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US Congressman Opposes Truth Commission

US Congressman Opposes Truth Commission

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 21:17

One of the key provisions within the Tegucigalpa-San José Accord signed by representatives of former interim president Roberto Micheletti and deposed president Manuel Zelaya on October 30, 2009 calls for the creation of a Truth Commission to establish the facts behind the events that led up to and transpired during the arrest and exile of Mr. Zelaya on June 28. President Porfirio Lobo has reiterated his support for the Commission, believing that it is essential to the process of national reconciliation in Honduras. During a visit to Tegucigalpa to meet with President Lobo, US Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California's 46th District today said in a press conference that he saw no need for a Truth Commission and that the "book should be closed" on the political crisis fueled by Mr. Zelaya's ousting."History will judge and clarify the details of what occurred, and there is no need to determine that now" noted Mr. Rohrabacher. "That would be something that could cause more division amongst Hondurans." Mr. Rohrabacher's position sharply contradicts the policy of the US State Department which calls for the full implementation of the Tegucigalpa-San José Accord. (2/2/10) (photo of Dana Rohrabacher courtesy Internet)

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Comments (4)

Somehow public scrutiny has galvanized Chileans, Argentinians and Bolivians, and helped bring to justice thugs who engaged in horrific human rights abuses against their own poeple. With the exception of murky, Byzantine Guatemala, Honduras is the only Central American nation that has turned its back on the past in the name of "national reconciliation." Scores of alumni of the US Army School of the Americas are now enjoying untroubled retirement at home or Miami or New Orleans or Houston while the families of the dead and "disappeared" are asked to turn the other cheek. The only people who get hurt when a nation looks inwardly are those who have something to hide, including a faulty memory.
For the rest, I'm an equal opportunity critic. When warranted, I heap on the US the same criticism that that I heap on Honduras, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya or Mexico...

Mr. Gutman seems to think its OK to hurt Honduras as long as he can get back at Reaganites. Republicans and Democrats are a US problem, as Nacionalistas and Liberales are ours. Lets try to keep each others internal problems at home.

Of course, Reaganite Rohrabacher opposes the establishment of a Truth Commission because it would expose US involvement in Honduras' affairs.
And, not unlike the perfidious Guatemalan "truth commission" which exonerated criminals while asking victims to "forgive and forget," a Honduran-style "reconciliation" would whitewash the truth and silence the masses.
I say reopen the wound and extirpate the festering tumor.

Hondurans are not opposed to a Truth Commission that seeks the facts before, during and after June 28th. But I agree with Congressman Rohrabacher's comment that there is no need to hurry. At this moment it would only be like scratching a wound that hasn't yet scarred.

Currently there is peace in Honduras. We need to focus on getting the new government running, to start solving the problems that need to be solved. Water for the Capital and southern Honduras, rural land controversies in the north, getting education back on track, attacking crime, solving the financial mess left by Zelaya.

Peace can best be achieved by working together, side by side, not rehashing tender wounds. Time will make the wounds scar, will let people lose the bitter edge, become more objective.

The only one in a hurry is the OAS's Insulza. I wonder what he's got to hide.

Thank you Congressman Rohrabacher for bringing to the open something we all needed to hear. And thank you for bringing a much needed energy solution.

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