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26 January 2017 | | | | |

Evictions and bullets in Honduras: Testimony of a member of the Lenca Indigenous Independent Movement of La Paz (MILPAH) wounded during eviction

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On January 13, there was another violent eviction of peasants of 9 de Julio community in Honduras, which resulted in several beaten and injured peasants, four of them wounded with firearms.

The eviction took place in San Pedro de Tutule municipality, La Paz department and was carried out by approximately 300 police, military and antiriot officers who violently attacked the peasants with tear gas and shooting against them.

The judge hearing the case ignored the three appeals filed before the Supreme Court of Justice in Tegucigalpa, Honduran capital city. The events raised the concern of the UN as expressed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras which denounced the violence used and stated that not all necessary judicial steps were met. “A forced eviction should be carried out in an exceptional manner and when there is no other reasonable possibility, after assessing all potential impacts of the eviction and relocation and exhausting all necessary legal measures”.

Meanwhile, Madre Tierra – Friends of the Earth Honduras also denounced at international level the events “against peasants who are fighting for their right to land, proposing as an only form of dialogue the deepening of violence and repression by the government and authorities against the peoples who fight for land and their territories”.

Through journalist Andrés Molina, Real World Radio had access to the testimony of Víctor Vásquez while he recovers from the bullet wound received in one of his legs. Victor is member of the Lenca Indigenous Independent Movement of La Paz (MILPAH).

In his testimony, the member of MILPAH said that his organization defends human rights and has joined many struggles in defense of the territorial rights of Honduran poor communities.

With video footage to prove it, Victor told us that the bullets that wounded him and other peasants came from the police forces there.

“I will have to stay in my home for four months since my leg was broken”, said Víctor, who added that the judicial authorities have not communicated with him, despite having precautionary measures to protect him. “I have seen no will”, he said.

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