Don't move an old stone that marks a boarder, and don't take fields that belong to orphans. God, their defender is strong; he will take their side against you. —Proverbs 23:10-11

Garifuna: To Protect Ancestral Lands

The Garífuna people have lived beside the waters off the northern coast of Honduras for over 200 years, etching out their living primarily by fishing and making use of the natural resources around them, like the coconut tree. However, this black Carib group, renowned for the vibrancy of their music, language and dance, is in danger of losing the land they have lived on, cared for, and fought for for so long. The coastland on which they live boasts some of the best beaches in Central American, and many powerful politicians, military officials, landowners and businessmen covet it for themselves. Some have gone beyond just coveting. Aside from ongoing legal disputes, in the last decade or so, the Garifuna have been subject to harassment, injury, imprisonment, "disappearances" and even death in their struggle to defend their land. They have already been pushed off a large portion of their territory--some of Honduras' most important cities and tourist attractions lie on land that used to belong to the Garifunas.

Under an international agreement signed by the Honduran government, indigenous groups such as the Garifunas have a legal right to their ancestral lands. However, as is often the case, getting the government to comply with this agreement is always a struggle, partially because of opposition from wealthy and powerful people with interests in the area and also perhaps due to a general disinterest in the situation of these indigenous groups, often the victims of great prejudice and racism.

AJS's Role: Making the Story Known

It was following the involvement of AJS with another one of these indigenous groups, the Lencas, that AJS began working with Ofraneh, the organization representing the Garifuna people. For over a year, the legal staff of the Association for a More Just Society (AJS)'s Honduran partner organization, ASJ, worked to obtain legal titles for ten different Garifuna communities. For instance, in one village, an extremely rich Honduran businessman (also the president's uncle) was trying to claim ownership of 200 acres of beachfront property to which the Garifunas have full title. Despite two court rulings in their favor, the Garifunas continued to be harassed. ASJ traveled to the region several times to get the story, which was covered by two local TV stations and a Mexican news station. This coverage helped lead to a meeting with several top politicians and the heads of the Honduran Land Ministry and the Investigative Police. ASJ also traveled to the region in order to obtain the release of several Garifuna men who had been unjustly imprisoned for protesting.

Because of the dedication of several key leaders of these communities and the support of ASJ, on September 29, 2001, eight Garifuna communities received titles for the land they have lived on and cared for for over two centuries. These titles cover more than 208 hectares and will benefit more than 3000 families! The signing over of these titles was the result of a long, hard struggle for the people of the el Triunfo de la Cruz, where the event was celebrated. According to the president of the community, Edgardo Beneditt, at least six people from the community have died in this struggle, including his own father--a high price to pay.

Gregoria Flores, the president of one of two organizations representing the Garifuna people, stated at the event in Triunfo de la Cruz: "We have not finished with the titling of Garifuna lands, but this gives us strength to offer our families, children, and mothers a safe and dignified future."

We trust that these land titles will help make this future possible.

return to top