Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tegucigalpa (Agenzia Fides) – There are many incidents of violence in Honduras that show a general lack of respect for life and human dignity. With that in mind, the Catholic Church in the country is working through the Social-Pastoral Offices of Caritas Honduras to carry out a national “Campaign of Citizens for a Culture of Peace and Respect for Life.” The civilian insecurity that is crudely evident in the common violence that inspires fear, mistrust, and a sense of powerlessness in the society at large. The statistics speak for themselves: 4,094 people died from violence between January and September of 2007. Of these, 2,404 were homicides. Honduras, in fact, has the world’s highest homicide rate. In addition to the homicides are the many abductions, thefts, assaults, domestic violence, drug-trafficking, etc….
The main purpose of the campaign is to spread awareness in the society as to the urgent need to take action in counteracting the daily threats to the most basic rights such as the right to life, threats to the protection and defense of human rights, and at the same time encourage the people, families, and institutions to make a commitment and become instruments of peace, justice, and solidarity, as cornerstones in the building of a democracy without inequality and poverty.
“Let’s stop the violence and respect life” is the motto of the Campaign that is being held in the country’s 8 dioceses and is being led by the national and diocesan groups of Caritas, parish priests, parish councils, youth councils, and the mass media. On launching this great effort for peace, Caritas is aware that it does not only imply the absence of war, but it also includes various other aspects that are very intricately related and that also demand attention: e.g. education, poverty, hunger, corruption, and social inequality.
According to Caritas, among the main causes of violence is the political and economic incoherence that leads the population into a state of tension. Moreover, the legal department seems unable to respond and take effective action and in making policies for the citizens’ security, which leads many districts to take justice in their own hands, causing lynching and executions without any legal process. Another factor is the decline in the quality of education, which has had a major influence in the breaking of ties between the family and the school. The rapid rise of unemployment has led to a situation, especially among the youth, where the people have no income and they find no other means of making money other than in crime. Likewise, poverty and marginalization are leading many of the youth to become both victims and protagonists in the violence. The situation is worsened by the structural breakdown of many families.
Although the campaign officially began in March, it is being held the whole year, with a theme assigned to each month. In July, the theme is “Peace and Development.” The themes for the coming months are: “Peace and the Family” (August); “Peace among Children” (September); “Peace and Moral Integrity” (October); “Peace, Truth, and Freedom” (November); Peace and Reconciliation (December). (RG) (Agenzia Fides 24/7/2008)
