Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras

The Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (Spanish: Consejo Cívico de Organizaciones Populares e Indígenas de Honduras, COPINH) is a Honduran organization dedicated to the defense of the environment in Intibucá and the defence of the Lenca people.^[1] COPINH is known for its mobilizing capacity and anthropologists Mark Anderson describes it as "a pivotal force within the ethnic movement" in Honduras.^[2] It advocates for indigenous rights, participates in conflicts over resources, and opposes neoliberal economic policies, which it describes as "the pillage and re-colonization of our country."^[2] It has organized protests against water privatization, hydroelectric dams, and United States foreign policy.^[2]

COPINH was founded as the Civic Committee of Popular Organizations of Intibuca (Spanish: Comité Civico de Organizaciones Populates de Intibuca) on March 27, 1993 by Berta Cáceres.^[3] Soon thereafter, the organization began to center on the Lenca people. The organization's 2004 history describes how Lencas "began to discover their indigenous face, a face of resistance and national identity."^[2] In 1994, the organization affiliated with the Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH). In the same year, Lenca activists wishing to work more closely with the government and multilateral institutions separated a rival Lenca organization, the National Indigenous Lenca Organization of Honduras (OLINH), from COPINH.^[2] By 1998, COPINH had adopted its current name.^[2]

COPINH organized a 1994 march to the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa demanding increased recognition of indigenous self-government through indigenous municipalities, a moratorium on logging, and the investigation of violence against indigenous peoples among other demands. The Honduran government signed a 48-point agreement in response to the protests.^[2] In October 1997, some 150 Lenca protesters led by COPINH destroyed a prominent statue of Christopher Columbus in Tegucigalpa. Leaders Salvador Zuniga and Candido Martinez offered themselves as responsible for the destruction, but defended the action. Zuniga declared, "It would seem that in this country clay leaders matter more than the real problems faced by indigenous people. If there is justice, we will be released, but we are not sorry for the act of dignity carried out on October 12."^[4]

Following the assassination of Berta Cáceres in March 2016, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights dictated precautionary measures for the organization.^[5] In mid-March, authorities moved to evict a COPINH-led land occupation in Río Chiquito, located in Rio Lindo, Cortés department. While returning to his home, community leader Nelson Garcia (a Lenca like Cáceres) was shot four times in the face and killed.^[6][7]

References

1. ↑ "Que es copinh - COPINH - Consejo Civico de Organizaciones Populares e Indígenas de Honduras". Copinh.org. 
2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Anderson, Mark (2007). "When Afro Becomes (Like) Indigenous: Garifuna and Afro-Indigenous Politics in Honduras". Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology. 12 (2): 384–413. doi:10.1525/jlaca.2007.12.2.384. ISSN 1935-4932. Retrieved 2016-03-12. 
3. ↑ Matan a Berta Cáceres, líder indígena hondureña by La Prensa, 3 March, 2016
4. ↑ Mejía, Thelma (1997-11-13). "'Clay Leaders Matter More than Our Problems'". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 2016-03-12. 
5. ↑ Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (5 March 2016). "Medidas Cautelares COPINH". Inter-American Commission of Human Rights. Retrieved 2016-03-06. 
6. ↑ "Another Member of Berta Caceres' Group Assassinated in Honduras". teleSUR. 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-03-16. 
7. ↑ Lakhani, Nina (2016-03-16). "Fellow Honduran activist Nelson García murdered days after Berta Cáceres". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-03-16.