MEDIA REACTION ON DRUG TRAFFICKING, JULY 9, 2003

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001636

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/PDA (MBUCKLEY); WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP PREL KPAO PGOV IZ HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DRUG TRAFFICKING, JULY 9, 2003


1.Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El Heraldo" on
7/9 entitled "Narco trafficking and corruption". "Drug
trafficking has a considerable corrupting power, so much that
even the U.S. government has financed wars with funds coming from
this illegal source, such as the fight against the Sandinistas
during the `lost decade'."

"Drug trafficking does not exclusively promote corruption within
judicial institutions, public officials and politicians. It can
also overturn the moral values of common and ordinary people who
receive `aid' from drug traffickers, no matter that such `aid'
comes from the demise of millions of young people victims of
drugs and their tormented parents."

"Honduras still has time to avoid that the powerful tentacles of
drug trafficking take advantage of the immorality and excessive
ambition of a few, as well as the needs and reversed values of
many. The fight against this current threat should concern all of
us, without regard of social class."


2. Op-ed by Edmundo Orellana Mercado (former Attorney General in
a Liberal Party administration and Law Professor in the National
University) in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" on
7/9 entitled "Narco trafficking". "For some years now, our
society has been threatened by one of the most devastating
problems in modern times: narco trafficking. the environment in
which narco trafficking operates the best is through corruption.
Consequently, those societies who are headed by leaders inclined
to corruption are easy victims."

"Then, we should not be surprised that our neighbors north of
Bravo River are repeatedly warning us that the failure of
Honduras's efforts on the fight against drug trafficking are
caused by the corruption of our leaders. The consequences of
ignoring those warnings could lead to the decertification of
Honduras, which could have a serious cost for the country by
reducing the international cooperation for Honduras."

"We should fight against narco trafficking and corruption
relentlessly, in every front, and with all resources available.
Otherwise, corruption will asphyxiate us, and as a result of the
decertification we will be isolated from the world and suffering
its consequences by ourselves."


Palmer