Saturday, August 1, 2020
Thank you to our friends at Rights Action for sharing this news.
Here, a letter of concern from Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a country that is not politically, economically, militarily propping up the military-backed, narco-regime in power in Honduras.
This letter contrasts with the lack of response from the leaders of the countries (the United States and Canada) that most fully support the regime in Honduras – a “democratic allie” since the 2009 military coup ousted Honduras’ last democratically elected government.
Excerpts:
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, intends to raise the abduction of the Garífuna men and the just cause of the Garífuna people at the United Nations...
The abduction of "the Garífuna five" comes against the backdrop of widespread violations of the rights of the Garífuna people, including their ownership rights to ancestral lands...
I should point out that this is not merely an internal matter for Honduras; this is an international human rights issue...
The lawless and criminal campaign against the Garífuna people, and their leaders, in Honduras must stop...
[We] are prepared to work with your government to address the plight of the Garífuna people in Honduras. Immediately, though, we need to know urgently, what is happening to the case of the kidnapping of "the Garífuna five" ! Justice must be done!
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves
Prime Minister
and chair of CARICOM (Carribean Community, representing 20 countries)
More information
- OFRANEH (Organizacion Fraternal Negra Hondureña): @ofraneh, garifuna@ofraneh.org, www.ofraneh.org, http://www.ofraneh.wordpress.com
- Rights Action: Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org, www.rightsaction.org
- Honduras Solidarity Network: Karen Spring, spring.kj@gmail.com, @hondurassol, www.hondurassolidarity.org
Recent news: The Garifuna Five
- “Minority Group Fears ‘Genocide’ in Trump-Backed Honduras”, By Jeremy Kryt, The Daily Beast, Aug. 10, 2020, https://www.thedailybeast.com/garifuna-minority-group-fears-genocide-in-trump-backed-honduras
- “Indigenous men in Honduras are being abducted. Are the police to blame?”, By Jackie McVicar, August 5, 2020, America Magazine, https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2020/08/05/indigenous-men-honduras-are-being-abducted-are-police-blame
Archives on OFRANEH
Articles, reports, films & urgent actions related to OFRANEH's work & struggle in defense of Garifuna territory & rights: https://rightsaction.org/ofraneh
Articles, reports, films & urgent actions related to OFRANEH's work & struggle in defense of Garifuna territory & rights: https://rightsaction.org/ofraneh
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Emergency funds – Community defense and Covid19 response
Even as Rights Action continues to send funds for Covid19 response work of long-term partner groups in Honduras and Guatemala, we request funds now for OFRANEH as they respond to the forced disappearance of Garifuna land defenders from Triunfo de la Cruz.
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