Indigenous people have been fighting for their rights for over 500 years and continue to do so today. In Honduras, various indigenous groups exist and are vocal in fighting for the protection of their human rights, land and culture. The Honduran government tends to neglect policies that were developed to protect indigenous people and although various accords and agreements have been signed between government officials and indigenous communities, they are rarely fulfilled or followed through. In addition, various indigenous leaders have been assassinated under strange circumstances, and usually a short time after the indigenous community has called public attention to their problems. Thus, due to this neglect and lack of assistance from the government as well as the 500 years of repression the indigenous people have experienced, they work in various different ways to gain support and to force the government to listen to their concerns, including, hunger strikes and marches. In addition, various organizations have emerged that assist in organizing the people and also helping them to make their concerns public. Although they continue to proclaim that they are nonviolent and continue to behave nonviolently they are often met with violence and cruelty. In the cases where negotiations with the government result in adequate solutions, the public as well as the government fails to follow through which results in a constant fight for the basic human rights for indigenous people.
In May of 1997 the Indigenous and Black peoples of Honduras began their
fifth pilgrimage to Tegucigalpa, this one in the name of Candido Amador
Recinos who was recently assassinated. In a proclamation issued by the indigenous
and black people of Honduras they stated their purpose was to, "reclaim
our ancestral rights which correspond to us and which have been denied and
continue to be denied to the extent that our ancestral territories have
been usurped and we have been excluded from developing as we choose"
("Indigenous and Black peoples"). They were also protesting the
genocide (cultural and physical) that has continued to effect their communities
throughout the last 500 years, including various assassinations of indigenous
leaders whose murderers have yet to be brought to justice.
The indigenous communities claimed that the government of Honduras - especially
the Public Security Forces and the Criminal Investigation Directorate have
been severely persecuting the Chorti people. They claim that "these
two forces engage in illegal and malicious detentions and psychological
torture provoked by large landowners" ("Indigenous and Black Peoples").
The Chorti have, "regularly had their properties encroached upon and
stolen by large landowners in Copan and Ocotepeque departments, and have
received little or no support from the state" ("Central America
Update"). Thus, the indigenous and black communities offered a series
of demands including the return of their ancestral lands, investigations
into the assassinations of their people and request that the murders be
brought to justice, fulfillment of the previous agreements signed by the
Honduran government, the establishment of a national commission to facilitate
a permanent process of dialogue between the indigenous communities and the
government, and various others all pertaining to the rights and protection
they have been denied in the last 500 years. The indigenous community not
only provided their demands, but offered legal precedence to support them
("Indigenous and Black Peoples") including
Covenant 169 of the International Labor Organization which the Honduran
government has ratified, but has yet to fulfill. Covenant 169 of the ILO
explicitly protects the traditional lands of indigenous peoples in addition
to their culture, tradition, and human rights ("Convention Concerning").
After arriving in Tegucigalpa on May 5, 1997, the Indigenous and Black people
of Honduras peacefully protested at the Presidential Palace. On May 12,
1997 at 4:00 a.m. over 2,000 armed forces, with riot gear, fire hoses, batons,
M16s and M60s brutally attacked and removed over 3,000 protestors, beating
men, women and children, some to the point where they had to be hospitalized
("Central America Update"). The armed forces seized and destroyed
the food and belongings of the demonstrators which they were forced to leave
behind. The protestors fled the Presidential Palace and set up camp in another
part of the city ("Indigenous and Black Peoples"). The government
attacked when the people least expected it because not only were they sleeping,
but after negotiating for over a week, the two groups had come to an agreement
which was to be signed later on that morning and they had received no warning
or notification that they should leave ("Central America Update").
A few days later, after further negotiating an agreement was reached which called for, "a full investigation into the recent assassinations of Chortis' leaders Candido Amador Recinos and Ovidio Perez, greater respect for the human rights of indigenous and black people in Honduras and establishes a plan of over 9,000 hectares to Chortis people in the two westernmost departments of Honduras" ("Historic Agreement Reached"). In addition, the accord institutes a commission of Guarantors to ensure the government satisfies its commitments. Finally, the government also said it would increase housing and agrarian aid to the Chorti people ("Central America Update").
In reaction to the violent removal, the President of Honduras, Carlos Reinas
stated that, "The coercive aspect has to work, or we don't live in
a state of law. That's the way it is" ("Central America Update").
However, this behavior is very contadictory to article 3 of covenant 169
of the ILO which states that, "No form of force or coercion shall be
used in violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people
concerned" ("Convention Concerning"). Thus, although the
accord signed between the geovernment and indigenous communities, as well
as the 169th covenant of the ILO reflect the demands of the indigenous and
black communities, President Reina's statement sadly reflects the attitudes
of many of the government officials and elites of Honduras. In reaction
to the accord landowners who may lose lands, "insist they will not
give up their properties and are prepared to fight to keep them" ("Central
America Update"). Therefore, although the indigenous and black communities
continue to fight for their rights peacefully, they are constantly met with
violence and repression. Even though they won a victory by having the agreement
signed they will no doubt feel the repercussions on their community.
Links:
http://www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica/pilgrim.htm
In May, 1997 an agreement was signed between the indigenous people of Honduras
and the Honduran government which guaranteed over 11,000 hectares of land
to the Chorti and Lenca peoples and also made a commitment to protect indigenous
communities. The government later informed the indigenous community that
rather than deliver 11,000 hectares of land they would only give 9,000 hectares
within three months. As a result of this the indigenous people established
the Permanent Resistance Committee (Mejia "Native Peoples Go").
The Chorti and Lenca people of Honduras assert that not only has the government
failed to adhere to the promises set in the May accord, but have persecuted
their community politically. They claim that, "their homes have been
illegally leveled, that they have received death threats, and that their
lands in Copan, Ocotepeque and Intibuca...have been plundered" (Mejia
"Native Peoples Go").
Due to the fact that the Honduran government failed to accomplish the conditions
they agreed to, in addition to the persecution the indigenous community
has experienced since the accord was signed, sixteen members of the Permanent
Resistance Committee appealed to the Costa Rican Embassy for political asylum
on July 13, 1997. The Costa Rican government denied them asylum and as a
result the sixteen indigenous people began a hunger strike at the Costa
Rican Embassy to protest and call attention to the problems of native people
in Honduras and to compel the government to follow through with its commitments
(Mejia "Native Peoples Go").
On August 2, 1997 the hunger strikers were peacefully removed by approximately
one hundred Honduran police officers who then brought them to the National
Congress Building. There they were joined by some 1500 Chorti and Lenca
protestors demanding that the government keep its promises to distribute
land and justice for the many leaders who had been assassinated (Moreno
"Indians Declare"). The indigenous people camped out around the
National Congress Building for about a week until they were once again removed,
this time by health officials concerned about a possible typhoid outbreak.
However, the indigenous community continued to pressure the government and
were later joined by former employers of the transnational banana firm Tela
Railroad Company, U.S. pacifists and members of the Garifuna Community ("Protests
Grow"). Seventeen days after the 16 Chorti Indians had begun their
hunger strike, the government promised 7,000 hectares of land within the
next few months ("Indigenous Hunger Strike"). This ended the protest,
however the indigenous community had to settle for less than what they were
originally promised and the government continued to deny that they have
been neglecting indigenous communities. According to "Honduras This
Week," President Reina's advisors, "continue to deny that there
is any negligence in the governments efforts to provide the Indians with
the land that was agreed upon" (Moreno "Indians Evicted").
This is coming from a government who by ratifying the 169th Covenant to
the ILO agreed to protect indigenous rights politically, socially and economically.
One recent example of their activism occurred on Columbus Day, October 12, 1997 in La Esperanza, Intibuca. 2,500 members of the Civic Counsel of Indigenous and Popular Organizations (COPIN) marched into the city to protest the lack of action on the governments part in investigating various murders of indigenous and black leaders. They destroyed the statue of Columbus, in an act to symbolize the genocide and suffering they have experienced since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. "The actions that took place against the statue of Columbus grew out of the growing frustration with a government that refuses to address the issues facing the Indigenous people and a repugnance for the celebration of a ‘hero' that began a chain of destruction in the history of Indigenous people in America" ("Honduran Government Threatens"). The group of Indigenous people were also protesting the numerous accords that have been signed between them and the government, which have yet to be fulfilled. In addition the date marked six months since Candido Amador Recinos, a Chorti leader, was assassinated, a murder that is yet to be solved. ("Honduran Government Threatens").
The Honduras government threatened two of the Lenca leaders of COPIN, Salvador
Zuniga and Candido Martinez, with a fine and six years in prison, however,
they went into hiding soon after the incident in order to avoid arrest.
After three weeks in hiding, they emerged in the city of Tegucigalpa along
with 500 Lenca people to turn themselves in. Zuniga and Martinez were taken
in as political prisoners and were charged with vandalism and "destroying
the cultural patrimony of Honduras" (Martinez "Down With").
Zuniga and Martinez began a hunger strike while in jail in order to protest
their incarceration, because they believed they were innocent of the charges.
The 500 Lenca people remained in the capital for the six days that the two
leaders were incarcerated and twenty-one supporters joined the leaders in
the hunger strike ("Indigenous Leaders Begin"). They eventually
were freed and charged only with the destruction of public property, and
given a fine.
Links:
www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526
Letters to the President: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526/bertaeng.html
Technological Activism:
http://www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica/indigen2.htm
Various Indigenous and other organizations:
Civic Council Of Indigenous and Popular Organizations (COPIN): http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526/comeng.html
Comite Hondureno de Accion Por La Paz (COHAPAZ): http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526/cohapazeng.html
Confederation of Autonomous Communities of Honduras (CONPAH): http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526/denounce.html
"Central America Update." http://www.us.net/cip/970516.txt (14
April 1998).
"Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries." University of Minnesota library http://www.umn.edu.humanrts/instree/r1citp.htm (16 April 1998).
"Historic Agreement Reached Between the Government and the Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras." Http://www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica/accord.htm (15 March 1998).
"Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras Pilgrimage: ‘Candido Amador Recinos.'" http://www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica/pilgrim.htm (15 March 1998).
"Indigenous Hunger Strike Ends." Central America NewPak 12.16 (1997): 7.
"Indigenous Leaders Begin Hunger Strike in Jail." http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8526/jail.htm (22 March 1998).
Martinez, Oswaldo. "Down with Columbus." Latinamerica Press 29.39 (1997): 6.
Mejia, Thelma. "Native Peoples Go On Hunger Strike in Costa Rican Embassy." Central America NewsPak 12.15 (1997): 7.
Moreno, Blanca. "Indians Declare Hunger Strike After
CR Denies Them Political Asylum." Honduras This Week National http://www.marrder.com/htw/aug97/national.htm
(14 April 1998).
- - -. "Indians Evicted From Costa Rican Embassy." Honduras This
Week National http://www.marrder.com/htw/aug97/national.htm (14 April 1998).
- - -. "Indians Out, Hunger Strike Still On." Central America
NewsPak 12.15 (1997): 7-8.
"Protests Grow in Honduras." Central America
NewsPak 12.15 (1997): 8.
Please send questions or comments about this page to:
Chrissy Rose crose00@sequent1.providence.edu
Kathy Michienzi michik99@sequent1.providence.edu
Jenn Lucas jclucas@sequent1.providence.edu
This website was a project for Political Science 416, "Race and Politics in the Americas" at Providence College, Spring '98
Prof. Tony Affigne
