Sunday, 27 September 2009

Blah blah blah

Hello all. Sorry it has taken me so long to update this. Things have gone crazy here in Honduras – literally.

If you can remember back to the 28th June I wrote and said that the President had been removed into exile. Well, after all that....the now ex-president came back last Monday! He got back into the country without anyone knowing (thus avoiding arrest) and is now hiding in the Brazilian Embassy. . This has caused major problems in the country. They have cut off electricity, water etc from the Brazilian embassy in an attempt to force him out – whereupon he will be arrested! Food is taken into the embassy every day (so they say?!)
Anyway...how does this affect me? Well, Monday they imposed a curfew (Toque de queda) on the whole country. Everyone had to stay in their houses from 4pm Monday to 10am Wednesday!! We were given from 10am-4pm on Wednesday to leave our houses to buy food etc. Then we had toque de queda again til Thursday 6am. They then lifted the curfew for the whole country and suspended it! So, Thursday we went back to work. Friday they then bought the curfew back into the major cities, but this did not affect me here so I was able to go to work again.

I am now writing this on Saturday night – and yes we have a curfew again 6pm tonight til 6am tomorrow morning. The times change daily and we just have to watch the news to find out what and when it is! Here in Sigua it’s all very calm. I still walk round to my friends house after curfew time – I live in a neighbourhood that is not on the main road (dirt roads etc) no police pass by here. Walking around seems to be ok, but driving is not something to be advised! It means I can walk to Lorena’s house – but only til it’s dark as I don’t like to walk back alone – unless her brothers are there to help me. Tonight it’s raining so I’m at home (oh joy, the rainy season is starting at the same time). Curfews aren’t much fun when you live alone and don’t have internet in the house!!
Tegucigalpa the capital is a mess! I am grateful for the curfews in that they do keep the peace a bit (which is the purpose) – if you leave your house in Tegus they arrest you!!! They have blown up/burnt/destroyed shops, banks, etc in Tegus, looting whatever they destroy. It’s a real mess. The resistance and the demonstrators all take to the streets.

I honestly don’t know what will happen. The UN have become involved and so have the USA and the American equivalent of the EU! I registered a long time back with the British embassy and have residency here so should be ok if anything happens. No-one (foreigners) are planning on going anywhere as Sigua is so secure here. When trouble comes here we know we have problems. I can’t go anywhere even if I want to – the airports are all closed!!
Please pray for peace here in Honduras. I am honestly safe and really not affected. The only way it has affected me is that Jaime’s Graduation was cancelled and so I didn’t go to Tegus! Oh and the curfews...dull, dull, dull – I am watching the movie Hairspray for the second night in a row!! I have never watched so many movies in my life!

If you want more detailed info on what is happening here please let me know and I can email you reports that people have sent to me that seem to be fairly rounded reports (as opposed to the very biased one sided ones on the internet). Not having internet at home means please be patient with news and updates...with the curfews I can’t always get to internet! If you have skype please feel free to call me – anytime after 10.30am my time (remember I am 7 hours behind you!) 00504 97786357 (or send a text message!)

OK, it’s now Saturday night (I will publish this hopefully tomorrow on Sunday) but as I write this I am watching a TV update and the Ex-President has called the TV station to have an ‘interview’. He is calling everyone from across the country to go to the capital Tegus to have a huge demonstration on Monday. He is saying they should start walking tomorrow so they are ready on Monday. Ready for what? I don’t know! He doesn’t have as many supporters as he used to have and no-one thinks that many people will travel to Tegus for this. Let’s pray not! This interview has just been cut as the President has now come on saying we shouldn’t go and that we should be standing for peace. So the rivalry continue!! Please know I am safe here!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi
Good to know your safe but it doesnt sound too good over there.
There always appears to be something going on.
Hope you continue to be safe
Love from Anna

Anonymous said...

Take great care
Love and prayers as always
CHAT

jean said...

it occurred to me that if all was 'hunky-dory' you would not be there!!
Keep well, safe and in touch. God Bless, love Jean.