Felipe
Bejarano and Luis Benítez, indigenous men suffering persecution
from neighboring landowners in western Honduras, have been accused of
crimes in connection to their efforts to defend their rights to land that
has belonged to the Lenca people in Montaña Verde for more than
200 years.
Both men were imprisoned in February, 2001, accused of robbery and damaging
private property, accusations that were never proved. Without enough evidence
to press charges, the men should have been released on April 30, 2002.
Bejarano and Benítez were also accused of stealing cattle from
a Mr. Demetrio Benítez, a Lenca man cooperating with the local
landowners and politicians.
The first accusations were made at the same time that indigenous leaders
negotiated with the government for title to Montaña Verde.
The men were "identified as enemies" of the landowners because
they were chosen by the community to measure the lands to be titled.
"They were accused of breaking wire fences, destroying posts, altering
borders, of everything that had to do with the agricultural areas they
were measuring," explained Marcelino Martínez, their lawyer.
The lawyer also said that the charges have not been proved in any court.
There is not even any proof that the supposedly stolen cattle ever existed.
Once the property title was signed, "the accusations against the
Lencas came in torrents, one after the other," explained Martínez
to REVISTAZO.COM.
He protested that, while in prison in Gracias, Lempira, the men have been
treated very roughly. They are accused of being rebels and cattle hustlers.
They are psychologically tortured.
He points out that this situation has continued despite agreements between
the police and COPINH, the Lencas' representative organization.
He said a commission had been assigned to investigate the Lencas' case,
but it has done nothing. "It is like a bad joke," said Martínez,
describing his clients' situation.
The investigators have visited the prison, but they seemed only to mock
the prisoners, to tell them they would be imprisoned for many years for
being rebel fighters, said Martínez. The investigators are members
of the General Department of Criminal Investigation assigned to investigate
abuses against indigenous groups.
The investigator came with a pistol in his hand to intimidate the men,
which forced the director of the prison to suspend the scheduled interview.
Felipe Bejarano and Luis Benítez