Some of the contributors to honduras violence impunity 80% of homicide cases are not investigated, while 96% never reach any sort of judicial resolution1 there is a backlog of more than 180,000 cases in the honduran courts2 drugs. Central american gang related asylum a resou r ce guide ma y 2008. Gangs in central america congressional research service summary the mara salvatrucha ms and its main rival, the 18th street gang, continue to undermine citizen security and subvert government authority in parts of central america. As a result, there is no longer free travel between honduras and nicaragua. In gangridden honduras, growing old is a privilege, not a right caught up in the cycle of violence, corruption and poverty, young people in honduras are literally fighting for survival. What many may not know is that much of hondurass crime is due to gang violence.
Status of gangs in honduras in spanish pdf field diary. Since franciscos death, mother has increased her financial contributions to. Following a military coup in 1963, honduras faced strengthened military authority and a decade of harsh military rule. Organized criminal violence and territorial control.
The violence observatory of the autonomous university of honduras unah reported that as of june, 87 individuals working in the transportation sector, including taxi, bus, motorcycle taxi, and private company drivers, had been killed by criminal gangs. Gangs in honduras pose a real threat to national security. Within central america, family is recognized as the most prominent and visible social institution. In addition to violence, transnational gangs have extorted legitimate businesses run by central american immigrants, and are known to run illegal businesses such as prostitution and. Homicide violence reached a peak in 2012 with an average of 20 homicides a day. A child sits outside her home in san pedro sula, honduras. Since february 2005, more than 1,374 members of the violent mara salvatrucha ms. It also discusses how key elements of the inas definition of refugee have been construed and applied in gangrelated asylum cases. Gang violence 20 pdf congressional research service gangs in central america feb. A crackdown on protests following the november 2017 national. Pages in category gangs in honduras the following 3 pages are in this category, out of 3 total. In general, nij is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements. Crime in honduras concerns how in recent years honduras has experienced very high levels of violence and criminality. Gangs in honduras usaid insight crime november 2015.
A new report based on extensive field research describes how the modus operandi of honduras two largest gangs ms and barrio18 has resulted in staggering levels of violence and extortion. In gang ridden honduras, growing old is a privilege, not a right. This report was undertaken in support of the world bank funded safer municipalities project, which aims to sup port honduras by improving the capacity of national, municipal and community actors for violence prevention. Miller says the boys he knows as young as 11 arent usually recruited by gangs, but they still dont always escape the harassments. It also discusses how key elements of the inas definition of refugee have been construed and applied in gang related asylum cases. E information on the structure and hierarchy of main gangs. In june, several united nations agencies working in honduras urged the government to investigate killings of lgbti activists and noted that. Honduras cocaine bust indicates gangs and smugglers changing. Human rights in honduras by andrea degaetani honduras history of human rights violations is rooted in a political culture of militarization. Mara salvatrucha ms and their violent world pageiii abstract. The first chapter examines the situation of crime, gangs. A 2015 study by the united states agency for international development usaid reported on the two major gangs in hondurasbarrio 18 and ms.
Poverty, unemployment, violence drive guatemalan emigration. While the problems are real, the government and the press find it more expedient to target the gangs and street children for virtually all the rampant violence in the society. Homophobic violence is a major problem in honduras. The yale journal of international law online gang and.
Analysis of the policies of the hernandez administration in honduras, to address the severe challenges confronting the country from narcotrafficking and gangs, with policy recommendations for how the u. Gangs drive hondurans from their homes and land honduras. Sources indicate that the main gangs operating in honduras are mara salvatrucha ms and. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
Honduras is central americaos secondpoorest country and has one of the worldos highest homicide rates. Jul 11, 2011 the project gunrunner case is now pointing towards possible atf sales of weapons bound for honduras, including a reported 1,000 guns to members of the ruthless ms gang. Many of these gangs are growing and imposing an ideology of violence, which is contrary to. Sep 08, 2017 as street gangs prey on hondurans, thousands of property owners are forced to leave their homes and land behind. This paper follows the beginnings of one of the most notorious transnational street gangs in existence today. By may 4, 2019 the times spent weeks with a group of young men as they fought for their lives in honduras. Mara salvatrucha or ms and barrio dieciocho or 18th street gang.
Honduras are clearly experiencing much greater levels of gang violence than. It was also during this time that the united states used the country as a base for. Ms and mara 18 mara salvatrucha ms is considered to be the fastest growing, most violent, and least understood street gang in the united states, if not the world. Within this context, one of the most fundamental elements of gangs. Rodgers, muggah, and stevenson gangs of central america iii. Central americas turbulent northern triangle council on. Despite a downward trend in recent years, the murder rate remains among the highest in the world. Gangs in central america summary the 110 th congress maintains a strong interest in the effects of crime and gang violence in central america, and its spillover effects on the united states. Honduras, meanwhile, has become one of the poorest, most unequal and indebted.
In honduras, a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world, the intensity of violence rivals many civil wars. Race and violent crime in the press and rethinking gangs. He stated that gang members had not threatened or harmed him but that they had killed three of his relatives. In 2014, another cousin and that cousins father, who both worked in a mayors office in honduras, were. Honduras has a serious problem with international gangs, harsh anti gang legislation, and also emphasizes law enforcement approaches. Jul 05, 2014 in honduras, gangs tell boys to join or be killed a large proportion of young people showing up at the southern u. Eligibility guidelines for assessing the international.
Armed groups seeking to control territory use violence for different purposes, including competing against rivals, coercing residents and state officials, and. Honduras 2018 human rights report executive summary honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. Caught up in the cycle of violence, corruption and poverty, young people in honduras are literally. Violence against children and youth in honduras kids in need of. One teenager skateboards with friends he considers brothers. In both countries, the gang has achieved new levels of power and so.
Central american gangrelated asylum a resou r ce guide ma y 2008. In june 2012, after a dea agent killed a suspect in honduras, it was confirmed that the us government has been running covert operations in the olancho area to combat drug trafficking. In honduras marginalized urban neighborhoods, gangs provide an opportunity for young people to find identity and a source of income. The olancho department is one of the most violent areas in honduras. By james fredrick in tegucigalpa, honduras 08 september 2017. Enabled by the participatory learning and action pla qualitative methodology, the institute of criminal justice and security icjs research team was able, through. Gangs, youth violence and public policy it is clear that the public debates around gangs and youth violence are viewed and projected through the lens of race and ethnicity. Establishing eligibility for asylum after matter of seg alexandra grayner after the board of immigration appeals denied asylum to three siblings fleeing forced gang recruitment in matter of seg, asylum claims based on forced gang. Crime, violence, and communitybased prevention in honduras.
The country last held national and local elections in november 2017. Unicefsupported programme aims to rehabilitate exgang members in honduras. The violence is carried out by transnational criminal organizations. The august riots have thrown this into stark contrast. In honduras, mano dura and the ley antimaras aimed at reducing social violence and reinstating public security by incarcerating members of honduras s two main youth gangs, the mara salvatrucha and the 18th street gang. Nov 12, 2010 three young people are murdered every day in honduras. Political, economic, religious, and ethnic violence. Land of gangs and violence criminal gangs pose an existential threat to state and society in honduras. Note that in honduras, the b18 gang is also referred to as the 18th.
It has modestly applied ngo and government prevention and intervention approaches. Nij fy 19 research and evaluation on gangs and gang violence. With this manual, drawing on our expertise on gangs in central america, we. The second seizure of a coca plantation in honduras within a year shows drug gangs are seeking to cut costs and turn the small central american state into a producer rather than a transit hub for. The major gangs operating in central america with ties to the united states are the 18th street gang also known as m18, and their main rival, the mara salvatrucha ms. If they dont have this option she has to become the woman of the gang member, and she could be killed. Violence of the national autonomous university of honduras. There is considerable risk from civil unrest in tegucigalpa. Cities such as san pedro sula and the tegucigalpa have registered homicide rates among the highest in the world. Violence based on gender identity or sexual orientation is a major problem in honduras. The program may be a spinoff or in some way related to operation castaway, and in reports it sounds remarkably similar to operation fast and furious.
When his body was discovered, his face was disfigured and his eyes were missing. Transnational gangs like ms and 18th street are extremely violent and routinely make money by extorting citizens. Unicefsupported study sheds light on gangs in honduras. Boerman opined that without husbands to protect them in honduras s patriarchal society, unmarried women are especially vulnerable to gang attack, and that barrio 18 targeted alvarez lagos because of her status as an unprotected female. Since fled honduras, her family members have continued to be threatened and attacked. Its scope and influence on crime in honduras are hard to verify. Honduras decided in late 2018, based on reciprocity, to institute the same reporting requirement. May 04, 2019 the times spent weeks with a group of young men as they fought for their lives in honduras. Crime fueled by police and gangs in honduras causing children. San pedro sula, honduras is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Enabled by the participatory learning and action pla qualitative methodology. Honduras are seeking asylum in the united states due to gangrelated persecution.
Legal overview congressional research service 2 the report provides an overview of the basis for asylum in u. Seeking asylum from gangbased violence in central america. Boerman, an expert on gangs in honduras, to testify. Unicef regional director hears the concerns of a gathering of youth in honduras. Clean water improves health and education for children in cerritos ii, honduras. Voters elected juan orlando hernandez of the national party as president for a fouryear term beginning january 2018. The government held gang members responsible for most social violence and public insecurity. Many of these gangs are growing and imposing an ideology of violence, which is contrary to democratic values and which violates human rights.
Honduras 3 country reports on human rights practices for 2018 united states department of state bureau of democracy, human rights and labor there continued to be reports of violence related to land conflicts and criminal activity in the bajo aguan region, but the overall level of violence in the area was far below its 2012 peak. All they had was a few blocks in one of the worlds deadliest cities. Thus, organizations and local leaders are combating gang violence in honduras by helping young people find and make their own families. In 2012, gang members killed one of his cousins as the cousin was leaving a bar because of jealousy over a woman. The two largest gangs in honduras are the ms and the barrio 18. Multiple reports indicate that women in honduras are being terrorised for hair color and clothing that sets them out as members of notorious rival gangs. Fall 2012 gang and cartel violence 33 individuals came into effect10 the number of deportations drastically increased. Gangs and transnational criminal networks prey on communities, often. Honduras 2019 human rights report executive summary honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. Information on the structure and hierarchy of main gangs. Since 1995, he has presented on a range of issues related to gangs and organized criminal activity at approximately 150 events throughout the u. Aug 12, 2014 more than 62,000 unaccompanied children fled central america for the u. Pdf honduras innvation in the fight against gangs and. Honduras has a serious problem with international gangs, harsh antigang legislation, and also emphasizes law enforcement.
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