I have just returned from a two year teaching stint in Honduras, Central America. We left on the day that it was rumoured that Manuel Zelaya, ex-President of Honduras, was to return to reclaim his role.
I spent the last two years watching Hondurans react to different laws that Mel Zelaya has passed which have included things such as raising the minimum wage by 60%. Now teachers and cleaners are making almost the same wage. Many companies had to fire employees in order to keep the staff paid at the required wage.
I spent the last week among Hondurans watching their reaction as they heard the news about their president - which for most was primarily one of anxious anticipation. This anxiety was partly due to the relief of having something done about the president - about people having the care to do something. The lack of apathy was refreshing. However, as public coverage spread - their anxiety grew as the world was informed that their president had not exiled but removed in a military coup. Oh, the joys of semantics. The media use of the world "coup" only sent shivers through many Westerners as it brought to mind the different military coups of the last 25 years. In reality, the Congressional Assembly (which is elected) had voted for the removal of President Mel on the morning of the referendum which was to allow him to change the constitution (to let him run for another term in the coming November elections.)
This reaction was the most painful for me to watch: the Hondurans realizing that the world was being presented with a Honduras that was not an accurate reflection of what was happening. For a country that is so poor, and is barely on the news as it is, to have their country portrayed in the same way as communist countries of the past, CNN's coverage and other media stations did nothing to help Honduras' reputation infront of the world. Furthermore, other nations offering Honduras foreign aid and imports had threatened to pull out their support if they did not welcome Mel Zelaya back as Honduran president. For a country that is already on its knees economically this blow will only proceed to lower them further.
And now there is the country is not even united. There are those who are for Mel - many poor, working class people who have in some way benefited financially from Mel's pocketbook and then there are those who are for Micheletti...then there are those who are just against mel but not necessarily for Micheletti...and then there is many people who just want freedom and democracy that is actually TRUE freedom and democracy. But of course the countries that are supposed to stand up for democracy (EU, United States, et. al) have actually come down on the side of Zelaya - who is openly aligned with leftist governments. It is disillusioning for many Hondurans to see the country many of them prize (the United States) backing men who have no interest in freedom. Hmmm.... maybe someone will pay attention?!?!
I spent the last two years watching Hondurans react to different laws that Mel Zelaya has passed which have included things such as raising the minimum wage by 60%. Now teachers and cleaners are making almost the same wage. Many companies had to fire employees in order to keep the staff paid at the required wage.
I spent the last week among Hondurans watching their reaction as they heard the news about their president - which for most was primarily one of anxious anticipation. This anxiety was partly due to the relief of having something done about the president - about people having the care to do something. The lack of apathy was refreshing. However, as public coverage spread - their anxiety grew as the world was informed that their president had not exiled but removed in a military coup. Oh, the joys of semantics. The media use of the world "coup" only sent shivers through many Westerners as it brought to mind the different military coups of the last 25 years. In reality, the Congressional Assembly (which is elected) had voted for the removal of President Mel on the morning of the referendum which was to allow him to change the constitution (to let him run for another term in the coming November elections.)
This reaction was the most painful for me to watch: the Hondurans realizing that the world was being presented with a Honduras that was not an accurate reflection of what was happening. For a country that is so poor, and is barely on the news as it is, to have their country portrayed in the same way as communist countries of the past, CNN's coverage and other media stations did nothing to help Honduras' reputation infront of the world. Furthermore, other nations offering Honduras foreign aid and imports had threatened to pull out their support if they did not welcome Mel Zelaya back as Honduran president. For a country that is already on its knees economically this blow will only proceed to lower them further.
And now there is the country is not even united. There are those who are for Mel - many poor, working class people who have in some way benefited financially from Mel's pocketbook and then there are those who are for Micheletti...then there are those who are just against mel but not necessarily for Micheletti...and then there is many people who just want freedom and democracy that is actually TRUE freedom and democracy. But of course the countries that are supposed to stand up for democracy (EU, United States, et. al) have actually come down on the side of Zelaya - who is openly aligned with leftist governments. It is disillusioning for many Hondurans to see the country many of them prize (the United States) backing men who have no interest in freedom. Hmmm.... maybe someone will pay attention?!?!
No comments:
Post a Comment