On May 31, 2011, one day before Honduras was readmitted to the Organization of American States, 87 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State Clinton expressing concerns about the country’s human rights situation nearly two years after the military coup that promted Honduras’ OAS suspension in the first place.
To read the letter, click here.
Citing reported abuses against journalists, campesinos, human rights defenders, labor activists, and opposition voices, the letter urges the State Department to more actively press the Honduran government to end abuses by official security forces. The group of representatives also calls for the suspension of U.S. aid to the Honduran military and police until “mechanisms are in place to ensure security forces are held accountable for abuses.”
“As member States prepare to meet and reinstate Honduras to the OAS, it’s important to remember that there are serious human rights issues in Honduras that urgently need to be addressed,” Rep. McGovern said.
For the Spanish version of the letter, click here.
