July, 27 2010, 01:08pm EDT
Statement and Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Readmission of Honduras into OAS
On July 30, 2010 the Organization of American States' High-Level
Commission on Honduras is expected to make recommendations to the OAS
member states with regards to the readmission of Honduras into the OAS.
After the coup in June 2009, the OAS suspended Honduras's membership.
CCR's Executive Director, Vincent Warren issued an Open Letter today to
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking issue with Clinton's
characterizations of the situation in Honduras and the United States'
persistent lobbying of OAS member states for normalization of
relations.
NEW YORK
On July 30, 2010 the Organization of American States' High-Level
Commission on Honduras is expected to make recommendations to the OAS
member states with regards to the readmission of Honduras into the OAS.
After the coup in June 2009, the OAS suspended Honduras's membership.
CCR's Executive Director, Vincent Warren issued an Open Letter today to
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking issue with Clinton's
characterizations of the situation in Honduras and the United States'
persistent lobbying of OAS member states for normalization of
relations.
"The United States is taking a dangerous approach in leveraging its
influence to lobby for the normalization of relations by the OAS,"
stated CCR Executive Director Vincent Warren. "It rewards illegal,
anti-democratic and violent regime change and should be abandoned."
influence to lobby for the normalization of relations by the OAS,"
stated CCR Executive Director Vincent Warren. "It rewards illegal,
anti-democratic and violent regime change and should be abandoned."
In the letter, Warren elaborated on a number of grave concerns
about the situation in Honduras, particularly with regard to ongoing and
serious human rights violations. The concerns were summarized into four
main points:
about the situation in Honduras, particularly with regard to ongoing and
serious human rights violations. The concerns were summarized into four
main points:
1.The human rights situation in Honduras is dire and has continued to deteriorate;
2.The November elections were widely criticized. They were not "free and fair" as characterized by Secretary Clinton;
3.The situation in Honduras
and the debates surrounding it have been clouded by pervasive
disinformation about the events leading up to the coup, the public
survey President Zelaya planned to conduct, and the purported legality
of the actions of the military and Congress in removing him; and
and the debates surrounding it have been clouded by pervasive
disinformation about the events leading up to the coup, the public
survey President Zelaya planned to conduct, and the purported legality
of the actions of the military and Congress in removing him; and
4.The Truth and Reconciliation
Commission established by the Lobo government has been cited by Clinton
as a sign of progress in Honduras. However, the legitimacy, mandate,
scope and methodology of the Commission have been questioned and
criticized throughout Honduras and the international human rights
communities.
Commission established by the Lobo government has been cited by Clinton
as a sign of progress in Honduras. However, the legitimacy, mandate,
scope and methodology of the Commission have been questioned and
criticized throughout Honduras and the international human rights
communities.
Given these concerns, Warren stated, "The United States should not
be supporting normalization of relations with the anti-democratic regime
of Porfirio Lobo. Nor should any member state of the OAS."
be supporting normalization of relations with the anti-democratic regime
of Porfirio Lobo. Nor should any member state of the OAS."
Attached Files
The Center for Constitutional Rights is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. CCR is committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.
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