Saturday, July 25, 2009

Killing for peace in Honduras

"We had to destroy the village in order to save it."
Attributed to the massacre at My Lai

Direct translation from this news report from the Honduran border town of 'El Paraiso' (quite ironically, 'Paradise') near the place where President Zelaya tried to cross the border yesterday. Word has it that he's at the border again right now and talking to the military officers stationed there.
El Paraiso: The body of Pedro Mandiel, 24, appeared this morning in El Paraiso. He had been arrested last night by police, according to leaders that support ousted President Manuel Zelaya, although officers assigned to the zone deny any participation in the homicide. Mandiel was one of the people among demonstrators that yesterday waited (on the Honduras border) for the return of Zelaya.

According to the those reporting the death, among whom are members of the Centre of Investigation and Promotion of Human Rights (Ciprodeh), Mandiel was detained for non-compliance with the imposed military curfew and this morning his body appeared at a refuse dump with signs of handcuff injuries on his wrists and torture on his body. He died of knife wounds.

On being consulted by foreign and Honduran reporters, a police officer said that the official police station register would be made available to prove that Mandiel had not been detained.

UPDATE: Zelaya says he's going to camp out at the border and wait for his supporters. Sounds a bit farcical to me. Hope it doesn't rain.