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Trade union solidarity mission to Honduras

6 August, 2009International trade union representatives are visiting Honduras in solidarity with the Honduran people to verify rights violations and demand the restoration of democracy and a return to constitutional order.

HONDURAS: A delegation of international trade union leaders is visiting Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula in Honduras on a mission aimed at intensifying international political pressure on the government that came to power in a coup. The delegations is also expressing solidarity with trade unionists who are resisting the dictatorship and suffering violations of the freedom of expression.

The mission's objective is to demand the restoration of democracy and a return to constitutional order and to express solidarity with the Honduran people. The mission was organised by the International Trade Union Confederation and the Trade union Confederation of the Americas. The delegation also includes representatives of the Global Union Federations, including Jorge Almeida, IMF representative for Latin America and the Caribbean,

The mission, representing the international trade union community, is in Honduras from August 5 to 8 and will report violations to international and trade union organisations and work with Honduran trade union and social movements to draw up a programme to intensify solidarity action, at different places and times, and at the local and international levels with a view to restoring democracy.

The mission's programme includes meetings with social movements that are resisting the dictatorship and also with international observation groups, alternative media, trade unions and human rights organisations.

The IMF condemns the coup in Honduras, which took place on June 28 when President Manuel Zelaya Rosales was abducted, removed from office and expelled from the country. The IMF has been acting in solidarity with its Honduran affiliate, FETRAMIMH, throughout this period.

Since the coup in Honduras, an atmosphere of political persecution has affected political, trade union and social movement leaders. The ITUC and the IMF, through its affiliate, has noted serious human rights violations with at least eight killings, more than 150 injured and wounded, many threats and restrictions on the freedom of expression, information and movement.