(Ottawa, ON, March 7, 2016) 

Dear Prime Minister,

We write with some urgency to ask your assistance in securing the safety of our friend and colleague Gustavo Castro, coordinator of Otros Mundos Chiapas A.C./Friends of the Earth – Mexico and member of the Mexican Movement of Peoples Affected by Dams and the Mexican Network of Mining Affected Peoples (REMA). 

Please intercede with the Honduran authorities on his behalf.

Sunday, March 6th at 5:00 am, Mr. Castro who was wounded during the assassination of Berta Caceres, was prevented from returning to Mexico by Honduran police at the International Aerport in Tegucigalpa.

Early in the morning on Thursday, March 3rd, Berta Cáceres and Castro were attacked by gunmen in the community of La Esperanza, Honduras.

Ms. Cáceres who won the Goldman Environment Prize for her work as leader of the indigenous Lenca people and the Civic Council of Indigenous and Popular Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) had been repeatedly threatened with her life for her opposition against the Agua Zarca Dam on the Gualcarque River. Three years ago, her colleague Tomás Garcia had been killed at a peaceful protest against the dam by an army officer at close range.

According to Global Witness, at least 109 people were killed in between 2010 and 2015, for taking a stand against destructive dam, mining, logging and agriculture projects.  Of the eight victims whose cases were publicly reported in 2015, six were from indigenous groups.

As witness to this violence Mr. Castro’s life is in jeopardy as long as he remains in Honduras.

Sincerely,

Bea Olivastri
CEO

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