Decision-makers, businessmen, and military officials. There are the actors identified by the Garifuna as the main responsible for the conflict, since they are the most interested in estate especulation for tourism projects.

The estate promoters promise luxury hotels, condominiums, and golf courts, while the governmental authorities are closing a deal with the Interamerican Development Bank which is willing to finance these projects.

In a communiqué published on February 14th, the Garifuna community from San Juan Tela denounced that the interests of a few are put before the collective rights of the community, despite the protective measures established by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The background of this long-lasting conflict over lands is complicated. According to the affected people, there is a history of evictions, persecutions, threats, and unpunished crimes.

There are also property files that disappear misteriously from public offices, and end up favouring the promoters of the so-called “development plans” for the regions, among them the Agrarian National Institute, and the Organization of Ethnic-Community Development.

In 2005, Wilfredo Guerrero, president of the Committee in Defense of Land was attacked, and the events were never clarified. His home in San Juan Tela was lit on fire, in confusing circumstances, although fortunately him and his family were unharmed.

In October 2007, Guerrero was arrested in his house by hooded men from the Security Ministry, and the charges which based his arrest were never known.