Dear friend:

Attached is an NGO sign-on letter drafted by CONPAH (Confederation of

Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras), an indigenous human rights group. The

intention is to have both Honduran and international organizations sign on

and support these indigenous land struggles (as explained in the letter).

The letter will be sent directly to President Reina of Honduras.

The situation in Honduras is precarious and the threat of more violence is

great. Please read the letter and consider lending your support. You can

email me at: vgardos@us.net. I wecome your call if you have any further

questions, (202) 232-3317 or fax, (202) 232-3440.

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Victoria Gardos

Center for International Policy

Washington, D.C.

Letter to Carlos Roberto Reina

President of the Republic of Honduras

Dear Mr. President:

We the undersigned individuals and representatives of organizations

congratulate you for signing the Accord between the Government and the

Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras on May 13, 1997. This historic

agreement shows your willingness to restore land and provide much needed

social programs to the Maya Chorti peoples in your country.

Honduras has demonstrated its commitment to the human rights of its

indigenous population by signing and ratifying the 169th Covenant of the

International Labor Organization. Some government officials argue that the

Covenant needs to be written into Honduran law to be enforced, but the

Honduran Constitution stipulates that International Agreements take

precedence over domestic law. Since the Honduran

Government has signed and ratified this covenant, the spirit of the ILO

Covenant 169 should supersede any other domestic law. The only legislation

needed are laws stipulating penalties for noncompliance with Covenant 169.

We are aware that this Accord was reached only at a great cost to many.

Leaders who sought land for their peoples were killed for that commitment,

including:

-- Candido Amador, brutally assassinated April 12, 1997, a Chorti leader in

the struggle for land in Copan Ruins, the ancestral capital of the Mayan world.

-- Jesus Alvarez Rochez, shot on April 9, 1997 who died one month later. He

was an advisor to the Defense of the Land Committee in the Garifuna

Community of El Triunfo de la Cruz.

-- Manvil Pinace Age, who was shot and killed on April 22, 1997 on Roatan,

the largest of the Bay Islands. This 17-year-old was an active member of a

communal organization on the island (NABIPLA) which vehemently protests the

violent forced removal of 12 Black families, evicted from their homes of

over 20 years. This illegal eviction occurred on March 12, 1997.

We urge you to investigate fully these and other killings and evictions,

bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. Other Indigenous and

Black leaders are still under threat for their ongoing efforts to ensure the

basic right to land for their peoples.

On May 12, 1997 at 4:00a.m., just five hours before an earlier draft of the

Accord was to be signed, over 2,000 soldiers and police, armed with riot

gear, attacked and removed the peaceful encampment of Indigenous and Black

peoples near the Presidential Palace. This violent eviction was carried out

without judicial order. Some soldiers were reticent in attacking the

protesters, who were peacefully assembled in front of the Presidential

Palace, while others blindly assaulted them. One pregnant woman was beaten

by soldiers. Many children were trampled by police as their mothers fell

during the police charges. Police poured large pots of cold water on top of

protesters. They destroyed tents and personal belongings.

Marchers trying to comply with police orders, as well as those seated

peacefully in defiance were kicked by police. Men, women and children had

to be treated medically for the beatings by police. One soldier was also

injured.

It is disconcerting to learn that Col. Rodolfo Interiano Portillo who led

the violent attack, as well as the government's chief negotiator prior to

this raid, Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, both have land interests in western

Honduras, where the Chorti are demanding

that their ancestral lands be returned.

We are deeply concerned over the lack of compliance with key elements of the

Accord. On May 30, 1997, one thousand hectares of land were to be turned

over to the Chorti communities in Copan and Ocotepeque. Another 500

hectares were to be handed over on June 15 and yet another 500 acres on June

30. As of July 8, 1997, no land has been transferred to the Indigenous

people. It is appalling that some key governmental officials openly speak

of not being able to fully comply with the Agreement you signed.

It is very troubling to hear reports of landowners in western Honduras who

are arming themselves to prevent their land from being confiscated. It is

extremely important that the disarmament called for in the Accord be

complied with fully in order to avoid bloodshed.

Mr. President, we implore you to do everything in your power to stop the

repression against those striving for what is rightfully theirs. We also

exhort you to bring to justice those who seek to use murder and repression

as a means of halting those working for land rights on behalf of the

Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras who are organized under the

Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH).

We urge you to promote laws which would implement the ILO Covenant 169 and

take up as a personal priority before you leave office the achieving of full

compliance with the Accord, especially the promised turnover of 9,000

hectares of land to the Chortis. Not fulfilling this important goal would

be serious failure in your long-standing leadership in the field of human

rights.

Sincerely,

Please note that this letter will be sent to President Reina of Honduras.

The intention is to have both Honduran and internatioanal NGO's sign on and

support these indigenous land struggles. If you know of any other

organizations who might be interested in signing, please indicate. Please

fax the information below by Friday, July 18th to the Center for

International Policy at (202) 232-3440 or call at (202) 232-3317.

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Address:

Phone:

__Signing on as an organization

__Signing on as an individual with organization for identification purposes