UN urges Honduras to protect indigenous and Garifuna land rights

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has called on the Honduran state to investigate reports of forced evictions, excessive use of force, and violence against indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. The Committee expressed concern regarding allegations of lethal force used by law enforcement and the military, particularly during anti-narcotics operations in Gracias a Dios and during peaceful protests.

In Honduras, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OACNUDH) participated in a meeting convened by the President of the Supreme Court of Justice. The meeting included various state institutions and the Honduran Black Fraternal Organization (OFRANEH) to discuss the implementation of Inter-American Court of Human Rights rulings regarding Garifuna communities.

OACNUDH emphasized that the fulfillment of these rulings is essential for recognizing the territorial rights of the Garifuna people and ensuring collective property. The Office also urged the state to ensure prompt justice in criminal proceedings against members of the San Juan Garifuna community and stressed that criminal law should not be used as a mechanism to resolve long-standing territorial conflicts.