Voces desde la Comunicación Popular

El Grito

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Contents

Pg. 3 Editorial: Communication is Strength!

Pg. 4

Pg. 5

Pg. 6

Pg.7 Balancing voices:

Radio Unión, “The Voice of the Resistance” is back on the air…finally

Strengthening and expanding the Garífuna Radio Network

La Voz Lenca opens in San Francisco Lempira

Women are present in community radios!

Pg.9 The People´s Popular Communication School

Pg 11 AMARC–Honduras is reborn

Pg.12 Transforming Honduras: Community media against the military coup

Pg.15 Raising Our Voices: Interview with Juan Vázquez, coordinator of the radio La Voz Lenca

Pg.18 Poetry with Indigenous, Campesina and Garífuna Women

For the collective Popular Communicators for Autonomy forward with our commitment to the people and (COMPPA), 2009 was a year marked by changes, advances, organizations with whom we work. surprises, military coups, planning, laughter, tears, travel and productions. In 2009, much of our attention was Then came the June 28th military coup d'état in Honduras. focused on Honduras, where our work in Gender and An advance group from COMPPA went to survey the Popular Communication and the launch of the Escuelita, situation and to help support and create alternative media the People´s Popular Communication School, continued to in the face of the coup. The rest of the collective soon strengthen the popular communication processes. joined, after working towards and ultimately celebrating

the long–awaited re-launching of Radio Unión 98.5 in the In the first half of 2009, COMPPA underwent a period of isolated community 31 de Mayo organized as CPR-Sierra transformation. We began a project planned, organized, (Communities of Populations in Resistance, in Uspantán, and implemented by the women of COMPPA in Guatemala). With new volunteers, new partnerships, and partnership with the women who form the heart of the poetry written by the women radio journalists, the rest of Garífuna, popular, and indigenous organizations. COMPPA was able to reestablish old networks and create

new alliances and connections despite the Honduran coup and ongoing political repression throughout Southern After arduous debates, and hours of discussion, COMPPA Mexico and Central America. produced the first phase of the Escuelita, the People´s

Popular Communication School. During the second module of the Escuelita, amidst excitement, rain, and We hope our newsletter reflects some of the earthquakes, COPINH inaugurated another community transformations and lessons we've experienced and radio in San Francisco de Lempira. At the same time, we appreciated throughout 2009. We wouldn't be here lost members of the COMPPA team and were faced with without the moral, physical and financial support that challenging group dynamics that led us to incorporate new you've given us over the past years as we work to members into our team who brought with them unique strengthen the active exercising of communication rights voices and experiences. This new energy helped us move in Mesoamerica.

Communication is Strength!

Taking back our voices, building our alternative media, strengthening our struggles

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In June 2009, the community Unión were delighted to see the women of R a d i o U n i ó n , ' L a Vo z d e l a 31 de Mayo in Uspantán, Quiché, Unión 31 de Mayo, friends from Resistencia' (The Voice of the Guatemala, completed the last previous workshops. Resistance), was inaugurated on

t hdetails on a concrete house for its August 9 2009, International new radio. After two years of work, Indigenous Peoples Day. One We offered two separate trainings: Radio Unión “The Voice of the speaker said, the third Popular Communication, Resistance” is transmitting for Community Radio, and Gender several hours each day, providing workshop, in which the women “Today is an important day: service to Unión 31 de Mayo and consolidated their knowledge and indigenous peoples have a voice, surrounding villages. confidence as radialistas not only they can speak what they think and

theoretically and technically, but what they feel.” Community leaders and COMPPA also in collective discussions and decided the moment had come to reflections. After finishing the A Mayan ceremony blessed the new return to Unión 31 de Mayo and offer women's workshops, we began a radio, and the voices of the women a popular communication and radio series of meetings and workdays and men radialistas of Radio Unión training, as well as technical support with the twenty men and women of were heard throughout the Zone to the radio. The community also Unión 31 de Mayo interested in Reina:accepted the challenge of receiving becoming radio hosts and journalists twenty-five women from other on Radio Unión. They produced a

Viva la Voz de la Resistencia! communities who participated in the bank of audio material for use on the t h i r d w o r k s h o p i n t h e radio and organized the broadcast Communication & Gender series, schedule. A total of twenty people along with women from Radio Unión. participated in the workshops.

The COMPPA team offered two four-day workshops and provided technical support from July 30th through August 10th.

We arrived in Unión 31 de Mayo after 10 hours of travel from Cobán. There we met up with the women of Radio Libertad and Radio Chamtacá, and received an impressive and moving reception. The entire community flooded out to meet and welcome us with marimba music and a cultural night. Despite the long journey, women visiting from other radios

Radio Unión, “The Voice of the Resistance”

is back on the air…finally

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Strengthening and

expanding the Garífuna Radio NetworkIn March, COMPPA visited the and increased the radio's coverage Garífuna community of Triunfo de la with a taller tower, two new studios Cruz, where “The First Garífuna Voice”, a n d a n e w h i g h e r - p o w e r e d Radio Faluma Bímetu (“Sweet transmitter. Coconut”) has been providing community programming for 11 years. Following the June 28 Honduran We offered the first workshop in military coup, we postponed the third Popular Communication, Community module of the Escuelita because Radio, and Gender to twenty-five participants couldn't travel safely, and Garífuna and Lenca women. The because many where involved in following week, the community massive daily marches in Tegucigalpa. welcomed participants in the School of In the months following the coup (and Popular Communication of the People despite the fact that there were no from Radio Faluma Bimetu as well as trainings), Garífuna community radio Radio Durugubuti Beibei (in San Juan), journalists worked to provide coverage Radio Lafuru Ligaran Bari Barana of protests in the capital. For several (Radio Sea Breeze in Punta Piedra), w e e k s i n A u g u s t , C O M P P A and Sambo Creek Radio Sugua Lugua, collaborated with them to produce and Tocamacho (who hope to have one broadcast material from Tegucigalpa. of the next radios in the Garifuna Network).

We met again in November, when we Since the June 28 military coup, the offered the third module of the Honduran de facto government has

During this visit we renovated and Escuelita in the Garifuna community tried to silence voices critical of the upgraded Faluma Bimetu's original Sambo Creek. OFRANEH and the military coup by unleashing repression radio, installed a second recording people of the community (many of against the Honduran people. Despite booth for production, and increased whom are also members of the popular this, diverse new alternative media the radio's power with a new community theatre company Group projects have arisen and existing transmitter and a higher and proper Sugua Lugua) decided the moment outlets have strengthened. The transmission tower. had come to install a radio in their Garífuna Radio Network, a project of

community. The young people, the Black Fraternal Organization of In May, COMPPA returned to Garífuna f o l l o w i n g t h e i r e n t h u s i a s t i c H o n d u r a s ( O F R A N E H ) , i s a territory, this time to the community of p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e E s c u e l i t a community-based network that San Juan de Tela, home of community throughout the year and their disseminates the key tenets of the radio Durugubuti Beibei. In San Juan, dedicated work covering the coup, had organization: defense of the land we offered the second module of the demonstrated they were prepared to against the encroachment of tourist Popular Communication School for the sustain a radio in service to the mega-projects; preservation of People, and completed yet another community. Garífuna culture; and now, a demand renovation and technical overhaul. The for a people's National Constituent community decided to move the radio Assembly to re-found Honduras and During the four-day Escuelita, a small to a more central and communal site, expose the coup. community building, actually a funeral

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parlor, was converted into the home of Radio Sugua with a mural painted on the entrance to the radio station.

In late November, we celebrated the inauguration of Radio Sugua,

From May 25 to the 29th COPINH all this help, the 18 meter or almost attended by the community as well and COMPPA gathered amidst the 60 feet tower was set up next to the as women participating in the third mountains of San Francisco de small hill besides the radio station.OFRANEH Communication & Lempira, Honduras, with the goal of Gender workshops in nearby La

The last step was setting up all the c o n t i n u i n g w i t h t h e s e c o n d Ceiba. That night, Radio Sugua gear for the station: an FM w o r k s h o p o f T h e Pe o p l e ´ s s o u n d e d f r o m w i n d o w s a n d t r a n s m i t t e r , m i x e r , t w o Communication School, as well as d o o r w a y s t h r o u g h o u t t h e microphones, a desktop computer, finishing technical duties to be able community as neighbors tuned and a cel phone. After a few test to set up COPINH´s second FM their radios to 100.9 FM. A new voice runs, on May 28th, La Voz Lenca community radio station in the of the Garífuna people was born. 92.3 FM community radio station in community of La Cruz Concordia, With the drums and songs of their La Cruz Concordia, Lempira, was Departamento de Lempira.people, Radio Sugua is building a ready to be inagurated.Garífuna communication in service

Construction work for the cabin to Garífuna communities. began in early Februray, after an H u n d r e d s o f p e o p l e f o r m assesment visit from COMPPA and surrounding communities gathered

Days later a production studio was COPINH´s coordination. At this in the opening ceremony that was

installed in the central offices of stage the station´s location and the aired live on the newly opened

OFRANEH in La Ceiba, with the goal transmission tower were selected. station. This celebration was

to record and produce information From this moment on, women, accompanied by music and corridos

and programs with the voices of the men, children, elderly and girls and c o m p o s e d b y t h e p o p u l a r

hundreds of Garifuna peoples that boys from the community pitched in communicators, the sound of

frequent the offices to denounce a n d v o l u n t e e r e d w i t h t h e fireworks, and the words of

and organize in the face of perpetual construction. Block by block the struggle from people form the

oppression.new construction that would house community who took to the La Voz Lenca, was being built to microphones, as well as members have it ready in the month of May. f r o m C O P I N H , p o p u l a r Three spaces needed to be built: a communicators from UVOC in general entrance that would lead to Guatemala, and from ADEPZA in two transmitting cabins. Zacate Grande.

A week prior to the radio station´s inaguration, the COMPPA tech team worked on the electrical and transmission instalations. When this arduos task was completed, the tower was assembled next. This all day endavour required lot´s of help from community members as well as the popular communicators. With

La Voz Lenca opens

in San Francisco Lempira

Balancing voices:

Women are present

in community radios!peoples and social organizations. When indigenous people do appear in the mainstream media–usually in government advertising campaigns–they are generally represented as tourist attractions or folkloric curiosities. Women, especially, are shown as smiling accessories to be consumed or as friendly natives offering folksy arts and crafts.

We reflected on how communication, particularly community radios, could challenge mainstream depictions of indigenous people, particularly women. Our partner organizations identified three needs: First, gender education within each of the radios to prevent the “Now is the time that we the women denigration or abuse of women (for example, the sexism of Raise our voicesmany popular songs played continually on commercial The voice of the people, radio and occasionally on community radio); Second,

the voice of Lempira. [1].” workshops on how to run and operate the radio by and for women, intended to foster gender balance and empower

A Lenca woman spoke these powerful words during a women to speak for themselves; Third, better coverage and 'Women in Radio' workshop facilitated by COMPPA. She more open debate on the demands, problems, and said what many women participants in the organization's proposals put forward by women, to fill an informational radio network consider the heart of their struggle: the void with information for and by indigenous people. recognition of their rights as indigenous people, particularly their right to expression, culture, history and

During our work over the past years, we've observed that world vision in a world that has systematically denied the women's participation in the community radios has been identity of indigenous peoples. dedicated and steadfast, even though women do not receive the same access to education, social position, and In COMPPA´s popular communication work, we have affirmation as men do. After receiving training and political facilitated activities and workshops in which participants education in radio, many women (including several women have reflected and analyzed how mainstream media (press, from COPINH) have emerged as leaders elected to TV, radio, advertisements) represent gender and gender important positions in their organizations. roles. We found a lack of information about the rights of

women and other issues important to people living in the This year, in partnership with our sister organizations, communities we serve. There is also an absence of COMPPA organized four workshops in Popular information and knowledge that is important to indigenous

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Communication, Community Radio, and Gender. Women Oaxaca); “Simply Woman” (Radio Aamay-Iyoltikniwan, participated from the Radio Network in Southeast Mexico; Nahua community south of Veracruz, Mexico); and “Basket the Caracol Radio Network in Oaxaca; Radio Libertad, of Words” (created by the women of COPINH and Radio Unión, Radio Chamtaq'a and the Women's broadcast on La Voz Lenca, Honduras). Committee from UVOC in Guatemala; Radio La Voz Lenca and the Garífuna Radio Network in Honduras. In all, we We worked with poetry in the workshops, using the words, gave workshops to eighty women from eleven Original creativity, and expression of each woman. They discovered Peoples of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras: Triqui, feelings, memories, dreams and visions of their Mixteco, Huave, Mixé, Nahua, Ixil, Quiché, Queq'chí, experiences as women, as popular communicators, and as Pocomchí, Lenca and Garífuna. members of organizations and communities struggling for

self-determination. Something we initially thought would COMPPA held twelve workshops, four each in Mexico, be incredibly difficult turned into a moment that the Guatemala and Honduras. Workshops took place at compañeras immensely enjoyed, as they celebrated and community radio stations. Women from other radios shared their words with other women in the group. traveled far to participate. Through the workshops, Through the activities and discussions that took place in participants came to know other realities and share parts of the workshops, as well as homework and engagement in their culture and tradition with other women in radio. This the radios between workshops, the women have rich exchange provided a foundation for the creation of a strengthened their ability and knowledge as radio regional network of women popular communicators. journalists.

Participants addressed themes related to gender and their daily realities as women, the importance of popular communication for organized communities, and community radio. The women learned to use digital voice recorders, report the news, create radio spots and conduct interviews. They discussed gender roles girls are socialized to fulfill and accept, women's rights, and the different ways oppression operates in the lives of poor and indigenous women.

“We are fierce and rebellious women, and we're here to say that we will not go on like this. We want our words to be heard; we want our daughters to have a different future, one in which they are taken seriously, one in which they are authorities, in which they make decisions, one in which their rights are not trampled, and they can raise their voices just like anyone one else,” said Betty Cariño of CACTUS, a Ñusavi (Mixteca) woman .

Throughout the year, each group of compañeras created a radio program for women, including, “Woman, Fight For Your Life” (Radio Libertad, Petén Guatemala); “Community Learning and Fun” (Radio Unión, Quiché, Mexico,); Ntusu Na'a (Women's Word or Voice from Radio Voz de las Nubes (Voice of the Clouds), Mixteca region of

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Comunicadora, share your voice with the world

You need this, I need this, we all need this And together,

we can achieve what we deserve.

–Lenca and Garífuna women during the 2nd Popular Communication, Community Radio, and Gender workshop

By raising their voices and breaking silence, women have transformed their community radios into spaces of empowerment. Through concrete changes (such as trainings and workshops), they are opening new possibilities for other women to participate at all levels of the radio. By demanding a gender perspective in the communication strategies and radios of their organizations, women are strengthening organizational processes and fighting for their own self-esteem and voices

.

In 2010, COMPPA will continue to strengthen and deepen what the compañeras have learned, as they begin to share their skills and experience in radio with their communities. In response to requests from our sister organizations and the women who participated in the Radio and Gender workshops, we will integrate gender education into our mixed workshops, so men can have the opportunity to engage in constructing a balance between men and women in radio.

NOTE: A longer version of this article appears in the January 2010 journal Media Development, Rethinking-Media-and-Gender-Justice, edited by the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)

[1] Lempira was the last Lenca warrior who fought against the spanish conquerers

Over these last years, COMPPA has offered popular communication workshops to a variety of organizations and people in struggle. These workshops have been oriented towards strengthening the organizations' communication strategies, projects and community radios according to their respective contexts and needs.

As the result of an on-going process of reflection and evaluation of the work carried out over these last years, we discussed the need to systematize these workshops and push our training of popular communicators to the next level in our work with sister organizations. We understand and value the importance of a comprehensive [education/track/training] that ensures that each popular communicator is trained in all elements, tools and knowledge in grassroots media in order to organize, coordinate and sustain the organizations' communication projects and radios. Furthermore, it is important that this responsibi l ity be assumed organical ly by each communicator, and put into practice with efficiency, creativity, joy and militancy so as to strengthen the struggle of their organization.

With this type of training in mind, COMPPA began to develop and implement a grassroots media training school based on the principles of popular communication and popular education. The People's Popular Communication School is a curriculum that consists of 8 cumulative modules, each one with a distinct theme, that together form a comprehensive training in popular communication with a particular though not exclusive focus on community radio.

Each module is also based around the overarching themes of Gender and Communication, Access to Information and Communication Rights, Rights of Indigenous Peoples and

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The People´s

Popular

Communication

School

Networking along with distinct elements of project legitimacy, among other subjects. Also included are facilitation and coordination. One of the primary goals of exercises in preparing and carrying out an interview, the school is to form communicators with the capacity to writing articles, using digital recorders, preparing a radio multiply and share their knowledge in order that they form program, audio editing and introductory subjects in future generations of popular communicators, thus computing. breaking with dependencies and strengthening the communication project of their organizations. Though the school was initially halted in the wake of the

June 28th military coup in Honduras, the mass In 2009, the first modules of the school got underway in mobilizations also provided an opportunity for the Honduras with sister organizations OFRANEH and communicators to put into practice the various subjects COPINH, both of whom have, for years, been working with presented in the first stages of the school, as well as COMPPA developing popular communication and understand the vital role that autonomous media can play community radio projects. Both organizations understand in such a context. They also experienced firsthand the the vital importance of these communication tools in the extent to which the de facto government installed after context of their struggles for land and territory, in defense the coup did everything within its means to prevent the of the environment and for the cultures and rights of the circulation of accurate information about the situation in Indigenous and Garifuna peoples. The six radios between Honduras. During the daily marches and actions in these two organizations also form part of the nascent Tegucigalpa and throughout the country, the Mesoamerican Indigenous and Garifuna Radio Network, a communicators participating in the school also worked project in the making that envisions the creation of a space alongside COMPPA to produce a series of radio spots to for mutual support, co-responsibility and solidarity among educate their communities about the coup, the the participating organizations. importance of a National Constituent Assembly, the

people behind the coup and other important subjects.

Given the unique history, culture and struggles of the Lenca and Garifuna people, we decided to establish two The following five modules will continue to build on the separate itinerant schools, one with each organization, first three, focusing more intensely on technical training where each module would take place in the communities and organization of the communication projects, as well with radios and production centers. Throughout the as to identify the communicators that will make up the course of the year, around 80 popular communicators core group of trainers that will train others with their participated in the first three modules of the school knowledge in popular, indigenous and garifuna between both organizations. With COPINH, the first and communication in their communities and organizations. third modules took place in La Esperanza, site of the FM This year, communicators will participate in the planning and AM radios, and once in San Francisco Lempira, which and facilitation of introductory workshops with other coincided with the inauguration of the newest La Voz organizations so they can gain practical experience Lenca in La Cruz Concordia. With OFRANEH, the first two running workshops in popular communication and modules took place in Triunfo de la Cruz and San Juan Tela, community radio, ensuring the training of future sites of the Faluma Bimetu and Durugubuty Beibei radios generations of communicators. respectively, while the third module accompanied the inauguration of the newest Garifuna radio, Radio Sugua, in In COMPPA, we have been learning in each step of this Sambo Creek. process, updating older materials and methodologies,

developing new ones and putting them into practice, These first three modules deal with introductory subjects reflecting and learning from our mistakes and in popular communication and community radio such as: accomplishments in order to continue the construction of introduction to popular communication, critical analysis an Autonomous Mesoamerican Community Radio of commercial media, how and why to educate ourselves network with our sister organizations. as community correspondents, reflections on legality and

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alternative but private radios from Honduras, in a meeting in Tegucigalpa to begin talks around the rearticulation of AMARC-Honduras. The meeting was interrupted with the news that ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya had returned to Honduras after three months in exile, and the coup resistance coalesced at the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, where President Zelaya had taken refuge.

The next day, despite the brutal repression unleashed throughout the city after dispersing the Resistance from the outskirts of the Embassy, representatives from the various radios present at the meeting agreed on the first steps towards re-launching the network. Most present were core members of the Network of Mesoamerican Radios, including La Voz Lenca, Radio Guarajambala (COPINH), Durugubuty Beibei, Faluma Bimetu, Lafuru Ligaran Baribarana, Radio Sugua (OFRANEH), Radio

The World Association of Community Radios (AMARC) is Orquídea (MCA in the Aguán Valley), and the new radio one of the institutional references in the international project from Zacate Grande (ADEPZA). movement for community, popular, and citizen radio. The Latin American and Caribbean network (AMARC-ALC)

In the face of the concentration of radios and television was founded in 1990, and represents approximately 400 stations in the hands of a selected few, AMARC has radio stations engaged in the struggle for the media actively worked to change laws criminalizing community democratization in an atmosphere where the media throughout Latin America. New proposals for privatization and concentration of media in the hands of licensing laws mandate that only 30% of the media can be corporations and transnational capital is increasingly commercial, leaving 30% for public or state networks, and rampant. Corporate domination of the media 30% for community media. This is a tremendous step marginalizes the voices of the people, and denies them the forward as the vast majority of community media information necessary in order to understand and change throughout Latin America currently operate without the present realities of their communities and the world. licenses.

With the exception of the Garifuna radio Faluma Bimetu, COMPPA will continue to accompany AMARC – Honduras. AMARC-Honduras was founded almost ten years ago by We hope its new incarnation will support and shine light on five small and predominately private and Catholic radios, the Mesoamerican Network of Community, Indigenous, though for years this association has been effectively and Garifuna Radios throughout Latin America, abandoned. Following the coup, the Network of particularly in Honduras in its hour of repression. While Indigenous and Garifuna Radios of Mesoamerica and new legislation for the regulation of the airwaves is a long COMPPA reflected on the need to strengthen and protect way off, solidarity between radios in Honduras and the work that these community radios have been throughout the region is strengthening. Legal or not, developing for years, particularly now in the face of the community radios are legitimate projects of the people, military dictatorship's attacks against honest, alternative and, as they say in the streets, and community media.

On September 21st, representatives of AMARC-ALC and “Here, nobody surrenders!”Central America met with the radios of COPINH,

OFRANEH, Radio Marcala and a small handful of small

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AMARC–Honduras

is reborn

On June 28th Honduras awoke to something the world freedom of expression of many media outlets critical of the thought it had left in the last century - a military coup and coup, and community media in general.the censorship, repression, persecution, and intimidation that go with it. Deposed president Manuel Zelaya's Blanche Petrich of the Mexican daily newspaper La Jornada government had called for a non-binding referendum to writes, “The constitutional government of Honduras has be held on June 28th on whether or not to vote in stated that the leaders of the June 28th coup d'état November's general elections to convene a National included former presidents Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé Constituent Assembly. The coup effectively blocked the (1998–2002) and Ricardo Maduro (2002–2006); the right of the people to be heard at the polls. owners of 90% of the mainstream media, Jorge

Canahuati (El Heraldo and La Prensa) José Rafael Ferrari Nevertheless, the coup mobilized the Honduran people (Emisoras Unidas and Televicentro) and Flores Facussé who, after hearing the news, gathered in spontaneous (owner of the major daily newspaper La Tribuna); and three protest throughout the country. Despite the rampant major businessmen Camilo Atala, Freddy Nasser, and misinformation spread by the mainstream media and the Arturo Corrales, who control monopolies in banking, censorship of alternative and community media, citizens power plants, transnational oil companies, and the retail organized a National Front of Resistance to the Coup industry.[1]” D'état. On July 5th, more than 200,000 people marched in Tegucigalpa–one of the largest demonstrations in The concentration of the media in the hands of the Honduras' history. The protest ended in repression and the oligarchy and the principal intellectual authors of the coup murder of Isis Obed Murillo by the military. Like thousands explains the central role the media has played in of other protesters, Isis had traveled to the capital to legitimating and supporting the coup. The corporate protest the coup. For the next 160 days tireless citizens of media, along with the National Television of Honduras the National Front of Resistance to the Coup D'état filled (originally created as a public television channel by the streets of Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and other cities President Manuel Zelaya) were strategically used as with peaceful protest. mouthpieces for anti–Zelaya and anti–Chavez fear

campaigns. They justified the coup as a “constitutional In the months following the coup, the corporate media and succession” that would be resolved through November´s community media played important and opposing roles – “democratic and participatory” elections. with the corporate media serving the interests of the military dictatorship while community media consistently Benoit Hervieo of Reporters Without Borders said, serving and representing the people. “Honduras is a unique case because the mainstream media

directly participated in the coup, in the sense that they As news of the coup circulated that Sunday morning, the were strategic support for this coup. So defending the coup plotters cut off electricity to the entire city of rights of media that have taken actions to restrict the Tegucigalpa. Community and alternative radios La Voz fundamental liberties of the people is something never Lenca, Faluma Bimetu, Radio Marcala, Radio Globo and the seen before in an organization like ours[2].” TV station Cholusat Sur received threats and some were later closed down directly by the military in an attempt to Despite the mainstream media's censorship and create confusion and prevent access to information. This misinformation campaigns, alternative media has filled was the first attempt by the coup leaders to eliminate the gaps to meet the needs of a frustrated civil society.

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Transforming Honduras:

community media against the military coup

Media against the coup – from the newspaper Resistencía, Indigenous and Garifuna Radio Network of web sites, blogs, community radios, graffiti and anti-coup Mesoamerica slogans written onto Lempira bills (the national currency) – facilitated the spread of messages that countered the de In spite of the repression that has followed in the wake of facto government's attempt to demobilize civil society the June 28th military coup, one of the community-run and maintain a façade of 'calm and normalcy.' media initiatives that has continued to thrive is the

Network of Indigenous and Garifuna Radios. The network consists of Lenca radios, two FM and one AM (only the third AM radio legally controlled by indigenous peoples in When coverage of the coup began to dwindle in the Latin America) and four Garífuna radios on the Atlantic international media, the task of reporting and denouncing coast. Since the coup, the network has been threatened the continuing coup oppression fell upon community and with the closure of its radios, but remains on the air and alternative media. This task is even greater beneath the continues to strengthen and grow. These radios are all right wing government sworn in earlier this year. (The initiatives of COPINH (the Civic Council of Indigenous and November elections were hailed as the most participatory Popular Organizations of Honduras) and OFRANEH (the elections in the history of Honduras by the commercial Fraternal Black Organization of Honduras). The idea and media, despite a minimum abstention rate of 60%, as reality of such a network has been developed in recent reported on The Real News Network and the conservative years through a training process that now includes the watchdog group Hagamos Democracia - Let´s Do People´s Popular Communication School, the Popular Democracy.) Throughout the coup, community and Communication, Community Radio, and Gender alternative radios such as Radio Progresso, La Voz Lenca, workshops, and technical trainings to run and maintain Radio Marcala, and Faluma Bimetu were threatened and the radios. silenced. Today they have fought back to play a central role

in the organization of resistance to the coup and consciousness-raising about struggles for social justice. The radios La Voz Lenca, Faluma Bimetu, Durugubuti

Beibei, Sugua Lugua, and Brisa del Mar broadcast daily in languages and cultures of the Lenca and Garífuna people to promote the preservation and defense of their lands, The long-term necessity to strengthen autonomous c u l t u r e s , a n d i n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s ' r i g h t s t o communication projects run by and for the benefit of communication as established in Convention 169 of the communities becomes clear in moments of crisis and ILO, ratified by Honduras. particularly so in the wake of the coup. In the meantime, The Network of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Radios community media face enormous challenges in a climate of Honduras also includes radios associated with popular of fear and censorship. An October 2009 report by organizations involved in struggles for justice such as COFADEH (Human Rights Committee of the Families of Radio Orquidea of the MCA (Campesino Movement of the Disappeared) stated that in Honduras, both the right Aguan) in the department of Colón. Radio Orquidea is in to freedom of expression and the right to receive accurate the community of Guadalupe Carney, a 5,000-hectare information were under threat. These violations “are former US military base that was seized by the MCA after it evident in the temporary suspension of Radio Globo, was abandoned. The network also includes the popular Channel 36, Radio la Catracha, Radio Progreso and attacks journalists of Zacate Grande on the Pacific Coast of against Channel 11 and Diario Tiempo, among others[3].” Honduras who are in struggle against the theft of their According to Ana Pineda, director of the Democratic land by the businessman and oligarch Carlos Flores Foundation Against Borders, in the five months since the Facussé. Facussé is attempting to displace local coup, 127 violations of the right to freedom of expression communities to build his hotels in the zone known as the have been documented, as well as the injury of 31 Coyolito Club. Finally, the network is allied with sister journalists and continual interruptions of radio and networks of Indigenous and Community Radios in television stations critical of the coup[4]. Guatemala and Southeast Mexico. These networks

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continue to transmit information about and to denounce REFERENCESthe Honduran military coup.

[1] Blanche Petrich, “Los ex presidentes Flores Facussé y Ricardo Maduro, autores materiales del golpe a Zelaya”, La Jornada, The same conditions that led to the coup now threaten the México, 2 de Octubre de 2009. radio network, and the right to freedom of expression and [2] “Organizaciones de prensa internacional confirman graves the circulation of ideas that it represents. As the de facto violaciones a la libertad de prensa”, en Revistazo.com, regime escalates intimidation of popular and indigenous http://www.revistazo.biz/cms/index.php. journalists, network radios face threats and attacks to [3] “De masivas a selectivas las violaciones a DDHH en el marco remain on the air and defend alternative media. But the del golpe de Estado”, en DefensoresEnLínea.com, organizations believe there is a tremendous difference http://www.defensoresenlinea.com/cms/index.php.

between the commercial media and community media in [4] Thelma Mejía, “Periodismo-Honduras: Misión de alto Honduras. They maintain the people will defend their riesgo”, en IPS, 25 de noviembre de 2009,

radios because they transmit the experiences and http://ipsnoticias.net/print.asp?idnews=94047.

demands of their own people. [5] http://www.comppa.com

The bravery of autonomous, community-based alternative media initiatives like the Indigenous and Afro-descendant Radio Network will not only break corporate media monopolies, but also speak out strongly against the barrage of propaganda from the de facto regime attempting to convince the public that “Nothing's happening in Honduras.” We know that here in Honduras the military coup d'état continues, but nevertheless community media is growing and strengthening to break silence and complicity. It is organizing with the people because it is born from the people, speaks in the voices of the people, struggles with the people, and is, ultimately, the people.

*A version of this article will appear in the 2nd edition of “Latin America from Below: Stories of Daily Struggle (América Latina Desde Abajo: experiencias de luchas cotidianas…”) edited by Marco Coscione and published by ABYA YALA.

Juan, what kind of activities is COPINH involved in? So that's how it started. I imagine it wasn't exactly easy. Well, as COPINH we've always been involved in the No, it wasn't easy, but accompanied by COMPPA's struggle of the Lenca people. COPINH was born as an workshops and equipment we put up a community radio. organization to defend natural resources and forests. We In the beginning, this radio just operated here in the city. kicked out more than fifty sawmills run by loggers here in We started with basic equipment and tape recorders to see Intibucá, Lempira, and La Paz. After that, the people if we had the capacity to function as alternative media. We trusted COPINH and we began to struggle for things like also started training people, it was just the beginning but the titling of communal land and against the privatization we were able to transmit about 4 or 5 hours a day, from of water. We also choose to fight for health care, and for all eight in the morning until midday. When we had a better of the rights of the indigenous Lenca people. We use direct frequency, and better training, we started increasing the action tactics: road blockades, occupation of the National hours, to the whole day, from 5 am until 9 pm. Congress and taking the Presidential Palace by storm, demanding what the Lenca people need. Because of this, What role did the people play in al l this? everyone knows about COPINH. We have involved as many people as possible, and

upgraded the radio equipment; more digital voice How did COPINH begin to work in alternative media? r e c o r d e rs arrived, and we are offering trainings because I remember we were attending a Mesoamerican forum that's what the radio requires to improve. With all of this, against the exploitation of natural resources here in La Voz Lenca has become a participatory radio with a wide Intibucá, and it was there that we met COMPPA. At the audience, and a conscious public that knows it's totally time, we had a radio program on commercial radio, not different from commercial radio. As we've always said in community radio, for an hour every day from Monday COPINH, and as we say in popular communication, you've through Friday. At the forum we met with COMPPA and got to fight with dignity. And a community radio for and by they told us we had to disseminate our ideas and our the people is a way of fighting with dignity. We don't work struggle. They asked us, “Do you have any alternative for profit or to benefit the transnational corporations or media projects?” And we said no, that we just had the radio those in power who keep us in misery and poverty. This program. We talked with COMPPA about how to start a radio is for the voices of the poor, the voices of indigenous community radio and alternative communication project, people. This is a radio that shouts our culture, our heritage and that was how we began the process of training people and our daily struggles. The simple fight to survive unites in alternative media, how to produce radio programs and us against the institutions. We've always been told that spots, how to create flyers. The compañeros of COMPPA COPINH couldn't have radios, but the indigenous people motivated and convinced us that we needed our own supported us. Why can the powerful elite have radios and radio, in service to the people and the struggles we not us? Also, Convention 169 of the ILO (International support. Labor Organization) provides us with a legal foundation.

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Raising Our VoicesInterview with Juan Vázquez,

coordinator of the radio La Voz Lenca

The following is an interview with Juan Vásquez, coordinator of COPINH's Radio La Voz Lenca. We include it as an example of the experience of indigenous, Garífuna, and popular community radios. This interview demonstrates the ways in which these radios are necessary tools not only against the military coup d'état, but also for the real transformation of Honduras

How does popular communication support struggles for Just one example: Cuba sent a delegation of doctors to justice? COPINH and communities with the greatest health needs.

The Lenca people have hardly ever seen doctors, and the We know that the vast majority of the media is controlled Cuban doctors walked for up to six or seven hours to reach by the oligarchy. What do they give us? Lies. They try to the communities. They've done thousands of free deceive us, and community radio functions to educate operations. This is ALBA, and this is what we tell people people, so they can fight against this scheme we're about with our radio. trapped in. It's only with popular and alternative media

that COPINH will transform Honduran society. Why? Because they attack us with the privatization of water, by The coup was sort of the final test, because the radio constructing dams, plundering our natural resources. For was already winning people's trust, right? example, here in La Esperanza, the capital of Intibucá, we Up until now, we've only received threats, thank God. defended ourselves against privatization of water and the The area we transmit from has been totally militarized, destruction of public services. The people responded. They but no one has attempted to enter the radio or steal our refused to be deceived, they understood the way it would equipment. I think they know that COPINH is full of negatively impact everyone, and they defended the people who will fight, people who will defend their campaign we broadcast from La Voz Lenca. This rights. We had to make plans, to be ready to dismantle demonstrates how popular, alternative media benefits the radio and hide it if we needed to. Not because we're society and supports our struggles. afraid of the military, but as a protective measure. We're

still on the air here in La Esperanza and in San Francisco Lempira. For example, we transmitted all day on election How did you mobilize in response to the coup d'état? day, but with security measures in place. What gives us La Voz Lenca has played a fundamental role since June 28th strength? Well, people are ready to defend their radio at in informing our communities about what's happening any moment, even if there were a real military attack. As with the coup. The commercial media framed it as a long as nothing like that happens, we'll be on the air, presidential succession; they said that Zelaya wasn't broadcasting these messages. That's why a lot of people listening to the people, that he was giving away land to say, “La Voz Lenca is the only radio that's really different Chávez, they said that communism and war were coming, from the commercial media, because they speak the that they were going to take peoples' land away, that if you truth, and they're the only ones that say we need to kick had two animals they were going to take away one out this de facto regime and the oligarchy that supports because everyone had to be equal. It was an awful it.” campaign intended to provoke fear in people. La Voz Lenca

said “NO!” to this campaign of misinformation and transmitted what was really happening. People know about COPINH, and they know what a

community radio is. When the communities participate in the radio, it becomes their voice. For example, during the What do the mainstream media say? elections they sent us communiqués demanding the For example, they poisoned the cooperative Venezuelan resignation of Democratic Unión candidates, saying that projects ALBA and Petro-Caribe, both of which Zelaya's they were supporting the coup government by government signed on to. It's important for the people to participating in elections. Or, when we supported protests have affordable gas, and in the last few years everything against the dams in San Francisco de Opalaca. The people has gone up, the price of eggs have risen along with the refused the dam projects and the exploitation of their cost of basic necessities. But the corporate media says that natural resources. We gave people who supported the these are Chávez's projects and that they're going to walk coup a hard time; we made it very difficult for Schucry, for off with all of our national wealth. In La Voz Lenca we say Facussé, for Rosenthol, for the Terra and Rio Plata group, that these are lies. For example, they implemented the everyone who was trying to push projects in San Francisco Free Trade Agreement after Hurricane Mitch here in de Opalaca. The people used the radio to strengthen their Honduras. The new laws allowed the theft of our natural struggle and their organization. resources. And while they are lying, what are we doing?

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T h e r a d i o g r o w s w i t h t h e s e s t r u g g l e s ? Yes, because we're reaching out to raise awareness about what COPINH fights for. Before, people had never even heard of COPINH. They didn't have any information; they believed people who accused us of being fantastically wealthy terrorists paid thousands to destabilize the state. It was a smear campaign from the corporate, mainstream media and we didn't have any way to respond. But now, with La Voz Lenca, people know that we stand for the defense of our water, for the human rights of all people, for a more just and humane society. We are proud to base our work in these principles, and we'll keep fighting, because as the Front Against the Coup D'état said, we need to flood Honduras with community media.

Before we finish, I want to touch on something that's important to us at La Voz Lenca. There are major news outlets like Radio Globo and Channel 36 that are also against the coup. They're privately owned, and they get funds from transnational corporations like Coca Cola or big telephone companies. Those corporations act just like any others, sacking our country and natural resources. And we won't accept it, and we certainly refuse to accept the crumbs they offer us. We need to articulate a not-for-profit alternative communication of the people. The Honduras Radio Network and Radio America say that they're the voice of the people, but it's a lie. If we ask them to broadcast a message from a social justice organization or if we try to speak against the coup d'état, they won't let you on the air. That's not the voice of the people. Community radios are the voice of the people. They are sustained and defended by the people, not to make money, but to raise political consciousness so that people feel like owners of their own media, and part of social change. We don't do it for money, but to keep fighting and transform Honduras into a more just and humane society.

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When we hear the word “poetry” we A s p a r t o f t h e P o p u l a r W a ld in a M e jia s a n d Ri ta P alacios often think of rich, white, and Communication, Community Radio, (Honduras); y Maria Sabina (México.) ' c u l t u r e d ' m e n w r i t i n g and Gender workshops, we used indecipherable and mysterious poetry to develop our voices, enjoy Here are some of the poems that v e r s e s . B u t w h e n w e d o n ' t our creativity, express what we have participants wrote:understand this poetry, or when we lived and survived, and share why we ask, “What's the point of writing struggle for justice. As facilitators, we poems that no one understands, that presented poetry as a tool of self-don't represent the difficult realities determination and resistance, a way of the world outside of mansions and of breaking silence. universities?” they tell us we're stupid. I fight so that my people

will no longer be But like radio, poetry should be candles on an altar accessible to everyone. It is a way of

giving light and then dying. raising our voice, celebrating

But stars brilliant in the sky. struggles for justice, and imagining –Esperanza, a participant from the world we want to live in. As Maria

Oaxaca Suárez of Radio FIRE in Costa Rica said, “The word is the way to take

In the poetry workshops, we focused back our dignity…it is a step towards on basic techniques such as narrative, becoming subjects, people with metaphor, and how to use concrete rights.” In a true “poetry for the and sensual details. We discussed people”, we use our own language themes including gender and and write from our own experience. patriarchy, trauma and memory, A participant from Guatemala wrote, poverty and class-ism and the struggles we are each involved in.

“Somos mujeres We studied and read the poetry of de sangre que queremos Daisy Zamora, Gioconda Belli, and paz y justicia, dignidad y Leonel Rugama, (Nicaragua); Maya derechos.” Cu, Julia Esquivel, Calixta Gabriel Chiquín, and Otto-Raúl Gonzalez “We are women (Guatemala); Chrystos and June of blood we want Jordan (Indigenous and African peace and justice, dignity American women from the US); Silvia and rights.” Elena Regalado (El Salvador); Pablo Neruda and Marjorie Agosín (Chile);

18

Poetry with

Indigenous, Campesina,

and Garífuna Women

Guatemala Dolores ut chiqqnakwaq taxq atinak chirixRenaq liq’qkalebal takuqq chinabajna wojLina qaj ay lin irix lao naq li qakalebalnaqaj rajnaq usaq chius chirueb lichiab chalre chiqu laho lajRalx chó c’h’Takun raj chiq

Y que sepamos cómo hablar sobrenuestra comunidad, para que nuestra comunidadPueda levantarse.Lo que queremos nosotrosQue nuestra comunidad se levante y que se mejore en el año que vienepara nosotros los hijos de la tierra.

May we know how to speak about our community, so that our community can rise up. We want Our community to rise and progress in this coming year for us, the children of the earth.

“Poetry is a political act

because it involves

telling the truth”

HondurasParaiso Terrenal

Vengo de un lugar escogido por extraños para el triunfo de una batalla.

Lugar sagrado virgen sín impurezasQue da vida sin condicionesAcoge a los descalzos, pescadores, cultura, Náufragos, dignidad, sabiduría, espíritu, fuerza, humildad, y solidaridad

Fuerza ancestral sopla entra las hojasde sus palmeras, que acaricia el rostrosudado de la madre y los niños corriendo.Paz y armonía descansa en la hamaca delanciano que murmura un cántico deparranda tallando un mortero.

No es casualidad haber llegado yflorecer en esta tierra prometida, miparaíso terrenal, donde generacionesde Satuye y Barauda serán como laarena del mar.

Teresa ReyesParadise on Earth

I come from a place chosen by strangers for the triumph of a battle.

Sacred place pure virgin Who gives life unconditionally She shelters the barefoot, fisherman, culture, The shipwrecked, dignity, wisdom, spirit, strength, humility, and solidarity

Ancestral strength blows among the leaves of her palms, caressing the sweating face of the mother and the running children.

We were meant to arrive here and bloom in this promised land, my paradise on earth, where generations of Satuye and Barauda will be like sand of the sea.

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Yo lucho para que la genteviva en igualdad para que caminencon fuerza y puedan volar como unapaloma libre, sin fronteras

También lucho por miquiero llegar hasta la punta delárbol mas alto y poder mirartodo lo que me rodea.

Lucho por mis padres quesiempre caminen con luzy no en la oscuridad

Por las mujeres solas, tristes y que viven con violenciason ellas como una flor marchitadason como un pez sin aguason como la luz de la vela queal soplar el viento se apagandebemos luchar y resistirpara encontrar la libertad.

I struggle so my people may live in equality that they may walk with strength and fly as free as doves, without borders

I struggle for myself so I may arrive at the top of the tallest tree and see everything that surrounds me.

I struggle for my parents may they always walk in light and not in darkness.

For the women alone, sad,living with violence they are like wilted flowers fish without water the light of a candle blown out in the wind we must fight and resist to find freedom.

México Sonia

“I am Mapuche, woman, poor, and a poet.

I took literature as a weapon to defend myself against the racism and classism

in our society.”

Poet Graciela Huinao

COMPPA Yearly PublicationComunicadores y Comunicadoras Populares por la Autonomía

http:/www.comppa.org/comppa@comppa.org

2009* 2010