

Real News Network -- On September 15, 2009 -- Independence Day in Honduras and other Central American countries -- the National Resistance Front Against the Coup declared support for "real independence, both economic and social". It calls for a national assembly to rewrite the constitution.

This runs contrary to most media reports which depict the crisis in Honduras solely as a battle over the return of President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a militray coup in June. Resistance member Óscar Estrada told the Real News that after years of elections and no gains, the people of Honduras are out to fundamentally change the state. Óscar Estrada is a filmmaker and radio producer from the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. He works with the Honduran organisation Arte Acción, and has written several screenplays for narrative films and documentaries.

* * *

By the National Resistance Front against the Coup

Comrades in solidarity with the Resistance,

On behalf of the resistance in Honduras, we send combative and fraternal greetings to all those assisting us in this process of struggle for the restoration of constitutional order and for the installation of a National Constituent Assembly in Honduras. The National Resistance Front against the Coup in Honduras calls together the first internationalist conference against the coup d'etat and for a National Constituent Assembly in Honduras. The conference is to be held on October 8, 9 and 10, 2009 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

This conference aims to create a wider forum for discussion, to make debatable topics of international interest of social, political and economic importance and to investigate the consequences there-of, particularly in the Latin American community. Furthermore, networks will be formed in each country, where many different organisations can integrate themselves in order to achieve more effective international solidarity, including putting the stream of information with alternative character at the service of all living forces in the region.

The transcendent importance of the internationalist ideal cannot be stressed enough at this moment, when the world is subject to a deep crisis of capitalism, which puts the lives of the people and the planet at risk. In view of the irrationality of the system, which promotes consumerism, is dehumanising people and leads to suffering, caused by the dependence on transnational capital and the subordination of national oligarchies to the obscure interests of the imperialist policies in force in the US (even with the change of governmental party), we stress the need for an international strategy to defend life and the acquired rights of peoples.

In our country, which is struggling under the shadow of a military coup, the scenario to which the ruling forces (who control our economy) have decided is already converted to reality, namely the revival of fascism.

Precisely for this reason it is essential that free men and women, liberals, democrats and revolutionaries put themselves at the service of the Honduran people and its resistance, to accompany them on the path to liberation.

With the help of our joint efforts we will win! Venceremos!

On behalf of the National Resistance Front against the Coup in Honduras.

Armando Licona (504) 72167200 and Gilberto Rios (504) 9885 6508. E-mail: encuentrohonduras@gmail.com.

NOTE: Each delegation must meet the cost of tickets and taxes outside the country for each of its members, plus US$25 per participant to register. Our organisation will bear the cost of accommodation, meals and internal transport. Registration for the event will be accepted by e-mail until Wednesday, September 30.



Program

Day 1, Wednesday, October 7

Reception and accommodation of the delegations.

Day 2, Thursday, October 8

International march against the coup (9am to noon).

12h-14h: Lunch

Keynote speeches (15 to 19h) plus tender for discussions, which start the next day. For details of the speeches, see below.

Cultural night, day of the heroic guerrilla (19 to 22h).

Day 3, Friday, October 9

International march against the coup (9 am to 12 noon).

Lunch (12-14h).

Discussion according to the results of the tender on Thursday (15 to 19h).

Cultural evening (from 21h).

Day 4, Saturday, October 10

Discussion according to the results of the tender on Thursday (15 to 19h) with concluding panel.

Lunch (13-14h).

Cultural Resistance (14 to 17h).

Keynote speeches and adoption of the definitive official statement and final statements.

Cultural evening and night.

Farewell

Day 5, Sunday, October 11

Parting of international delegations.

Thematic overview of keynote speeches on Thursday October 8:

1. Background of the coup in Honduras.

2. Overview of the strength and unity of the people.

3. Perspectives of the Honduran conflict.

4. The role of internationalism in the struggle.

Overview of the working groups on thematic discussion:

1. Financial crisis and the impact on global politics.

2. Social change, socialism of the 21Ist century and Latin American processes, the reaction of imperialism.

3. Trade union movement.

4. Student movement.

5. Media -- terrorism, information as a means to help define reality, the role of media officials and alternative media.

6. Women in social processes.

7. Militarisation and experiments of imperialism in Latin America.

8. Latin American Indigenous peoples' movements.

9. Analysis of constituent assemblies in Latin America.

10. Role of human rights movements in Latin America.

11. Role of the gay, lesbian, transsexual and gender movement in the organisation of the resistance.

12. Peasant movements until September 25.

It is possible to propose new working groups. For that, it is necessary that organisers give a little explanation (not more than one page) on their proposal for the new group and also give details on the necessary pedagogical requirements.

Clarification: in case of victory by the resistance over the coup in the days prior to the internationalist conference, the conference will continue anyway, like the working groups. The only thing that would change is that the time foreseen for international marches will be used for further discussions in working groups.