Skip to main content

Throughout the world, solutions to some of the greatest challenges of the day are either nascent or fully thriving. Organized people's movements - sometimes with help from supportive government - are changing the structures which cause violence, poverty, inequality, and environmental destruction.

First Victory for Afro-Indigenous Garifuna in Defense of the Land Campaign!

Submitted by admin on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 09:28


Latest communique from OFRANEH coordinator Miriam Miranda

We succeeded in breaking the gate of shame in Vallecito!!  We are achieving the re-surveying of our lands!!

3:28 p.m.  eastern time, (2:28 Honduran time)  Thursday, September 13, 2012  

Vallecito

At this very Moment we have advanced our struggle.  We are almost finalizing the process of re-surveying the lands of the 5 Production Cooperatives of the Garifuna People in Vallecito, lands that were in the hands of the widow of Reynaldo Villalobos, who lives in Icoteas, Limón, Colón department.

By order of the Attorney General and the authorities who accompanied the process the gate of shame was breached that blocked the Garifunas from access to our own lands. 

A Judge of Trujillo emitted a decision against our ancestral and legal rights.  But after great pressure, patience and accompaniment by our ancestors, we were able to open the gate. 

The Struggle Continues because we must all succeed in achieving an eviction order for the widow of Reynaldo Villalobo of the Garifuna lands. 

This lands is to be dedicated to erect the University of the Garifuna People of Honduras.  This land is the promised land to guarantee the food security of the Garifuna people. 

The process of land surveying has not even been concluded, yet the Garifuna people  are already receiving death threats!!  The security guards of the widow of Reynaldo Villalobos have said that after tomorrow they will assassinate any Garifuna person who enters the town of Icotea.  (Icotea is the neighboring town where the widow lives.  It is a non-Garifuna town and where the Garifunas of Vallecito must pass the night en route to the camp and where we buy our food stuffs and where we would go in an emergency.)

So let´s continue sending letters to President Pepe Lobo to guarantee the security of all the Garifuna who remain in the Vallecito camp.

We hold Señora Paula Castro, widow of Reynaldo Villalobos, resident of Icotea, Limón, Colón responsible!

OFRANEH sends its profound thanks to all the persons who individually or as organizations, in Honduras and internationally who have helped and supported us to advance in this first important step.

A special thanks goes to Stephen Bartlett of Agricultural Missions who took up this process as his own.  Thanks to him and many others the authorities of Honduras have received and continue to receive many letters. (Note from translator Stephen B:  Everyone who sent a communication, a prayer or resources for this effort deserves praise!!  Just remember as we celebrate this initial significant victory, we may be called upon again!

We don´t want death, we do not seek violence, we struggle for what is ours.

No to the Charter Cities!

Yes to the agenda of LIFE!

No to the agenda of Death!

September 13, 2012
Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña, OFRANEH

  • Share this