March 18, 2016
Real World Radio: Interview with COPINH leader in light of another murder of a member of the organization.
The situation in Honduras is on the highest alert. The outrageous and still unpunished murder of Berta Cáceres seems to have intensified the violence and persecution against social activists, indigenous people and peasants in a country whose people continues to be under attack since the Coup d´Etat of 2009. Yesterday, after a violent eviction in Rio Chiquito municipality, Cortés department, the member of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) Nelson García was shot and murdered when returning to the place where he was staying.
On March 16, through excessive use of force that included police officers, the army, the Anti-Riot Police and the Intelligence and Security Special Response Group Troops (TIGRES), 150 peasant and indigenous families were evicted from the lands they were had inhabited and cultivated their food on for over 10 years. “During the eviction they destroyed bean, maize, yucca, and banana crops, as well as their houses”, said Tomas Gomez, member of COPINH. He also said that the families have been left “totally unprotected”.
The community had been processing the community titles of the lands before the National Agrarian Institute (INA), but Rio Lindo´s Mayor, through front men, has bought the lands illegally, denounced COPINH. According to the movement, the interests in this region are related to the increase of hydroelectric power generation potential.
After the eviction, Nelson Garcia was returning to the home where he rented a room when gunmen waiting for him shot at him four times. “the gunmen who shot at him four times were waiting for him”, Gomez said.
“We say that the one to blame here is the State”, said the COPINH member, and he added: “the State has not resolved the issue with community land titles that COPINH and the Lenca people have been demanding in order to legalize the ownership of these lands by the indigenous people”.
Nelson García’s death marks the 15th Honduran activist murdered in 2016 including Berta Caceres. “This is an avalanche of threats and murders to disappear us, to take all our lands away from us. Lands where there are mines, water, and natural resources to be granted in concessions.
In addition Gomez went on to denounce the lack of progress of the investigations and the search for justice for Berta Cáceres, a case that has triggered demands for justice in
countries of all continents. “This is an institutional dictatorship. We see fewer people being murdered in countries were there are declared wars”.
About the current demands of the organization, Tomás said that they want the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project out of Lenca indigenous lands; to stop the criminalization of COPINH members; the demilitarization of the Lenca people, and to immediately suspend all mining concessions, hydroelectric and wind projects in Lenca territories.
In order to comply with the precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for indigenous leaders and Berta Cáceres´ family, Tomás said that it is necessary to address the root causes. “And the root causes are the policies of the Honduran government based on the privatization and concession of indigenous territory without prior, free and informed consultation”, he concluded.
Source: La Via Campesina