MSG089G/01E HONDURAS-FINANCE: Forgiven Debt to go to Families of Disappeared
TEGUCIGALPA, Nov 22 (IPS) - Denmark has agreed to forgive five million dollars of Honduras' foreign debt, with part of the funds to go to indemnity payments for the families of two individuals who were disappeared and murdered by the military in the 1980s, it was announced on Tuesday.
In 1989, the Inter-American Human Rights Court (CIDH) found the government of Honduras guilty in the 1982 forced disappearances of Saul Godinez and Manfredo Velasquez, a student and teacher accused of leftist activity, who were kidnapped and murdered by members of the armed forces.
The Court ordered the State to pay the families of the victims 500,000 dollars.
However, no payments have been made thusfar, and the amount has risen to 600,000 dollars due to the devaluation of the local currency, the lempira, against the dollar, said Foreign Minister Ernesto Paz.
He said that on his recent visit to Europe, Denmark agreed to forgive five million dollars in Honduras' debt, with two million to go to the indemnities and other human rights payments.
Meanwhile, Paz announced that negotiations have begun with the attornies for the families of 14 other people who were forcibly disappeared and presumed murdered by the military.
According to the Foreign Minister, Honduran President Carlos Roberto Reina has said that during his administration, the cases of all 184 people who were disappeared will be finalised, the guilty will be punished, and the CIDH penalties will bewith.
A government-issued report has admitted that the armed forces was guilty of numerous human rights violations in the 1980s, including murder, and exhumations have been ordered tin six clandestine cemeteries.
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