Support Human Rights in Honduras! Protect Rafael Alegria!

Defending one's right to food and land should not be a death sentence. But, currently it is for our friend and ally, Rafael Alegria. Take action now and ensure that Rafael Alegria is protected, and not subjected to death threats, for defending the rights of campesinos in his home country of Honduras.

Rafael is a long-time leader of the international peasant movement, Via Campesina. In the last month, two campesino leaders have been murdered in Honduras and their deaths have still gone without investigation by the government.

This week, after submitting a high level report on land conflicts, commissioned by the government, Rafael began receiving death threats. It is imperative that we act now to ensure that the lives of campesino leaders in Honduras are protected from intimidation and violence.

Time is of the essence, so don't wait to make your voice heard. Take a stand and tell the Honduran Government to protect Rafael and human rights.

The letter below is in Spanish :

Por medio de la presente, me dirijo a Usted para manifestar mi indignacion por el asesinato de varios dirigentes del movimiento campesino organizado de Honduras en el area de  la ciudad de Trujillo, Colon.

Ademas manifiesto mi grave preocupacion acerca de la amenazas de muerte recibidas por varios dirigentes campesinos Hondurenos entre ellos  el Sr. Rafael Alegria quien es tambien un dirigente internacionalmente reconocido de la Vía Campesina. 

Entiendo que estas violaciones atroces a los derechos humanos  has sido perpetradas tanto por elementos privados como por oficiales locales relacionados con el conflicto agrario sobre las tierras del antiguo Centro regional de Entrenamiento Militar, CREM.   

Honduras es Estado parte de los Pactos Internacionales de Derechos Humanos, por lo que ha asumido la obligacion de respetar, proteger y garantizar los derechos reconocidos en estos pactos, en particular el Derecho a la Vida y el Derecho a la Alimentacion, y atender de manera especial la situación de aquellas y aquellos quienes al defender estos derechos, sufren intimidaciones y violencia.

En este sentido le solicito Sr. Presidente, adoptar las medidas necesarias para garantizar:

* la mayor proteccion posible al Sr. Rafael Alegría y a los defensoras y los defensores de derechos humanos, en particular de la dirigencia campesina, sindical e indigena, que debe incluir mecanismos especiales de proteccion requerida debido a las recientes amenazas  de muerte y hostigamientos en su contra.
* la investigacion del crimen con apoyo de mas alto nivel, para que reuna en el tiempo más corto posible todas las informaciones necesarias para descubrir los autores materiales e intelectuales del asesinato;
* el debido proceso criminal contra los supuestos asesinos, para que la muerte de Irene Ramirez y Jose Arnulfo  Guevara no queden en impunidad;
* la atencion inmediata a la pronta solucion del caso ex-CREM en el sentido de la transferencia efectiva de todos los terrenos del antiguo Centro Regional de Entrenamiento Militar a favor de los grupos del Movimiento Campesino de Aguan, en  el marco de la aplicación contundente del Decreto 18-2008.

Letter below is in english :

Letter Text in English:

I would like to express my deep concern about the murder of various Honduran leaders of organized peasant movements in Trujillo, Colon. I am also deeply concerned about the death threats received by peasant leaders such as Mr. Rafael Alegria, who is an internationally recognized leader of the Via Campesina.

I understand that these egregious violations of human rights have been perpetrated by both private parties and local officials connected to the land conflict over the former land areas of School of the Americas Regional Center for Military Training, CREM.

Honduras is a State Party to the International Covenants of Human Rights and, therefore, has the obligation to respect, protect and fulfill the rights enshrined in theses covenants, particularly the right to life and the right to food, and to take special care of persons that are subject to intimidation and violence for defending these rights.

I would therefore like to ask you, Mr. President, to take the measures necessary to guarantee:

* Highest protection possible for Mr. Rafael Alegria and the human rights defenders for peasant, union and indigenous leaders, including special protection mechanisms required due to death threats and harassment.

* Maximum support for the investigation of these crimes, so that the necessary data are gathered in the shortest period of time possible and the material and intellectual authors of the murder are found.

* Persecution of the alleged murderers, so that the assassinations of Irene Ramirez and Jose Arnulfo Guevara do not remain unpunished.

* Immediate attention for a quick resolution of the case of the former CREM with regard to the effective transfer of the lands of the former Regional Centre of Military Training in favor of the groups of the Peasant Movement of Aguan, in the framework of the expeditious implementation of decree 18-2008.

For More Information : http://ga3.org/campaign/honduras