{"id":22000,"date":"2019-06-24T15:59:18","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T19:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/?p=22000"},"modified":"2024-09-16T16:00:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T20:00:14","slug":"more-than-100-national-and-international-organizations-condemn-criminalization-of-nine-indigenous-tolupan-authorities-from-san-francisco-locomapa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/2019\/06\/24\/more-than-100-national-and-international-organizations-condemn-criminalization-of-nine-indigenous-tolupan-authorities-from-san-francisco-locomapa\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 100 national and international organizations condemn criminalization of nine indigenous tolupan authorities from San Francisco Locomapa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Americas, June 24, 2019.-<\/strong>\u00a0National and international organizations condemn new efforts to criminalize indigenous leaders of the indigenous Tolupan Tribe of San Francisco Locomapa. We denounce that the Honduran State, intentionally and systematically, seeks to silence Indigenous Peoples who legitimately exercise their right to protest and who demand their rights be respected.<\/p>\n

Honduras, a country that has prioritized extractivism as an economic model, is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to defend human rights. On May 17, Honduran state authorities filed an indictment
\nagainst nine indigenous Tolupan land defenders for obstructing a forest management plan. This accusation comes as retaliation for their work defending the life, territory, and environment of their community, a response that reflects a practice that has been systematic in one of the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders.<\/p>\n

On Monday, June 24, the nine Tolupan leaders will face their initial hearing in which a decision will be made on whether or not to proceed with the prosecution. This hearing comes four months after the assassination of two members of the same community, who were also members of the Broad Movement for Justice and Dignity (MADJ). These cases highlight the serious situation of risk, violence, and criminalization that the Tribe faces.<\/p>\n

As a result of the granting of \u201cforest management plans\u201d and operating licenses without free, prior and informed consultation and consent, the departments of Yoro and Francisco Moraz\u00e1n, territories of the Tolup\u00e1n indigenous people, have been targeted for resource exploitation by companies and people outside the community.<\/p>\n

In response to this situation, and the increasing dispossession of territory and forced displacement, the Preventive Council of the Tribe was created by dozens of local indigenous people to defend their rights and peacefully protest. Their demands have led to increased risk and multiple threats that have led to criminalization and assassinations.<\/p>\n

In 2010, eight indigenous Tolupan leaders from the San Francisco Locomapa Tribe were criminalized, also charged with obstruction of the forest management plan. In 2012, three more faced charges. In both cases, the defense showed that they were not guilty and all charges were eventually dropped.<\/p>\n

In 2013, Tolupan leaders Ricardo Soto, Armando F\u00fanez and Mar\u00eda Enriqueta Matute were murdered. As a consequence, that same year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted
\nprecautionary measures MC 416-13 to 35 members of the community.<\/p>\n

Despite the IACHR ordering the Honduran state to protect their lives and physical integrity, two beneficiaries of the measures, Erasimo Vieda and Luis Marc\u00eda, were murdered in 2015; in 2016 Santos Matute, also a beneficiary of the measures, was murdered. Most recently, in February 2019, Juan Samael and beneficiary Jos\u00e9 Salom\u00f3n Matute were killed by two individuals who had previously threatened them.<\/p>\n

In response to these latest murders, the IACHR stated that “indigenous peoples have the right to exercise effective control of their lands and to be free from interference by people who seek to take control of their territories through the use of violence. States are also obliged to prevent and then protect indigenous peoples affected by these violent acts when
\nthey occur within the framework of territorial conflicts.\u201d<\/p>\n

The IACHR also indicated: “The fact that there is a precautionary measure in force from the IACHR means that the state authorities were informed of the situation of an imminent serious risk that the person faced. It is therefore particularly worrying that the necessary measures have not been adopted to guarantee the security of the persons protected by the measure.\u201d<\/p>\n

For these reasons, and as indicated by the IACHR and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the signatory organizations of this letter denounce the impact of the malicious use of criminal law to limit the exercise of human rights, in particular, the defense of the right to land and the environment by indigenous, peasants and social leaders. We note with concern that, this very week, five leaders of the Arizona department are also facing a trial related to their peaceful resistance to a hydroelectric project in the area.<\/p>\n

We demand an immediate end to the prosecution of the nine Tolupan land defenders currently charged. Likewise, we ask the authorities to cease the violence, discrimination, and criminalization of the Tolupan tribe of San Francisco Locomapa and to guarantee their rights over their ancestral territory, protect their lives and punish those who have systematically violated their human rights.<\/p>\n

Finally, we lend our solidarity to the legitimate and dignified defense exercised by the Tolupan defenders and call on the national and international community to closely follow and demand justice for their case.
\nTheir hearing is scheduled for today, June 24, 2019 in Yoro, Honduras.<\/p>\n

SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Belgium<\/u>
\nRed Europea de Comit\u00e9s Oscar Romero<\/p>\n

Canada<\/u>
\nComit\u00e9 por los Derechos Humanos en Am\u00e9rica Latina
\nGuatemala Community Network
\nTodos por Guatemala
\nUnited for Mining Justice<\/p>\n

Colombia<\/u>
\nMovimiento Nacional de V\u00edctimas de Corporaciones Multinacionales<\/p>\n

Ecuador<\/u>
\nCentro de Documentaci\u00f3n en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo
\nS.J.” (CSMM)<\/p>\n

El Salvador<\/u>
\nAsambleas Comunitarias de El Salvador
\nInstituto de Derechos Humanos de la UCA (IDHUCA)
\nUniversidad Centroamericana Jos\u00e9 Sime\u00f3n Ca\u00f1as<\/p>\n

Germany<\/u>
\nColectivo Cadeho
\nOekumenisches Netz Rhein-Mosel-Saar<\/p>\n

Guatemala<\/u>
\nAsociaci\u00f3n para la Promoci\u00f3n y el Desarrollo de la Comunidad CEIBA
\nBufete para Pueblos Ind\u00edgenas
\nCentro Para la Acci\u00f3n Legal en Derechos Humanos
\nComit\u00e9 Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA)
\nComit\u00e9 de Desarrollo Campesino (CODECA)
\nComit\u00e9 de Unidad Campesina (CUC)
\nFamiliares y amigos contra la Delincuencia y el Secuestro
\nFestivales Solidarios
\nH.I.J.O.S. Guatemala
\nInstituto Amaq’
\nPrensa Comunitaria
\nRed Tz’ikin – Realizadoras-es Independientes de Guatemala
\nUnidad de Protecci\u00f3n a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos
\n-Guatemala (UDEFEGUA)
\nUni\u00f3n Nacional de Mujeres Guatemaltecas (UNAMG)<\/p>\n

Honduras<\/u>
\nAPAF-INFOP
\nAsociaci\u00f3n LGBT Arcoiris de Honduras
\nASONOG
\nBAMB\u00da
\nBloque Popular
\nCentro de Derechos de Mujeres (CDM)
\nCentro de Desarrollo Humano (CDH)
\nCentro de Estudio para la Democracia (CESPAD)
\nCentro de Prevenci\u00f3n, Tratamiento y Rehabilitaci\u00f3n de V\u00edctimas de la
\nTortura (CPTRT)
\nColectivo de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores Sociales de Honduras (CTSH)
\nComit\u00e9 para la Defensa del Consumidor Hondure\u00f1o
\nComit\u00e9 por la Libre Expresi\u00f3n (C-Libre)
\nConexihon
\nConsejo C\u00edvico de Organizaciones Populares e Ind\u00edgenas de Honduras
\n(COPINH)
\nCoordinadora de Organizaciones Populares del Agua (COPA)
\nEcum\u00e9nicas por el Derecho a Decidir
\nEquipo de Reflexi\u00f3n, Investigaci\u00f3n y Comunicaci\u00f3n de la Compa\u00f1\u00eda de Jes\u00fas
\nen Honduras (ERIC-SJ)
\nFundaci\u00f3n San Alonso Rodr\u00edguez (FSAR)
\nJusticia Paz e Integridad de la Creaci\u00f3n – Familia Franciscana Honduras
\nJuventud del Milenio
\nLa Insurrecta
\nMovimiento Ambientalistas Santabarbarense (MAS)
\nMovimiento de Diversidad en Resistencia (MDR)
\nPlataforma Agraria Regional del Valle del Aguan
\nPuras Mujeres
\nRed Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en Honduras (RNDDH)
\nRed Nacional de J\u00f3venes Artesanos de la Paz
\nSomos Muchas
\nTerco Producciones
\nUni\u00f3n Estudiantil Morazanista (UEM)<\/p>\n

Italia<\/u>
\nCollettivo Italia Centro America (CICA)<\/p>\n

Mexico<\/u>
\nProcesos Integrales para la Autogesti\u00f3n de los Pueblos
\nRed Mexicana de Afectadas\/os por la Miner\u00eda (REMA)
\nFundaci\u00f3n para la Justicia y el Estado Democr\u00e1tico de Derecho (FJEDD)<\/p>\n

\n

Norway<\/u>
\nComit\u00e9 Noruego de Solidaridad con America Latina (LAG)<\/p>\n

Spain<\/u>
\nAnticapitalistas Madrid. \u00c1rea Internacional
\nComunidad Centroam\u00e9rica en Espa\u00f1a
\nPlataforma por Honduras en Madrid
\nRed de Hondure\u00f1as Migradas (REDHMI)<\/p>\n

USA<\/u>
\nAlliance for Global Justice
\nCentral American Resource Center (CARECEN) — DC
\nFranciscan Action Network
\nGuatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC-USA)
\nHands Off Honduras – Minnesota
\nInterfaith movement for human integrity
\nNicaragua Center for Community Action
\nParlamento Maya USA
\nSchool of the Americas Watch (SOAW) Oakland\/East Bay
\nSOA Watch
\nWitness for Peace Solidarity Collective<\/p>\n

Venezuela<\/u>
\nCoalici\u00f3n de Tendencias Clasistas (CTC-VZLA)<\/p>\n

Regional<\/u>
\nBrigada Jos\u00e9 Artigas de Trabajo Voluntario
\nCenter for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
\nInternational Comission of Jurists (CIJ)
\nCruz Morada Hondure\u00f1a
\nFads
\nHablemos de Derechos Humanos
\nHonduras Solidarity Network in North America
\nInformations Gruppe Lateinamerika (IGLA)
\nIniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos
\nJOPRODEH
\nLa Cadejos, Comunicaci\u00f3n Feminista
\nLa Voz de los de Abajo, Chicago
\nMovimiento Mesoamericano contra el Modelo Extractivo Minero – M4-
\nOficina Ecum\u00e9nica por la Paz y la Justicia
\nProtection International Mesoam\u00e9rica
\nTask Force on the Americas
\nThe St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA)<\/p>\n

International<\/u>
\nCIVICUS: Global Alliance of Civil Society Organisations
\nConfederaci\u00f3n General del Trabajo
\nDue Process of Law Foundation (DPLF)
\nInternational Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) within the framework of
\nthe Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
\nJASS (Just Associates)
\nMigrant Roots Media
\nWorld Organization Against Torture (OMCT) within the framework of the
\nObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
\nInternational Platform Against Impunity (PI)
\nTrocaire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Americas, June 24, 2019.-\u00a0National and international organizations condemn new efforts to criminalize indigenous leaders of the indigenous Tolupan Tribe of San Francisco Locomapa. We denounce that the Honduran State, intentionally and systematically, seeks to silence Indigenous Peoples who legitimately exercise their right to protest and who demand their rights be respected. Honduras, a country that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[681],"tags":[],"country":[876,881],"issue":[861],"program":[874],"resource":[896],"class_list":["post-22000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","country-america-central","country-honduras","issue-indigenous-peoples","program-climate-justice-and-human-rights","resource-press-releases"],"acf":{"boton_1":"","url_boton_1\u00ba":"","boton_2":"","url_boton_2":"","boton_3":"","url_boton_3":"","boton_4":"","url_boton_4":"","boton_5":"","url_boton_5":"","boton_6":"","url_boton_6":"","boton_7":"","url_boton_7":"","boton_8":"","url_boton_8":"","boton_9":"","url_boton_9":"","boton_10":"","url_boton_10":""},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22000"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22000"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22001,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22000\/revisions\/22001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22000"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=22000"},{"taxonomy":"issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issue?post=22000"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=22000"},{"taxonomy":"resource","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dplf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource?post=22000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}