US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1684

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001684 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR PM AND EB/TRA 
DEPT. FOR WHA/EPSC, WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PGOV, MASS, EAID, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEBT FORGIVENESS, AUGUST 9, 2005 
 
 
2. On 08/09 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an op-ed by Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia entitled 
"Debt Forgiveness, a Moral Debt for Honduras."  "The G-8 
debt forgiveness has generated discussion nationwide. The 
most delicate and important thing is the nationwide and 
worldwide effort by many people and institutions to reflect 
upon the obligatory question: `What to do with the 
opportunity given to us by debt relief?'" 
 
"Our true responsibility as a government, of which we all 
are a part without exception, reemerges towards an external 
debt that has come from a past full of abuse, deficient 
administrations, corruption, etc.. Because of these, the 
resources that should have been used for our development 
haven't fulfilled their functions, increasing poverty and 
lack of opportunities." 
 
"As for debt forgiveness, our moral debt is big. Our 
responsibility as a government is something that we have to 
face firmly and with a clear conscience." 
 
"It is said in Honduras that our children are born with 
debt, but we are about to change that and leave a different 
reality to those generations to come. This will only be 
achieved with a change of mentality, investment in social 
cohesion, and a fight against inequality. If others have 
done it we also can, and in that way we will pay off our 
moral debt." 
 
Tuebner