HONDURAS-RIGORES COMMUNITY ATTACKED & BURNED (TOCOA, CORTEZ, HONDURAS)HONDURAN POLICE DRAW GUNS ON HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVER DELEGATION FROM THE US http://quotha.net/node/1855

On July 1, 2011 a group of 18 US and Canadian citizens visited the community of Rigores, Tocoa, Cortes (as part of a delegation with the Alliance for Global Justice and Rights Action) to learn about the violent and illegal eviction which had occurred there on Sunday, June 26. At approximately 9am (July 1), while the group was hearing testimonies about last weeks’ attack, a group of approximately 50 security forces, principally the police special forces COBRA unit, but also including a military special forces sharp shooter moved into the community from a side street, in the style of a military assault, burning houses.

During this visit, the human rights observation delegation heard testimony from residents reporting that the palm oil planters private security forces are being trained as paramilitaries on the 15th Military Battalion in Rio Claro, Tocoa,

and have been observed to participate in violent evictions wearing police or military uniforms. It is also reported that what appear to be US army helicopters, Chinooks, pass through the 15th Battalion, and that US Army Rangers have conducted joint operations with the 15th Battalion.Rights Action holds the US and Canadian governments partially responsible for the on-going systemic repression carried out in Honduras by the military-backed regime that came to power after the June 2009 military coup. Internationally, the US and Canada have been the most vocal supporters of this regime.

[ALSO SEE...(HONDURAN PROTESTS AGAINST US BASES MET WITH SEVERE REPRESSION) Honduras Protesta frente a base militar de Soto Cano reprimida por fuerzas policiales http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/06/honduran-protests-against-us-bases-met.html Honduras: With peasant blood, the oligarchy fertilized African palms Juan Almendares http://alainet.org/active/46356&lang=es

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The role of USAID in the New Selloff of Honduras http://quotha.net/node/1748 Honduras | Rel UITA Campesinos del Aguán rodeados y atacados por militares y policías http://www.albatv.org/Campesinos-del-Aguan-rodeados-y.html U.S. military and police aid grants by country HONDURAS-U.S. Aid to Honduras, All Programs, 2007-2012 http://justf.org/Country?country=Honduras 2010 -58,408,679/2011- 72,574,67/ 2012 - 72,606,679/ Call to Denounce Military/Police Aid to Honduras http://www.rightsaction.org/articles/Contact_%20StateDep_Honduran_Aid_102110.html