HOTLINE 4/95
Concerning:
FIAN International Secretariat
P.O.Box 102243
D-69012 Heldelbrg, Germany
Telephone +49 -6221-830620
Telefax: +49 - 6221-830545

Forced eviction of banana workers in 
Tacamiche, Honduras

FIAN

14.08. 1995

Background:

On the 26th of July, 500 armed members of the honduranian security 
forces evicted families of agricultural workers in Tacamiche, a small 
village in the northern part of Honduras. The community of Tacamiche 
whith its infrastructure and around 460 people, has existed for many 
years. The adults are former employees of Tela Railroad Company, the 
honduranian subsidiary of the multinational fruit company Chiquita. 
With the argument that the banana farm lost its profitability, the 
plantation was closed and the people asked to leave.
The closing of the Tacamiche farm is related to several closures of 
farms, which Chiquita announced during a strike of plantation workers 
last year. Out of 26 plantations Chiquita closed four. In three farms the 
employees followed the instruction of Chiquita and left the farms. 
Because the people of Tacamiche did not agree to relocate their homes 
and land with an uncertain future, the company asked the state for 
support. The national institute for agrarian reform INA gave an eviction 
order with the explicit agreement of the President Carlos Roberto Reina. 
The common action of soldiers of the 105. brigade and the police forces 
on the 26. of July occurred under use of massive violence and tear-gas. 
Several members of the community were beaten and wounded. The 
corn-fields were distroyed. 38 people were detained temporarily. The 
press gave detailed reports about the incidents in Tacamiche and about 
the brutal action of the security forces.
After the action a Ncompromise" was reached between the community 
and the state's representatives: The people have been allowed to stay on 
another 60 days (up to the 26th of September) in Tacamiche. Then the 
eviction will be imminent. In a press release the President Reina 
addressed the people of Tacamiche and explained that the eviction was 
nothing other "than a step on the way to obtain a solution to the land 
conflict, which is legal and just".
The procedure followed so far has nothing in common with legality and 
justice.
First, according to the information of the judge responsible from San 
Pedro Sula so far the Tela Railroad Company has been unable to show a 
land title, a fact which supports the opinion of the community that the 
land is in state ownership.
Secondly, the eviction order was not released by a court responsible, but 
by the agrarian reform institute, which acted under pressure form the 
banana company.
Thirdly, the economic and social rights of the banana workes, especially 
their right to feed themselves and their housing rights, have already been 
neglected.
Even the Human Rights commissioner of Honduras, Leo Valladres, 
judged the event in a first reaction as a strong call "to flnd a solution for 
the fundamental problems of Honduras, like the right to housing, access 
to land and the right to work.

Reasons for the FIAN-Hotline:

The ultimatum that was given to the community will end on September 26, 
1995. Up to this date an international protest can help the banana workers 
in their attempt to convince the government not to follow the Interests of 
the banana company, but rather to fulfill thelr obligations that Honduras 
undertook by ratifying the human rights covenants. The organisation of 
agricultural workers CNTC, which supports the comrnunity of 
Tacamiche, has asked FIAN to prepare a fast b reaction: "We think that 
international pressure will help us considerably" .

Action recommended: 

Please send letters or faxes in Spanish to the President of Honduras and 
copies to the Human Rights commissioner of Honduras and to the CNTC. 
A proposed letter is included. If possible try to invite as many people as 
possible to participate and try to inform your local and national media.

Addresses:

Su Excelencia
Dr. Carlos Roberto Reina
Presidente de la Rep�blica
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Fax: 00504 - 37 85 21

Copies to: 

Sefior Dr. Leo Valladares Comisionado para la Protecci6n de los 
Derechos Humanos Tegucigalpa, Honduras Fax: 00504 - 38 75 38


Central Nacional de Trabajadores del 
Campo
C.N.T.C.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Fax 00504 - 38 75 94

Translation of the proposed letter: 

Your Excellence Mr.President,
It is with great concern that I am writing to you on the occasion of the 
events of July 26, 1995, in Tacamiche, Munizipio La Lima. Equipped 
with an eviction order of the National Institut for Agrarian Reform 
(INA), 500 members of the lO5th brigade of the national security force 
and the police forcefully evicted the inhabitants of the community in 
Tacamiche, where the people have lived and worked for rnany years. As 
a person working worldwide for human rights, especially for the right 
to feed oneself and housing rights, both guaranteed by Article 11 of the 
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, I 
would like to express my deep concern about the procedures in 
Tacamiche.
As the eviction date now is set for September 26, some time remains to 
solve the problems of Tacamiche. I will urge you to take all necessary 
measures
a) to investigate thoroughly who holds the title to the land - whether it 
really is in the possession of the Tela Railroad Company, or the state; 
and
b) respect and fulfill the right that the people of Tacamiche have to feed 
themselves and the to housing, by finding a solution so that the people 
can continue to stay, live and work in Tacamiche. '
I would like to remind you of the obligations that the government of 
Honduras has entered into by ratifying the International Covenant on 
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The words of the commissioner 
for Human Rights in Honduras support the fulfillment of these 
obligations when he states "that Tacamiche is a call for a common 
approach to solve the fundamental problems of Honduras, like the right 
to housing, access to land and right to work". Therefore I hope that the 
conflict in Tacamicbe will be solved in a way that is in accordance with 
repect for the human rights of the affected people. 
Yours sincerely

***********************************************i***********

Please inform FIAN -International about any reaction to your letters or 
faxes.