Protest in front of the Supreme Court of Honduras to demand the freedom of the Miranda brothers

By Sandra Cuffe

Good News, Bad News

After another visit to political prisoners Marcelino and Leonardo Miranda,
community leaders from Montaña Verde, we returned to the office of the Civic
Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH).
Organizers and members, including many from the two communities of Montaña
Verde, were on their way back from Tegucigalpa, where they had participated
in a protest in front of the Supreme Court of Honduras to demand the freedom
of the Miranda brothers and to denounce the manipulation of the justice
system against them.

After a good night’s sleep, everyone had a chance to discuss the action and
the situation. I was talking with Felipe Bejerano, another Montaña Verde
community leader who spent over 2 years in jail due to the persecution of
the Indigenous Council, when I saw a mirage coming up the street towards the
office.

It was one of the 5 political prisoners from the Mártires de Guaymas
activist organization, imprisoned for ’illicit association’ this past March
after transnational fruit company ’security’ guards assassinated another
member of the organization, Virgilio Pinot, in the African palm plantations
in the department of Atlántida in northern Honduras. Although chances for
justice against the assassins are looking slim, there is progress in the
case of the 5 others, who were given provisional freedom a few days ago
while their case continues.

Neptaly López’ bullet wounds from the attack have healed and he no longer
limps when he walks. Also, he has been freed just in time for the birth of
his first child. A piece of news as good as this was desperately needed.

Unfortunately, there has been no similar positive news in the case of
Marcelino and Leonardo Miranda. A week ago, the Santa Rosa de Copán appeals
court upheld the 25-year sentence ordered by the judge in Gracias, for
murder, one of a number of fabricated charges against the Miranda brothers
and other Indigenous Council members, who have been leading their
communities’ struggle for recognition of their rights to communal land
titles, territory, and community control of natural resources.

Despite their violent and illegal arrest, torture, imprisonment and
subsequent total violation of due process amidst corruption and manipulation
in the courts, Marcelino and Leonardo maintain their values and
extraordinary courage. During COPINH’s demonstration on the steps of the
Supreme Court, they maintained a 60-hour hunger strike in prison.

The actions were eclipsed in the media by the convergence of social
movements and other sectors: the arrival of the March for Life in
Tegucigalpa; mobilizations of the National Coordination of Popular
Resistance; enormous actions of national assemblies of teachers who have
been on strike for well over two weeks to demand that the laws regulating
their positions and compensations be respected; along with strikes by a
variety of sectors (medical interns, communications, ministry of culture,
national institute for children and families, etc).

The actions of COPINH in coordination with those of the Miranda brothers,
however, was only one small part of a larger campaign demanding freedom for
Marcelino and Leonardo, and land and justice for Montaña Verde. Below are
translations of a public letter written by the political prisoners and of a
recent communiqué by COPINH.

Economic support for the Miranda brothers, their families and legal defense,
as well as for the accompaniment and campaign organized by COPINH is
urgently needed. For more information about this case, to organize support
or solidarity activities, or to participate in an upcoming delegation
focusing on natural resources and globalization in Honduras (August 14-22),
contact Sandra Cuffe - (la_vagabunda@hotmail.com) or Rights Action -
info@rightsaction.org, 416-654-2074.
**********
From the Prison in Gracias, Lempira, Honduras, Central America, the
indigenous Lenca brothers and political prisoners Marcelino Miranda and
Leonardo Miranda of the community of Montaña Verde continue their struggle
for justice, land and indigenous rights:

WE WILL DIE BEFORE WE CEASE TO SPEAK OUT

With the Spirit and Force of our ancestors, we categorically condemn the
attitude of the Justice system and the Honduran government, whose repressive
nature is evidenced by our sentence to 29 years for murder and other alleged
crimes. They hide the vicious ambitions of landowners and politicians to
usurp the beautiful land of Montaña Verde.

In the face of this abominable ruling against us, we hold the government and
the judicial authorities responsible for any further human rights violations
against us, our families or the community in general.

We also reiterate that we are prisoners of conscience, for our defense of
the territory and natural resources of our communities. However, we have
faith in God and although we are behind bars we will not cease our struggle
for social justice. We will die before we cease to speak out.

The assassins of the Honduran peoples go by the names of Judicial System,
Public Authorities, the Police, and above all the two-faced Governments of
this country. In the eyes of the world they appear as actors and promoters
of Democracy, respectful of human rights, but they persecute and kill
indigenous peoples and now also condemn community leaders with almost life
sentences in prison. But you who today are in power do not realize your own
sentence, for one day you will be tried by the highest authority.

Thus, coinciding with the actions of our organization, the Civic Council of
Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), we announce our
participation in the activities and protests, demanding that our rights be
respected. As of 5am on June 30, until 5pm on July 2, 2004, we declare
ourselves on hunger strike. In spite of the fact that we suffer from mild
heart problems, we will carry out this action, holding the government of
Honduras responsible for any death or harm that may occur.

Honduras, our country, our homeland, we will forever continue our struggle
for you and for our future generations.

Marcelino Miranda and Leonardo Miranda
¡presentes hasta la victoria siempre!
**********
Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras
COPINH

Injustice and human rights violations against indigenous peoples
prevail in Honduras!

To the government of the Republic, to the Honduran public and to the
international community, COPINH denounces the following:

. The politicization and manipulation of the judicial system by individuals
with political, economic and military power continues in our country, as is
evidenced by the recent ratification of the 25-year prison sentence against
Marcelino and Leonardo Miranda, sentenced in a parcial and injust trial
beset with manipulation and racism. It is clear that the real cause of the
violations of their most fundamental human rights is the struggle that these
indigenous leaders have led for their community’s territory and because they
are members of COPINH.

. When our compañeros - who have been imprisoned for over 17 months - were
violently detained, they were subject to a variety of torture methods by 28
police and paramilitary agents in an act of repression against the entire
community of Montaña Verde. The torturers are free with complete impunity
and several were even brought to court to testify against our compañeros.
Even after suffering brutal tortures, even though "intelligence" agents from
the Ministry of Security intimidated Leonardo inside the Gracias prison,
holding a gun to his head, even with the sentences and the interests of the
judicial system in trampling justice and maintaining their cruel and partial
treatment of the Miranda brothers, they remain firm in their convictions and
principles, together with their community.

. The Appeals Court of Santa Rosa de Copán, instead of reorienting the
verdict against our compañeros towards respect of the law and justice, has
oficialized the arbitrary decision of the judge from Gracias, Lempira, who
confirmed the criminal accusations without supporting evidence,
contradicting experts’ reports.

. The Appeals Court decision supports and continues the violations of due
process, by validating as evidence the declarations of witnesses whose
testimonies were obtained without summons, without informing the defense and
outside of the evidenciary period, violating regulations established by law.

. The rights and guarantees concerning the proposal and execution of
evidence established in the Constitution of the Republic have not been
observed.

. This pattern of violations demonstrates that when it comes to the
administration of "justice" in accusations against indigenous peoples,
respect of the law and of true justice is absent when there are powerful
interests and groups at play.

. For all of the above, our organization has decided to continue our
energetic process of struggle, denouncement and resistance aimed at the
Supreme Court of Justice, other State authorities, international
institutions and by any means necessary permitted by our Constitutional and
ancestral rights. We struggle together with our compañeros Marcelino and
Leonardo Miranda in jail, who have declared themselves on Hunger Strike from
June 30th at 5am to July 2 at 5pm.

. We condemn the government led by the puppet dictator Ricardo Maduro as
well as the actions of the Santa Rosa de Copán Appeals Court and demand
immediate freedom for our compañeros, who are clearly political prisoners in
Honduras.

. We also actively support and join the 12 demands of the National
Coordination of Popular Resistance, of which we are a member, along with
their just actions and those of the National Assemblies of Teachers. We
call upon the people of Honduras to struggle with courage and dignity.

With the ancestral force of Iselaca, Lempira and Etempica we raise our
voices for life, justice, freedom, dignity and peace!

FREEDOM NOW FOR MARCELINO AND LEONARDO MIRANDA!!!

Intibucá, Intibucá, June 30, 2004.

06.07.2004
Bellaciao Collective