Thursday, April 17, 2014
The Central American Research and Policy Institute (CARPI) at California State University, Northridge, and affiliated faculty, intellectuals, academic leaders, and supporters whose signatures appear below, strongly condemn the assassination of Mr. Carlos Hilario Mejía Orellana, marketing and sales director of Radio Progreso, and member of the Reflection, Investigation and Communication Team (ERIC for its initials in Spanish) of the Company of Jesus, the Jesuit order in Honduras. Mr. Mejía Orellana was 35 years old when he was stabbed in the thorax on the night of April 11, 2014 at his home in El Progreso Yoro, Honduras.
The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) in San José, Costa Rica had identified Mr. Mejía Orellana as a possible target due to threats that he and the entire team of Radio Progreso had received. As a result, the CIDH had demanded precautionary measures on the part of the Honduran State for the protection of the integrity and the life of Mr. Mejía Orellana since 2009. If the honorable government of Honduras had taken proper actions to protect Mr. Mejia Orellana’s life, he would be among us today. Regrettably, his life was cut short.
Therefore, we support Radio Progreso’s demand for an effective and efficient investigation to promptly clarify the assassination of Mr. Carlos Hilario Mejía Orellana. Finding the intellectual and material authors of this crime will not only strengthen the judicial system in Honduras, but most importantly, it will dignify Mr. Mejía Orellana’s life and legacy, and it will send a strong message to the enemies of life in Honduras.
We are very concerned for the life and safety of all the workers of Radio Progreso because most of them have been victims of threats and have precautionary measurements issued by the CIDH on their behalf. Since the June 28, 2009 coup d’état Honduras has experienced increasing levels of violence. Currently, its homicide rates are among the highest in the world according to the United Nations. Journalists, human rights activist, indigenous groups, African descendants, teachers, lawyers, artists and LGBTQ members have been targets of persecution and assassination due to their civil engagement. In the 21st century freedom of information, human rights, and civic participation are imperative for a healthy democracy in Honduras and the world.
Consequently, we urge the honorable government of Honduras to act promptly to apply justice and protect the life of all the workers of Radio Progreso.
1. Freya Rojo, Director, Central American Research and Policy Institute (CARPI), California State University, Northridge
2. Douglas Carranza Mena, Director and Professor, Central American Studies Program, California State University, Northridge, and member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
3. Beatriz Cortez, Professor, Central American Studies, California State University, Northridge, and member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
4. David Pedersen, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego
5. Uriel Quesada, Director, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Loyola University, New Orleans
6. Jeffrey Browitt, Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
7. Evelyn Galindo-Doucette, University of Wisconsin, Madison
8. José Aníbal Meza, S.J., Externado de San José, San Salvador
9. Timothy Wadkins, Canisius College, Buffalo, New York
10. Axel Montepeque, California State University, Northridge
11. Kency Cornejo, Duke University
12. Brinton Lykes, Associate Director, Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Boston College
13. David Hollenbach, S.J., Director, Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Boston College
14. Richard L. Wood, University of New Mexico
15. Celia Simonds, California State University, Northridge
16. Van Gosse, Department of History, Franklin & Marshall College
17. Nelson Portillo, State University of New York (SUNY), Brockport, New York
18. Yansi Y. Pérez, Carleton College, Minnesota
19. Martín Álvarez Alberto, Instituto Mora, Ciudad de México
20. Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho (FESPAD)
21. Equipo Regional de Monitoreo y Análisis de Derechos Humanos en Centroamérica
22. Kevin A. Ferreira, Boston College
23. Fernando Soto Tock, Colectivo No’j, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
24. Adrienne Pine, Department of Anthropology, American University
25. Beth Baker-Cristales, Professor, Department of Anthropology, California State Univeristy, Los Angeles
26. Gloria Melara, California State University, Northridge
27. Leisy J. Abrego, Assistant Professor, Chicana and Chicano Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
28. Carlos Castellanos, México
29. Leonardo Lorca, Nuestra Voz, KRFK 90.7fm, Los Ángeles
30. Ruben Tapia, Enfoque Latino, KPFK 90.7fm, Los Ángeles
31. Felix Aguilar, MD, Physicians for Social Responsibility
32. Benedicte Bull, Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM), University of Oslo
33. Cecilia Gosso, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italia
34. Hannes Warnecke, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Universität Leipzig, Germany
35. Ralph Sprenkels, Utrecht University
36. Jenny Pearce, Professor of Latin American Politics and Director, International Centre for Participation Studies (ICPS), Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK
37. Mark Anner, Center for Global Workers’ Rights, Penn State University
38. Carlos Morfín Otero, S.J., México
39. Susan Fitzpatrick-Behrens, California State University, Northridge
40. Alexandra Ortiz Wallner, Instituto de Estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad Libre de Berlín, Alemania
41. José Miguel Cruz, Florida International University
42. Rosemary Robleto Flores, colaboradora laica de la Compañía de Jesús, Chiriquí, Panamá
43. Miranda Cady Hallett, Otterbein University, Ohio
44. Juan José Ramírez Valladares, Universidad Internacional para el Desarrollo Sostenible, UNIDES, Managua, Nicaragua
45. Héctor Lindo, Fordham University
46. Heider Tun, University of Minnesota
47. Kalina Brabeck, Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership & School Psychology, Rhode Island College
48. David Gandolfo, Furman University
49. Elizabeth Alvarez, Northwood Neighbourhood Services, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
50. Molly Todd, Montana State University
51. Robin Maria DeLugan, University of California, Merced
52. Ellen Moodie, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
53. Jorge E. Cuéllar, Yale University
54. William Stanley, University of New Mexico
55. Ricardo Roque Baldovinos, Universidad Centroamericana “José Simeón Cañas”, San Salvador
56. Elana Zilberg, University of California, San Diego
57. Dana Frank, Professor of History, University of California, Santa Cruz
58. Elizabeth Pérez Márquez, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (CIESAS) sede Occidente, Guadajalara, México
59. Carlos Vaquerano, Executive Director, Salvadoran American Leadership and Education Fund (SALEF), Los Angeles
60. José Artiga, Director Ejecutivo, SHARE Foundation
61. Manuela Camus Bergareche, Profesora investigadora en el Centro de Estudios de Género, Universidad de Guadalajara
62. Santiago Bastos, CIESAS Occidente, México
63. Thomas Ward, Department of Anthropology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
64. Kimberly Gauderman, Associate Professor, History, University of New Mexico
65. Werner Mackenbach, Cátedra Wilhelm y Alexander von Humboldt en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Costa Rica
66. Ana Patricia Rodríguez, University of Maryland, College Park
67. Mary Addis, Associate Professor of Spanish, and Chair, Program in Comparative Literature, The College of Wooster
68. Valeria Grinberg Pla, Associate Professor of Latin American Literature and Cultural Studies, Department of Romance and Classical Studies, Bowling Green State University
69. Cynthia McClintock, George Washington University
70. Elisabeth Jean Wood, Yale University
71. Ricardo Moreno, Asociación Simón Bolívar, Los Ángeles
72. Erik Ching, Professor, History Department, Furman University
73. José Luis Benavides, Journalism Department, California State University, Northridge
74. Yajaira M. Padilla, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
75. Cecilia Menjívar, Arizona State University
76. Mónica Toussaint, Instituto Mora, México
77. Jeffrey L. Gould, Rudy Professor of History, Indiana University
78. Richard J. File-Muriel, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of New Mexico
79. Rose Spalding, DePaul University
80. Karina Zelaya, Writing Coordinator, Central American Studies Program, California State University, Northridge
81. Leonel Delgado Aburto, Profesor Asistente, Centro de Estudios Culturales Latinoamericanos, Universidad de Chile
82. John McDargh, Associate Professor, Department of Theology, Boston College
83. Jenny Donaire, California State University, Northridge
84. Nancy Pérez, Arizona State University
85. Jeannette Aguilar, Instituto Universitario de Opinión Pública, Universidad Centroamericana “José Simeón Cañas”, El Salvador
86. René Olate, The Ohio State University
87. Leigh Binford, College of Staten Island and Graduate Center, City University of New York
88. Ana Patricia Fumero Vargas, Profesora e investigadora, Cátedra de Historia de la Cultura, Escuela de Estudios Generales, Centro de Investigación en Identidad y Cultura Latinoamericana (CIICLA), Universidad de Costa Rica
89. Paul Mitchell, School of Theology and Ministry, Boston College
90. Odilia Dolores Marroquín Cornejo, Ministerio de Hacienda, El Salvador
91. Susan Whittaker Mullins, Mediator, Facilitator, Conflict Coach, Los Angeles
92. Fernando de Necochea, member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
93. Linda J. Craft, North Park University, Chicago, Illinois
94. Miguel Ángel Herrera C., Universidad de Costa Rica
95. Martha Arévalo, Executive Director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
96. Angela Sanbrano, president, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
97. Periodistas de a pie, México
98. Kristina Pirker, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
99. Jody Williams, Nobel Prize Laureate, Chair, Nobel Women’s Initiative
100. Henrik Rønsbo, Director of Operations, Prevention of Urban Violence, Danish Institute Against Torture, DIGNITY, Denmark
101. Eileen Truax, periodista freelance, directora de medios en español de la Asociación Nacional de Periodistas Hispanos, Los Ángeles (NAHJ-LA)
102. Diego Sedano, documentalista, Malaespina Producciones
103. Alejandro Maciel, Editor, Hoy Los Ángeles, Los Ángeles, California
104. Carmen Elena Villacorta, Candidata a Doctora en Estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
105. Eileen McDargh, CEO, The Resiliency Group, California
106. Gabriel Lerner, HispanicLA, Los Angeles
107. Cultural Survival
108. Ava Berinstein
109. Geoff Thale, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
110. Hugo Lucero, Consultor de “Cultural Competency” en el Área de la Bahía, California
111. Raúl E. Godínez, Law Office of Raúl E. Godínez
112. Víctor Narro, UCLA Labor Center, and member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
113. Jonathan B. Martínez, California State University, Northridge
114. Linton Joaquin, member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
115. Jon Horne Carter, Department of Anthropology, Criminology, and Sociology, Le Moyne College, Syracuse, New York
116. Brandt Peterson, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University
117. Omar Corletto, Confederación Centroamericana “COFECA,” and member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
118. Agustín Durán, editor de noticias locales, Hoy, Los Ángeles
119. Marjorie Bray, Latin American Studies, California State University, Los Angeles
120. Donald Bray, Political Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles
121. Diane M. Nelson, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
122. Linda Álvarez, Central American Studies Program, California State University, Northridge
123. Daniel Sharp, Legal Director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
124. Jorge Rivera, member, Board of Directors, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles
Cultura centroamericana 