Revistazo Response: A Necessary Reiteration

A Necessary Repetition

In reference to the "PUBLIC DECLARATION" made by the Municipality of the Central District (AMDC) in La Tribuna, pg 32, on January 23, 2003, referring to our January publication which analyzed in depth the problem of land tenancy in the capital of Honduras, we feel obligated to respond to some of the statements made in that declaration. The publication of REVISTAZO.Com is based on an investigation carried out over the course of more than a year by a team of legal professionals-both national and foreign-under the coordination of the Association for a more Just Society, which supports the struggle of thousands of residents in the Southeast sector of the City of Comayagüela in the legalization of the lands on which they have built their homes.

The investigation mentioned, which is available in the pages of this publication, establishes irrefutably that the land that the residents of Flor del Capo, La Rosa, La Pradera, Altos de la San Francisco, San Buenaventura, Modesto Rodas, and Las Torres Villa de los Laureles have occupied for over two decades are municipal lands and that the claims of individual landowners over these lands are baseless.

The investigation also confirms the apathy that the municipal authorities have shown towards this problem, primarily in the attention to each and every one of the lawsuits initiated by individuals who, taking advantage of the indifference shown by the municipal authorities, have tried to take over this national wealth.

This situation is clearly confirmed in our article "The Tangle of Lawsuits" (available in Spanish) which details the judicial actions initiated against the communities by the lawyer Oscar Siri Zúñiga, a recognized activist of the National Party and one of the principal plaintiffs in the land disputes.

Four different lawsuits have been filed in relation to this matter (Criminal Lawsuit, Second Criminal and Peace Courts, Exp. # 12-90 10/11/90, Annulment of the Registry Inscriptions, Second Civil Court, Exp. # 3613- 1994-3, Revindication of the Dominion and Restitution of Civil Fruits, First Civil Court, Exp. # 3901. May 2001, Common Lawsuit of Payment, Third Criminal Court, Exp. # 2093. Nov. 2001), of which one was introduced by the Municipality, as mentioned in the Municipality's public declaration.

However, the remaining three were initiated by the lawyer Siri Zúñiga. The case files clearly demonstrate the Municipality's failure to respond to the suits. In the case numbered 3613, which is also cited in the Municipality's Declaration, the Municipality did effectively respond to the suit in 1994. However, since December of that same year, a counter-suit was filed by Oscar Siri Zúñiga and to this day it has not been answered.

In our publication we also have a report regarding the pretensions of Siri Zúñiga, who has offered to withdraw all of his judicial suits in exchange for an compensation of no less than 100 million lempiras (around $6 million) from the current municipal authorities.

This information was given to the investigative team of REVISTAZO.COM by the municipal advisor Renán Inestroza. The full interview has been published in this edition (which includes an audio file available to the public).

Therefore, we would like to establish without doubt that our interest lies in the objective exposition of a problem that affects more than 50,000 poor people in the capital city.
In no moment did we try to harm the personal image of men and women who are currently in positions of authority in the city, much less those who claim to be the owners of these lands, whether through inheritance or purchase.

It is for this reason that in our website we have included the declarations of Mayor Miguel Rodrigo Pastor Mejía, and we have tried by all means possible to obtain a statement from Siri Zúñiga, who has personally expressed to us that he will make his own position public in the moment he considers expedient.

We also applaud the decision announced by the Municipality to NOT NEGOTIATE the lands that legally belong to the capital city.

REVISTAZO.Com is a highly professional, alternative media of communication, that has as our principal goal the treatment of themes of national interest, without political sectarianism that would put in danger our personal and professional responsibility.

WWW.REVISTAZO.COM
January 23, 2003.

return to top