An Afro-descendent community leader in Honduras, Jessica Garcia, was forced at gunpoint to sign a document surrendering land and rights to a powerful real estate company. After refusing to accept a bribe to endorse the document, a representative of the company threatened to kill Ms. Garcia, the leader of the San Juan Tela Patronato, which represents the interests of the San Juan Garifuna community, and to murder her children.
This incident is only the most recent in a series of mounting threats and violent attacks faced by the Garifuna community and their leaders over the last several years. Powerful business interests, who seek to benefit from developing Garifuna territory into major tourism projects, engage in intimidation and violence, with virtual impunity.
Following the murder of two Garifuna community members in San Juan earlier this year and violent attacks against the San Juan community by security guards working for the real estate company, Ms. Garcia and other Garifuna leaders are in need of immediate protection.
Urge the government of Honduras to protect the safety of Garifuna rights activists and ensure that those responsible for violent threats and criminal attacks against peaceful community leaders are brought to justice.
Click Here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Garcia
More about threats against Garifuna community activists:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Garcia/explanation
Elena Steiger
Human Rights Defenders Program
Tel: (1) (212) 845-5298 Fax: (1) (212) 845-5299
Human Rights First htp://www.humanrightsfirst.org
Please act in solidarity with our Garifuna relatives. Thank you - Gracias,
in solidarity / en solidaridad,
Tia Oros Peters
Executive Director
Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development
ph: (1) 707-825-7640 fax: (1) 707-825-7639
http://www.7genfund.org
Celebrating 30 years of social, environmental and cultural justice work
with grassroots Native American communities. (1977-2007)
This incident is only the most recent in a series of mounting threats and violent attacks faced by the Garifuna community and their leaders over the last several years. Powerful business interests, who seek to benefit from developing Garifuna territory into major tourism projects, engage in intimidation and violence, with virtual impunity.
Following the murder of two Garifuna community members in San Juan earlier this year and violent attacks against the San Juan community by security guards working for the real estate company, Ms. Garcia and other Garifuna leaders are in need of immediate protection.
Urge the government of Honduras to protect the safety of Garifuna rights activists and ensure that those responsible for violent threats and criminal attacks against peaceful community leaders are brought to justice.
Click Here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Garcia
More about threats against Garifuna community activists:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Garcia/explanation
Elena Steiger
Human Rights Defenders Program
Tel: (1) (212) 845-5298 Fax: (1) (212) 845-5299
Human Rights First htp://www.humanrightsfirst.org
Please act in solidarity with our Garifuna relatives. Thank you - Gracias,
in solidarity / en solidaridad,
Tia Oros Peters
Executive Director
Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development
ph: (1) 707-825-7640 fax: (1) 707-825-7639
http://www.7genfund.org
Celebrating 30 years of social, environmental and cultural justice work
with grassroots Native American communities. (1977-2007)