Crying Out for Justice for Dionisio Díaz García
Dionisio Díaz García, Honduran, Christian, known as the "lawyer of the poor" for his work defending the labor rights of impoverished workers, was assassinated on December 4, 2006. Justice has yet to be done. But your voice can make a difference.

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Contact Informationfor Honduran Ambassadors to the UN, OAS

Mission to the Organization of American States (OAS), Washington, D.C.
Ambassador Carlos Sosa Coello
5100 Wisconsin Avenue N.W.
Suite 403
Washington , D.C. 20016
Tel. (202) 362-9656 / 362-9657
Fax: (202) 537-7170
Email: honduras.oea@verizon.net

Mission to the United Nations, New York City
Ambassador Ivan Romero Martínez
866 United Nations Plaza Suite
417 New York N.Y. 10017,Usa.
Tels. (212) 752-3370 / 752-3371 / 751-0403 / 223-0498
Email: honduras_un@hotmail.com

Sample Letter to Honduran Diplomats:

English

Respected Sir / Madam:

On December 4, 2006, the Honduran people lost one of their own who was among their most humble, loving, and dedicated to justice: Dionisio Díaz García, a staff member of la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ)* known as the “lawyer of the poor,” who on this date was assassinated by hit-men, apparently as a reprisal for his work in defense of the rights of impoverished employees of private security companies.

Before Mr. Díaz's murder, the Honduran Government's response to reports of threats against AJS-supported justice workers was characterized by negligence and lack of interest. Unfortunately, the year since Mr. Díaz's assassination has also been marked by high levels of corruption, negligence, and incompetence on the part of the Honduran Government.

Failing to take official testimony in anticipation of a possible trial (a routine measure in Honduras ) caused severe damage to the case when a key witness was murdered and his testimony thus lost. Unexplained disappearances of official documents, exaggerated delays, and the failure to perform routine actions are just some of the problems permitted and caused by the Honduran Government and which have undermined the investigation of Mr. Díaz's assassination.

Further evidence of this attitude include the negligent and even hostile attitude of the National Human Rights Commissioner, Ramón Abad Custodio López, in response to reports made by ASJ before and after Dionisio Díaz's death, as well as the chronic failure to fully implement security measures that the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IAHCR) formally requested the Ministry of Public Security to implement to protect ASJ and its members.

The mismanagement of this case stands out all the more compared with the efficiency with which the Honduran government has processed a half-dozen attacks initiated through the court system against AJS-supported justice workers by a private security company whose employees were among those Mr. Díaz helped.

Faced with this grave situation, we ask that you make your best efforts to communicate to the Attorney General, the Minister of Security, the President of the Supreme Court, the President of the National Congress, the President of the Republic of Honduras, and other appropriate institutions of the State, that we desire and are concerned that efforts be made to achieve an exhaustive investigation of the corruption, negligence, and incompetence that have obstructed justice in Dionisio Díaz's case, that continuing threats and harassment against ASJ also be investigated, and that the grave problems that are currently impeding the investigation of Dionisio's assassination are corrected and that the investigation be carried out with the highest levels of integrity, seriousness, quality, and priority, in order to achieve the identification, arrest, trial, conviction, and imprisonment of the material and intellectual authors of this crime.

Thank you for your willingness to receive and consider our communication.

Spanish

Estimado Señor / Señora:

El 4 de Diciembre del 2006, al pueblo hondureño se le arrebató uno de sus seres más humildes, cariñosos, y comprometidos con la justicia: Dionisio Díaz García, miembro del personal de la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ), conocido como “el abogado de los pobres,” quien en esta fecha fue asesinado por sicarios, presuntuosamente como represalia por su labor en defensa de los derechos de humildes trabajadores y trabajadoras que laboraban en empresas de seguridad privada.

Desde antes de este asesinato ya se notaba un grado elevado de negligencia por parte del Estado, ya que a las repetidas denuncias que presentaron miembros de la ASJ por haber recibido amenazas en su contra, las autoridades encargadas no les dieron el debido seguimiento.

Lamentamos informarles que los once meses posteriores al asesinato de Dionisio Díaz García hay un marcado grado de corrupción, negligencia e incapacidad por parte del Estado de Honduras para enjuiciar a los responsables de este grave hecho.

La falta de realizar diligencias que hubieran minimizado el daño al caso ocasionado por la muerte de un testigo, el extravío inexplicable de documentos, tardanzas exageradas e inexplicables, y la omisión de tomar medidas y acciones rutinarias, son solo algunos de los graves problemas permitidos y causados por el Estado de Honduras, que hasta la fecha han socavado la investigación de este asesinato.

Señalamos en este sentido la actitud negligente y hasta hostil del Comisionado Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CONADEH) doctor Ramón Abad Custodio Lopez ante denuncias hechas por la ASJ antes y después de la muerte de Dionisio Díaz, y el crónico incumplimiento de medidas cautelares decretados por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) a favor de la ASJ, por parte de la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública.

La gravedad del mal manejo del caso de Dionisio Díaz se destaca—y nos duele—aun más cuando la comparamos con la suma diligencia que el Estado ha demostrado para facilitar el acoso continuo en contra de la ASJ, realizado por medio de atentados legales sin fundamento, iniciados a través de media docena de instituciones gubernamentales, como ser la Secretaria de Gobernación y Justicia, la Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos, la Fiscalía contra la Corrupción , el Seguro Social, entre otros, por una empresa privada de seguridad cuyos trabajadores explotados figuraban entre los beneficiarios de las acciones de apoyo de nuestro fallecido compañero.

Frente a esta situación grave, le pedimos que interponga sus buenos oficios para comunicar al Fiscal General, el Ministro de Seguridad, la Presidenta de la Corte Suprema , el Presidente del Congreso Nacional, el Presidente de la República de Honduras, y otros entes Estatales correspondientes, de nuestro deseo y preocupación para que se haga una investigación exhaustiva sobre la corrupción, negligencia, e incapacidad las cuales han obstruido la justicia en el caso de Dionisio Díaz, así como del acoso continuo en contra de ASJ, y para que corrijan los graves problemas que actualmente trastocan la investigación del asesinato de Dionisio y realicen una investigación con suma integridad, seriedad, calidad, y prioridad, para así lograr la identificación, captura, enjuiciamiento, condena, y encarcelamiento de los autores materiales e intelectuales de dicho crimen.

Agradecemos su disposición de recibir y considerar nuestra comunicación.

Back to Dionisio Main Page

The Association for a More Just Society (AJS) oversees and funds initiatives carried out by Honduran partner organization la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ). AJS is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so all donations to AJS are tax-deductible for US taxpayers.