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Failed Elections in Honduras: Peaceful Resistance Boycotted Coup efforts while Repression causes one Dead and Dozens Tortured and Detained A peaceful resistance movement in Honduras successfully boycotted today's marred presidential elections. Following a plan of civil disobedience, most Honduran citizens didn't vote today as a sign of protest against the coup government of Roberto Micheletti. Since the coup d'etat carried on June 28 this year, the opposition in Honduras have organized what is known as the National Front of Peaceful Resistance. Today they organized several acts of disobedience to boycott the elections that will not be recognized by most countries in the Americas -except the United States- and which only included candidates of the officialism, and ignored the popular demand for a ballot that supported a Constitution reform.

While most international news organizations took obedient dictation of the Honduras coup regime's claims of more than 62 percent voter participation in the November 29 "elections," authentic journalist Jesse Freeston did what real reporters are supposed to do: He went directly to the source, asked questions, took notes, and videotaped the evidence.Freeston today publishes this bombshell report, above, on The Real News that documents definitively that Honduras electoral officials knowingly lied about their claims of more than 60 percent voter turnout. The hard results in possession of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE, in its Spanish initials) demonstrate only 49.2 percent turnout: That means that a majority - more than 50 percent - of Honduran citizens abstained in the "elections" that the National Front Against the Coup d'Etat had called unfair, unfree and placed under boycott.

It is a popular saying in Latin America that women always get what they want. In Sarayaku, Ecuador, women from the Kichwa tribe proved the saying to be true. When an oil company came onto their forest lands for oil exploration for future drilling, the women decided to stop them with a simple but flawless plan.Esperanza Martinez says on the blog Ecoportal [es], that women told their husbands that if they allowed the companies to work on their lands, they would have to find other women …on different lands. The Kichwas organized a united front against the oil company until it finally had to leave.This group of Kichwas live in province of Pastaza, on 140 thousand hectares in the Amazon, an area the Ecuadorian Ministry of Mines and Oil identified as Block 23. Several companies attempted to work there throughout the years, but they failed every time due to Kichwa’s opposition to drilling.

Cape Town — When Zimbabweans were being attacked and killed in political violence, a little-known South African musician was inspired to act by the stories she heard from refugees living illegally in South Africa.Johanna Booysen of the Black Rose African Jazz Orchestra was particularly angered when she heard about a Zimbabwean who died outside an office of South Africa's home affairs ministry, which handles refugees.She couldn't understand how this was "allowed" to happen. "Politicians and everybody were folding their hands and allowing everything to deteriorate," she said.

A Time magazine article of 24 October entitled “Honduran Tourism: Selling Against a Coup” explains that the post-coup decrease in foreign visitors to Honduras has led the de facto regime of Roberto Micheletti to promote internal tourism:“Working with resorts and hotels on Roatán Island, a popular Caribbean dive spot off Honduras' northern coast, the de facto tourism board is promoting special two-for-one vacation deals. Many Hondurans have taken the bait, flocking to the white sands of Roatán and filling hotel rooms that were once occupied by U.S. and European travelers. Hondurans who support the de facto regime, such as tour operator Vilma Sauceda of Rema Tours, says the fact that Hondurans are ‘traveling like crazy’ is a sign of support for the Micheletti government.”Sauceda’s interpretation of Honduran migratory patterns was somewhat contradicted by an informal survey I conducted in the Guanacaste neighborhood of Tegucigalpa yesterday afternoon, the results of which suggest that Honduran trips to Roatán are still less frequent than Honduran trips to the Mexico-Texas border – with return trips often courtesy of the United States government. A recent deportee currently selling cheese on the street while planning his next journey north stated that he harbored no resentment toward the US for jailing him for 3 months and that he recognized the importance of defending national borders; as for resentment and border permeability elsewhere, Micheletti continues to waver between accusing the international community of interfering in internal Honduran affairs and insisting that said community come to Honduras to understand what is really going on.

A former MDC security officer who was tortured by state security agents in March 2007 died two weeks ago, from the injuries he sustained. Reports of his death have only just been received.Gift Nhidza was one of several activists arrested when police brutally crushed an opposition protest in Harare’s Highfields suburb. Gift Tandare, a National Constitutional Assembly activist, was shot dead while MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was brutally assaulted by police. Nhidza was initially tortured using electrical shocks and beaten underneath his feet.The Chairman of the MDC Veteran Activists Association based in South Africa, Solomon Chikohwero, told Newsreel that although Nhidza fled to South Africa, the regime pursued him there. Four months after fleeing Nhidza sought employment in the farms around the Musina area close to the border. It was there that members of the Central Intelligence Organization abducted him and took him back to Zimbabwe.

HARARE – Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president, Lovemore Matombo, was arrested on Sunday night while addressing members of his union in Victoria Falls.According to the ZCTU information officer, Khumbulani Ndlovu, Matombo was arrested together with two union officials, Michael Kandukutu and Percy Mcijo. No charges had been laid against the trio by late Monday.“They were later transferred to Hwange police station,” said Ndlovu. “The ZCTU president was on a tour of the country meeting ZCTU structures and the Victoria Falls meeting was the first meeting of his tour.”Last year, Matombo was arrested and detained together with several human rights activists after organizing a mass action against the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s unpopular cash withdrawal limits.

CLAREMONT, Calif. - November 12 - Over 240 academics and experts on Latin America sent a letter to President Obama yesterday urging him to denounce the ongoing human rights violations perpetrated by the coup regime in Honduras ahead of the planned November 29 elections. They also urged him to demand the immediate restitution of President Manuel Zelaya and to support a full three months of electoral campaigning after the coup has been overturned and "debating, organizing, and all other aspects of election campaigns can be conducted in an atmosphere that is free from fear; in which all views and parties are free to make their voices heard - not just those that are allowed under an illegal military occupation." This would mean that this month's elections - which Latin America and the European Union have said they will not recognize - would need to be rescheduled.

Four more students were arrested on Monday at the Bindura University, in what appears to be an intensifying clampdown on student activists in the country.The four student leaders were arrested during a campaign meeting at the Bindura University of Science Education, where SRC elections have been underway. The group, including outgoing SRC President Respect Ndanga, had just finished addressing students at a campaign rally for one of the new presidential candidates, Paul Dakarai. The students were arrested on as yet unclear grounds, and were being detained at Mashonaland Central police station.At the same time, President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) Clever Bere, who was also in Bindura for the SRC polls, had to flee the area because of a police-led hunt to have him detained. According to a ZINASU statement, police and state intelligence details were ‘frantically’ searching for Bere, even going as far as to set up road blocks out of the area to try and find him.

Dear Colleague:In accordance with the Council on Hemispheric Affairs’ underlying mission to promote rational and constructive U.S. policies towards Latin America, our organization has been delighted to help Miguel Tinker Salas and his associates to distribute the following letter to the President that has already been signed by 240 academics and Latin America experts. This document details the ongoing human rights violations in Honduras and urges President Obama and his administration to take a strong stance against the de facto regime that seized power this past June. While the U.S. government has said that it will support the outcome of the November 29 elections, if conducted under the de facto government these elections cannot be considered free or fair. We are concerned that an apathetic response from the Obama administration will establish a dangerous precedent of support for the military usurpation of a democratic government and lend legitimacy to an abusive and unjust regime. The situation is in danger of becoming a caricature of the lessons that should have been learned during the brutality of military juntas in Latin America during the 1980’s and 90’s.

People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) worked with a coalition of civic organizations to survey the South Korea population in order to identify criteria meant to eliminate politicians and make them ineligible for election.  Corruption in Korea was so serious that it was the foremost obstacle hindering the progress of Korean society.  Korean political parties have remained unchanged and politicians do not represent the people’s interests. Instead, they exclusively pursue their own interests: power monopolized by politicians only.

The two leaders from the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO), who were arrested on Sunday on allegations of holding ‘an illegal political meeting,’ were granted bail on Tuesday. NANGO Chief Executive Officer Cephas Zinhumwe, and board chairperson Dadirai Chikwengo, were arrested at the airport when they were trying to leave for Harare after attending a two-day scheduled conference in Victoria Falls.NANGO spokesperson Fambai Ngirande told SW Radio Africa that the two were granted bail, pending another hearing in November, after the State failed to clarify what regulation they had violated under the Public Order and Security Act. Ngirande said the police claim that as ‘conveners of the meeting the two tolerated political discourse’ and should have notified the police in advance if they were going to have a political gathering.

DAKAR, 28 October 2009 (IRIN) - Youths in the Guinea capital Conakry went on hunger strike on 28 October - one month after the deadly military attack on civilians – to call for political dialogue, an end to violence and the arrest of those who attacked demonstrators. “No to violence, no to injustice and impunity, yes to national unity, yes to peace and social tranquillity” is written on a banner hanging outside the Dixinn Port youth centre, where some 30 people gathered for the five-day hunger strike.

Groups representing impoverished Cape Town communities have lashed out at President Jacob Zuma's warning that the government will not tolerate violent service delivery protests, and the accompanying destruction of property.Representatives of the Joe Slovo task team, the Landless People's Movement and Abahlali baseMjondolo defended these protests, saying they were the only way to get the government to pay attention."So-called democratic grievance routes," failed to get answers, they said.Zuma's comments came yesterday during his address to most of South Africa's 283 mayors and all its premiers. He told them there was "no cause in a democratic and free society, however legitimate, that justifies the wanton destruction of property and violence" that had been witnessed in the country.

Born and raised in Britain, Ben Freeth has become one of a handful of farmers in Zimbabwe to resist, often against violent intimidation, the seizure of his land. Now his fight is the subject of a film.How far would you go to keep your home? Most of us would consider legal action. But would you be willing to take on a dictator in court and risk the lives of your family? Ben Freeth has made that decision. The Briton along with his Zimbabwean family has for the past few years been in a tug of war for land with President Robert Mugabe, the country's strong and ruthless leader.

People living in a slum district of the Algerian capital have taken to the streets for a second day to protest against job and housing shortages.Residents of the Diar Echams area, frustrated over high unemployment and inadequate housing, clashed with police on Wednesday having started their protest on Monday night.The police said at least 11 officers were hurt, although no figure of civilian casualties was given.Protesters had used high ground above the suburb to throw bricks, stones and petrol bombs at police in riot gear as they attempted to enter the area late on Tuesday, sources aid.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister, has appealed for regional help in his stand-off in Zimbabwe's unity pact, as his ministers boycotted a meeting with Robert Mugabe, the president.The suspension of ties has cast a shadow on the fragile partnership, as Mugabe chaired a cabinet meeting on Tuesday - without his Zanu-PF party's main government partners - as Tsvangirai's 13 cabinet ministers met separately.The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader flew to Mozambique on Tuesday to ask southern African leaders to step in, after he cut ties with Mugabe's "dishonest and unreliable" camp four days ago.

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said his MDC party has "disengaged" from the unity government over the treatment of his senior aide.He said all outstanding issues of a power-sharing deal had to be dealt with before the MDC would work with Zanu-PF. Senior MDC member Roy Bennett was later released on bail after two days in prison, but Mr Tsvangarai's spokesman insisted the boycott would continue. Mr Bennett was detained for alleged arms and terrorism offences.

Five senior members of the Zimbabwe National Student Union were arrested Saturday - on charges of misconduct and undermining the office of the President and Cabinet - for saying “Robert Mugabe is the major outstanding issue that is stalling progress for the inclusive government.” ZINASU National President Clever Bere, National Spokesperson Blessing Vava, Secretary for Education and Research Obert Masaraure, National University of Science and Technology SRC President Kurayi Hoyi and Great Zimbabwe University student activist Tafadzwa Kutya were discussing national issues while travelling in a commuter mini-bus, en-route to Glen View suburb in Harare on Saturday evening.

The streets remained empty across Guinea on the second day of a general strike called to protest against a violent army crackdown last month in which at least 150 people were killed.Thousands of Guineans stayed indoors on Tuesday, a day after the strike began, bringing Conakry, the capital, to a standstill.Youssouf Bah, a journalist in Conakry, said security forces were out in force on Tuesday, patrolling the streets. "The country is in a standstill, everybody is indoors [and] there is no business. The strike is going to continue," Bah told Al Jazeera.