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Semana Santa - a success for security
President Maduro congratulated these police officers for a job well
done during the Easter Holiday
By Emma Boyle
TEGUCIGALPA — Last Tuesday President Ricardo Maduro appeared for a
conference in the Special Cobra Squadron training ground to recognize
the hard work of members of the National Commission for the Prevention
of Accidents (CONAPRA) during the Easter holiday or Semana Santa.
The fight against crime is a top priority for the present government and
the President revealed that significant successes have been achieved
already in 2003. “During the first three months of this year there has
been a significant reduction in crime throughout the country in
comparison with the first trimester of 2002,” said the president. “Car
theft decreased by 41 percent, homicide went down six percent and
personal assaults were reduced by a whopping 76 percent. In addition,
kidnapping declined by 67 percent and bank robberies by 70 percent,” he
added.
A number of separate institutions form CONAPRA, including the Secretary
of Public Transport and Housing (SOPTRAVI); the Ministry of Security;
the Ministry of Health; the Red Cross; the Green Cross; the Fire Brigade
and the Armed Forces, amongst others.
Over Semana Santa the Secretary of Security, Oscar Alvarez personally
designed and supervised the operations plan that was carried out. A
seven thousand officer strong police force was deployed in and around
the various tourist attractions where Hondurans spent their holidays. In
all, more than 11 thousand specialists were involved. 800 vehicles, 60
motorcycles, 37 boats and four helicopters enabled the operation at a
cost of four and a half million lempiras. Good communications throughout
the country also was said to have aided the successful operation of this
process.
“This Semana Santa was without doubt an enormous victory for all
Hondurans,” said the president.
Building communities, building hope
By STEVEN W. BUSSEN
TEGUCIGALPA — Four and a half years after the Hurricane Mitch crisis and
Honduras is still not fully recovered and functional. To date only 40
percent of the total government relief funds have been spent on account
of the painstakingly slow pace of official administration. Though no one
can say how long it will be before all the victims of this terrible
tragedy receive their benefits, the gap is being filled by the private
efforts on the part of organizations overseen by Michael Miller.
Mr. Miller oversees two projects in Honduras, the Micah Project and
Villa Linda Miller. The former, boy’s home, gives street kids a chance
at a normal life and the latter is a post-Mitch community on the
outskirts of Tegucigalpa, charmingly named after the Mr. Miller’s mother
who donated the money for the land. This village is commonly considered
the cleanest, safest, brightest, best organized and most efficient out
of forty or more similar efforts found about the country.
“We’re not just here to give hand outs,” says Miller, describing his
philosophy of helping people as going beyond merely providing the basics
of human survival. The real contribution is not material but spiritual.
This is not to say that the community is not well equipped, it boasts a
65,000 gallon water tank, electricity, 162 three bedroom dwellings, a
community center, a school, a mini sewage treatment plant, bus service
to Tegucigalpa, and a basketball court. All remarkably planned and built
by the community, with some outside help from architects and with
materials donated from a variety of sources.
When speaking to the residents of both places one really gets a sense
that these individuals are being helped on a much deeper level than
would be expected. Indeed they are being taught to help themselves
rather than looking for a hand out. They are taught to provide for
themselves and you can see the evidence throughout Villa Linda Miller.
Wherever you look you can see enterprise, a woman frying bananas to sell
here and a small convenience store there. The fact that the village
suffers an extremely low incidence of delinquency in a region that is
generally plagued by gang violence speaks for itself. A most impressive
feat when you consider that this community was the former Colonia
Miramesi, a marginal neighborhood riddled with all the usual social ills
and located on the edge of the Rio Grande that swiftly washed the town
away under the deluge of Hurricane Mitch. Where reemergence is the norm
in such communities, Villa Linda Miller seems to have broken the cycle
through will and attitude.
The accomplishments are all the more impressive when considered that the
new community is just a few years old. Most impressive in both the boy’s
home and Villa Linda Miller was that all the decisions seemed to be
taken by the members of the community and not dictated by some outside
authority. The sewage treatment facility, church, and community center
are situated where they are simply because the community made the
decision, giving a valuable sense that it is theirs to take care of.
“One of the most important things that we teach here is the ability to
imagine something, and make it into a reality,” Mr. Miller, indicating a
philosophy of individual empowerment and leadership that is really their
essence and life-blood of his projects. The people are left with far
more than just a place to hang their hats, they are left with building,
planning, and architectural skills that are far more lasting valuable
than the dwellings themselves.
Likewise the boys from the Micah project learn to be leaders by taking
on responsibilities like looking after the children in Villa Linda
Miller, seeing them off to school, and coaching their football team.
According to Mr. Miller, putting these kids into such leadership roles
is the only thing that seems to save them from the poison they soak up
on the street.
This was clear when I spoke to 17 year
old Oscar, who is already playing second division football for Motagua
and dreams of being a football star. The transition has been remarkable
considering that just a few years ago he was living on the streets,
abandoned at three by his father who took off to Miami for a better life
for himself. He said he could never imagine where he would be now if not
for the help of Mr. Miller`s organization. He has a stab wound he got
trying to pick the pocket of the wrong guy outside of a McDonalds at six
years old, his only means of survival at the time. If not for the help,
where would he be now? A gang member? Dead? No one can say, but we can
safely say that he wouldn´t be reading, writing, and dreaming of being a
professional football player.
Mining corps lose the Midas touch
Boy on road
through mine
By LEON MARSLAND
Special to Honduras This Week
The year 2003 has seen the mining industry come under increasing
criticism from community groups, environmentalists and journalists. The
sector, already frequently criticized for its social and environmental
disruption, has been accused in a recent article in the daily La Tribuna
of providing little economic benefit for Honduras and thus providing few
excuses for the environmental degradation and social disruption that it
causes.
On January 6, the public reputation of the industry took a further turn
for the worse when the river Lara, in the department of Copan, was
contaminated with cyanide originating from the San Andres gold mine.
According to the mine operator Minerales de Occidente (MINOSA), 300
gallons of cyanide solution were discharged into the river when a
confused worker accidentally released the toxic solution. An estimated
eighteen thousand dead fish were counted in the aftermath of the
disaster described by members of local communities as only the latest in
a series of illegal discharges made by the mine in recent years.
The million-lempira penalty placed on MINOSA as penalty for their
negligence, has established an important precedent for the regulation of
the mining industry. It is the first time that a mine has been fined for
environmental degradation in Honduras. The action taken by the minister
of natural resources and the environment, Patricia Panting, is seen by
some civil society groups as a promising start to what they hope to be a
move to improve the practices of the mining sector. While maintaining
that the only effective action in this direction would be a reform of
the current mining law seen as deficient in regulating the sector.
The mine at San Andres is by no means the only point of conflict in the
country. The operation pertaining to Minerales Entre Mares, in the Valle
de Siria, in the department of Francisco Morazan, is reported by La
Tribuna to be under investigation for cyanide contamination by the
Center for the Study and Control of Contaminants (CESCCO). Local
communities have been in conflict with the company for some time due to
the low levels of the rivers in the valley resulting from the mines
incessant need for water of more transparency from industry and
government.
They point to the need for an open public debate on the present mining
code and the issue in general. They advocate a revised code that takes
the duty of regulation of mining away from the same government body
responsible for its promotion (DEFOMIN). They also ask for more public
consultation in decision-making and for information to be made more
accessible to all parties.
Whatever the point of view, most would agree that the industry has an
image problem. Public opinion is changing and there is a growing feeling
that the environmental and social problems caused by the sector are not
necessary consequences.On the contrary they are being denounced as the
result of weak regulation and poor planning by the government.
Official denounces reprisals for
investigating executions
The police commissioner Aldo Rodolfo Oliva Rodriguez stated that the
Ministry of Security is trying to ostracize him for having carried out
investigations concerning the executions of young people in the country,
whilst on the team of the ex-chief of Internal Affairs Commission.
Oliva said this in a note he sent to the Minister of Security, Oscar
Alvarez, contesting his new assignment due to its illegal nature.
Alvarez told the media that he rotated Commissioner Oliva of Internal
Affairs to the regional office in Ocotepeque but that Oliva had refused
the new post, in an act of insubordination.
Oliva explained that the new post violates the organic national police
law because he would have been assigned under a lowering ranking
official.
The agreement signals the cessation of his post as Chief of the
Department in Gracias a Dios, where he was the armed forces liaison
officer.
“During my sixteen year career I have never said no to any assignment,
because they were legal; neither have I asked for favors or to be
assigned to certain places,” said Oliva.
He adds that, “Everything indicates that they are trying to ostracize me
for carrying out investigations of extra-judicial murders.”
The officer says he admires Maria Luisa Borjas for her ethics, conduct
and bravery, qualities that many in the Ministry of Security would like
to have.
“I have never had favorite positions as wherever I am sent I get the
same amount of money. I have never sought bribes and I have never
misused the media.” He adds that it is difficult to tell your superior
officers that they are lying, however when people are attacked a
reaction should be expected.
He also indicated that if people think they are intimidating him, they
are wrong and that answers would need to be given to these questions,
otherwise these sparks will cause a flame and start a ferocious fire.
—El Tiempo
Mining companies deny ownership of lost gold
None of the four gold-mining companies that operate in the country have
claimed ownership of a thirty-three kilogram shipment that disappeared
in Miami International Airport, the manager of the National Association
of Miners of Honduras, Mirian Bueso de Domingues, said Thursday.
Bueso has consulted with the executives of all four mining companies and
none reported the loss of a shipment that, according to Miami police,
was sent from Honduras on March 5.
The gold valued at $350,000 and transported on a American Airlines
flight as unrefined dust in a wooden box, disappeared when the packets
were transferred into tighter security storage, said the North American
police reports.
The executives said the gold shipment could not belong to any of the
national mining companies as “they sell the gold to a buyer who then
takes responsibility for its transport.”
However this week the manager of San Pedro Sula International customs
office revealed documentation establishing that during March gold had
left the terminal consigned to the Geomarque de Honduras, whose
headquarters are in San Pedro with offices in Miami.
The daily El Tiempo consulted with the general manager of Geomarque,
Roberto Dala, who assured them that the gold lost in Miami, was not
company property, stating that they do not export by air. — El Tiempo |
Public Ministry and Casa Alianza
Sign cooperation agreement
By SUPAYA CARIAS
TEGUCIGALPA — With the purpose of training the police in the area of
children rights, authorities from the Public Ministry and Casa Alianza
(an organization that works with street children) recently signed a
cooperation agreement in Tegucigalpa.
In addition to training and educating personnel from both entities, the
project is aimed at joining efforts and resources to support the
investigative tasks related to the cases denounced by Casa Alianza in
regards to the violation of children and youngsters rights in Honduras.
The two year agreement was signed during a special ceremony which
included two conferences on “Sexual Crime Against Children,” offered by
the District Attorney for Children’s Rights, Mario René Alberto Alonso,
the Director of Forensic Medicine, Amilcar Rodas and Casa Alianza
Honduras Psychiatrist, Mauricio Rovelo. The document was signed by the
Attorney General of the Republic, Roy Edmundo Medina, and Casa Alianza´s
Director, José Manuel Capellin.
The Public Ministry is a professional, specialized entity created to
defend society’s general interests and protect human rights in
conjunction with other public and private organizations. The Special
District Attorney’s Office for Children (Fiscalia Especial de la Ninez)
not only exercises penal action, but also provides psychological and
social services to children, their parents or guardians.
This joint effort evolved in the face of
escalating violence against street children over the last few years.
Another extension of TPS?
By EMMA BOYLE
TEGUCIGALPA – “Honduras has received over 800 million dollars in foreign
exchange from family remittances of Honduran residents in the United
States under the Temporary Protection Status (TPS),” said the Private
Secretary of the President, Ricardo Alvarez on Tuesday. “President
Maduro will insist on the extension of the TPS, an agreement that
protects one thousand Hondurans residing in the United States, as a
result of homelessness caused by Hurricane Mitch,” he said. According to
Central Bank of Honduras figures, remittances are becoming one of the
principle supports of the Honduran economy.
The TPS agreement expires on May 5, in less than two weeks. “It is for
this reason that it is necessary to secure a meeting with the United
States representatives,” said Alvarez.
He continued by confirming that in the next few days the President will
be making a visit to Washington to try and extend the TPS. He did not
specify the date of the visit, however, “It will be a good opportunity
to get the United States authorities to consider the petition that the
Honduran government has formulated on this issue,” he said.
Feeding the future of Honduras
BY EMMA BOYLE
TEGUCIGALPA – The First Lady, Aguas Ocana de Maduro, with the assistance
of World Food Program representative (WFP), Claudia Von Roehl officially
launched on Tuesday the Second National Marathon Radio initiative
“Feeding the Future of Honduras.” This year’s goal is raising more than
one million lempiras to promote the public school lunch program.
Marathon Radio will be broadcast on July 25 in various cities throughout
the country. Through their presence national artists, singers,
journalists and television and radio anchors hope to give the initiative
a ‘magic touch’ in animating the population into helping this noble
cause.
The program is aimed mainly at pre-school or primary school levels
within the country’s most vulnerable or poorest areas. Younger children
constitute the largest segment of the population to go without food,
adversely at the age when proper nutrition is vital to physical and
mental development.
The meals consist of a ration of rice, corn and beans and a soft drink
prepared from a soya or corn flour base. Likewise oil is used to prepare
the food so that overall it is nutritionally fulfilling and representing
of 38 percent of the child’s daily calorie intake and 54 percent of the
necessary proteins.
The program represents an investment of 300 lempiras or US $18 per child
during one year as each ration costs one lempira and 50 centavos. This
has been considered an amount that is affordable to the majority of the
population.
The First Lady underlined that it is vital for the people of Honduras to
contribute to this project and not just rely on the help and assistance
from abroad.
“ ´Feeding the Future of Honduras´ is named thus in recognition of the
need to nourish our children properly for their adequate intellectual
development,” she said.
Figures showing malnutrition are higher in the rural zones of the
country at 42 percent. In the urban zones of the country although the
figure is lower at 24 percent overall, 30 percent of children in the
cities are suffering from chronic malnutrition. The departments of
Intibuca and Lempira have the highest rate of malnutrition at a
staggering 80 percent while Copan, Santa Barbara, La Paz, Comayagua and
Octopeque reach 52 percent. These are the figures that this initiative
is hoping to lower.
Von Roehl declared that hunger is the responsibility of us all and that
the answers are in the hands of Honduran society. She continued to say
that hunger does not have a political color or a religious belief and
that this project is fundamental to the future of the country.
In 2003 the goal is to attend to half a million infants in the 18
departments of the Republic. Relief for
agricultural producers
By RACHEL BURGESS
TEGUCIGALPA — National Congress met this Wednesday to approve new
Financial Strengthening of the Agricultural Sector Law that will benefit
13,600 producers indebted to the private banking sector. This
legislation will permit the State to purchase the agricultural debt of
thousands of producers through the private banking system of Honduras.
This will be accomplished by debt condonation for credits worth less
than 50,000 lempiras and refinancing of 50 percent of debts higher than
50,000 lempiras at eight- percent annual interest, with a four
million-lempira debt limit.
However, the law will not be applicable to producers of African palm,
bananas and coffee.
Additionally, the decree establishes that all new producers are
obligated to purchase agricultural insurance.
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President
Maduro visits Prison El Porvenir 
President
Maduro with members of the Agency of the International Cooperation of
Japan
