<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">--- On <b>Mon, 2/15/10, Hcottin@aol.com <i><Hcottin@aol.com></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: Hcottin@aol.com <Hcottin@aol.com><br>Subject: [Presente-Honduras] STATEMENT on behalf of US activists on the murder of Vanessa Yamileth Zepeda<br>To: toml@quixote.org, presente-honduras@lists.mayfirst.org, fian-honduras@googlegroups.com, hondurasusaresistencia@yahoo.com, celcas2000@gmail.com, sub@sonic.net, lachapel1@verizon.net<br>Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 12:04 AM<br><br><div id="yiv779553328">
<font id="role_document" color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">
<div align="center"><img src="cid:1.3165351775@web38907.mail.mud.yahoo.com" style="width: 458px; height: 484px;" id="MA1.1266210264" vspace="5" width="458" height="484"></div>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Vanessa Yamileth Zepeda, 27 year old union leader, mother and nurse
assassinated in Honduras</font></span></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF U.S.<font face="Tahoma"> </font> LABOR & PROGRESSIVE ACTIVISTS CONDEMNING THE
MURDER OF UNION LEADER VANESSA YAMILETH ZEPEDA & THE REPRESSION SWEEPING
HONDURAS</font></span></b></p><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3"></font></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">The right to organize is a basic human right of every worker. It is
a right defended by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In Honduras, that
right is being denied on a daily basis.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Since the 1980s, militarists in Honduras have trained paramilitary forces
to torture and murder labor unionists and other activists to prevent the people
from exercising their basic right to resist exploitation and
oppression.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3"> When the U.S.-backed military coup against the legally elected
President Jose Manuel Zelaya took place last June, many of the military
participants were the perpetrators of this travesty. They discharged their
military, paramilitary and police forces to torture and murder labor union
leaders, students, LGBT activists and peasants.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">The U.S. government may claim that the election of José "Pepe" Lobo
was a "triumph of democracy," but that is an out and out lie. The remnants and
new recruits of the genocidal U.S.- trained Battalion 3-16 are still conducting
political assassinations in Honduras. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3"> Since the coup, our fellow labor activists have been murdered at an
unprecedented rate, and murdered stealthily in a way that allows the Lobo
government to claim that these murders were not political.
</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3"> But the murder of the leader of the SITRAIHSS labor union
(Workers Union for the Honduran Social Security Institute), Vanessa
Zepeda, who was abducted when she was leaving a union meeting, leaves no
doubt in our minds that this is an OFFICIAL POLICY and OFFICIAL COVER-UP by
the fraudulently elected Lobo government.</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"> We
the undersigned members of U.S. labor unions as well as progressive
organizations, declare our opposition to this official policy of neo- fascist
repression in Honduras, and call upon our own unions to denounce this
illegitimate government, and to support our fellow unionists in
Honduras</span></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">.
. .</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3"><em><strong>Furthermore, we oppose the enabling role the U.S. government
has played in the election and “legitimizing” of the Lobo regime, which is only
an attempt to justify and sanitize the criminal coup of June
2009.</strong></em></font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Anne Pruden</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Bryan G. Pfeifer, Staff Organizer, Union of Part-Time Faculty-AFT, Wayne
State University, Detroit*</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Gavrielle Gemma</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Greg Dunkel, Professional Staff
Congress-CUNY</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Heather Cottin: Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers:
Retired, PSC-CUNY</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">LeiLani Dowell, Fight Imperialism, Stand
Together</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Martha Grevatt , Chair, Civil and Human Rights Committee, UAW Local
122* </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Milt Rosenberg</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Sean P. Schafron, Coraopolis, PA 15108</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Teresa Gutierrez, National IAC Coordinator, Immigrant and Latin
American Projects, Co-Coordinator May 1st Coalition</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Berta H. Joubert-Ceci, MD, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Dave Welsh: Delegate, San Francisco (Calif.) Labor
Council</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Gloria Rubac, Houston Federation of Teachers, Local 2415,
Retired </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Joan Marquardt </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Leslie Feinberg: Co-founder Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban
5 </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Mike Gimbel; DC 37, New York City Labor Council
Delegate </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Michael Kramer, Jersey City, New Jersey, Vets for
Peace </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Monica Moorehead, Millions for Mumia </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Shelley Ettinger, member, AFT Local
3882 </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Sue Harris, co-director- Peoples Video
Network </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Wellington Echegaray, Colombian activist</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Sharon Black, Bail Out the People Movement Union
Coordinator </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Joe Piette, Mail Handlers Union,
Philadelphia</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Brenda Stokely, Million Worker March</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Hannah
Frisch, Chicago</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Mike
Gimbel, <i>Local 375 AFSCME Chair of Labor/Community Unity
Committee</i></font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Abayomi
Azikiwe, Editor of the Pan-African News Wire</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Gregory Butterfield, member, National Organization of Legal Service
Workers Local 2320, UAW * </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Michelle Gore-Butterfield, member, Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764,
IATSE *</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><font size="3">Nayereh Tohidi, Ph.D, Professor,Department of Gender & Women's
Studies, California State University, Northridge</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">Tom
Paine Cronin</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Chuck
Kaufman, Alliance for Global Justice</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">Andy
Griggs, L.A. -United Teachers Los Angeles (NEA/AFT)*, Screen Actors Guild*,
Actor's Equity* <i>For identification purposes only</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Ron Chew, Oak Park, IL 60302</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><font size="3">Maria Urbina Gonzalez</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><font size="3">Diana Canales</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Dale Sorensen, California, USA</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">Allan
Fisher, AFT Local 2121</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Chito
Quijano, Auditor, International League of Peoples' Struggle & Lead
Organizer, CNA/National Nurses United</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;"><font size="3">Panama
Alba </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">Louis
Barrios </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p></span><p></p></font></div><br>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<br><br><div class="plainMail">_______________________________________________<br>Presente-honduras mailing list<br><br>Post: <a ymailto="mailto:Presente-honduras@lists.mayfirst.org" href="/mc/compose?to=Presente-honduras@lists.mayfirst.org">Presente-honduras@lists.mayfirst.org</a><br>List info: <a href="https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/presente-honduras" target="_blank">https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/presente-honduras</a><br><br>To Unsubscribe<br> Send email to: <a ymailto="mailto:Presente-honduras-unsubscribe@lists.mayfirst.org"
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