Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Sous-comité des droits internationaux de la personne du Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, July 14, 2016 -

On 19 April 2016, the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (the Subcommittee) adopted a motion to invite witnesses to provide an update on the human rights situation in Honduras, to follow up on its 2015 study entitled, “Overcoming Violence and Impunity: Human Rights Challenges in Honduras”.

The Subcommittee received troubling testimony about the state of citizen security in Honduras, and in particular, the danger faced by human rights defenders. The recent murder of prominent indigenous rights leader and human rights defender Berta Cáceres on 2 March 2016 was highlighted for the Subcommittee by Ms. Cáceres’ daughter, Berta Zúñiga Cáceres, as well as fellow human rights defender, Mr. Gustavo Castro Soto, who was present, and injured, when Ms. Cáceres was murdered. After hearing testimony, the Subcommittee issued the following statement:

The Subcommittee is deeply troubled by the lack of respect for internationally protected human rights in Honduras, and in particular a lack of citizen security. The Subcommittee is particularly troubled by the targeting of human rights defenders, including journalists, justice sector workers, union leaders, as well as indigenous and environmental activists. The Subcommittee learned that between 2010 and 2015, 22 human rights defenders have been murdered, two have been the victims of enforced disappearance, and 15 have been kidnapped. The Government of Honduras has proven unwilling or unable to protect these human rights defenders, even when ordered by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to provide state protection. At least 10 human rights defenders who were the beneficiary of such orders have been murdered, including Berta Cáceres. The Subcommittee condemns this failure to act in the strongest possible terms. The Subcommittee notes that that Inter-American Commission for Human Rights is currently facing a financial crisis which will jeopardize its ability to carry out its core mandate in the near future.

Witnesses emphasized the role played by private security firms and Honduran security forces in perpetrating human rights abuses, as well as the role of violent gangs and transnational criminal organizations in exacerbating violence and insecurity in the country. These actors operate in an atmosphere of impunity, abetted by official corruption or complicity, and an ineffective investigative and judicial process. The Subcommittee also wishes to highlight the role of extractive industries in ongoing human rights violations, particularly against indigenous communities, as well as the use of private security firms to threaten, intimidate and commit violence against indigenous and environmental activists.

Accordingly, the Subcommittee:

• Urges the Government of Honduras to uphold its own national law and international human rights standards regarding the protection of human rights defenders.

• Calls upon the Government of Honduras to allow the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to create an expert group to oversee or follow the investigation of the killing of Berta Cáceres.

• Calls upon the Government of Canada to continue engaging with Canadian companies operating in Honduras to ensure that the highest ethical standards are put into practice, including respect for all laws and international human rights norms, in a manner reflecting Canadian values.

• Further calls upon the Government of Canada to actively monitor compliance with the corporate social responsibility provisions included in the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement and its parallel agreements on labour and the environment.

• Encourages the Government of Canada to support the Organization of American States’ initiative to fight corruption and impunity in Honduras.

• Further encourages the Government of Canada to support programs in Honduras that provide security sector reform and to continue supporting programs that provide capacity-building and technical assistance to the investigative units within the police and justice sector in that country.

• Further encourages the Government of Canada to strengthen the role of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights by advocating for a sustainable funding model.

“One year after the Subcommittee completed its extensive review of the Human Rights Situation in Honduras, the situation remains grave. There is a state of impunity that must end.”

- Michael Levitt, MP for York Centre, Chair

“My Conservative Colleagues and I remain deeply concerned for the security and Human rights of Hondurans. The Government of Canada must do all it can to apply diplomatic pressure on Honduras to prevent further abuses of its vulnerable populations and human rights defenders. Furthermore, our thoughts and prayers are with the Caceres family following the murder of Berta Caceres, who died defending Human Rights in Honduras. We call upon the Government of Honduras to ensure that justice is accomplished in the Caceres case and indeed for all Hondurans.”

- David Sweet, MP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, Vice-Chair

“When this subcommittee first looked into the human rights situation in Honduras 3 years ago, our officials told us that “progress was being made.” We had been assured that the Government of Honduras was committed to improving human rights.

Here we are in 2016 and not only has the situation not improved, it has worsened. UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, declared in a recent statement that Honduras risks becoming a ‘lawless killing zone’ for human rights defenders. According to the Guardian (UK) newspaper, Honduras now has the highest murder rate for environmental activists in the world.

My plea to the Government of Honduras is this: if you care about your international reputation at all, you will take the necessary steps to protect your human rights defenders. Assurances will no longer do. We will know you have succeeded when the murderers have been brought to justice. We will know you have succeeded when your human rights defenders stop being murdered. You can be sure that Canada will support all of your efforts to improve the safety of those who fight to protect human rights in your country.”

- Cheryl Hardcastle, MP for Windsor-Tecumseh, Vice-Chair