Independence parade consolidates new national identity in Honduras
"We do not celebrate independence, about that there is nothing to celebrate, we want a new nation, and we have changed the meaning of this day," said one participant, "the people will conquer power with the broad front" claimed others.
On September 15, as it has become tradition for the Honduran resistance, estimations stated that the number of protesters reached between one and two million people nationwide. In Tegucigalpa alone, two hours after the aperture of the parade, caravans were still leaving the departure point. This is the third year that the Honduran resistance flies its flag of freedom, for a “wanted independence”.
On his return from exile, the coordinator general of the FNRP, Mel Zelaya, marches for the first time with the people, and he did with his wife Mrs. Xiomara Castro. Zelaya condemned the threats from the oligarchy in one of several speeches he gave during the journey that began in Boulevard Morazan and ended in the central plaza of the capital city.
This year, the Instituto Central Vicente Caceres and the Instituto Hibueras have marched with the Resistance; both are bastions of public education in Honduras. In fact, the teachers said that no public schools participated in the official parade as a message from students regarding the crisis caused by a law that promotes the privatization of the national educational system in which a student in Santa Barbara province was murdered.
Meanwhile Juan Barahona said that "... today is a sign of things to come in the future. In elections time" while he called for a halt to political killings, "we demand justice, because all those responsible for the crimes remain unpunished". Barahona also said that people have lost the freedom of Enrique Flores Lanza, the 3 months political prisoner and former Zelaya cabinet minister. Similarly, there were many allusions to the recently assassinated "Emmo" a symbol of resistance whose death shocked the entire nation.
"We claim Peace because our struggle is peaceful, not violent. Despite all the assassinations we do not respond violently" concluded Barahona.
The demonstrations in the north shore of Honduras, especially in San Pedro Sula were reported to be massive, while in the city of Tocoa, home to the Honduran agrarian conflict and an endless scene of massacres, the military and the police blocked the protesters through the street, which once again resulted in repression.
Source: FNRP
