Please join . . .

Rights Action’s
EDUCATIONAL DELEGATION TO HONDURAS:
Community-Controlled Development * versus * Large scale Gold Mining and Tourism Enclaves

July 7-12, 2008

Learn about community and Indigenous-Garifuna resistance to large scale “development” projects (including Goldcorp Inc.’s open pit, cyanide leaching gold mine and large scale tourist plans on Honduras’s north Caribbean shore) and about community development alternatives.

FOR WHOM:  Citizens and activists, donors, professors and educators, media, health, environment and legal professions, who are concerned about exploitation-poverty-“development” / foreign interventions and repression / environmental destruction / etcetera, in countries of the “global south”, and about community-based resistance and work for equality, justice and locally controlled development and environmental well being.

STUDY PLAN:  Through a series of Tegucigalpa city meetings and over-night visits to communities affected by gold mining and tourism “development” projects), the Delegation will focus on:

* HISTORY:  In readings recommended to folks before the trip, and discussions during the week, this Delegation will provide a summary understanding of 500 years of Honduran and Central American history – including the negative role played by powerful, wealthy countries of the global north, this historical perspective being necessary to understanding Honduras’ endemic poverty, racism, repression, impunity and lack of democracy today;

* PARTICULAR ISSUES:  Indigenous-Garifuna and campesino resistance to the harms and violations caused by the global mining industry (namely Goldcorp Inc.’s “San Martin” gold mine) and to large landowners and the tourism industry that are using repression and other tactics to move Garifuna Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands and communities on Honduras’ Caribbean shore;

* RESISTANCE & GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS:  Despite the on-going repression, added to exploitation and widespread enviro-destruction, there are courageous and vibrant grassroots organizations organizing and fighting for a just development model, for democracy and the rule of law, for the environment and women’s rights.

* * *

Led by Grahame Russell of Rights Action, this delegation will enable participants to learn first-hand about community development, enviro- and HR struggles and organizing, and about how to be involved, in North America, with political, legal and quasi-legal activism and organizing in support of community-controlled development, enviro- and HR work.

RISKS:  Rights Action will have an open discussion with participants about potential risks: on-going political issues; crime; health; etc.  Participants will sign a waiver, accepting responsibility for what might happen during the Seminar.

COSTS:  US$650.  This includes 2 meals a day for 6 days; lodging for 7 nights/ in-country transportation / translation / guiding / honorariums for local community-based groups that participants visit with.  Participants are responsible for arranging and paying for their travel to and from Honduras.

DATES:  Delegation members would have to arrive into Tegucigalpa on Sunday July 6th and leave on Sunday, July 13th.

IF INTERESTED, CONTACT: info@rightsaction.org, 860-352-2448, www.rightsaction.org

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