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'Justice for Berta Caceres' International Mission

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'Justice for Berta Caceres' International Mission EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION JUSTICE for Berta Cáceres Flores Honduras - March 17-21, 2016 REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The International Mission “Justice for Berta Cáceres principles, fundamental freedoms and human rights, Flores”, composed of 15 parliamentarians, jurists and together with a lack of political commitment to end the representatives of human rights, trade union, and prevailing impunity that have turned the country into popular organizations and networks from throughout the world’s most dangerous place for defenders of the the world, carried out an intense program of activities in environment, land, territory and human rights. It noted Honduras between 17 and 21 March 2016. Responding the ineffectiveness of the Honduran State´s human rights to the request of the Civic Council of Popular and protection system, as well as a prevailing institutional Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) practice that ignores the rights of the victims of human and the National Network of Women Human Rights rights violations as active rights holders. It concluded in Defenders of Honduras, and of an extensive network particular that the life of Gustavo was in danger while of international solidarity in support of the Honduran remaining in Honduras and that there were no legal people, it focused on clarifying the context of the reasons to restrict his freedom. brutal murder of the indigenous Lenca leader Berta Cáceres Flores, the night of March 2, 2016, and Furthermore, the Mission noted systematic and pushing for the release of the Mexican social leader, flagrant transgressions of regional and international Gustavo Castro, wounded in the murder of Berta and human rights, including the rights of indigenous retained unjustly by the authorities of Honduras. peoples, in the development of hydroelectric, mining, forestry and agro-industrial projects such as Agua The Mission further sought to verify the context in Zarca. It noted that the worsening criminalization which the assassination of Berta Cáceres and that of COPINH provides evidence of the strong links of Nelson Noé Garcia, another Lenca leader of between the government and companies, like DESA, COPINH shot to death 12 days after Berta, took and funding entities, both national and transnational, place, and to support Honduran popular demands that promote these projects in contradiction with the for the cancellation of concessions and projects such lifestyles and interests of affected communities and as Agua Zarca, a hydroelectric dam against whose territories, a situation that has worsened dramatically construction in Lenca territory – in the absence of in the aftermath of the 2009 coup d’état. It observed prior consultation – Berta had been struggling and an absence of due diligence by these companies and COPINH continues to struggle, the demilitarization funding entities, and also in relation to the substantial of indigenous territories, and implementation of a law aid granted to the Honduran government by the US, the for the protection of human rights defenders. European Union and its members, and public financial institutions like the World Bank, the Inter-American On March 21, concluding its stay in the country, Development Bank and the Central American Bank the International Mission presented at a press for Economic Integration. It also identified a growing conference in Tegucigalpa the main conclusions and process of militarization in the country that far from recommendations arising from its meetings with contributing to public safety is perceived as one of the representatives of the Honduran executive, judicial very sources of increasing insecurity. and parliamentary branches, embassies, COPINH and other popular and human rights organizations, as well The International Mission formulated 25 as the family of Berta Cáceres Flores, Gustavo Castro recommendations to the State of Honduras and other and his legal team. actors involved in these violations of human rights, such as the European Union, the United States, Among them, the Mission emphasized the weakness the company DESA and funding agencies FMO, of the rule of law manifested in Honduras, with FINNFUND and the Central American Bank for the absence of the slightest respect for democratic Economic Integration (BCIE). Among others, the 2 JUSTICE FOR BERTA CÁCERES FLORES Mission endorsed the demand for an independent measures and provide sufficient financial means investigation of the assassination of Berta Cáceres for the correct implementation of the Law for the with the participation of international experts, Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, a contribution that could be made by the Inter- Social Communicators and Judicial Officials, to American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) end the process of criminalization of civil society in agreement with the government of Honduras. Such organizations, and to resolve in a non-violent and an investigation must enable identification of those democratic manner, present and future socio- responsible both materially and intellectually for the environmental conflicts. assassination of Berta, as well as both state and / or private actors responsible for the threats, harassment The International Mission called for the immediate and assassinations suffered by COPINH members. It cancellation of the Agua Zarca project and all the called on the governments of Honduras and Mexico to concessions imposed in Lenca territory without ensure the immediate and safe departure of Gustavo the prior, free and informed consent of affected Castro out of the country, as well as his physical and communities, as well as others related to hydroelectric psychological integrity and respect for his life and dams, mega mining operations, agribusiness and human rights. forestry projects, also at odds with environmental sustainability and social acceptance, especially when The Mission also called, in general terms, for and they are located in indigenous territories. It further end to the prevailing impunity, privileges, favours, called for the demilitarization of Lenca territories, opacity, and democratic restrictions, encouraged by the effective implementation of ILO Convention 169 the 2009 coup d’état, in order to achieve effective and the recognition of COPINH as the organization investigation, prosecution, and punishment of those responsible for their community autonomy. responsible for human rights violations and to prevent further violations. It further called on the Moreover, the Mission exhorted the Central American government of Honduras to ensure the necessary Bank for Economic Integration, the Dutch Financial 3 REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Development Company (FMO) and Finnfund to International Solidarity Gathering, to be held on 13, cancel definitively their support for Agua Zarca and it 14 and 15 April, in Tegucigalpa and La Esperanza / urged all States and multilateral financial institutions Gualcarque River. involved in similarly conflictive projects to fulfill their extraterritorial and due diligence obligations, assuming Postscript their duty to verify that the social and environmental impacts of their operations are neither harmful nor As it was finalizing its Report, the International in violation of the rights of persons, peoples and Mission “Justice for Berta Cáceres Flores” was nature. It recommended investigation of the relation advised of two significant responses with regard to the of FMO with the FICOHSA Financial Group and requests and recommendations formulated therein. its participation in Agua Zarca, as well as that of the First, the decision of the Public Ministry of Honduras, Atala group linked to the 2009 coup d’état. announced on March 31, to desist in its order of retention in the country of Gustavo Castro, effectively The Mission also called on the European Council to allowing Gustavo’s return to Mexico and reunion with suspend the Association Agreement with Honduras his family and community. Second, the decision of the due to its failure to fulfill human rights, and requested Central American Bank for Economic Integration, Spain and the EU to evaluate and suspend temporarily announced on April 1, to join its co-financing partners their funding to the EuroJustice program, until of Agua Zarca, FMO and Finnfund, in the provisory responsibilities for the assassination of Berta have suspension of all disbursements for the same. been clarified. It requested the US government to clarify the relation between its aid programs, Agua In view of the above, the Mission endorses the words Zarca and similar projects, and the harassment and of COPINH which, in a press release issued on April 1, assassination of people, like Berta, committed to the expresses clearly and forcefully that “We must not doubt defense of their territories and rights. Similarly, that that any of these points have been through concessions it clarify US participation in the investigation of the by the groups whose power is at stake, but rather they murder of Berta Cáceres, and suspend the Plan for are achievements of the popular mobilization triggered the Prosperity of the Northern Triangle of Central within and outside our country.” America, and similar programs, while human rights are not guaranteed in Honduras. Indeed, as COPINH also noted, “there has not been any response to our demands before the government In conclusion, the Mission requested the Office of the for justice and vindication..., the direct
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