April and May 2022 was a difficult month for land and environmental defenders in Honduras. The following are documented cases of murders, threats, and attacks against this targeted group:
- On April 22, 2022, campesino group ‘La Auxiliadora’ was evicted by heavily armed men that work for ex-Congressional National Party representative Oscar Nájera. The campesino’s land is located in Cuacú, Santa Rosa de Aguán, Colón. During the eviction, the armed men threatened and shot at the group.
- In the evening on April 30, Justo Benítez Sánchez from the San Isidro community, municipality of San Francisco de Ojüera, Santa Bárbara, was also murdered. Benítez Sánchez was a member of the Santa Bárbara Environmental Movement (MAS).
- On May 2, the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) denounced that Alonso Salgado, a community leader from Rio Tinto, was murdered. During the attack, Zuri Quintanilla, the secretary of the elected community council was injured.
- Also on May 2, the Agrarian Platform in Colón denounced that a group of special COBRA police and two cars carrying armed civilians attempted to convict the campesino group ‘La Auxiliadora’ in Cuacú community, Santa Rosa de Aguán, Colón. The police were not obeying orders sent from the Minister of Security, and instead, are believed to be working on behalf of organized criminal interests in the region.
- On May 15, the National Coalition of Networks and Environmental Organizations of Honduras (CONROA) denounced that land defender and community leader Donaldo Rosales was murdered on his way to church (see full translation of communique below).
- A few days later on May 21, CONROA denounced threats against indigenous leader Reynaldo Barahona. Barahona is a land and environmental defender and the President of the Tolupán Tribe de las Vegas de Tepemechín.
- On May 22, the National Union of Rural Workers (CNTC) denounced that a campesino group “Las Galileas” located in Jutiapa, Atlántida is being threatened and persecuted by an armed group of individuals
Public Denouncement: Assassination of Environmentalist and Leader, Donaldo Rosales (translation of CONRA communique)
On Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 9:00 am, leader, compañero, and environmental defender DONALDO ROSALES was murdered. The incident occurred when he was on his way to Sunday Catholic church activities in a neighboring community.
At the moment of his murder, compañero Donaldo Rosales was a member of the Environmental Committee of the Northeastern Municipalities of Comayagua (CAMNECO) as a representative of the Las Huertas community, located in the municipality of Minas de Oro, Comayagua.
Consequently, the National Coalition of Networks and Environmental Organizations of Honduras (CONROA) condemns the vile assassination and demands the following of public security institutions and the state of Honduras:
- That an immediate investigation of compañero Donaldo Rosales is carried out and that the material and intellectual authors are located.
- That justice is achieved and Donald Rosales’ murder does not remain in impunity
- That that necessary and due protection and accompaniment of the family is provided.
- That the lives of all human rights defenders be respected, especially those that defend our country from the plunder by the extractive industry.
“The struggle for the protection of natural resources will not end by murdering environmental defenders”
Tegucigalpa May 16, 2022