Confederation of Autonomous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH)
Tel. (504) 25-26-12 TeleFax (504) 25-49-25
E-Mail conpah%conpah@sdnhon.org.hn
INDIGENOUS AND BLACK PEOPLES OF HONDURAS
PILGRAMAGE
"CANDIDO AMADOR RECINOS"
May 4, 1997
Introduction:
The Indigenous and Black Peoples of Honduras which include the
CHORTI, LENCAS, TOLUPANES (XICAQUES), PECH, GRARIFONAS, CRIOLLOS
(English Speaking Black peoples) and MISKITOS
PROCLAIM:
1. We have decided to once again make pilgramage to the capital of
the republic of Honduras. We have left our homes and are obliged by
necessity 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 chose. With the guise education,
efforts have been made to assimilate our cultures and our languages
into the dominant society.
2. The historical genocide which we have long-suffered over the ages
continues to this day. The most recent evidence of this are the
murders of two members of the CHORTI peoples, CANDIDO AMADOR RECINOS
and OVIDIO PEREZ, who were brutally killed and their murderers enjoy
impunity. No serious investigation has been undertaken around the
recent murders. In addition, a brutal repression has been unleashed
against the majority of the Chorti peoples in the departments of
Copan and Ocotepeque by the Honduran government through its Public
Security Force (FUSEP), and the Criminal Investigation Directorate
(DIC). These two police forces engage in illegal and malicious
detentions and psychological torture provoked by large landowners.
3. In spite of the cruelty and violence which our peoples continue to
endure, we are committed to actively and peacefully resist this
repression. We will work within the national legal framework through
active nonviolence because violent means do not contribute anything
to our country which needs stability and peace with justice.
4. We agree unanimously that the name of our pilgramage is to be
CANDIDO AMADOR RECINOS who shed his blood for the cause of our
peoples.
5. Our Pilgramage will NOT take ONE STEP BACK until our demands are
fulfilled.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND WHICH JUSTIFIES OUR PILGRAMAGE
The indigenous and black peoples have been struggling tirelessly so
that our ancestral lands will be legally recognized. Nevertheless,
the challenges we confront in the search for a solution to these
problems caused us to mobilize in June 1994. At that time, a series
of agreements were signed by governmental authorities headed by
President Carlos Roberto Reina. These agreements have not been
complied with to date as hoped.
A second pilgramage took place in April 1995 in search of compliance
with the original accords. And today, once again we make an open-
ended pilgramage until the government through the National Agrarian
Institute (INA) defines for us all the territory which pertains to
us. We simply ask for a legally defined space which will permit us
to develop as indigenous and black peoples in our country. We want
to develop a culture taught to us be our ancestors, a culture of good
relations with our mother earth.
Previous pilgramages have been used by governmental entities to
create spectacles around the giving of money to different peoples.
This has been done to create confusion in our indigenous and black
communities, and it serves the political and economic interests of
the government.
OUR DEMANDS
To the Honduran Executive Branch:
1. Return of the ancestoral territories of the Chorti in Ocotepeque
and Copan, illegally usurped by the large landholders. Specifically,
we demand the immediate delivery of 10,000 hectares of land for the
communities of Copan and 10,000 hectares of land for the Ocotepeque
communities, understanding that these untilled lands exist and that
these demands can be fulfilled in compliance with the 169th Covenant
of the International Labor Organization, specifically Articles 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19. Honduras is a signatory to this
International Covenant.
This demand is made before the Honduran Government under the rule of
law and with a reconciling spirit. We are people who are conscious
that solutions to problems are achieved through dialogue with all
relevant parties fully participating.
2. Investigation and justice for the assasinations of Candido
Amador Recinos, Ovidio Perez and the child Ismael Leon. Punishment
for those responsible, both the intellectual authors and for those
who carried out these murders.
3. Fulfillment by the government of pending accords signed following
the two previous pilgramages.
4. Initiate a permanent process of dialogue through a National
Commission consisting of governmental representatives and
representatives of the indigenous and black communities. This
dialogue should take place at the local, regional and national level.
The dialogue participants need to be representatives empowered to
make decisions.
5. The investigation of the murder of CANDIDO AMADOR RECINOS must
include discorvery of which police officials were assigned in Copan
and Ocotepeque the day of the assassination.
6. Protection for members of indigenous and black populations.
7. General disarmament of the population in Copan and Ocotepeque.
8. Immediate resolution of the land conflicts and territorial
disputes that confront the different indigenous and black peoples:
Chori, Lenca, Tolupan, Garifuana, Pech, Miskito and English speaking
blacks.
Demands for the Judicial Branch
1. Establish an accord between the Honduran indigenous and black
populations with the Honduran Supreme Court in which the
indigenous population accused by landowners, military
authorities, politicians, loggers and ranchers, etc. are not
deprived of their liberty.
2. Immediate freedom for indigenous and black leaders detained
defending our territorial and culltural rights.
3. Immediate application of the 169th Convenant of the International
Labor Organization (ILO).
- This Convenant must be divulged to the Judges and Magistrates of
the State.
- The judicial will to enforce the convenant through precise
instructions to the Judges and Magistrates.
4. Immediate punishment for the assasins of our leaders.
5. Investigation of the judges of Copan and Ocotepeque and a
sanctioning of the authorities involved the abuse of our rights.
Demands to the Legislative Power
1. Approval of a law that judicially defines "Law and Territorial
Possesion" of all the indigenous and black populations in
accordance with ancestoral demarcations, as well as the adjucation
of the 20,000 hectares for the Chorti Indians of Ocotepeque and
the Copan Ruins.
2. A decree which will create perminent representation of the
indigenous and black population within the legislative chamber to
ensure that laws passed having a bearing on our population are in
accordance with our universal vision.
3. Immediate adoption of the law for the institutionalization of the
National Educational Program for the Autonomous Ethnic groups,
PRONEEAH.
4. The passage of a law regarding Health and Special Convenants
between the Confederation of Autonomous Peoples and the Ministry
of Public Health.
Signed by:
Jorge Armando Cordova, President of FETRIXY, Federation of Xicaque
Tribes of Honduras
Gregoria Flores, President of OFRANEH, Fraternal Organization of
Honduran Blacks
Nicasio Gostas Blucha, President of MASTA, Moskitia Peoples (Moskitia
Asla Takanka)
Marcos R. Duarte, President, FETRIPH, Federation of Pech Tribes of
Honduras
Marco Antonio Gutierrez, President of CONICHH, National Council of
Indigenous Chorti of Honduras
Candido R. Martinez, President of COPIN, Civic Council of Popular and
Indigenous Organizations
Ubin Ebansk, President of NABIPLA, Association of Native Islander
Professionals and Workers
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LEGAL AND JURIDICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR DEMANDS:
LAND
Articles 868, 872, 874, and 876 of the Civil Code
Articles 344, 345, and 346 of the Agrarian Reform and the
Constitution of the Republic
Article 92 of the Land Reform Law aimed at modernizing the
agricultural sector.
EDUCATION
Articles 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the 169th Covenant of the ILO.
HEALTH and SOCIAL SECURITY:
Article 25 of the 169th Covenant of the ILO.