LWF Concerned about Situation in Honduras in Wake of Military Coup

General Secretary Noko Calls for Restoration of Democratically-Elected Government

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has expressed great concern about the situation in Honduras following the military coup d'etat on Sunday, 28 June. LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko (left) said in a statement on 2 July that the communion of 140 member churches feared the "instability and polarization of society provoked by these events" would undermine "hard-won development gains, fostering widespread social upheaval and worsening conflict in the country."

The LWF joined all those around the world who have called for the restitution of the democratically-elected government of Honduras, and the resumption of the constitutional and political process in Honduras, Noko declared. "The LWF condemns the use of armed force and unconstitutional means to resolve political disputes," the LWF general secretary stressed.

The people of Honduras and the region have suffered enough from military abrogations of power in the past. Such actions, he said, could not resolve underlying disputes and competing claims, and must not be allowed to be part of Honduras' future. Noko called, moreover, for the cessation of all police and military action against the civilian population of Honduras, and the release of all those detained in the protests over the last few days.

The LWF general secretary urged the international community - and especially the Organization of American States (OAS) - "to establish mechanisms to help mediate the current crisis, to support the democratic process leading to elections scheduled for 29 November this year and to oversee the transition to a new government following those elections."

Referring to the unanimous resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on 30 June 2009 condemning the coup d'etat and demanding the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of toppled president Manuel Zelaya and restoration of the democratically-elected government, the LWF general secretary said that it was imperative that the international community, particularly the governments of the Latin American region and the OAS, took appropriate actions to give practical effect to these expressions.

Noko expressed particular concern that the political confrontation could turn to violent conflict after the announced return of President Zelaya to Honduras. He therefore called upon all parties and their supporters to choose the path of political dialogue, rather than violence. The OAS on Wednesday gave interim Honduran president Roberto Micheletti until 4 July to reinstate the ousted president and threatened Honduras with expulsion from the organization.
The transitional government, however, rejected the ultimatum. Micheletti ruled out Zelaya's reinstatement and announced that if Zelaya returned to Honduras he would be immediately arrested. Through its Department for World Service (DWS), the LWF has been active in Honduras since Hurricane Mitch in 1998, providing humanitarian assistance and development aid.

The LWF/DWS Regional Program in Central America works in several areas of Honduras, including Santa Barbara, Copan, Colon, Olancho and El Valle, and is currently involved in responding to the earthquake of May 2009 within the framework of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International. The LWF/DWS Honduras program works in close cooperation with the Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras, which has been an LWF member church since 1994.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@