And to underscore how unconcerned our American Corporate Empire
leaders are, we hear far more about Donald Trump than we do of the
horrors being committed around the world.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/19/16, S. Kashdan <skashdan@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From: "El Enemigo Comun" <solidarity@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Enough! Second COPINH member assassinated in Honduras
Date: Saturday, March 19, 2016 4:03 AM
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Enough! Second COPINH member assassinated in Honduras
March 15, 2016 COPINH Translated by Scott Campbell
The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras
(COPINH) calls public attention to today’s murder of our companero Nelson
Garcia, from the Rio Chiquito community in the Cortes Department, at the
hands of two unknown persons.
We regrettably inform you that companero Nelson Garcia was murdered when he
arrived at his mother-in-law’s house to have lunch, after spending all
morning helping move the belongings of displaced families from the Rio
Chiquito community.
The murder occurred in the midst of an eviction carried out against the
community of Rio Chiquito in the Rio Lindo area, in the Cortes Department,
during which approximately 100 police officers, 20 military police
officers,
10 soldiers and several people from the DGIC (General Criminal
Investigations Administration) invaded the territory reclaimed by 150
families, on which more than 75 had built their houses with the materials
and efforts at hand.
The eviction took place at noon today, using tractors and heavy machinery
to
destroy the wood houses that the companeros and companeras from COPINH had
lived in for almost two years, leaving them without a roof over their
heads.
Similarly, they destroyed the community’s garden and fields, using tractors
to destroy the yucca, sugarcane, banana and small corn fields, violating
all
kinds of rights. They even destroyed an artisanal oven and killed chickens
belonging to the community.
The community of Rio Chiquito has protected its territory since it was
first
donated to the women of the community. However, they have been attacked by
the municipal authorities, especially by the former mayor, who used three
front men in order to displace the companeros and companeras and to sell
the
land. Companero Nelson Garcia was an active member of COPINH in defense of
the right to housing, we remember him for his active participation in the
process of reclaiming the land and establishing the community of Rio
Chiquito. We lament this new death, 13 days after the vile murder of our
General Coordinator, Berta Caceres.
The murder of our companero Nelson Garcia and the displacement of the
community of Rio Chiquito add to the war against COPINH, which seeks to do
away with its more than 22 years of advocacy, resistance and building.
Today’s attacks join the large number of threats, attacks, murders,
intimidation and criminalization directed against COPINH. Since the murder
of our companera Berta Caceres we have been subjected to a large number of
incidents which demonstrate the complete lack of interest on the part of
the
Honduran State to safeguard our lives and the work we carry out. As well as
its disregard in implementing the preliminary injunctions accorded us by
the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH). The injunctions were
issued on March 6 and today, nine days later, they murdered a companero.
How
is one supposed to trust the State’s investigation if it is criminally
harassing the coordinating body of our organization with the statement that
it is investigating our supposed participation in the murder, while it
doesn’t
investigate the sources of the threats?
How is one supposed to believe that justice will be done in the case of our
leader Berta when they won’t implement the measures necessary for the
protection of her family, and the daughters and companeros of our companera
Berta have been chased by an armed man in the city of Tegucigalpa during
meetings with the authorities? Since the day of Berta’s murder, the offices
of COPINH in La Esperanza have been monitored by unknown persons,
intimidating those who are still resisting, following the legacy of our
leader.
Similarly, the companeros and companeras of the community of Rio Blanco
suffered attacks when they traveled to the city of Tegucigalpa in order to
present their case to entities such as the Ministry of the Interior and
representatives of the diplomats of the G16. In addition, there was an
incident in which companeros from the community traveled to Rio Gualcarque
and were attacked with shotgun fire by security guards from the Agua Zarca
hydroelectric project that fortunately did not wound any members of the
community. All these attacks form part of an extermination plan against our
organization and we are calling for national and international solidarity
in
order to fight against it.
We demand an end to the persecution, harassment and war against COPINH.
We demand that the Honduran State respond to the death of our companeros
and
companeras and for there to be no more impunity.
We demand justice for our companera Berta Caceres.
With the ancestral force of Lempira, Mota, Etempica, Berta, our voices rise
up, full of life, justice and peace.
Berta lives, the struggle continues!!!
La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras. Issued on March 15, 2016.
