RAZA PRESS AND MEDIA ASSOCIATION
June 30, 2009

The Raza Press and Media Association (RPMA) stands with the people of Honduras. As Raza journalists, activists and citizens of Nuestra América, we condemn the shameful, criminal, and undemocratic actions of the reasonous “elite” found within the Honduran military, Congress,
and its Supreme Court.

Three days ago a criminal group within the government of Honduras violated the people’s trust by attempting to silence the very voice they were sworn to uphold, protect, and defend. Again, truth has been brutally attempted to be silenced even before it has had an opportunity to express itself.

Democratically elected in 2005, President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, within his rights, was to hold a non-binding referendum to ask his people a simple “Yes” or “No” if it would be in favor of calling for a constitutional assembly to change presidential term limits to the country’s constitution in the coming elections in November. It is never a crime to ask the people for its opinion. It is never a crime especially if the question concerns the manner in which they would want its government to act and function.

The Honduran Congress representing the interests of the economic elites tied to US interests passed a law on the Tuesday before the coup d’état prohibiting a referendum within 180 days of an election. How convenient to usurp the voice of the people by passing laws to silence it and call the muzzling, acting in behalf of the people.

Rather than obey the will of the people, the military disobeyed its Commander-in-Chief, committing treason under cover of a contrived legal circus, brutalized and kidnapped the President, and are doing what their colleagues had done to the president of the sister nation Venezuela on April 11, 2002 [when they attempted to overthrow President Hugo Chavez]. Central to the cover-up, TeleSUR and other media outlets, which have been our eyes and ears, have been shut down –their reporters detained and beaten, or have been censored.

Some say it was a matter of time that the coup would take place due to U.S. and its puppets [small clique made up the rich/elite] opposition to Honduras’ joining the trade treaty known as ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America). ALBA is an attempt by Latin American nations to break away from U.S. Imperialism and create economies centered on providing the resources needed by the masses of its people, the workers and the poor. This is the caused that Zelaya Rosales is defending and is the true reason behind the coup. Make no
mistake, the United States is behind this coup and is the reason its impotent President cannot find the courage to be consistent in his definition of democracy.

We condemn the attempts to use the brutal gorilla tactics of the past century, using proxy puppet graduates from the infamous School of the Americas in Benning, Georgia, that are linked to torture, death squads and other human rights abuses.

We stand with the people of Honduras and are confident that they will prevail against the attempt to obstruct justice and the will of the people. Truth is never a crime; it will never be a crime. The will of the people will never be illegal.

The Raza Press and Media Association calls upon all Raza activists to speak out and to express its complete solidarity with the people of Honduras in their struggle for democracy and self-determination.

2009 CMPP CONFERENCE BULLETIN #1.

May 22, 2009

“Todos Somos Prisioneros/We Are All Prisoners!”

On Sat. June 20th, 2009, the Chicano Mexicano Prison Project (CMPP) will be organizing its annual conference/summit on the question of “Raza Prisoners and Colonialism”. The conference will be held in Los Angeles, Califaztlán.

Under the theme of “Todos Somos Prisioneros (We Are All Prisoners), the objectives of the conference will be:
1. To provide Raza activists an opportunity to share and learn from each other’s experiences.
2. To network and unite prisoner rights activists/workers as a way of building a movement that can really challenge those institutions that oppress and exploit our communities.
3. To inform our community and the world, the terror and brutality faced by Mexican/Raza locked-up in prisons throughout Occupied America (United States).
4. Expose the Prison Industrial Complex and its relationship that capitalism and colonialism (imperialism).

The conference will include a panel-presentation of activists and a “circulo de discusión” (discussion circle) where everyone attending will have a voice in finding solutions to the colonial oppression of our communities and the mass incarceration of Mexican/Raza men, women, and children. The CMPP’s aim is to create a revolutionary response to the racist-colonialist imprisonment of our people; a response that opposes the policies of the ruling class and upholds the interests of the workers and the poor, who are the majority of our community.

If you are tired of reformist reactions to the daily oppression and racism faced by our communities, then this is the conference for you attend.

Share, Learn, and Struggle. Join us on June 20, 2009