Feminists’ resistance to the coup d’état in Honduras

The coup has been a blow to the Honduran social organizations. The de facto Government’s repression has resulted in deaths, hundreds of injured and displaced people, and the violation of fundamental rights. With the absence of the rule of law, the violence against the women has increased, catalysed by the patriarchal culture that considers the feminine body as its property. In this framework, Feminists in Resistance – a coordination of women’s organizations, and organized and independent feminists – has emerged, focusing its work on defending and highlighting the rights and struggles of women with messages such as “Neither blows to democracy nor blows to women”.

On 28 June 2009 the Honduran army staged a coup d’état against the constitutionally elected president Manuel Zelaya Rosales, sending him into forced exile and naming Roberto Micheletti, until then president of the National Congress, as his successor or “provisional president”. This coup was carried out with the support of the traditional political parties, the business sector, the Supreme Court, the Catholic Church and most of the mass media, among others.

Zelaya won the elections of 2005 with the Liberal Party (a traditional center-right political party) and took office in January 2006, in the midst of social unrest. Zelaya’s administration, without being considered among the so-called “new left” Latin American governments, adopted a series of measures to appease the demands of the social organizations, including the increase of capital allocated to social investment projects and the veto of the law that prohibited the “day after” contraceptive pill. These policies led to the government of Zelaya to rank among the governments in Latin America with the highest approval ratings, with 50% in 2006, 61% in 2007, and 62% of approval in April 2009, according to Barómetro de Gobernabilidad Iberoamericano. In the same way that Zelaya´s government gained the support of social movements and the approval of the citizens, it won itself the rejection of the Catholic Church, of former political allies, and of large sectors of the Armed Forces, who would later encourage and endorse the coup d’état against him.

In the last weeks, the repression unleashed by the de facto Government has resulted in deaths, hundreds of injured and displaced people, as well as the violation of fundamental rights. The rights to freedom of movement and of speech, among others, are limited, especially for the population gathered together in popular resistance.

In this context of violence and almost total absence of the rule of law, the violence against the women has increased, catalysed by the patriarchal culture that considers the feminine body as its property. Women in the popular resistance and also others, who, by chance, were involved in situations of resistance, have experienced first hand the repression of the police and the army. Since the first days of the new de facto regime, the women’s movement and the feminists are set against it, and have joined the resistance along with the popular sectors throughout the country.

Feminists in Resistance – a coordination of women’s organizations, and organized and independent feminists – emerged in the frame of the different actions of resistance. Its work focuses on defending and highlighting the rights and struggles of women. With messages such as “Neither blows to democracy nor blows to women” they have managed to link two major national problems, thus contributing to a more comprehensive vision of current issues.

Against the advancing impunity in Honduras, the resistance movement is developing a range of actions to create and strengthen a basic framework to protect human rights, with the support of international organizations.

The Feminists in Resistance of Honduras have planned and carried out different actions together with the feminists in resistance of Costa Rica, Guatemala and other organizations of Central America and other countries. The different organizations that make up the national coalition of Social Watch in Honduras, including the Centro de Estudios de la Mujer and the Centro de Estudios y Acción para el Desarrollo de Honduras are involved in this initiative. Currently, they are organizing for the “Days of Action for Women´s Human Rights in Honduras”, which will take place from August 17-21, 2009. Although the principal activities will take place in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, actions will take place in other cities and zones of the country, especially in those in which the repression has been carried out with greater brutality.

The principal goals of these Days of Action are the preparation of a report documenting violations to the human rights of Honduran women that have taken place since the coup d’état; the promotion of debates and analysis on the political situation in Honduras; and the consciousness-raising of the Honduran society on the need to prevent and denounce all violations to women´s human rights. The activities and results of the Days of Action can be found at the Radio Internacional Feminista website (http://www.fire.or.cr). Also messages of solidarity and support can be sent to observatoriovirtual@radiofeminista.net.

Agustin Fernandez- Social Watch Secretariat & Ana Maria Ferrera - Feministas en Resistencia & Social Watch Honduras