Dina Meza, journalist
"We work in a country where there is no war, although it seems as though there is. It is safer to be a war journalist than one writing about social issues in Honduras, where we can sense danger waiting for us around every corner.”
Dina Meza is an independent journalist and defender of freedom of expression. Due to her high public profile and status as a dissident, she is unable to publish her work in the mainstream media. Dina faces harassment and intimidation on a daily basis. She regularly receives threatening phone calls and her mobile is tapped. Cars without number plates follow her and armed men invade her house to intimidate her family, which has forced her to move house several times. Despite these attacks, Dina continues to use her online platform to draw attention to state violence against activists and human rights defenders. Her website reaches up to 30,000 hits a month.
Donald Hernandez, lawyer
"Our organisations have been working in the affected areas, talking about rights, seeing the defence of these territories from the point of view of human rights: the right to water, the right to a healthy environment, the right of these communities to life itself. We understand these rights as being interdependent. When one right is undermined, this will erode other rights. So our communities, and their leaders are empowering themselves to the point where they insist on consultation processes with the government and business leaders."
Donald Hernandez is a human rights lawyer co-ordinating the human rights and natural wealth work of CEPRODEC, the Honduran Centre for the Promotion of Community Development. He also plays a prominent role in the National Coalition of Environmental Networks and Organisations (CONROA). He works with peasant and indigenous communities training and supporting them to defend their collective rights and to resist the invasion of their lands by mining and energy companies.As a lawyer, he represents over 30 criminalised human rights defenders.
Kevin Ramírez, environmental activist
"You can only see the mountain, but what is inside are the memories of our grandparents. They are the ones who inspire us to continue defending what they have left for us."
Kevin Ramírez is an environmental activist from the community of El Listón, Santa Barbara, the region of Honduras with the most hydroelectric and mining concessions.
Honduras is resource-rich and contains abundant supplies of iron, timber, gold, silver, and hydropower. Over the last few years the government has been pursuing a model of development based on the sale of land to foreign entities for extractive, hydroelectric and agribusiness projects.
In 2013, work began to build hydroelectric dams in the area. Use of explosives has created major environmental problems, polluting local water supplies and killing thousands of fish and other animals. The project has resulted in the privatisation of the water supply of over 15 different communities. Kevin funds ASODEBICOQ, an organisation that helps communities to self-organise and know their rights in the context of exploitative development. Since then, Kevin has received many death threats and his wife and fellow community leader Dirsa has been attacked with a knife to her throat. Kevin and Dirsa have recieved protection measures from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and have had to flee the area several times. Not one of the threats or attacks against them have been investigated. In fact, the mayor’s office continues to harass them and has even put a ransom on their heads.
Nallely Paola, LGBT activist
"If I'm going to die let it be for something good, not for something not worthwhile. I don't want to die because of fleeing or because of cowardice. I want to die so that people can say, I died because I fought for what was mine"
Nallely Paola is a member of Arcoiris, a group of LGBT+ human rights defenders in Honduras. In recent years the organisation has faced mounting threats and attacks, including the murder of 6 of its members, sexual violence and relentless public abuse and stigmatisation, making Honduras one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be an LGBT+ activist.
Since 2009 at least 325 LGBT people, mainly trans women, have been killed in Honduras. Those who survive seldom report it for fear of the consequences as they continue to receive death threats and harassment. Research shows that at least 60% of the hate crimes are carried out by the armed forces. Impunity rates in the cases that are reported is 98%.
Lilian Borjas, Women's RIghts Activist
"It is women who have to face poverty every day. It is women who have to fetch water to bathe our children. Now as women we are confronting the mining companies because we need the natural resources. We are fighting for what is ours."
Lilian is the secretary of the regional office of the Agricultural Workers Union, CNTC, Honduras, where she organises and supports women within the community. Lilian has led a land occupation in opposition to landgrabs by wealthy landowners in Progreso, Honduras. She was arrested and faces up to10 years in prison. The case has been dragging on for six years but she perseveres. Lilian will not stop until she gets what it is hers.
For more information on Defenders visit www.the-defenders.co.uk
If you too are moved by their struggle and want to do something about it, can buy a ticket for our raffle of an exclusive Picasso linocut! By entering to win, your donation helps defenders receive the life-saving tools and support they need, and helps to ensure they're not alone in their struggle. Thanks to a generous donor, for every £25 ticket sold PBI UK will receive £50. Please give generously. https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/raffle/picasso-for-pbi
