[Peace-discuss] No Aid to Honduran Death Squads

[Robert Naiman]

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From: Just Foreign Policy <info at justforeignpolicy.org>
Date: Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Subject: No Aid to Honduran Death Squads
To: naiman at justforeignpolicy.org


 [image: Just Foreign
Policy]<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=244PMIGb7Id74efa1lh%2BRC4oU4rX2PMa>

Dear Robert,

*Tell President Obama and Congress to end all U.S. aid to the Honduran
National Police, as required by U.S. law.
*
Take Action<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=TjVx8d3sOU7k7WWqeG1ovi4oU4rX2PMa>

 The State Department assured Congress that millions of U.S. tax dollars
given to the Honduran National Police only go to units that don't operate
under the direct supervision of Director General Juan Carlos Bonilla, who
has been accused of responsibility for extrajudicial killings for which he
has never been investigated. But the Associated Press has found that *all
Honduran National Police units are under Bonilla's control.* Aid to police
units under Bonilla's control violate U.S. law.


*Urge the Obama Administration and Congress to end all U.S. aid to the
Honduran National Police*, as required by U.S. law.

*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/honduras-police-aid<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=u8eDJZmF50b3WBJ3LljZsC4oU4rX2PMa>
*

On March 17, the AP reported that, in the last three years, *upwards of 150
formal complaints have been made to Honduran prosecutors about death-squad
type killings in the capital of Tegucigalpa*, with at least 50 additional
complaints made in San Pedro Sula. "Police have long been accused of
operating more like assassins than law enforcement officers in Honduras,
but few cases ever have been investigated," according to the AP. "In the
past year, police were alleged to have been involved in the deaths of a
prominent Honduran radio journalist and the son of a former police chief —
but neither killing has been solved." [1]

The AP also noted that a 2002 internal police affairs report *accused
Honduran National Police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla—then prison police
inspector—of three extrajudicial killings and linked him to 11 additional
deaths and disappearances that were said to be part of a police policy of
"social cleansing."* Bonilla was tried on only one of these charges.

Sen. Patrick Leahy told the AP that Congress had made its intentions clear:
"No units under General Bonilla's control should receive U.S. assistance
without credible information refuting the serious allegations against him."
But the AP found that all police units are under the control of Director
General Juan Carlos Bonilla. [2]

Help us make the State Department comply with the law. Write to your
representatives and the Administration now. *Urge them to suspend all U.S.
aid to the Honduran National Police immediately.*

*http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/honduras-police-aid<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xVjcE%2FIgykTXC7PPy8PX3C4oU4rX2PMa>
*

Thank you for all you do to help bring about a more just foreign policy,

Robert Naiman, Chelsea Mozen, Sarah Burns and Megan Iorio
Just Foreign Policy

*Help fund our work—donate to Just Foreign Policy!* With our small staff
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References:

1. "Honduras Police Accused Of Death Squad Killings," Alberto Arce,
Associated Press, March 17, 2013,
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/honduras-police-accused-death-squad-killings<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=DyfrYadhfGph4lJXH0a0xy4oU4rX2PMa>
2. "US Aids Honduran Police Despite Death Squad Fears," Associated Press,
March 23, 2013,
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/03/23/world/americas/ap-lt-honduras-death-squads.html<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OcFS73B2e5ffiGlmURZ52C4oU4rX2PMa>


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-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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