Petition to Carlos Roberto Reina

President of the Republic of Honduras

Dear Mr. President:

We the undersigned congratulate you on the signing of the Accord

between the Government of Honduras and the Indigenous and Black

Leaders on May 14, 1997. This historic agreement shows your

willingness to restore land and provide much needed social programs

to the Mayan Chortis peoples in your country. The accord was

reached at a high price. Many leaders who have sought for land for

their peoples have been killed for their commitment, including:

-- Candido Amador, brutally assassinated April 12, 1997, a Chortis

leader in their struggle for land in Copan.

-- Jesus Alvarez Rochez, shot 8 times on April 9, 1997 who died a

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 was shot and killed on April 22, 1997 on

Roatan Island. 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 families who were evicted from their

homes of over 20 years. This illegal eviction occurred March 12,

1997.

-- Jorge Manueles, leader of the Council of Civic and Popular

Organizations, was shot and burned to death on May 14, 1997, the

same day of the signing of the recent Accord. His killing is

directly related to his efforts for land rights in San Juan,

Intibuca.

Other Indigenous and Black leaders are under threat for their

ongoing efforts to ensure the basic right to land for their

peoples.

On May 12, 1997 at 4:00a.m. only five hours before an earlier

draft of the above mentioned Accord was to be signed, over 1,500

soldiers and 500 police armed with riot gear attacked and removed

the peaceful encampment of Indigenous and Black peoples near the

Presidential Palace. The violent eviction was carried out without

judicial order. Some soldiers were reticent in attacking the

protesters who peacefully assembled in front of the Presidential

Palace, but 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 and destroyed their tents and

personal belongings. The 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.

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

repression against those who are striving for what is rightfully

theirs and to bring to justice those who seek to use murder and

force as a means of stopping those who work for land rights for the

Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras.

Name Address Signature

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please return to:

Confederation of Autonomous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH)

A.P. 20-585, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

e-mail: conpah%conpah@sdnhon.org.hn Web: www.ibw.com.ni/~cgenica