voselsoberano.com | Wednesday June 16, 2010 9:32
Mass dismissals in palm plantations and smear campaign against MUCA
At least 500 workers in oil palm plantations owned by powerful businessman Miguel Facussé Barjum (Corporación Dinant), were dismissed and it is expected that this abrupt downsizing increases in the upcoming weeks. A treacherous media campaign aims to blame on the MUCA the crisis in the Lower Aguán. According to statements provided by Dinant Corporation executives, an economic group whose chairman is oil palm businessman Miguel Facussé Barjum, the dismissal of 500 workers in oil palm plantations is due to "the crisis triggered by peasants affiliated to Unified Peasant Movement Aguan (MUCA) taking over them. "
The accusing finger points particularly to the agreements signed last April between the government of Porfirio Lobo and MUCA, amid an unprecedented militarization and constant violation of human rights of rural families ..
The bloody agrarian conflict, caused by the questionable purchase of thousands of hectares planted with oil palm by landowners Facussé Miguel René Morales and Reinaldo Canales was tried to solve through these agreements.
The agreement, which allegedly had the approval of those oil palm producers confered about 11 thousand hectares of land on both banks of the River Aguan, social programs and housing to over 2,500 farm families of MUCA.
Now, just two months after the signing of this agreement, oil palm producers have pulled out their claws once again, launching a media campaign to ignore the agreements, to discredit the MUCA, and send a clear signal to President Lobo about who actually rules the country.
Through paid advertisements in major newspapers in Honduras, Miguel Facussé has repeatedly ignored the agreements, stating that he never gave his approval for the sale and delivery to the MUCA of "his farms" on the right bank of River Aguán.
Clearly, massive layoffs these days are part of that campaign, which aims to create anxiety, which could mean a further escalation of tension and violence in the area.
"This is a big lie. These businessmen have never been interested in the welfare of farmers. They acquired this land at ridiculous prices and in a dubious manner, and now they have a large capital with the oil palm business- the president of the local branch of the SITRAINA Tocoa, Esly Banegas, told Sirel.
Now they are laying off hundreds of workers, which will generate more poverty in the area. Here the repression continues. In recent days several people were killed and the military and police presence continues.
"It is clear, "continued Banegas, "that there is a political component in this conflict. The organization of the peasantry is something that bothers the landowners a lot, and they will do everything possible to create division, conflict and anxiety in the Lower Aguán.
That's why we must remain united and strengthen ourselves, "he concluded.
The grave situation that exists in the area was recently identified in a report of FIAN Honduras. "So far 3000 hectares planted with palm have been delivered to MUCA and the assessment on the quality of the plantations has begun".
" However, "says the report, " there are eviction orders sought by Miguel Facussé one day before signing the agreement. They weigh like a sword of Damocles over the peasants, because they could be legally executed at any time by the plaintiff. "
In addition, in the courts of Tocoa and Trujillo about 26 court cases against members of MUCA and other social organizations exist. "They are accused of land grabbing, theft, disobedience and stealing at the expense of the Exporter of the Atlantic, landowner Miguel Facussé's property.
The files contain a total of 152 arrest warrants against 57 people, "says FIAN Honduras.
"The layoffs, paid ads, repression, and the media campaign is a measure of pressure against the organized peasantry", told Sirel, Wilfredo Paz, a member of MUCA.
The landlords are reluctant to relinquish the lands they usurped and this situation shows that the government never had an actual agreement with them. They are still regarded as invaders, and this is a grave violation of agreements.
The process is very slow and only a month is left until the expiration of the terms of the agreement for the delivery of the 3000 hectares of uncultivated land, and the remeasurement of the land.
"In case of failure to comply with those terms", concluded Paz, "the MUCA Paz will take appropriate action."
Amid the process of land reclamation in the Aguan repression persists
Juan Angel Lopez de la Cooperativa La IslaJuan Angel Lopez from la Cooperativa La Isla said the legal process heads towards the welfare of farmers in the Lower Aguán, but we are suffering oppression by the oligarchy because we are being handled by 10 powerful families.
"We have a very intense repression in the lower Aguán by Miguel Facussé's security, we have evidence that in the Lower Aguán 20 days ago a friend who lives near the plant had four heads of cattle, four cows that had calved and they were killed, they burned his house, therefore we see that we have no help from the political part of this regime because, as they have the law, they dominate it and we are being repressed in the Lower Aguán "denounced the farmer.
Lopez explained that in this moment the lands of Rene Morales are being remeasured and "therefore we must use security, travelling in different cars because we feel insecure even of the same technicians that we have from the National Agrarian Institute (INA) and we know there is a lot of criticism of the minister Cesar Ham, because he is favoring the Lower Aguan peasantry. "
For his part, the peasant leader of the Aurora Cooperative, Adolfo Castañeda said that "repression continues, at every moment they are crossing each of the farms, well armed, wearing ski masks so that no one knows who they are and that is very difficult for us, we're going through a rather chaotic unrest in the valley of Aguan due to so many threats by these people. "
Adolfo Castañeda of the Aurora Cooperative"I came out of 9 prosecutions and thank God right now they have stopped persecuting me, we have spoken to the government, the minister and senior officials of the police, so, thank God they have stopped the arrest warrants," said the peasant leader.
On the other hand, the remeasurement process of surplus lands which has remained in the hands of Miguel Facussé and René Morales has continued and they determined to grant 1.75 hectares per family.
"As we discussed in the agreements that starting in 90 days and which are being met as well, the other 3000 uncultivated hectares will come and next year, on March 13, 4000 uncultivated hectares will come plus 1,000 cultivated and at the moment we are only living with the families in the six lots that are recognized by the Minister Cesar Ham, by the government and by MUCA, "said Juan Angel Lopez from la Cooperativa La Isla
Asked if he considered fair the provision of 1.7 hectares per family?, Lopez responded that the distribution right now is not sufficient to sustain the family, because there are people who have 5 or 6 children and it is not enough, suddenly we have to work elsewhere, right now we're working growing corn and 50 percent on the farm, cleaning and on the weevil poison because they are properties that are seriously deteriorated.
López noted that land has been granted to them that has been abandoned for 5 years, where technical assistance was not implemented and Miguel Facussé the State intends to charge the State 250 000 Lempiras per hectare which in this case have been abandoned.
The repression against the farmers continues, security guards are well armed and wearing balaclavas "These are plantations have not been cleaned in over 6 and 7 years, nor have they had the techniques to become productive, it would take us five years to produce, for example in the Cooperative La Isla we would have to pay 21 million lempiras something that an economist told us we would have to pay 70 000 lempiras month, when the capacity of the farm is not able for this profit and therefore we would be in the same conditions to continue the life we had before, "said Lopez.
For his part Adolfo Castañeda of the Aurora Cooperative said the remeasurement is quite advanced in the properties in the right bank of Aguán, which are all measured.
"Where remeasurement is taking place is in the farms of René Morales and Reynaldo Canales on the left bank where we are still a little behind, but we think that will be over this week ," explained Cruz.
On the other hand, the remeasurement process of surplus lands which has remained in the hands of Miguel Facussé and René Morales has continued and they determined to grant 1.75 hectares per family.
"As we discussed in the agreements that starting in 90 days and which are being met as well, the other 3000 uncultivated hectares will come and next year, on March 13, 4000 uncultivated hectares will come plus 1,000 cultivated and at the moment we are only living with the families in the six lots that are recognized by the Minister Cesar Ham, by the government and by MUCA, "said Juan Angel Lopez from la Cooperativa La Isla
Asked if he considered fair the provision of 1.7 hectares per family?, Lopez responded that the distribution right now is not sufficient to sustain the family, because there are people who have 5 or 6 children and it is not enough, suddenly we have to work elsewhere, right now we're working growing corn and 50 percent on the farm, cleaning and on the weevil poison because they are properties that are seriously deteriorated.
López noted that land has been granted to them that has been abandoned for 5 years, where technical assistance was not implemented and Miguel Facussé the State intends to charge the State 250 000 Lempiras per hectare which in this case have been abandoned.
The repression against the farmers continues, security guards are well armed and wearing balaclavasFor his part Adolfo Castañeda of the Aurora Cooperative said the remeasurement is quite advanced in the properties in the right bank of Aguán, which are all measured.
"Where remeasurement is taking place is in the farms of René Morales and Reynaldo Canales on the left bank where we are still a little behind, but we think that will be over this week ," explained Cruz.
It was reported that once the process of granting the 11 000 hectares of cultivated and uncultivated land is concluded, each family gets two hectares.
"It is not enough for subsistence, it is too little to grow, to grow the staple grains, because you also have to figure out how to work out the economic issue, because one does not have everything at home, you have to go in search of what is missing and which can not be harvested, "said the peasant leader.
In relation to the work of the Technical Commission aimed at the valuation of land and the claims of Miguel Facussé to request payment of 250 000 Lempiras per hectare, Castaneda said, "We believe that judging by the way the comission is right now in the valley of Aguán, they will have to dictate how much it is able to project, but that they will help us solve this problem which is very important for us as farmers, for that we have technicians who will facilitate the price of land. "
Because there is land which can easily flood, marshy land, land that is useless, as 75 acres of pure lagoon, and in the case of four or five floods emerging, where fish cannot grow, we'd be taking them out every two, three months, then it wouldn't serve us to harvest toads, said Castañeda
"We are trusting God and ourselves that we are going to recover what we have disposed," said Adolfo Castañeda, leader of the Unified Peasant Movement of Aguan (MUCA).
"It is not enough for subsistence, it is too little to grow, to grow the staple grains, because you also have to figure out how to work out the economic issue, because one does not have everything at home, you have to go in search of what is missing and which can not be harvested, "said the peasant leader.
In relation to the work of the Technical Commission aimed at the valuation of land and the claims of Miguel Facussé to request payment of 250 000 Lempiras per hectare, Castaneda said, "We believe that judging by the way the comission is right now in the valley of Aguán, they will have to dictate how much it is able to project, but that they will help us solve this problem which is very important for us as farmers, for that we have technicians who will facilitate the price of land. "
Because there is land which can easily flood, marshy land, land that is useless, as 75 acres of pure lagoon, and in the case of four or five floods emerging, where fish cannot grow, we'd be taking them out every two, three months, then it wouldn't serve us to harvest toads, said Castañeda
"We are trusting God and ourselves that we are going to recover what we have disposed," said Adolfo Castañeda, leader of the Unified Peasant Movement of Aguan (MUCA).
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