FUND-RAISING APPEAL
RESISTING & ROLLING BACK THE COUP-REGIME IN HONDURAS:
IN DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY & THE RULE OF LAW
BELOW: A summary of funds Rights Action has distributed thus far and an appeal for more funds
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The people of Honduras enter their 8th week of resistance to the repressive military coup regime in Honduras, since the June 28th coup.
Theirs is a struggle to restore the government of President Zelaya and continue on their path to bring about real democratic reforms.
This is a struggle of Hondurans for Honduras, and it is a struggle of the Americas.  Across the continent, there are struggles going on between poor majorities and wealthy and powerful elites who resist change to the status quos in their countries and in the Americas.
With global support and activism, there is a chance that the Honduran people can turn back the coup!  It is very difficult, the repression, rights violations and destruction of democracy are happening now, but the need and desire are there, in the Honduran people.
We write to ask for donations that we will used by Rights Action and channeled to our groups in Honduras, for their work in defense of democracy and the rule of law.
To date, Rights Action has channeled $35,000 to:

BACKGROUND
Since 1998, in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, RA has supported and worked with indigenous, campesino and human rights groups in Honduras, including: COPINH (Civic Counsel of Indigenous & Popular Organizations), OFRANEH (Fraternal Organization of Garifuna People) COFADEH (Committee of Family Members of the Disappeared).
Since 2002, we have supported and worked with a number of groups that are denouncing and opposing the environmental and health harms, and human rights violations, caused by Goldcorp Inc’s open pit, cyanide leech gold mine in central Honduras: Siria Valley Enviro-Defense Committee and CPRPT (Center for Torture Prevention).
We supported these groups in their emergency response work to Hurricane Mitch, their community and enviro-defense work related to mining, and in their long-term community development, human rights promotion and environmental defense work.
Even as each of these groups works in particular regions, on particular issues, they all have a common vision of a different future for Honduras – one based on:

SINCE THE COUP
None of these groups were committed supporters of the military-ousted President Mel Zelaya.  However, all of them are committed supporters of real democracy and the rule of law.
Leaders of our partner groups, and many others, are being targeted by the military regime.  (Many of them also suffered from the State terrorism and repression of the USA-backed military regimes of the 1980s and early 1990s!)
Rights Action staff have been in Honduras since before the coup, and are working with people, organizations and the National Front Against the Coup, and are reporting regularly on what is happening.
ACTUAL SITUATION
The situation in Honduras could not be much worse.  Like other groups, Rights Action receives more information about resistance and repression than we can relay.  The basic situation is as follows:

At www.rightsaction.org, please read our series of “Honduras Military Coup Alerts”.  You will read analysis and reports, and references to groups – in Honduras and outside – who are working to resist the coup.
FUND-RAISING GOAL: $165,000
FUNDS TO BE USED AS FOLLOWS:

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TO DONATE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE FUNDS, MAKE CHECK TO “RIGHTS ACTION” AND MAIL TO:
UNITED STATES:  Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
CANADA:  552-351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS:  http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm
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We look forward to your questions or comments about this work.  We would gladly set up a time to talk on the phone.
Annie Bird & Grahame Russell, co-directors
1-860-352-2448
info@rightsaction.org
www.rightsaction.org