Video still of Claire Moretto, PBI-Switzerland.
Peace Brigades International presented during the “Enhanced Interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner and International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement” at the 63d Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 29.
The video of that presentation can be seen here (starting at 3:00:02).
Claire Moretto from Peace Brigades International-Switzerland stated:
“Thank you, Vice President.
The historical conflict of land faced by the Garifuna community in Honduras has been made acute this year with legislative reforms that have favoured evictions.
On the 6th of July, there was a violent eviction in the San Juan in Tela community, and five persons who were from the African descent community were accused of illegal squatting.
As a response, in August, an organization set up camp opposite to the Supreme Court of Justice. The Garifuna people are requesting the release of the detainees, the closing of the criminal case, and compliance with the sentences of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which recognizes the rights of the people to their ancestral territory.
A similar event took place in Cayos Cochinos, where a Garifuna community denounced the recording of a Spanish TV programme within the context of evictions.
As pointed out by CERD [the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination] in the concluding observations in August, these events are not isolated. The Garifuna community faces a pattern of structural racism, criminalization and defamation, which jeopardizes their safety.
We request that these recommendations are followed up on, and to urge the Honduran state to step up its efforts and to comply with the rulings of the Inter-American Court and ensure that the Afro-Indigenous communities have protection from forced evictions.
Thank you.”
The findings on Honduras made by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) can be read here. They note: “The Committee expressed concern about forced evictions of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Peoples, including allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement.”
PBI-Canada continues to follow this.
Further reading
–PBI-Honduras issues ALERT warning of the imminent eviction of the Garifuna communities of Cayos Cochinos (PBI-Canada, September 17, 2026)
–PBI-Honduras accompanies OFRANEH ‘Viva Berta’ camp, alert to presence of the military, police and armoured vehicles (PBI-Canada, August 17, 2026)
–PBI-Honduras follows Inter-American Court of Human Rights hearing on Garifuna Community of Cayos Cochinos vs Honduras (PBI-Canada, May 23, 2025)
–PBI-Honduras witnesses eviction attempt by police contingent, continues to accompany OFRANEH encampment on Cayo Menor (PBI-Canada, September 22, 2026).
