Danger of Armed Conflict between Honduran Army and Indigenous Communities

The Atlantic Coast Ecumenical Council, comprised of Catholic and Moravian religious leaders from the Caribbean Coast, has warned that "at any moment" an armed conflict between the Honduran Army and indigenous communities from the border region could break out. The problem, which has been going on for the last few years, started when the Honduran Army began to threaten indigenous farmers so that they would not grow their crops on the banks of the River Coco. These Miskito communities do not identify themselves as either Hondurans or Nicaraguans and grow on the land that their ancestors have farmed or used for centuries, without regard to national boundaries.

The Ecumenical Council warned that the situation has become very serious in recent weeks as indigenous communities have started to make weapons with the intention of defending their right to grow food. Norman Bent, Ombudsman of Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Communities, told journalists that the case has been presented to the Honduran Presidential Secretary as well as the United Nations and the Nicaraguan External Relations Department. "The Nicaraguan government promised to establish a diplomatic dialogue about the problem with the Honduran authorities; we hope that this promise will become a reality in the immediate future," said Bent.