The hearing addressed the conclusions reached by the international observation mission in Bajo Aguan conducted from 26 February to 4 March, Adital reported.

The visit enabled to verify an increase in the murders, threats and intimidations against nearly 3,500 peasant families who demand their right to land and who have suffered from the coup d’etat in 2009.

Between September 2009 and October 2011, 42 members of peasant organizations, a journalist and his partner were murdered as part of an agrarian conflict in that region, reports the information agency.

Meanwhile, Rudy Hernandez, human rights defender and former leader of the Unified Peasant Movement of Aguan (MUCA) told Rel-UITA that the hearing granted by the ICHR in Washington, D.C. “was very important” and that the presentation of the Honduran state was lacking in content.

“It ignored the right to access to land by the peasant families and it ignored real data about the murders of peasants, violent evictions, serious human rights violations and impunity” said the social activist.

He said the peasant families of Bajo Aguan “demand land because they have nothing to eat”. Monoculture plantations, especially palm oil is “one of the reasons that led us to this agrarian conflict”.

Meanwhile, the ICHR also reported on Monday that nearly 400 Miskito indigenous of Honduras have died and 4,200 were left disabled as a result of lobster fishing carried out in extreme conditions.

The workers lack the adequate equipment and they do not get proper health care, reads a report of Radio Progreso, published by ALER.

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