Human rights and worldwide humanitarian legislation are a precedence for the Honduran Ministry of Nationwide Protection (SEDENA). Secretary of Nationwide Protection José Manuel Zelaya Rosalesbelieves that the professionalization of the Honduran Armed Forces goes hand in hand with the respect for and safety of human rights and the complete confidence of citizens.
His workplace, with the assist of the Human Rights Initiative (HRI) of U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) Human Rights Workplace, held the Honduran Human Rights Initiative Seminar, August 9–11, 2022, in Tegucigalpa, withrepresentatives of the Honduran Armed Forces and worldwide company.
Protection Secretary Zelaya spoke with Diálogo in regards to the significance of the seminar and the challenges almost about human rights.
Diálogo: How important was holding a human rights seminar for the Honduran Armed Forces?
Honduran Secretary of Nationwide Protection José Manuel Zelaya Rosales:Following the directions of our President Xiomara Castro, the commander common of the Armed Forces, with assist from the federal government and from the U.S. Embassy in Honduras, and SOUTHCOM’s Human Rights Workplace, weheld this seminar, which provides extra power to all of the actions that we at SEDENA are finishing up to coach and professionalize the Armed Forces in human rights.
The significance of this occasion additionally lies within the participation of our buddies and allies in order that they know that Honduras has taken the difficulty of human rights criticallyand that the Armed Forces are not any exception, for the reason that topic is analyzed in all our examine facilities such because the College of Protection of Honduras, the Nationwide Protection Faculty. We’ve additionallycreated Human Rights and Gender Fairnessitems in our totally different brigades.
We wish respect for and safety of human rights to turn into a continuing for future generations coming into the establishment in order that they internalize that the army operate goes hand in hand with the safety of human rights.
Diálogo: What do you contemplate to be a very powerful problem going through the Honduran Armed Forces on the subject of human rights?
Secretary of Protection Zelaya: The primary problem, as Honduran Navy Vice Admiral José Fortín, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers, mentioned right now, is to acknowledge errors. When one acknowledges one’s errors in historical past, one doesn’t need to repeat them. As soon as we’ve acknowledged our errors, it’s essential to face society, apologize, and above all for justice toestablish some of the obligations of perpetrators and never in opposition to the establishment; that’s additionally a part of the nice challenges. One other large problem has to do with gender integration in order that Honduran ladies can see the Armed Forces as an establishment the place they’ll form their skilled careers.
Diálogo: You discuss civil society; how do you suppose the Honduran Armed Forces can work hand in hand with civil society?
Secretary of Protection Zelaya: Some actions have already been taken by the Common Workers and my workplace to contain these civil society organizations, that are guarantors and observers of all our actions. Undoubtedly, these organizations have been strengthened in Honduras, and typically, normally, they assist us to unravel points that maybe are unattainable for us to unravel from the establishment or from SEDENA. And that’s the place reviews of a grievance, the council, and above all of the path to comply with, which these civil society organizations can contribute to,are basic, all the time considering that there are State insurance policies that we comply with, and to have the ability to make the pertinent alliances for the nice of Honduras and its Armed Forces.
