UN committee denounces forced evictions, use of force against indigenous people in Honduras

A United Nations committee has raised concerns over reports of forced evictions and the excessive use of force against indigenous and Afro-Honduran populations in Honduras. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) stated it has received information indicating that law enforcement officials and private security personnel have been involved in violent actions.

These alleged actions are reportedly connected to companies engaged in protracted disputes over ancestral lands. The UN committee noted that communities are often accused of usurpation, a charge used to criminalize their members when they occupy or defend their territories. This comes as Honduras undergoes a review of its compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

In its recommendations to the Honduran state, the CERD urged the establishment of a moratorium on evictions until the collective recognition, regularization, and titling of lands, territories, and natural resources for indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples are completed. The committee also called for the repeal or adjustment of laws related to usurpation and preventive evictions to align with international commitments and prevent their use against these communities.

Furthermore, the UN committee advised a review of the Law for the Strengthening and Protection of the Agro-Industrial Sector to prevent its misuse for evictions. It also stressed the importance of consulting with communities to establish norms that guarantee their prior consent for any measures affecting their rights, lands, sacred sites, and traditional ways of life, especially concerning extractive, agro-industrial, infrastructure, or environmental conservation projects.

The committee also highlighted the significant number of assassinations, reprisals, threats, and acts of intimidation against human rights defenders in Honduras, perpetrated by both state agents and non-state actors, including organized crime and individuals linked to companies in dispute with local communities.