It is feared that the
detained are being tortured. Also, we fear for the safety of the
campesinos still seeking refuge, in other forced evictions in the region
campesinos have been killed and rapes reported.
HONDURAS - Urgent Calls Needed:
Repression, Killings & Fears of Torture in the AGUAN region
September 17, 2011
BELOW:
- Urgent action needed, today: calls & emails
- Background:
July 1, 2011, Rights Action Urgent Action - Rigores Community attacked
and burned to the ground, to make way for production of African palm and
sugar cane, for diesel bio-fuel production
- Background:
link to a 10 minute doc-film about the Rigores Community - "Honduran
Police Burn Community to the Ground":
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=7111
WHAT TO DO: See below
QUESTIONS, INTERVIEWS: Annie Bird, 1-202-680-3002, annie@rightsaction.org, or Grahame Russell, 1-860-352-2448, info@rightsaction.org
- Please re-post this information
- To get on-off Rights Action's listserv: www.rightsaction.org
- Follow Rights Action on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RightsAction.org
*******************************************************
PLEASE CALL
The local police station: Posta - Comisario Diaz / Colonel Espinal
[011] [504] 2444-3101
[011] [504] 2444-3105
And ask about the
whereabouts and physical safety of the detained; ask for the name of the
police officer you are speaking with; ask for the names of the
detained.
(NB - See below for names & addresses of US and Canadian officials)
*****************
BACKGROUND
RIGORES
COMMUNITY ATTACKED AND BURNED TO THE GROUND, TO MAKE WAY FOR PRODUCTION
OF AFRICAN PALM AND SUGAR CANE, FOR DIESEL BIO-FUEL PRODUCTION
(By Rights Action, July 1, 2011, Annie Bird, 1-202-680-3002, annie@rightsaction.org)
On July 1, 2011 a group
of 18 US and Canadian citizens visited the community of Rigores, Tocoa,
Cortes (as part of a delegation with the Alliance for Global Justice and
Rights Action) to learn about the violent and illegal eviction which
had occurred there on Sunday, June 26. At approximately 9am (July 1),
while the group was hearing testimonies about last weeks' attack, a
group of approximately 50 security forces, principally the police
special forces COBRA unit, but also including a military special forces
sharp shooter moved into the community from a side street, in the style
of a military assault, burning houses.
The police approached
the community members gathered with the human rights observation
delegation with their guns drawn. This action can only be described as a
militarized assault on a civilian community, not an eviction as no
notice was given to the community. Local human rights activists and
community leaders discussed the legality of the action with the police.
Previous to the July 1
assault, community members reported to the human rights delegation that a
truck with private security guards - who were paramilitaries trained in
the Rio Claro military base - was parked out of view near the entrance
to the community. Local human rights activists believe that the
paramilitaries did not participate in the acts of violence because of
the presence of the human rights observer mission.
The eviction is illegal
not only because of the violence with which it was carried out but also
because although judicial orders had been issued, no judge was present,
and there had not been any investigation by the Public Ministry into the
conditions that gave legitimate land rights to the families which have
lived on and farmed the land for 11 years.
Rights Action is
extremely concerned that once the human rights observation mission is no
longer present further violence will be enacted against the community.
BACKGROUND: RIGORES COMMUITY
The community of Rigores
has lived on the farm for 11 years. Previous to this the land was
fallow for many years. According to agrarian reform legislation in
Honduras, land which has been fallow can be purchased from the title
holder for the use of small farmers, so Rigores community members moved
onto the land with the verbal consent of the title holder who hoped to
be paid for the land by the Agrarian Reform Institute.
After years of
petitioning for the agrarian reform program to be applied to this farm,
African palm oil production has expanded in this area, making it an
attractive investment property for palm oil producers that is then used
in the production of diesel bio-fuel.
On Sunday, June 26,
police burned two schools, a church and most of the homes of the 150
families who live in the town. Families are essentially homeless,
including hundreds of young children, some women have miscarried. They
are sleeping in the community meeting house, and had begun repairs on
homes when they were again destroyed July 1.
During this visit, the
human rights observation delegation heard testimony from residents
reporting that the palm oil planters private security forces are being
trained as paramilitaries on the 15th Military Battalion in Rio Claro,
Tocoa, and have been observed to participate in violent evictions
wearing police or military uniforms. It is also reported that what
appear to be US army helicopters, Chinooks, pass through the 15th
Battalion, and that US Army Rangers have conducted joint operations with
the 15th Battalion.
Palm oil company
security forces that appear to act as paramilitaries are blamed for
dozens of killings in the region over the past two years, eight in Tocoa
over the past month. On May 15, Francisco Lopez Pascual, a member of
the Rigores community, disappeared. His ten year old son reported
witnessing security guards shoot his father. Nearby farmers report that
police found shell casings and a trail of blood that led into the
neighboring Panama Farm, a palm oil plantation that maintains heavy
presence of security guards, but refused to enter the farm. Though a
photograph of the Lopez Pascual's body was reportedly posted on
internet, his body has not been located.
Extremely violent
evictions are common since the June 28, 2009 military coup, especially
in this region. On June 9, 2011, 89 year old Jose Luis Rodriguez was
burned alive in the home he shared with his family in the agrarian
community 28 de Mayo, a community that borders Tocoa, but is located in
in Trujillo, Colon. A group of 40 police attacked the community with
tear gas and burned homes. A community member is reported to have
warned the security forces not to burn the houses since an elderly man
had been unable to leave quickly during the rapid assault. The police
responded to his pleas by beating him.
Rights Action holds the
US and Canadian governments partially responsible for the on-going
systemic repression carried out in Honduras by the military-backed
regime that came to power after the June 2009 military coup.
Internationally, the US and Canada have been the most vocal supporters
of this regime.
We also hold the OAS
partially responsible, having recently re-admitted Honduras to the OAS,
while doing effectively nothing to curtail the systemic repression in
Honduras.
***********************************
EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS
Rights Action has made a
number of small, humanitarian relief donations to the Rigores
community. To provide further support for the shelter, food and health
needs of the 150 families, make your tax-deductible check payable to
"Rights Action" and mail to:
UNITED STATES: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
CANADA: 552 - 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS: http://rightsaction.org/contributions.htm
DONATIONS OF STOCK: info@rightsaction.org
*****************************
CONTACT US & CANADIAN GOVERNMENT & OAS (ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES) OFFICIALS
* Demand that the US and
Canadian governments and the OAS voice public concern for the safety
and rights of the Rigores community
* Demand an end to US military and police aid to Honduras
* Demand an investigation into the paramilitary training in the Rio Claro military base
**********
CANADA
CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA David Johnston
Rideau Hall, 1 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A1
info@gg.ca, (613) 993-8200, 800 465-6890
Duncan Mousseau, Director of Policy, Planning and Correspondence
Office of the Secretary to the Governor General
DMousseau@GG.CA
PRIME MINISTER Stephen Harper
harpes@parl.gc.ca
Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda
509-S Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A6
Oda.B@parl.gc.ca
Minister of Foreign Affairs
509-S Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A6
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas) Peter Kent
125 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0G2
(613) 992-0253, kent.p@parl.gc.ca
Gilles Duceppe, leader, Bloc Quebecois
1200 Papineau Av, #350, Montreal, QC, H2K-4R5
ducepg@parl.gc.ca
Elizabeth May, leader, Green Party
Saanich Gulf Islands EDA, Box 20076, Sidney, BC, V8L-5C9
emaytowin@greenparty.ca
Bob Rae, Liberal, Foreign Affairs Critic
(613) 992-5234, RaeB@parl.gc.ca
Francine Lalonde, Bloc Quebecois, Foreign Affairs Critic
(613) 995-6327
Paul Dewar, NDP, Foreign Affairs Critic
1306 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON, K1Y-3B2
dewarp@parl.gc.ca, 613-946-8682
Larry Bagnell, Liberal
bagnell.l@parl.gc.ca
Stockwell Day, Conservative
613-995-1702
Peter Julian, NDP International Trade Critic
Rm 178, Confederation Bldg., Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A6
Julian.P@parl.gc.ca
John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough-Guildwood
(613) 992-1447, MckayJ@parl.gc.ca, 613-947-4609
Claire Lehan, Legislative Assistant
(613) 992-6512, McKayJ8@parl.gc.ca
549-D Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A6
Kevin Sorenson, Standing
Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, Room 518,
Justice Building, Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A6
(613) 947-4608, SorenK@parl.gc.ca, 613-992-2971
Dean Allison, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson
4994 King Street, Beamsville, ON, L0R-1B0
allison.d@parl.gc.ca, 905-995-2772
Barbara Curran, CIDA Director
200 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, K1A-0G4
819-994-4092, barbara.curran@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Kate Stefanuk, Acting Director (& responsible for Honduras)
kate.stefanuk@acdi-cida.gc.ca
CANADIAN Embassy in Costa Rica (responsible for Honduras)
Ambassador Cameron MacKay, Cameron.MacKay@international.gc.ca
(506) 2242-4400, (506) 2242-4411, sjcra@international.gc.ca
Honduras Office of the Canadian Embassy
Centro Financiero
Banexpo, 3 Piso, Boulevard San Juan Bosco, Colonia Payaquí, Tegucigalpa,
(504) 232-4551; tglpa@international.gc.ca
AMBASSADOR to the OAS
H.E. Allan Culham
wshdc-prmoas@international.gc.ca
(202) 682-1768
****************
UNITED STATES
WHITE HOUSE: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/, 202-456-1111, Comment Line: 202-456-1414
CONGRESS: Go to http://www.house.gov/ to get info for your member of Congress, and call: 202-224-3121
SENATE: Go to http://www.senate.gov/ to get contact for your Senator, and call: 202-224-3121
STATE DEPARTMENT - Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs: 202 647-0834, WHAAsstSecty@State.Gov
AMBASSADOR CRAIG KELLY, Principal Deputy Asst. Secretary, Western Office of Hemisphere Affairs: KellyC@state.gov
MARIA OTERO, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs; c/o Laura Pena, Assistant: PenaL@state.gov
BENJAMIN GEDAN, Honduras Desk Officer, (202) 647-3482, GedanBN@state.gov
Stephen Moody, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, (202) 647-8301, MoodySE@state.gov
DR. ARTURO VALENZUELA: ValenzuelaAA@state.gov
PAUL MONTEIRO, Office of Public Engagement, Darron_P._Monteiro@who.eop.gov
U.S. EMBASSY IN HONDURAS
Silvia Eiriz, Political Counselor, eirizs@state.gov, (504)2236-9320 (x4356)
Simon Henshaw, HenshawS@state.gov
011-504-2238-5114
U.S. AMBASSADOR to the OAS
H.E. Carmen Lomellin
(202) 647-9430
*************************************************
OAS - ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General
Organization of American States (OAS)
1889 F Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20006, USA
svillagran@oas.org
Sr. Felipe González, President
Inter-American Commission for Human Rights
1889 F Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20006, U.S.A.
cidhdenuncias@oas.org
*********************************
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Annie Bird, 1-202-680-3002, annie@rightsaction.org, or Grahame Russell, 1-860-352-2448, info@rightsaction.org
* Please re-publish and re-post this information
* To get on/ off RA's listserv: www.rightsaction.org
