Urgent Action: Attacks on Lenca Communities

Urgent Action Request : Murder and Repression Target Lenca Communities in Resistance

On May 26th  community leader, Irene Meza was killed In San Francisco de Opalaca where election fraud in November installed a ruling party (National Party) mayor who was not accepted by the town; the indigenous council then led a takeover of the municipality. A National Party gunman opened fire on Mr. Meza and also wounded another activist. National Party thugs then attacked the car taking Mr. Meza and the other wounded man to the hospital.

The night of May 24th In Rio Blanco, where the community and its indigenous council have been blocking the construction of a hydroelectric project,community activist William Jacobo Rodríguez was murdered. There were also new incidents of threats, detentions, and beatings by the police of community members. Below is the recent communique on both incidents from the Lenca organizations, COPINH with the demands of the communities.

For more background on Rio Blanco 

For more background on San Francisco de Opalaca

CALLS OR LETTERS ARE NEEDED: The situation in both communities is very insecure and at high risk for more violence against the community members and political opposition. Please contact the US Embassy Human Rights Officer and/or the Attorney General (Fiscal General) of Honduras to express your concern and demand an end to the state sponsored violence, serious investigations of the acts of violence and murders, and an end to the political persecution of COPINH, LIBRE and the indigenous councils in the communities. 

In English:  Amanda Johnson-Miller, Human Rights & Labor Officer, U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa Honduras

In Spanish: Oscar Fernando Chinchilla, Fiscal General de la República.

  • Fax (504) 2221-5667 
  • Tel (504) 2221-5670  2221-3099

COMMUNIQUE

English translation followed by the Spanish original of COPINH’s comunique about yesterday’s repression in San Francisco Opalaca and Rio Blanco.  From Brigitte Gynther of SOA-Watch

 Murder and repression in San Francisco de Opalaca and Rio Blanco executed by the facist forces of the National Party and the National Police   

To the national and international community, COPINH denounces and condemns the murders, murder attempts, and repression perpetrated yesterday against the Lenca people, acts that are motivated by the repressive policies of the State of Honduras, led by Juan Orlando Hernandez: 

Yesterday, after the conclusion of an important Indigenous Assembly in San Francisco de Opalaca – the purpose of which was to socialize the findings of the Audit demanded by the Lenca people and carried out by the Superior Accounting Tribunal as well as to make decisions in the context of the construction of the Indigenous Government – employees of the ex-Mayor that the National Party has tried to impose appeared in a private vehicle and Mr. Hugo Sánchez,  without saying a word, took out a pistol and fired on Irene Meza and Plutarco Bonilla.  Irene Meza is the husband of the 3rd Councilwoman of the Legitimate Mayor’s Office, Ada Elizabeth Méndez,  who was in charge of reading the Audit report in the Assembly yesterday. Plutarco Bonilla is a well-known compañero in the struggle against the coup d’etat, in the resistance movement, and both are part of the LIBRE party. Additionally, both compañeros had been participating in all of this most recent struggle in San Francisco Opalaca. 

The brutality with which this crime was perpetrated is so extreme that when Irene Meza, shot with bullets in the stomach and chest, was being driven to the hospital in La Esperanza by his wife and a driver, they were attacked again by a heavily armed group of men at the height of the ascent of the Zarco River, causing the vehicle to crash.  The armed men then proceeded to the site of the crash, shooting 6 more shots at Irene.  In this crime, the two people with him were also injured.  

With regards to Plutarco Bonilla, we inform that a bullet hit his hand and he is out of danger.  

On the other hand, in Río Blanco, between Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th, while he was returning to his home around midnight, William Jacobo Rodríguez, a struggler in defense of the Gualcarque River against the imposition of the Agua Zarca Hydoelectric Dam, was murdered.  It is worth mentioning that even though somebody already confessed to this crime, the Police forces that are stationed at the DESA installation in Rio Blanco as part of a special operation against the Lenca People, proceeded to break into homes and arbitrarily capture two COPINH members, Lindolfo Benítez and Salvador Sánchez,  and as if that were not enough, they then physically and emotionally tortured both of them, threatened to kill minors that were in their houses, and also threatened and verbally attacked Francisco Javier Sánchez, President of the Indigenous Council of Rio Blanco and Coordinator of Land and Territories for COPINH.  

For all of this, COPINH demands:

-Effective investigation and immediate application of justice for the murders of William Rodríguez and Irene Meza as well as the attempts against Plutarco Bonilla, Ada Méndez and Pedro Rodríguez.

-Although Lindolfo Benítez and Salvador Sánchez, in the early hours of today were taken back to Rio Blanco and freed, we demand an investigation and punishment of the repressive forces responsable for their torture and abitrarity, for which COPINH has repeatedly demanded the withdrawal of this police force that only has brought threats and repression to the communities that constantly reject it.  

-An end to the political repression and criminalization against the Lenca people and COPINH, against the social and political strugglers.  

COPINH holds responsible the State of Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernández, the powerful groups, corporations, as well as the army and police, for all the polices of terror and criminalization against our People and organization. 

We declare that all the actions of Indigenous people rising up and defending territory and the common goods of nature, against large predatory capital, for the construction of self-determination, for ILO Convention 169 and Indigenous government continue strong; this will be part of the big Assembly for Territory and Communities that will start tomorrow, May 27 and the 5-department Regional Mobilization in La Esperanza, Intibucá on Thursday, May 29 at 10.00am, all of our actions guided with hope for our ancestral history of rebellion and dignity. 

In Intibucá, May 26, 2014.

COPINH

¡In the face of more repression, more struggle and organization!

¡We are sons and daughters of Lempira!

Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras COPINH: Bo. Las Delicias, Intibucá, Intibucá;  Blog: copinhonduras.blogspot.com; Tel. (504) 2783-0817; http://copinh.org; FB: Copinh Intibucá; Twitter: @copinhhonduras

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Take Action – Solidarity in Action

Witness for Peace Southwest has published the following action alert and updates for the Honduras Solidarity Network  http://wfpsw.org. There are three sections. 

Military Police inside Honduran Congress

Action Alert

  1. Honduran LIBRE congress members brutalized and teargassed by military police inside congressional building. 
  2. Honduran Social Movements en route to march on the Capital 
  3. Congressional Dear Colleague Letter on Honduras now with 67 signers. Has your Rep. Signed?

Click Here to ask your Representative to support Human Rights in Honduras

Calls and emails needed to the State Department and US Embassy in Honduras demanding the US denounce the violent treatment of Honduran congress members at the hands of the Honduran Military Police.

Sample script: “Madam, Are you aware that just recently Honduran military police broke down doors at the Honduran National Congress and subjected elected congress persons to violence, beatings, and teargas forcibily ejecting these elected officials from their congressional posts? Has Secretary Kerry or US Ambassador Kubiske condemend this violent use of force against elected officials of the Honduran congress?”

CONTACT: Call and email State Department- Honduras Desk: 

Kelsi Cambronne call: 202-647-3505email: CambronneKL@state.gov

Email US Embassy: 

Amanda Johnson Miller, US Embassy Human Rights Attache- Johnson-MillerA@state.gov

Click Here to ask your Representative to support Human Rights in Honduras

Honduran LIBRE congress members brutalized and teargassed by military police inside congressional building.

Video here of military police repressing congresspersons inside and outside congressional building.

 Video of two women LIBRE congesspersons overrun and trampled by military police.

LIBRE Congresswomen pushed and hit by police


“The Order From the National Congress Was to Repress All Action by the Opposition.”  

Marvin Palacios, May 13, 2014.  Defensores en Linea (COFADEH)

The President of the National Congress, Maurico Oliva, gave the order to brutally repress the opposition party Libertad y Refundación (LIBRE)  and the activists and leaders that were demonstrating peacefully below the National Congress.

The order of the day was repression and violence, said the congressmembers from LIBRE.  The violent actions led by agents of the State left several congressmembers hospitalized and dozens of demonstrators with serious blows/injuries, produced by the brutality with which riot troops and military police acted.

 Around 4:00 in the afternoon a strong contingent of military police, police from the Special Operations Command (COBRA), and military troops entered into the hall of sessions of the National Congress, occupied strategic positions inside the big hall, surrounded the congressmembers of LIBRE and began to use batons, tear gas bombs, and shields to assault, push and mistreat and beat the representatives of the people.

 There was no consideration for anyone, including congressmembers such as Claudia Garmendia, congressmember from the department of El Paraíso, who suffered the charge of the military soldiers, in which she was surrounded on the floor, and rescued by one of her congressmember companions.

Ex-President Zelaya, upon being expelled with shoves and blows from the second level of the National Congress, where he presides over the bench of the 36 congressmembers of LIBRE, said `those who are governing Honduras are beasts.’

Later he added sadly that `it’s only taken 100 days for president Juan Orlando Hernández to show us his fangs; he will not be releected to govern because the Honduran people reject his dictatorship.’

 In the streets of the historic center you could breath smoke and pepper gas in industrial quantities, and while people covered their mouths with scarves, others were persecuted and beaten by those in uniform. The central park was once again the scene of battle between demonstrators and police, but in disproportionate conditions.  Many of the protesters were persecuted and beaten by those in uniform.

 Congressmember Claudia Garmendia was hospitalized because of the blows and gases she received inside the hall of sessions of the National Congress; also the congressmembers Elvia Argentina Erazo (Copán) and Audelia Rodríguez (Atlántida).

 Congressmembers Hari Dixon, Rafael Alegría, and Wilfredo Paz were beaten.  The Red Cross transfered several disheartened and injured people to the Hospital Escuela.

 Several days ago LIBRE called for a peaceful demonstration underneath the National Congress [Transl:  the building is sort of on big stilts, with an open area on the first floor; the actual congress is on the second floor], demanding that, because LIBRE is the second political force in the country, with 36 congressmembers, it be represented in the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.  The demand was met by a response from the President of Congress Mauricio Oliva that LIBRE had to obtain 86 congressmembers in order to be included. And the other response from Oliva was made this afternoon, in ordering a brutal repression against the opposition politicians, activists, and leaders of LIBRE.

The situation is worrisome to human rights bodies, considering tomorrow environmentalists will arrive at the National congress tomorrow to demand an end to concessions for extraction of the country’s mineral resources.

The Honduras Solidarity Network has set up an emergency fund for Hondurans who need emergency medical help, relocation for security reasons and for the families and victims of human rights abuses and assassinations. Please support the Honduras Emergency Fund if you are able.


  
Honduran Social Movements en route to march on the Capital

 Campesinos, Indigenous peoples and members of the social movements launch a “caminata” march across the country with demands for “Dignity and Sovereignty”.

For the complete communique, demands and list of organizers s click here.

 Funds still needed for food, housing, transport and medical support for the dozens of organizations participating in the “caminata”. Donate here to the caminata. 

 The Mobilization began on Wednesday, May 14th in the morning, leaving from the community of Zambrano.  Arrival in Tegucigalpa is planned for Thursday the 15th and we call for participation from the Popular Resistance; FNRP Collectives; Base Organizations of the Social and popular urban movement,  artists, writers, feminists, Youth, Leftist Political Organizations; LGBT Organizations and all the organizations that are in the struggle against the oppressor system and the continuation of the Coup d’E’tat of 2009, organizations in struggle against neoliberal policies, imperialism and the patriarchy.

 It is important to count on the solidarity of the citizenry in general, to bring water, basic grains (beans, rice, etc.) fuit, vegetables, mattresses, blankets and medicines for during the march and especially for the indefinite vigil that we will maintain beginning May 15 in the plaza below the National Congress.

  “Listen People and Join in the Struggle!”

Liberty for Jose Isabel Morales Chabelo Now!

For an Integral Agraria Reform: Raise the Banners of Struggle!

Mining and Hydroelectric Projects: Out of Honduras!

Sovereignty YES! ZEDE or Charter Cities NO!

Justice! Justice! Justice!…Stop Stop the Femicides!

May 14th- Dignity and Sovereignty March

Honduras Dear Colleague letter now with 67 signers! Has your Rep. Signed?

Rep. Shakowsky’s Dear Colleague letter on human rights in Honduras now has 67 signers. See the list to see if your Rep. Has signed on yet. Click here to send a letter thanking your Rep for signing on. If you Rep has not signed click HERE to send a letter asking them to sign on by the letter’s deadline Wed May 21st.

For a full text of the Letter click Here.

Click HERE to Thank Your Rep or Ask your Rep to sign the Shakowsky Honduras Letter.

 

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Violence – Resistance – Continuation of the Coup

Violent attack against LIBREnatcongress zelayateargas

On May 13th military police under orders from the President of the Honduran National Congress attacked LIBRE Party members of Congress inside the congressional chambers with tear gas and batons sending several to the hospital, then the special tactical group of National Police (COBRAS) attacked the multitude of protesters from the National Front of Peoples Resistance and other social justice organizations who were outside the congress building. The LIBRE congress members were peacefully protesting inside Congress about the lack of basic parlimentary rights allowed to the opposition in Congress.

TV Globo Video of Attack by Hernandez Government on LIBRE

National Mobilization for Dignity and Sovereignty and Freedom for Chabelo Morales

caminatacarasMore than 300 people from social justice, resistance, campesino and indigenous groups started the mobilization that will arrive in  Tegucigalpa May 15th for protests on May 16th.

 

Communique:  National Mobilization of the Territories 

May 14 and 15 join the grand national mobilization of the Territories “For Dignity and Sovereignty” 

We are mobilizing to demand the immediate liberty of our political prisoner compañero, José Isabel Morales, “Chabelo”, whose complete right to prove his innocence has been violated, unjustly condemned to 17.5 years in prison, because of the power of political interests, in complete violation of his rights as a citizen and of the Constitution of the Republic. 

We are mobilizing to demand the derogation of the Law of Agricultural Modernization and for the approval of the Decree of the Law for “Integral Agrarian Reform with Gender Equity for Food and Development Sovereignty”

We are mobilizing to demand the derogation of the mining law and the exit of the Hydroelectric and Mining Projects from the Territories

We are mobilizing to demand the derogation of the Law that puts into effect the Special Development and Employment Zones (ZEDE) or what is called Charter Cities, and we demand the resolution of the suit challenging its constitutionality in the Supreme Court of Justice by representatives of organizations from the Social and popular movement. 

We are mobilizing to demand the investigation of the femicides at the national level by the State and the punishment of those who, protected by the impunity that prevails in the Justice system, continue to commit barbaric acts. 

More than three months after the takeover of City Hall in San Francisco de Opalaca, COPINH demands that the State of Honduras respect the process of the Indigenous Lenca Government of San Francisco de Opalaca, respect the Indigenous and legitimate Mayorship, for its ancestral and historic authority, unrestricted respect for its self-determination, territories and natural goods. We demand the official removal of the Imposed Mayor.

 The Mobilization will begin on Wednesday, May 14th in the morning, leaving from the community of Zambrano.  Arrival in Tegucigalpa is planned for Thursday the 15th and we call for participation from the Popular Resistance; FNRP Collectives; Base Organizations of the Social and popular urban movement,  artists, writers, feminists, Youth, Leftist Political Organizations; LGBT Organizations and all the organizations that are in the struggle against the oppressor system and the continuation of the Coup d’E’tat of 2009, organizations in struggle against neoliberal policies, imperialism and the patriarchy.

It is important to count on the solidarity of the citizenry in general, to bring water, basic grains (beans, rice, etc.) fuit, vegetables, mattresses, blankets and medicines for during the march and especially for the indefinite vigil that we will maintain beginning May 15 in the plaza below the National Congress. 

  “Listen People and Join in the Struggle!”

Liberty for Jose Isabel Morales Chabelo Now!

For an Integral Agraria Reform: Raise the Banners of Struggle!

Mining and Hydroelectric Projects: Out of Honduras!

Sovereignty YES! ZEDE or Charter Cities NO!

Justice! Justice! Justice!…Stop Stop the Femicides!

Called by: Regional Agrarian Platform of the Aguan )MOCRA, MARCA, MUCA, MCA, EARigores, EA Vallecito, EAGregorio Chavez, EA Salado Lis Lis);Team for Reflection, Investigation and Communication (ERIC); Intermunicipal Association and Social Force of Honduras (AIDEVISH);Organizations of the Platform for the Social and Popular Movement; National Center for Rural Workers (CNTC), Northern Region;Coordinator of Popular Organizations of the Aguan (COPA);Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras ;(COPINH)Fraternal BLack Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH);Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ);National Network of Human Rights Defenders; Ecumenical Institute for Community Services (INEHSCO); Community Commercialization Network (Red COMAL);National Front of Popular Resistance (FNRP); Honduran Chapter – Grouping of Social Movement to ALBA, ALBAMOVIMIENTOS

 

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MAY 14th:National Mobilization in Defense of Dignity and Sovereignty

More information coming soon along with actions you can take to support the Honduran movements.

Honduras Delegation 418The social movement in Honduras is mobilizing starting May 14th when campesino, indigenous, environmentalist, feminist and more will make a two-day walk from Zambrano, Francisco Morazan to Tegucigalpa where the resistance movement in the capital will join in protests at the Presidential offices (Casa Presidential), the Supreme Court and the National Congress.

  • The mobilization has 6 demands: Freedom for campesino political prisoner, Isabel “Chabelo” Morales Lopez
  • Congressional approval of the Law for the Integral Agrarian Transformation proposed by the campesino movement and derogation of the current “Law of Agricultural Modernization”Derogation of the Mining Law
  • Derogation of the Charter Cities Law (Special Zones for Economic Development-ZEDES)
  • Cessation of the hydroelectric projects in the indigenous territories
  • Investigation and clarification by the government of the femmicides in Honduras.

This mobilization comes a little more than 100 days since Juan Orlando Hernandez from the National Party took power after elections widely condemned as fraudulent. During this first hundred days,  Honduras has seen an escalation of both militarization and violence and a continuation of impunity and a lack of investigation of the murders of members of the press, environmentalists, and opposition activists including LGBT, campesinos and LIBRE party members. Furthermore the deaths of more than 600 women in 2013 alone continue to be unresolved and largely uninvestigated. The Honduran government has, 1474614_413617928765860_646418578_nhowever, been able to mount prosecutions and harassment against indigenous leaders like Berta Caceres of COPINH and most recently the detention, beating and threatened prosecution on invented charges of Jose Guadalupe Ruelas, director of Casa Alianza which just issued a report critical of Hernandez and children’s rights and well-being. It has also been able to ignore blatant violations of procedure and law to keep a member of the Campesino Movement of the Aguan, Chabelo Morales, imprisoned unjustly. Even the simplest requirements of parlimentary democracy have been violated as members of the resistance party, LIBRE, who won congressional office have been denied offices, paychecks and the right to speak in congressional proceedings.

Despite this grim situation, the US government continues to praise Hernandez and to provide training, money and support for the National Police and Honduran military. Just this week US Ambassador to Honduras Lisa Kubiske stated in an interview in El Heraldo on May 11th comparing the new government with previous governments, “The difference in enthusiasm and energy that the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez brings, and it is a positive energy, because he has the idea of government of action to get results…..”

Well, there is no question that Hernandez is after results, and those results are obviously fulfillment of the neoliberal dream at the expense of the Honduran people.

vcervantes – also published today in Honduras Resists

 

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