wfn.org | LWI 2009-034 LWF Concerned about Situation in Honduras in Wake of Military Coup

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LWF Concerned about Situation in Honduras in Wake of Military Coup
General Secretary Noko Calls for Restoration of Democratically-Elected  Government

GENEVA, 2 July 2009 (LWI) - 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 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  arrogations 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 reinstatemen t 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 cooperatio n with the Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras, which has been an LWF  member church since 1994. (529 words)

The full text of the statement by LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael  Noko on the situation in Honduras is available in pdf format at: www.luther anworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Statement_on_Honduras-2009.pdf

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(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran  tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140  member churches in 79 countries all over the world, with a total membership  of 68.5 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas  of common interest such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology,  humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various  aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in  Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service. Unless  specifically noted, material presented does not represent positions or  opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an  article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced  with acknowledgment.]

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