In Honduras, Freedom Restored

ARRA News – The story out of Honduras is that the people of that stalwart little country have now taken it into their own hands to preserve their democracy in the most courageous action since they established their constitutional republic nearly three decades ago. Just as former Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales prepared to seize full power in direct violation of the nation’s Constitution, the military leadership – with the backing of the people – removed him from power.

Unfortunately, Barak Obama, after encouraging the Zelaya coup with his complicit silence, has now condemned the people’s move to uphold their Constitution and preserve their freedom. And, as expected, the mainstream media has joined Mr. Obama in censuring the restoration of democracy by censoring the full story. Yet, what actually occurred in Honduras is a case study in the survival of freedom against the most oppressive odds.

Earlier this year, in the face of strong public opposition, Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales declared that he would stage a referendum to have the country’s constitutional term limits law overturned, thereby allowing him to remain indefinitely in power. The people of Honduras had adopted the single, four-year–term limit as part of their Constitution in January of 1982. Significantly, the term limits provision is one of only eight “firm articles,” out of 375. By law, cannot be amended.

The Supreme Court of Honduras declared the Zelaya referendum unconstitutional, his own Liberal Party came out in strong opposition, and the public overwhelmingly opposed his power grab. Despite this, Zelaya, a leftwing politician with strong ties to Cuba’s Castro and Venezuela’s Chavez, scheduled the referendum for Sunday, June 28. At midnight, Wednesday, June 24, the strong-arm president gave a televised speech accusing his opposition of promoting “destabilization and chaos” by attempting to thwart his unconstitutional referendum.

As the situation in Honduras continued to deteriorate, the Zelaya’s attorney general called for his ouster; his Defense Minister resigned; he fired the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for stating that he would refuse to send out troops to put down public protests; the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force resigned; and the country’s Supreme Court ordered the nation’s army and police not to support the unconstitutional referendum.

Through all of this, Barack Obama abetted the Zelaya power grab through his calculated silence. Yet, the brave people of Honduras – enduring almost unfathomable duress – stood firm in support of their Constitution and the term limits embodied in it. Now that the will of the people has triumphed over tragedy, we believe the time has come for Mr. Obama to concede the defeat of his partner and policy, and for the U.S. media to support those who, putting principle above personal safety, have let freedom ring. We applaud the Freedom Fighters of neighboring Honduras. [Source by ALG News]

Iran Protest Coverage: Sun June 21, 2009

Yesterday I tracked coverage of the events in Iran on Twitter and posted them here.  Though it’s late Saturday night in the US, it’s now Sunday morning, 21 June 2009, in Iran.  I’ll update this post as events unfold throughout the day.

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Iran opposition leader vows to stand by protesters

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Video

(scroll down to see most recent videos)

Dawn fires, explosions, and protesters cheering

Screams, sirens, and gunshots in the black of last night

Thousands marching, chanting “We are all together”

Sunday protest in the streets

More Sunday protests

Police beating in Iran

YouTube user claims this is chemical attack

Protesters protect one of their wounded

Police attack protesters

Protesters flee advancing police

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Unconfirmed Reports

(user names not posted for their safety)

11:06 pm CST    FROM #IRAN* Tanks have rolled in Tehran … #iranelection

11:26 pm CST    RT: There was a military tank in Azadi square last night. #iran #iranelection

11:47 pm CST    RT From Iran: basij are beleived to be carrying out house raids, Please RT #iranelection

8:49 am CST     Ppl getting ready 2close down main market in Tehran known as “bazaar” Wuld have big effect on Econ. #iran

12:34 pm CST     RT from Iran: Still hearing gunshots from Tajrish SQ. People set fire and fired some Basijis motorcycles #iranelection

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Iran Protest Coverage: Sat June 20,2009

Finally!  At about 2:45 pm CST Saturday, President Obama finally released a statement in support of those standing for Democracy and freedom in Iran!  The President refused to make the statement on camera, but included the following in a press release.

We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.

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Protests continue in Iran, despite the threat of a violent crackdown by the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.  I’ll be updating this post throughout the day with videos, photos, and reports from Twitter.

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Related Stories

Three twitterers from early protests MIA

Mousavi ready for martyrdom

Journalist’s report from Tehran

Saturday in Iran: Deadly crackdown

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9:01 CST  Iranian state run media are reporting a suicide bombing of the shrine of Ayatollah Khomenei

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More video

Protesters intimidating Basij militia

More protest video

Huge crowds protest today in spite of crackdown

Protesters running through streets, gunshots heard in background

Woman shot to death by pro-Gov’t Basij militia [GRAPHIC]

Protesters shot on camera [GRAPHIC]

Another protester shot in the street [GRAPHIC]

More protesters clash with militia

Protesters clash with police at Shiraz Unitversity

Police murdering protesters [GRAPHIC]

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UNCONFIRMED REPORTS (via Twitter)

11:00 am CST RT from Tehran: There is bloodshed here. Some persons among the crowd have grenades (There is not clear who they exactly are) #Iran …

11:11 am CST      RT F IRAN Chemical warfare?Evidently not boiling water but something else being sprayed from helicopters. via daily dish #iran #iranelection

11:29 am CST    Protesters are being stopped, searched and their “weapons” (read: cell phones) seized. Information is power. #iranelection

12:20 pm CST #gr88 #iran09 #iranelection #Tehran Reports: People Blocking Streets at Tehran Pars (East Tehran) and Setting Fires

12:47 pm CST    Injured [protesters] are being removed from hospitals and taken away by Basij #IranElection #Tehran #Mousavi #GR88 #iranelection

12:52 pm CST    #IranElection #Iran Reports from the ground: Iranian govt is using Hezbollah against the protesters. Can NE1 confirm? http://tiny.cc/kEqS3

2:10 pm CST   RT Hospital close to the scene in Tehran: 30-40 dead thus far as of 11pm and 200 injured. Police taking names of injured. #iranelection

2:18 pm CST    POLICE HELICOPTERS NOW SPILLING ACID ONTO PROTESTORS FROM ABOVE #iranelection

2:43 pm CST   RT News arriving that ppl planning to march into centre Tehran tonight as darkness falls. #iranelection #gr88 #Tehran

2:45 pm CST    Zhila Baniyaghoob’s (woman activist) home has been raided #Tehran #iranelection #GR88 #mousavi

3:04 pm CST    homes getting raided, journalists getting arrested. bad day in #iranelection

3:41 pm CST    RT Eye witness reporting that milita use ambulances to lure people & then shoot them (Roodaki & Azarbayjan st.) #IranElection

4:09 pm CST    Iran source says thr is a military tank in Azadi Square (I cnt confirm ths) #iranelection

4:11 pm CST IRAN FRIEND JUST SAID BASIJI ARE THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS INTO CROWDS. #iranelection #iran. Trying to confirm elsewhere/ 1st hand

7:52 pm CST    REPORTS THAT EMBASSIES ARE CLOSED! I STILL NEED CONFIRMATION! PLEASE RT! #IranElection #Iran #Tehran #Basij

8:37 pm CST    Iran Basij are marking doors to attack later.Use oil/petrol to remove the mark from your door. #IranElection #Tehran

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Hope and Change – But Not for Iran

by Charles Krauthammer at Townhall.com

WASHINGTON — Millions of Iranians take to the streets to defy a theocratic dictatorship that, among its other finer qualities, is a self-declared enemy of America and the tolerance and liberties it represents. The demonstrators are fighting on their own, but they await just a word that America is on their side. And what do they hear from the president of the United States? Silence. Then, worse. Three days in, the president makes clear his policy: continued “dialogue” with their clerical masters. Dialogue with a regime that is breaking heads, shooting demonstrators, expelling journalists, arresting activists. Engagement with — which inevitably confers legitimacy upon — leaders elected in a process that begins as a sham (only four handpicked candidates permitted out of 476) and ends in overt rigging. …More