UN rights expert urges justice over Honduras palm farm massacre

A United Nations rights expert demanded justice for workers killed at a palm plantation in Honduras and urged reparations for the families of those killed.

Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said in a statement that 14 men, three women and three children were killed by gunmen allegedly linked to criminal groups. The killings took place in mid-May in Rigores, in the Bajo Aguan region, where rival gangs have fought over control of palm farms and drug trafficking routes.

Tidball-Binz said Honduran society could not accept that a tragedy of that scale remained unresolved and unpunished. He said the Honduran government had an obligation to bring those responsible to justice, provide reparations to victims and prevent further attacks against peasant communities.

Honduran authorities announced in June that they had arrested the man they believe masterminded the killings. Security Minister Gerzon Velasquez said Carlos Molina, also known as El Gato Negro or the Black Cat, was suspected of planning and providing material support for the massacre. At least six people carried out the plot, but none of them has been apprehended, according to the source.

Tidball-Binz urged Honduran authorities to carry out a prompt, independent and effective investigation. He said no person, group or institution that participated directly or indirectly in the crimes should remain beyond the reach of justice.

Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to report their findings. They do not speak for the United Nations itself.

Lawmakers in Honduras recently approved reforms to confront criminal violence in the country, where the homicide rate is 24 killings for every 100,000 inhabitants. The measures authorise the military to take part in public security tasks, create a new anti-organised crime unit and open the possibility of categorising gangs and drug cartels as terrorist groups.