by war, leaving the inhabitants in a state of desperate poverty. A friendly neighboring city, Mineyama, graciously sent one hundred sacks of rice to alleviate the hunger suffered by its inhabitants. Kobayashi Torasaburo one of the community leaders, talked the population into selling this rice instead of eating it. The purpose: to build a school that would strengthen the minds of the children of Nagaoka so that through education, this poverty would never be suffered again. Nagaoka built a school, which today has educated some of Japan's most brilliant minds. Japan is also helping Honduran education with a mathematics improvement program and others aimed to fight the staggering grade failure and school dropout numbers. Ambassador Takashi Koezuka President Ricardo Maduro, ministers Martinez Lozano (Education) and Hung Pacheco (Technical Cooperation) attentively listened to the monologue. The Japanese announcement comes at a time when Honduran children's education has been recently and continuously impaired by the strikes from Honduran teachers working in public schools, who demand increasing salaries and benefits. President-elect signs commitment to Afro-Hondurans By ROSIBEL PACHECO The elected congresswoman for Francisco Morazan, Dayana Martinez, of Garifuna ethnic descent said, "the document is complete, we must not let people put us down, we are first class citizens, we must write our story."
She was referring to the document that shapes the campaign commitments to Afro-Honduran communities, signed by president-elect Manuel Zelaya Rosales. In order to make this commitment public the organization of Ethnic Community Development (ODECO) organized a Press Conference, Tuesday January 10, in the Hotel Honduras Maya, under the slogan 'we are searching for voices that silence the silenced'. ODECO's mission and commitment is to contribute to finding solutions to rights violations and state exclusions that prevail in Honduras and effect the Afro Honduran population and communities. The promises made in the campaign include economic, political, social, cultural and environmental development initiatives. The press conference was presided over by the Garifuna Celeo Alvarez Casilado, president of ODECO. Members of the main table of note were Dr. Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, next minister of culture and coordinator of the Social Cabinet, Armando Crisanto Norales, notable representative of Garifuna culture, who expressed to the public in attendance that during the 208 years of Garifuna presence in Honduras (the ethnic group having come from the island of San Vicente) they have fulfilled their obligations and are an auto sufficient ethnicity. He added that the Garifuna language was used to codify secret messages in times of war. He insisted in the importance of maintaining traditions in order to feel that one belongs to the community. Ambrosio Sabio of the Garifuna and ex president of a magisterial grouping was also at the main table. He signaled that January 10, 2006 marked the 67th anniversary of the death of the leader Catarino Castro Serrano, who was the first black member of National Congress to be elected, and a man who left history in a process of consolidation. Presently, there are four Afro Hondurans elected to Congress. The presence of the intellectual and theatre actor Rafael Murillo Selva was inevitable since he catapulted Garifuna culture to world fame with his work 'Louvabagu', which was shown in American and European theatres, and has now been translated into Italian. It is important to note that the future president, Manuel Zelaya Rosales, attended the event and committed himself to respecting the signed campaign and to makeing its promises reality.
|
Rescue mission
to sinking ship The 25-foot ship named Painkira left La Ceiba, on the north coast, on Saturday and was on route to Puerto Lempira, 190 miles to the east, when 9-foot waves flipped the boat causing it to sink, explained Commander Jose Espinal, head of the navy. Military helicopters
located the 11 passangers and 11 crewmembers holding onto debris floating
in the water off the coast of Barra de Cuta and Demante in the northeastern
province of Gracias a Dios. Hugo Arevalo, deputy director of a national emergency response committee, informed that all those rescued "are in satisfactory health." Espinal said the large waves were due to winds being whipped up by a cold front moving across the northern Caribbean Coast. Port Captain Miguel Antonio Ramirez said that the cargo ship was made vulnerable because it was overloaded. "The boat was transporting a large amount of food, a truck, two automobiles, five horses and two bulls to Gracias a Dios," Ramirez said. "It was overloaded and that made it an easy target for the waves." CNN.com Protection
law A spokesman of the Honduras legislative branch said that a simple majority approved the law and it would also cover anybody who is thought to be at risk because of their previous employment details. Some sectors however expressed their opposition to the law, claiming that if it was concerning matters of security for fears of the violence and delinquency that pervades the country then all Hondurans are equally at risk. The new law was approved eight days after the government of Ricardo Maduro sent the ex minister of security, Oscar Alvarez, to the US to take up a consular post after he had received threats from Honduran gangs. Alvarez had led a fight against organized crime during his time as Minister of Security causing him to have become a target in Honduras and fearful for his and his family’s safety. El Heraldo Guests confirm
attendance at inauguration A doubt had existed over her attendance at the ceremony to take place January 27 as she had previously arranged a conference on human rights in Costa Rica on the same date. This, however, has now been cancelled. Another Nobel Peace Prize winner’s attendance has been confirmed, former Costa Rican President Óscar Arias. Also in attendance at the Villa Olímpica will be international music artists including the Mexican singer 'Pepe' Aguilar and Silvio Rodríguez, while national artists Guillermo Anderson, Moisés Canelo and other indigenous and contemporary music groups will be there. Meanwhile, Mexican Congress has authorized for President Vicente Fox to reschedule a working trip to Chile in order to be available for Zelaya's official taking over of presidency. Fox explained that he wished his visit to Honduras to send a "positive sign" to the country concerning the interests of Mexico in maintaining "a high level of dialogue and cooperation" with the government of this country. El Heraldo
|
|||
| Monday, January 9, 2006 Online Edition 1 | |||
| Caring for burned children
By RUTH WINKLER On January 4 the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (BCIE) and the Burned Children Care Foundation of Nicaragua (APROQUEN) held a press conference to recognize the formal creation of a trust to aid in the formation of a regional program of care, rehabilitation and prevention for burned children in Central America. The BCIE has donated $500,000 for the implementation of the program in Central America. The donation was formally presented by Dr. Harry E. Brautigam, president of the BCIE, and accepted by Vivian Pellas, president of APROQUEN. The regional program aims to educate various Central American institutions on the model of integration that APROQUEN promotes, emphasizing the importance of initial treatment and continued follow-up care. It will also contribute to the education of medical and specialized staff in the centers in Central America and promote prevention awareness campaigns in the region to hopefully reduce the large amount of children who are victims of burns injuries in the region each year. During the proceedings Brautigam stated that the project “will make a huge difference to the children of Central America,” where incidents of children being badly burned are extremely high. This is principally due to accidents caused by the unsafe living conditions of much of the population; hot liquids and fires started from candles and kerosene lamps being the principle causes of injury. The regional program will be undertaken by APROQUEN, which will also undertake the management of donations and increase the trust's base, guaranteeing the continuity of the program. The trust will be administered by the BCIE and will rely on donations from countries, public and private organizations, humanitarian organizations, multilateral banks of development and other institutions for its continued growth and development. Pellas stated that by the end of June the organization will establish two training projects in Honduras. One in Tegucigalpa, with the help of CRISAC, and the second in San Pedro Sula, through the Ruth Paz Foundation, through which they will have a greater capacity to help children across Central America. This could allow for the future establishment of a much-needed specialist burns unit in Honduras able to tackle the excessively high mortality rate from burns in the country. APROQUEN is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 by Pellas after she was involved in a near fatal plane crash on October 21, 1989. Pellas and her husband were two of only 10 survivors. She herself suffered severe burn injuries in the crash and has since undergone 27 operations. The organization's mission has been to provide free, complete and specialized medical treatment to children under the age of 15 from the poorest sectors of Nicaraguan and Central American society, using the most up to date methods and treatments. In the 14 years since its inauguration, APROQUEN has provided over 173,000 free treatments to children, constructing the first children's burns unit in Nicaragua in 1993 at the Fernando Vélez Páiz state Hospital. Then, in 2004, Pellas achieved her initial dream by opening the new Children's Burns Unit in the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital of Nicaragua, itself administered by APROQUEN. This is the only unit of its kind in Central America, incorporating a special center of rehabilitation and it is recognized as being the second best center for specialized treatment in the whole of Latin America, complying with all international standards of quality, hygiene, and technology. With a monthly running cost of 78,000 dollars, the unit relies on donations to continue its work, which "by providing proper care and treatment is able to prevent 80 percent of the surgery that can be necessary over a number of years as the skin contracts and tightens," said Pellas. Pellas states that the incidents of burns victims is higher than it is perceived to be throughout Central America, "The children we see are not all, you have to remember that many face abandonment and will not be allowed to integrate into society." This she puts down to a lack of education and understanding in the region, causing the treatment and support provided by APROQUEN to be vital in allowing a child to fully recuperate their life and be integrated back into society. The financial help given to APROQUEN from the BCIE for this regional program to help burned children is part of their strategy to reduce poverty in Central America, providing financial solutions for the development of Central America. Pellas stated that they "think not only of economics, but also of their social responsibility to the region." As a registered non-profit organization, the Burned Children Care Foundation operates with a tax-deductible status for donations received from the United States. FEDEX helps community give thanks
On December 20 the community of Parcaltagua, with the participation of Fedex, held their traditional Christmas Mass to give thanks. Those in attendance gave thanks to God for maintaining his communion with the community and keeping them united with the Church. Thanks were also given for the gift of life, good health and prosperity, which were received during the past year of 2005 and in hope for continued fortune in 2006. Every year Fedex holds the service where the Señor of Santa Lucia was laid to rest in 1901, and which is now kept as a beautiful garden of worship.
Paramedic helps heal Honduras
By DON PEAT Proof of the need to help establish quality medical care in Honduras was clear for one Canadian when an injured boy was brought to him for help. "He had fallen out of a pickup truck and was hurt badly," recalled Steve Malone, a paramedic from Peterborough, Canada, "I was in the town teaching Red Cross people first aid and had very little equipment." Malone was on one of his first trips to the 7,000-person village of Jesus de Otoro, Intibuca Department, in northwest Honduras. The nine-year-old child
had major head and abdominal injuries but Malone was able to start
first aid and an intravenous drip before they began the long journey
to the closest hospital in La Esperanza. It was a traumatic event,
deepened by the frustrating lack of equipment and medical facilities.
"That's when I felt a true part of that community," said Malone. Malone has managed to use that experience to fuel his efforts in establishing Paramedics for Children Canada, a non-profit organization that works to increase the availability of medical equipment and medical knowledge in Honduras. The group focuses largely on establishing ambulance services and increasing public health. "We can't be here 365 days a year, so we train people to do the paramedic work," said Malone explaining why he focuses so much on teaching, "it gives them a sense of pride and ownership in their community's ambulance service." All the paramedics trained by Malone are volunteers. He hopes that their paramedic training and experiences will be the first steps towards lifelong careers in medicine. As an advanced care paramedic, Malone is trained to provide emergency care with drugs and cardiac equipment. Also defined as a level three paramedic, he is a trauma specialist and can work in an ambulance or emergency room dispensing emergency drugs and cardiac care. Malone first came to Honduras three years ago when fellow Peterborough resident Dr. Jim McCallum asked him to come on a trip with his organization Friends of Honduran Children. Before he arrived, Malone barely knew where Honduras was. "After three days here I totally fell in love with the country and the people," said Malone, "I went home ready to start an agency that would help Honduran children." He sold his paramedic training company and began laying the groundwork for his organization. Twenty trips to Honduras later, Malone has established his organization as a dedicated non-profit, willing to help and work with many other NGOs in Honduras. After the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia Malone travelled to Indonesia to work with Paramedics for Children International. Working alongside that organization Malone realized that an association between them and his developing NGO would be a complimentary effort. With their permission, he named his organization Paramedics for Children Canada. The two autonomous groups share some projects but also run independent projects. This January the organization takes on a new name, Paramedics Without Borders, so it can expand its operations to other countries, hopefully repeating some their successes in Honduras. Though the organization is extending its reach beyond Honduras, Malone won't be abandoning the country just yet. At the end of January Malone is returning to Honduras for six months, he hopes to continue his paramedic training and to supervise the building of an ambulance base. His long-term hope is to establish a paramedic training facility in Tegucigalpa, to provide a standard level of education for the nation's paramedics. Ultimately, Malone hopes such an institution would also train paramedics from neighboring Central American countries. "We see our projects as minimum 25 year commitments," explained Malone, "as an aid organization you can't just come into these people's lives and then leave without ensuring sustainability and community empowerment." Last November Malone received some hometown recognition for his work in Honduras. The Peterborough and Kawartha Rotary Club awarded him the Paul Harris Fellowship Award for his international service.
|
Prison deaths He informed that the inmates died from gunshot wounds and that they were investigating the cause of the shootings. He said that the incident occurred at around 3.20 on Thursday evening, inside the Casa Blanca wing of the prison, where prisoners regarded to be high risk by the authorities are kept. 90 percent of the inmates there have already been sentenced. "You could hear a number of shots being fired inside the wing of the prison, where there was a disturbance between the prisoners, and with a still unidentified fire arm 13 people were killed and another was left injured," he stated. According to Banegas, "it was no | ||
President
Manuel “Mel” Zelaya Rosales after receiving the presidential
sash at his inauguration in the National Stadium in Tegucigalpa on
Friday
The
leaders of Central America- Presidents from across Central America
attended the inauguration.
Prince
Felipe of Spain watches the inauguration proceedings.
President
Vincente Fox of Mexico and Mrs. Marta Sanagun de Fox.
End
of Term- President Ricardo Maduro (far right) meets with the representatives
of the G-16.
The
National Stadium is ready for the inauguration ceremony with a new
paint job in Liberal Party red and white. 
Construction
outside the new entrance to Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa,
Honduras.
Charles
A. Ford, American Ambassador to Honduras, speaks to reporters at the
U.S. Embassy earlier this week.
Schoolchildren
wave Japanese and Honduran flags at the Las Americas School in Colonia
Centroamerica Oeste.
Officials
watch as a Japanese actor performs at the ceremony announcing funds
for the improvement of Honduran schools.
An
election poster for Congresswoman Dayana Martinez Burke. She was one
of the Afro-Hondurans present for the announcement.
Vivian
Pellas, president of APROQUEN accepts a donation from Dr. Harry E.
Brautigam, president of the BCIE.
By
RUTH WINKLER
Steve Malone, founder of Paramedics Without Borders, the organization
was previously called Paramedics for Children Canada