2 July, 2009The Honduran trade union, FETRAMIMH, affiliated to the IMF, has joined the resistance to the coup.
HONDURAS: The Honduran people, victim of a military coup against the President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, last Sunday, is resisting but is subject to tremendous intimidation, says Napoleón Vallecillo, president of the Federación de Trabajadores Mineros y Metalúrgicos de Honduras (Miners and Metalworkers Federation of Honduras), affiliated to the IMF.
Napoleón told the IMF that "all FETRAMIMH affiliates have joined the resistance to the coup." He said there has not been such fierce repression for 30 years and the coup was a backward step. "Some people have disappeared, others have been killed and wounded and the authorities have a black list of 600 leaders they are looking for."
"There is a tremendous amount of intimidation in the country and the government has suspended constitutional guarantees, such as personal freedom, freedom of movement (between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.) and the freedoms of association, expression and information. Moreover, individuals can be arrested without charge."
He also explained that the people are engaged in a national strike of popular resistance, which the federation has joined. The Honduran people are permanently in the streets "demanding the return of President Zelaya and the punishment of those who carried out the coup."
FETRAMIMH thanks IMF affiliates and the IMF Regional Office for the solidarity they have given.
The IMF Regional Office offered its solidarity to our mining and metalworking colleagues in Honduras, condemned the military coup and called on all affiliates to take action in solidarity with the Honduran people by writing letters or taking other initiatives to demand the immediate reinstatement of President Manuel Zelaya and the return of democratic institutions to Honduras.