OFRANEH declines government meeting on Garifuna land rights

The Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) has declined to attend a meeting convened by the Attorney General of the Republic, Dagoberto Aspra, regarding the implementation of a ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR).

OFRANEH stated that dialogue is contingent upon addressing specific grievances, including the ongoing criminal case against five members of the Garifuna community in San Juan, Tela. The organization also demanded an end to eviction attempts on ancestral Garifuna lands and insisted that any state engagement must include the fulfillment of four IACHR sentences related to Garifuna rights.

The Attorney General's Office (PGR) reported that while OFRANEH did not attend, a working group was established during the session to coordinate compliance with the ruling in the case of the Garifuna Community of Cayos Cochinos vs. Honduras. Government officials, including the Minister of Human Rights and representatives from the National Commissioner for Human Rights (CONADEH), were present. The PGR expressed its continued willingness to engage in respectful dialogue to find solutions for the beneficiary communities.