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October 22,
2001
Murders
of Honduran Children Continue As UN Prepares Report
More than one hundred and ten children and youth have been murdered
in Honduras since the August 2001 visit of the UN Special Rapporteur
on Extra Judicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, bringing the
total to more than 940 murders since January 1998.
An average of more than 50 children and youth under the age of 23 are
being murdered in this Central American country every month according
to statistics compiled by Casa Alianza, an outspoken human rights
defense organization that has been monitoring the growing levels of
murders of children in Honduras over the past three years. More than
half of the killings are of 16 and 17 year olds, although more than
22% are 15 years old or younger.
Asma Jahangir, the Pakistani UN Rapporteur, made a 10 day official
visit to Honduras in August at the request of Casa Alianza and with
an invitation from the government of Honduras. At a press conference
at the end of her visit, she stated, "Impunity remains ingrained in
the justice system of Honduras. Immunity laws are sometimes abused to
give powerful people impunity for murder. Death threats to human
rights defenders continue. Inaction by the government in this regard
only encourages the perpetrators to commit more violent actions". The
UN official estimated that it would take three months to prepare her
formal report which goes to the United Nations High Commission for
Human Rights.
Casa Alianza continues to express major concern over the fact that
the majority of the murders have not been investigated by Honduran
authorities. The organization claims the involvement of police
officers in a significant number of the murders.
"Not one policeman has been convicted for any of the murders of
street children for the past several years", lamented Bruce Harris,
the Regional Director for Latin American Programs for Casa Alianza, a
branch of the New York based Covenant House. "Despite compelling
evidence and key witnesses, the cases have languished in an all but
objective judicial system".
Approximately one week after the UN visit, the Honduran Attorney
General invited Casa Alianza and other groups to join a special
committee to investigate the hundreds of killings of children but has
yet to arrange the first meeting.
Significant international outrage has been expressed regarding the
increasing level of murders of Honduran children and the lack of both
adequate investigations and a viable strategy of prevention of these
major crimes. Questions have been placed before the European
Parliament regarding the issue and possible trade related actions to
pressure Honduran authorities to stop the killing of children are
being contemplated.
"Socio-economic conditions of the children of Honduras can in no way
be a reason, much less a justification, for the extra judicial
killings of children", stated UN Rapporteur Jahangir.
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