By now, many of you have heard about the murder of Berta Cáceres, Honduran environmental and social activist. This is not only a horrible, disgraceful act in itself, but it also sends a message to the Honduran people—protest and you’ll be murdered. That’s why it’s so important to make—and keep—the murder of Berta Cáceres on the front burner. We have to make noise, so that the repressive Honduran government knows that we are watching, and that their murders will not be tolerated. (ROCLA members will remember that Berta Cáceres figured prominently in Jesse Freeston’s film, Resistencia.)
Call your Congressional Representative and ask her/him to sign on to this “Dear Colleague” letter.
Every Congressperson also has a web page, through which you can send electronic messages if you prefer. Please do this right away!
Note also that Alliance for Global Justice is sponsoring a Human Rights Accompaniment Delegation to Honduras June 27th—July 6th. (See below.)
In solidarity,
Arnie Matlin
The deadline for signatures is close of business Monday, March 14th, so act right away!
—— Forwarded Message
From: Alliance for Global Justice <afgj@afgj.org>
Reply-To: Alliance for Global Justice <afgj@afgj.org>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 16:48:24 -0500 (EST)
To: Arnold Matlin1 <ahmatlingvcp@igc.org>
Subject: Take action TODAY to support justice for Berta Cáceres
Call Your Representative NOW to Tell her/him to Sign Reps. Ellison and Johnson’s Letter Demanding Justice for Berta Cáceres!
The Congressional Switchboard Telephone number is
202-224-3121Amidst their grief and anger, Berta Cáceres’s family and organization COPINH (The Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras) have made clear demands to the U.S. and international community for justice and change. Today, members of the U.S. Congress are responding to their call. We need your help NOW to help ensure justice for Berta, along with U.S. policy change and diplomatic pressure to stop the broader human rights crisis in Honduras.
Today, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) began circulating a sign-on "Dear Colleague" letter in the U.S. House of Representatives to Secretary of State Kerry and Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, urging them to support an independent international investigation into the murder of Berta Cáceres. The letter also urges them to support protection for other Hondurans receiving threats, review the Unites States’ support for loans to megaprojects—like the Agua Zarca dam, which Berta was protesting at the time of her death—and other extractive projects in Honduras, and immediately stop all assistance to Honduran security forces. Following Senator Leahy, the letter requests that the Honduran government immediately and permanently stop the Agua Zarca dam.
The deadline for signatures is close of business on Monday, March 14th, so act today!
AfGJ delegation to Honduras: Human Rights Accompaniment for Communities in Struggle,
June 27-July 6, 2016
Alliance for Global Justice will be leading a human rights delegation to accompany COPINH and the other Lenca indigenous communities that Berta struggled alongside. After a few months when furor dies down, the forces of repression will again feel free to operate. That is the time international delegations will be most important. The AfGJ delegation will be in Honduras to accompany the indigenous and campesino struggles to protect their lands, rivers and lives. We will elevate the demands coming from the grassroots and bring this information back to the US government.
The delegation will also visit other communities that face the similar repression and human rights violations as they struggle to protect their land from extractive industries, tourism mega-projects, and agribusiness expansion.
At this critical time when the Honduran government and oligarchy, aided by international financial institutions, and US government, military and “development” aid, continue their repression, political persecution, and human rights abuses unabated, international accompaniment is vital. This is an opportunity to use our North American privilege to do something positive. These delegations do save lives.
June 27-July 6, cost $1100. Email delegations@AFGJ.org to request an application or for more details.