Radio Mundo Real

From August 22-25, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) visited the Garifuna communities of Triunfo de la Cruz, in Tela, Atlantida department, and Punta Piedra, Colon department, due to the demands by the Black Honduran Organization (OFRANEH) submitted before the Inter-American Human Rights System about the territorial displacements against these communities.

OFRANEH warns that these two Garifuna communities have been denied the right to previous, free and informed consultation. According to the Honduran organization, the case of Triunfo de la Cruz was filed against the State due to the violations against the exercise of Garifuna people of their right to community property, perpetrated by the power elite that owns tourism projects implemented in the area. These lands have been acquired in a malicious way or simply taken with the complicity of the municipal government, says OFRANEH.

Meanwhile, the case of Punta Piedra goes back to an invasion promoted by a military officer in 1992, and two decades later there isn´t any interest by the Honduran State to return the conflict lands to their owners, warns the organization.

In the framework of the Latin American Conference on Financilization of Nature that took place from August 24-27 in Belem do Para, Brazil, Real World Radio interviewed OFRANEH´s member, Geovany Bernardez. The leader made reference to the cases against the Honduran State before the IAHRC, the work done before the visitors arrived and during their visit, and he also made reference to the conference held in the Brazilian Northern area.