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Honduras trade unionist murders: true cause must be found
12 June 2008
Police investigating the murder of two Honduran trade unionists and a motorcyclist have claimed that they were killed by car thieves rather than in an anti-union attack.
Rosa Altagracia Fuentes, General Secretary of the Honduran trade union confederation Confederación de Trabajadores de Honduras, trade union leader Virginia García de Sánchez and motorcyclist Juan Bautista Gálvez were attacked by six armed masked assailants on the highway between the Honduran cities of El Progreso and San Pedro Sula on 24 April. It is understood that Altagracia Fuentes was shot 16 times.
The police have claimed that the murders were committed by a gang of car thieves during an attempted car theft. Three men were arrested in connection with the murders, two of whom were subsequently released as a result of a lack of evidence; only one suspect, Maynor Celín Hernández Matute has been detained.
In April, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Guy Ryder wrote to the Honduran President, José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, condemning the assassinations and urging the government to carry out a full investigation into the case and to ensure that those responsible for the crimes be brought to justice. He also insisted that the government ensure that the fundamental International Labour Organization Conventions ratified by Honduras be fully respected.
Roberto Contreras, Vice-president of the ITF-affiliated Honduran union Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Empresa Nacional Portuaria, declared: “We do not agree with the conclusions reached by the police investigation into the murder of sister Altagracia. That’s why the Honduras trade union movement will continue to press the government to determine the true cause of the murder. We must establish a common objective regionally and globally – to challenge the murders of union leaders.”
Altagracia Fuentes was a prominent advocate for trade union rights and took part in an ITUC conference focusing on impunity in Guatemala at the end of January. There eight trade unionists have been murdered since 2006. The murders have been reported to have been linked to trade union activity; no serious investigations have been carried out nor any arrests made.
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