Human Rights Watch released an important new report yesterday on abuses in the post-coup environment, including excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions and violence against journalists and civil society. Particularly troubling is the level of impunity for abuses and the lack of resources and judicial independence in prosecuting those abuses.
I mostly agree with what the report has to say, particularly the recommendations that the government fully fund its human rights programs and create a greater judicial independence. I saw similar problems as I studied the issue of organized crime in Honduras, which is a real threat to that country. The lack of Attorney General resources and problems in the judiciary that prevent investigations of government abuses also allow for significant impunity by organized criminal groups including the Sinaloa Cartel and Zetas.
Too often, governments in this hemisphere view the protection of human rights and the prosecution of abuses as running counter to the fight against organized crime. They view reports like these, particularly those pointing out abuses by the military and police, as getting in the way of fighting criminals. In reality, many of these same recommendations to improve human rights conditions would also greatly benefit the effort to prosecute drug trafficking organizations and root out the corruption that allows organized crime to thrive in Honduras.
Of course, even if it didn't help the fight on organized crime, investigating, prosecuting and stopping human rights abuses are still the right things to do in a democracy and the Lobo government should take on the challenge.
