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Honduras: A union called SITRAHEMSULA; whether the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DIC) play any official or unofficial role during industrial disputes (1996-2001)

No references to a union called SITRAHEMSULA could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. The only reference found to a similarly-named union mentions SITRAEMSULA as one of approximately 45 unions affiliated to the Federación Sindical de Trabajadores Nacionales de Honduras (National Workers Union Federation of Honduras) (Biblioteca Virtual 9 Sept. 2001).

Various sources refer to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (Dirección de Investigaciones Criminales, DIC) as the police branch responsible for criminal investigations. One report indicates that after the police forces were placed under civilian control in 1994, the DIC was formed mostly from newly-recruited professionals, with some officers joining from the earlier National Investigations Directorate (DNI) (CONADEH Oct. 2000). In the late 1990s the DIC was transferred from the Office of the Attorney General (Ministerio Público), where it was headed by a civilian, to the National Police (ibid.). Some reports mention the DIC as playing a role in forensic investigations of murders or suspected murders of unionists (Honduras: Continued Struggle Against Impunity Mar. 1996, Ch. 2; Honduras: Still Waiting For Justice Apr. 1998). However, no references to an active DIC role in industrial disputes could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International, London. April 1998. Honduras: Still Waiting For Justice. (AMR 37/04/98)

_____. March 1996. Continued Struggle Against Impunity. (AMR 37/01/96)

Biblioteca Virtual [Tegucigalpa]. 9 September 2001. "Síntesis del Movimiento Sindical Hondureño." <http://www.weblocos.com/Htmls/informacion/biblioteca/ reportes/movsindicalhond.html> [Accessed 5 Oct. 2001]

Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos de Honduras (CONADEH), Tegucigalpa. October 2000. Derechos Humanos: Dos Años de Realidad y Retos ( 1998-99)."Capítulo II: Seguridad Interna y Externa." <http://www.conadeh.hn/ conadeh/seguridad.htm> [Accessed 5 Oct. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1997-Oct. 2001.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Brussels. Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights. 2000-2001.

IRB databases.

La Prensa [Tegucigalpa]. Mar. 1996-Oct. 2001. Searchable archives.

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. Jan. 1998-Oct. 2001.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1996-Sept. 2001.

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International.

Human Rights Watch.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).

Note: This list is not exhaustive. Country and subject-specific reports available in the Resource Centre are not included.