Worrying trend of violence against children emerging in Honduras, warns UNICEF

[Judi Lynn]

Worrying trend of violence against children emerging in Honduras, warns UNICEF

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, 15 May 2014 – UNICEF is alarmed by the increasing generalized violence against children in Honduras. In a series of incidents, including domestic and gang-related violence, some 24 children are reported to have been murdered across the country in the past month.

“The frequency of the incidents, where children have been reportedly murdered and in some cases tortured, is of great concern,” said Héctor Espinal, UNICEF's Communication Specialist in Honduras. “This kind of cruelty, which specifically targets children, cannot become the social norm.”

UNICEF calls on the State and Honduran civil society to step up its efforts and make sure that the safety of children is at the forefront of policy decisions and implementation. In addition, UNICEF is adamant that the National Protection System, which was approved by the Republic National Congress at the end of 2013, is rolled out fully with immediate effect.

“Children have a right to protection, whether at home, school or in their community. We are committed to working with the Honduran State and municipal governments to make sure that children in all circumstances can feel safe and protected.”

In addition to the State’s role, the judicial system must be strengthened so that violations against children are brought to justice.

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_73515.html

[House of Roberts]

1. I don't often say so... (I seldom say anything)

but thank you for your tireless coverage of Latin America.

[Judi Lynn]

2. I was shocked to learn how profound my ignorance was during Elian Gonzalez' oddesy to Miami,

where he was kept imprisoned by the right-wing reactionaries of the Cuban American National Foundation and their minions.

It was the first message board I ever read, CNN's now defunct Cuba-US Relations, and only then because I wanted to know more about Elian Gonzalez and what the hell was going on there.

Reading the posts from the right wing sociopaths and the ones who felt he should be repatriated to his homeland to live with his father, step-mother, tiny step-brother, two grandmothers, two grandfathers, a host of aunts, uncles, cousins attracted posters who opened my eyes to US policy regarding the Americas, and I could never turn back.

Since that experience meant so much to me I feel a need to share what I can find. If it does any good, I am so glad. As our own school systems in this country have refused, along with our corporate media, to acknowledge anything of value has ever happened, or anyone of value has ever lived in Latin America, I feel anything anyone can do is needed to overcome the deep silence we've had to live with regarding so many, MANY people right here in our hemisphere between two oceans, especially regarding the ones who are ill-treated and regarded by the European-descended racist murderous greedy hogs who stole their countries, and ran roughshod over the survivors, and treated all their darker-skinned descendants like rubbish.

Thank you for taking the time to send a comment. You are very kind.

[House of Roberts]

3. If their own countries weren't so corrupt,

they wouldn't want to come here.

As I have learned more and more about US 'foreign relations', I have come to the conclusion that our oligarchs only care about Central and South America for what they can steal from them. I find it hard to believe the average US American would be worse off if those countries were run by honest leaders who negotiated a fair price for those countries resources, natural and otherwise. The wealthy and corrupt wouldn't be better off, and so what!

I always remember the old guy John Houseman, on the Smith-Barney ads: We make money the old fashioned way - we earn it! All countries would be better off if that were so.