I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 42 together.
The loss of life and violence following elections which took place in Honduras on 26 November 2017 are a cause for concern. I have not hesitated to condemn unreservedly this or any violence perpetrated against those seeking to defend their rights or peacefully demonstrate. My sincere condolences are with the families of the victims and with all of those who have suffered violence in the aftermath of the elections.
Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are the cornerstones of any functioning democracy and those rights must be guaranteed. All sides in Honduras must work within the political system to deliver the political reforms necessary to secure the trust of the Honduran people in the country’s institutions.
I echo the statement made on 19 January by the spokesperson for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for the Honduran authorities to “undertake an assessment of the rules of engagement, including the use of force, and for the security forces to use only necessary and proportionate force, in line with international law, in policing demonstrations”.
While Ireland does not have diplomatic representation in Honduras, officials at my Department engage closely with the European External Action Service working through its EU delegation in Tegucigalpa, and meet with human rights defenders and civil society organisations active in that country. Ireland contributed one long-term observer and one short-term observer to the EU Election Observer Mission to Honduras last year. This was facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Officials of the Department conducted a debrief with the Irish observers in early January. In its preliminary statement, the EU Observer Mission gave a generally positive evaluation of the organisation of the elections, while at the same time noting the negative public perception of the neutrality of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the disparity in resources enjoyed by one candidate compared with competitors.
The EU Observer Mission will deliver its final report on the election in the coming weeks. Given the technical nature of the reporting and related recommendations, it is not uncommon for such reports to take several months to finalise.
I urge the Government of Honduras to take on board and adopt any recommendations made by the EU Mission in order to help to restore much-needed public confidence in future electoral processes in the country.
I can assure the Deputies that we will continue to monitor the situation closely and maintain contact with actors on the ground in Honduras in the weeks and months ahead. Ireland remains committed to raising issues pertaining to the defence of human rights in Honduras both at EU and UN level.
