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March 2014 – more murders, machete stabbings against activist family, many organisations almost closed down..
Known political persecution cases in March 2014
Summary of political killings in March 2014
Organised farmers Alma Yaneth DĂaz Ortega and Uva Erlinda Castellanos Vijil were assassinated by hitmen on 27/3/14
Son of organised farmers leader, who is a local court judge, Lenin Casteñeda was killed by hitmen on 14/3/14
Lawyer and resistance activist José Nicolás Bernárdez, was killed by hitmen on 14/3/14
An attempt and violent machete stabbing against three community activists of Rio Blanco that defend their territory from the imposition of hydroelectricity dam project Agua Zarca since 1/4/13
Near midday on 5/3/14, MarĂa Santos DomĂnguez was on her way home after preparing with others some school lunch for children, when at least five people who were hooded and armed with machetes and sticks who had hidden and waited for her ambushed her – with one of the aggressors Fausto Vásquez shouting, 'this time we are going to take your life from you, india gran p..., not even Copinh will defend you. You are an agitator and now you are going to learn not to stick your nose into these things. Getting rid of you will be enough, that will end all this noise.'
Her spouse Roque calls her frequently to ensure she was okay because of constant death threats – so when he called for the 4th time this day and she answered, she told Roque she was surrounded, so Roque rushed off to look for her with their son Paulo (12). When they found MarĂa, she already had deep machete wounds on her – they split her thumb first and went onto wound her head and chest, and the attackers, in an out-of-control state, were beating her with sticks and stones. Roque tried talking with them, asking them not to kill his spouse, and when little Paulo ran to his mum's side to help her, one of the attackers slashed the machete at this little child, slicing off his right ear and part of his face. They also attacked Roque, wounding him in the head and body and almost cutting off his hand. The three managed to escape and ran to find help, all three were left gravely wounded. Only one of these attackers was detained despite the complaints.
MarĂa, Roque and Paulo are community activists. MarĂa is the coordinator of the Rio Blanco and northern Intibucá indigenous council. They have received constant death threats and aggression for their active resistance. The attackers, some who previously destroyed the crops of MarĂa and Roque's family, are sympathisers of the Agua Zarca hydroelectricity projects. MarĂa's brother Tomás GarcĂa was assassinated by the army on 15/7/13, as the community mobilised, without any weapons, towards the dam site. Soon after this, she appeared on a video shared on social media, saying that she will defend the river with her life too, that if they killed her, it would be a matter of pride for her to give her life to this struggle.
See the pictures of MarĂa, Roque and Paulo following the attack on this article: http://www.rel-uita.org/index.php/es/derechos-humanos/item/4490-ni-balas...
Two organised farming women assassinated, a farmer's activist persecuted by army, and another attempted against by hitmen
On 27/3/14, at 7.30am, Alma Yaneth DĂaz Ortega (46) and Uva Erlinda Castellanos Vijil (48) were assassinated as they were coming home after a day of work on the land – they are members of Empresa Asociativa Campesina Bella Vista at the Bella Vista village, in Pimienta, Cortes. They were assassinated for reclaiming their right to the possession of land that the agrarian department had granted them.
On 29/3/14, around 6.30pm, as JosĂ© David RamĂrez was returning after visiting his grandmother who lives in the Lempira community and as he stopped to talk with some friends outside a home in this community, hooded soldiers with black balaclavas jumped off a patrol threatening the three youths. Minutes later, a soldier shot the gun against JosĂ© but missed him and he left running to hide inside the Lempira settlement farm around Tocoa, 12 hooded soldiers hopped on the police patrol and 4 motorcycles to chase him. When they couldn't get him, they forced his friend nicknamed 'Mel' onto the patrol and made him take them to JosĂ©'s home – luckily nobody was inside – the soldiers kicked the door down and found that. His dad RaĂşl RamĂrez said that they had to change homes months ago already due to persecution. RaĂşl is the treasurer of the farmers' movement MUCA. Just the day before this attack, farmers organisations met with police lawyer Vegas, traffic police head Rojas and DGIC investigator Alemán, about supposeably ending persecution in Aguán.
(Exact date unknown at time of compilation) Miguel Sánchez was attempted against, shot with 6 AK47 bullets, at the farmers cooperative San Miguel Arcángel of farmers movement ECARLON in Urraco Pueblo in Progreso Yoro. He was left in a grave state.
Judicial persecution against human and land rights defenders
On 8/3/14, lawyer, human rights and land rights defender Marleny Cruz was arrested by police and taken to the Pavana police station, transferred to the San Pedro Sula police station 24 hours later where she was charged with usurpation, aggravated robbery and damages 'in prejudice of' CAHSA sugar company and against DNIC state investigative agents JosĂ© Zacapa, JosĂ© RodrĂguez, Cristhian Alemán, and Edgar Aguilar – the charges are based on having allegedly participated in the lands occupation and of instructing farmers of San Manuel CortĂ©s (MOCSAM) to attack a group of DNIC agents. It was until 2pm, 11/3/14 that she was finally released with the bail conditions, of signing at the court every 15 days and to not to go near the plantations.
Who is Marleny and what motivated this detention and charges? She accompanies and gives legal support to MOCSAM farmers' territorial struggles against the sugar companies CAHSA and Azunosa, and is the legal representative/advisor for MARCA and MUCA. In May 2013, Marleny went to collect testimonies from victims - MOCSAN members began recovering land that the state had granted them since the sugar companies were exploiting the land without permission, but as they reclaimed the land farmers were subject to an armed attack by Azunosa and CAHSA guards. In this attack, farmer ValentĂn Avelar was killed and Celso RuĂz wounded and died in hospital, and others were wounded. Marleny also worked closely with Antonio Trejo in cases of detention and repression against farmers of Aguan including MARCA, until Antonio was assassinated on 22/9/12 – she followed up on the cases Antonio was working on after he died – for which we were surprised now with a capture order dated June 2013 for her work on these cases. Marleny also works as a primary school teacher in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood in Tegucigalpa, and as a private lawyer, and has worked a lot voluntarily with human rights organisation CODEH as well.
Others mentioned to be under judicial persecution:
Human rights defender of farmers Duni Ortiz, Ricardo DomĂnguez a farmers leader in Valle de Sula, and at least 4000 other farmers around Honduras.
Close call – cancelling and uncancelling of legal status of over 5000 NGOs
On 7/3/14 civil organisations expressed outrage, as the Honduran Executive Department ordered the cancellation of the legal status and subsequent closure of 5429 NGOs – the list was published in La Gaceta #33367 of 28/8/14 amongst which were many organisations that criticise current and past regimes. It began with the Unit of Registry and Monitoring of Civil Associations URSAC which gave the pretext – proven to be made up – that the listed NGOs did not comply with the provision of financial reports and activities of inscription of the directive committee by the due dates.
It was until 14/3/14 that the human rights and governance minister Chang Castillo apologised publicly, said it was a mistake, that the cancellations will not go ahead, promising to modernise computer equipment and staff training and dismissing URSAC director Jorge Montes. That it was a decision made to close organisations critical of the JOH regime would not be admitted to. Already, there has been a series of such decrees to this policy – Maduro's decree 700-A-2003 to regulate, control and monitor the funds of civil association that they suspect financed the mobilisations that demanded rights in the context of growing mobilisations, and the 2011 Ley Especial para el Fomento de las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales de Desarrollo, to the same intent.
The almost made illegal organisations include: Centre of Women's Studies Honduras,
'Las Hormigas' Intibucá Women's Union, C-Libre,, Centre for Investigation and Promotion of Human Rights Defence in Honduras, National Network of Defenders in Honduras, Women's Network of Colonia Ramón Amaya Amador, Centre of Studies and Action for Development in Honduras, the San Pedro Gay Community, Colonia López Arellano Women's Movement, Ecumenical Institute of Community Service, Colectivo Color Rosa, and many others...
Two lawyers assassinated on one day, one is son of a MUCA founder, the other a resistance activist
On 14/3/14, in Tocoa, Colón, hitmen on a pickup truck assassinated Lenin Casteñeda (32) with at least 6 gunshots, outside the door at Lenin's home as he was going home from work around 9.30am. As well as the son of Adolfo Castañeda, one of the founders of MUCA farmers movement, he is also a local court judge in the Iriona municipality. Adolfo said over a year ago he received a threat of killing who he loves most. Adolfo holds the landowners of the region responsible, as well as with the complicity of militarisations and the investigation teams and disarmament decree that have allowed the continued impunity.
Also on 14/3/14, In San Pedro Sula, hitmen on motorcycles sprayed with bullets and murdered lawyer and resistance activist José Nicolás Bernárdez while he was driving his van in the morning. José is also an ex pre-candidate for the Libre party, and a previous UD party member.
Killing and violence/torture by army and police
On 12/3/14, student Erland Misael CarĂas Moncada (24) was supposebly on a motorcycle driving through a military and police checkpoint, when they told him to stop and he didn't, soldiers shot and killed him. The excuse they gave was that they confused him as a member of the 'Los Espinoza' gang – San Luis and Esquias communities are under siege and living in tension and fear without freedom of movement, by both the Los Espinoza, as well as by military and police operations.
Another accused of passing a checkpoing and not stopping by police, was priest Bonifacio Alvarado, on 24/3/14, at 10.30am. When he passed a police patrol vehicle, Guarita police suddenly turned around followed him and shot at least 15 shots at him, when he stopped and asked why they were following, they screamed, 'get off, get off! - then pulled him out of the car, beat him up, had his face hooded for an hour with no justification, and handcuffed and tortured him. His shirt and pants were torn. They asked for the bag of church collection money and told him he will have to answer to prosecutors for it although there were just small coins there. They put the head of the gun in his mouth and said 'you are a drug trafficker'. Bonifacio is the parish priest of Tomalá, Lempira. Police claims the patrol was a checkpoint and that the police response was justified, for not having stopped.
NEWS SHORTS FROM MARCH 2014
Rising femicides – women's bodies...
This International Women's Day, feminist organisations highlighted that femicides continue to go up in Honduras, 606 in 2012, and 632 in 2013. On the other hand, through feminist advocacy, a bill is currently put to lift the prohibition of the morning after pill.
Canadian congress chambers debating Canada Honduras FTA
While this FTA is under debate since the collateral agreement was signed on 5/11/13, advocates highlight that the FTA if not cancelled will increase exploitation, militarisation and repression in Honduras – apart from facilitating notorious Canadian companies like Goldcorp that caused skin diseases in families of Valle de Siria, Gildan that violates workers rights, and investors in tourism that displace communities, that the approved Mining Law that Canadian government provided consultancy to shaping has mining companies paying 2% towards security forces of Honduras, towards the militarisation and repression.
JOH militarises municipalities where model cities will be built. The regime is installing security groupings called 'Fusinas' to 45 municipalities of Choluteca and Valle, in the name of reducing insecurity, and saying they want to do this everywhere.
New national human rights commissioner the ombudsman on the side of transnationals. Roberto Herrera Caceres was the selected candidate in this controversial process to determine the commissioner for 2014-2019, after having coup supporting Ramón Custodio for the last 5 years, having many assassinations remaining in impunity. Roberto Herrera Caceres has a history of supporting mining processes in Honduras without free, dued, prior and informed consultation and consent, including having granted the British Gas petrol concession without consulting the Misquitia indigenous people – thanks to him, British Gas formalised just now in a special ceremony at the Presidential House its incorporation into the Initiative for Transparency of the Extractive Industries of Honduras.
Aguan Agrarian Platform calls for eyes on new the investigation process
As the prosecutors team arrive in Aguan, where over 115 farmers have been assassinated, the Aguan Agraian Platform demanded transparency in this investigation process, and highlighted root causes of conditions being concentration of land and land grabbing, monocrop expansion by transnational companies, state criminalisation (and persecution/complicity with) of farmers struggle, and spoke up about intentions of the courts to evict MARCA farmers of Trinidad and Despertar who won their land in court until that was reversed – the courts also in complicity with landowners condemned to 17 years and 6 months in jail, and how 7000 hectares of land still need to be handed over according to the April 2010 agreement with MUCA. Point being there is no trusting the regime in this investigation neither.
One of the few police judicially processed for repression are getting away with it. San Pedro Court of Appeals resolved to dismiss the case against police Hector Ivan Mejia Velasquez and Daniel Omar Matamoros Avila who were accused of violating functionaries' duties, illegal detention, serious damages and injury, against NapoleĂłn Ernesto Bardales, Radio Uno, Ribin Pavel Núñez, the band CafĂ© Guancasco and 38 people illegally detained. Police brutally repressed under the command of MejĂa and Matamoros, a mobilisation in 2010, including destroying Cafe Guancasco's music equipment.
Some of the dirt on model cities ideologist Klugman. Accusations against Klugman include – promoting assassinations of bus drivers in Guatemala as part of terror campaign to get Pérez Molina elected on iron fist platform. That the just finished Lobo government also used Klugman as advisor for his electoral campaign back in 2009 – reflecting on tone chosen by the party then that if iron fist were not used, insecurity and chaos would result, and also in its campaigns to call opposition candidates 'communists'. A Guatemalan Paper confirmed that Klugman wrote speeches for Reagon.
Pay up, Standard Fruit - Standard Fruit Company Subsidiary ASISA did not pay the $2 million it owed to EACI Empresa Asociativa Campesina de Isletas EACI cooperative. This amount was ordered by the court in March 2014.
Snapshot of solidarity and resistance in Honduras this month
Radio Progreso and ERIC shared this story – that they were surprised by a group of families from a nearby rural community, who showed up at the community where the broadcasting took place, inviting them, and everyone else around – dozens of people, to share with them a bowl of beans soup,with plantain, cassava, pieces of meat and sausages complete with chile and some cool tamarind juice. It was declicious and energised everyone. They called it a 'frijolada', and was organised by some families that met the day before and decided that part of their community harvest would be to make a community meal to share with whoever needs a plate of food instead of selling the surplus, in dissent against market logics – to instead, in spirit of friendship and solidarity, define the richness of life with life and sharing, from these families who live materially simple lives. They did this in memory of Father Romero on the 34th anniversary of his martyrdom, and as a commitment to fight for the freedom of political prisoner and farmer activist Chabelo – they have a photo of him on a banner on the tent they used to give away food.
Villagers in Nispero communities in Santa Barbara occupied from 24/3/14 a highway towards the open pit zinc mine near the Santa Cruz Village, demanding the company and the Mayor Leiva to leave. Enough is enough – the pollution is giving people respiratory illnesses, and destroying Quitaganas mountains where coffee, corn, beans and tule used to grow. The mine is also causing the privatisation of a government hydroelectricity plant there that the community is trying to prevent.
El Negrito villagers also protested against mining and logging of trees in the natural reserves in their communities that would put their lives at risk.