Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH)

Tegucigalpa” M.D.C.” February 8″ 2012

Rigoberto Cuellar” Attorney
Minister of SERNA
Your Office

Ref: R-PP of Honduras: Document did not consult indigenous peoples

We” the Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Peoples” who make up the Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) are surprised to find out that the Government of Honduras” through its Secretary” has submitted to the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)” the Readiness Project Proposal (R-PP) named “PREPARATION FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS BY DEFORESTATION AND FOREST DEGRADATION IN HONDURAS”. We believe that this unilateral decision from the State of Honduras” of submitting this document to the FCPF for approval constitutes a violation of our Rights because we as Peoples do not know its content and scope” even more importantly” our free” prior and informed Consent” as mandated by the FCPF guidelines and international instruments that guarantee our Rights” has not been granted.

Given that this R-PP document was drafted without consulting with us” and without our consent” the Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) proposes the following:

1.    That the State of Honduras withdraw the R-PP document submitted to the World Bank’s FCPF to begin a good-faith process for the creation and formulation based on the principle of  free” previous and informed consent.
2.    Through its Federations and members” the Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) will facilitate a consultative process based on the free” previous and informed consent” and in agreement with our overall World view” understanding that this process will be under the control of the Federations united under the CONPAH.
3.    We likewise demand that the GIZ” Rainforest Alliance” USAID” UNDP and other Bilateral and Multilateral collaborators suspend all activities and financing related to the REDD processes in Indigenous and Afro-Honduran territories.

Signed:

Bayardo Alemán” CONPAH President
CONIMCHH” President
Norvin Goff”  MASTA President
Edilia Isidra Montes” Treasurer CONPAH

P. FFTRIXY” Secretary CONPAH
Erenia Sanchez” Member
Edgardo Benitez M.” FITH” President

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