HONDURAS: April 2009 INL Monthly Report

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000327 FOR INL/LP AIMEE MARTIN FOR WHA POSTS - PASS to NAOs and Merida Coordinators USAID for Donnie Harrington SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM KJUS EAID PREL HO SUBJECT: HONDURAS: April 2009 INL Monthly Report ¶1. The following summarizes Post's INL-supported activities in April ¶2009. -------------- ¶2. Trafficking in Persons -------------- - POL NAS staff and the Military Information Support Team (MIST) met with Strategic Planning and Coordination Director from the Ministry of Security, Special Prosecutor for Children and Honduran Institute for Children and Family (IHNFA) Director to present and get their approval for phase one of the TIP awareness campaign. - POL/NAS staff and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Country representative visited Casa Querubines to see a few of the activities that this partner is implementing as part of the INL-funded CRS anti-trafficking project. Casa Querubines is the only shelter specifically for victims of TIP and sexual exploitation. -------------- ¶3. Police/Prosecutor Training -------------- - Post sent five police officers and two prosecutors to the six week ILEA course: "Law Enforcement Management Development Program" (LEMDP). -------------- ¶4. Gangs Project -------------- - POL/NAS sent three Police and two Prosecutors to Central America's 5th Anti-Gang Convention in El Salvador April 27 - 30. POL/NAS Anti-Gang Program Manager and Police Training Coordinator also participated. One early result is that POL/NAS has identified key Prosecutors for gang crimes and initiated our support of their efforts, with the goal of improving conviction rates. Communication to ensure investigating officers participate in trials has been improved and an initial plan for POL/NAS support to the Common Crimes Prosecuting Unit has been developed. - The POL/NAS, MILG and Honduran National Police (HNP) working group on "Eradicating Violence in Sports," a subset of the bilateral Merida Task Force, has finalized a draft plan for a national campaign to counter growing "Hooligan" groups around soccer teams and infiltration by gangs, through improving operational security at stadiums and awareness/education campaigns in mass media, schools, and training police and sports teams. - POL/NAS sponsored the first working meeting of the "Youth at Risk NGO Roundtable," with 25 participants from (mostly U.S.) NGOs, DOS and USAID. Participants include rehabilitation centers, orphanages, formal and vocational educators and a witness protection program for youth. All deemed the event a success with unanimous consensus to create a joint work plan. Initial activities include creating a national "child wards of the state" database, supporting development of GOH protocols for declaring children abandoned, and a training program for NGOs. - POL/NAS supported the development of a concept paper for an NGO consortium to expand previous gang prevention, education and children's services to 13,700 youth in public markets and the municipal dump. POL/NAS brought USAID into the effort, and prospects for support are highly favorable. Both agencies will participate in the preparation of a joint proposal. - Under GOH Merida coordination, the HNP and Ministry of Education invited POL/NAS to launch their first joint campaign to bring four education modules to primary students in the capital. Gang Prevention, Preventing Sexual Exploitation, DARE, and Family Protection sessions with 20 officer-instructors will reach 15,000 students. POL/NAS will adapt classroom materials donated by the USG to Spanish and assess results for possible expansion nationwide. - POL/NAS Anti-Gang Program Manager, Mission Regional Security Officer and FBI Legatt El Salvador proposed initial efforts to strengthen HNP Anti-Kidnapping units, including POL/NAS sponsorship of FBI Threat Assessments in advance of Interagency Agreements, a regional Anti-Kidnapping Training course in Honduras, and selecting, vetting, training and equipping a HNP Anti-Kidnapping Unit. - POL/NAS Anti-Gang Program Manager organized field visits in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula for USAID/HQ Police Advisor John Buchanan to HNP commanders and districts, Prosecutors, citizen's Community Police Roundtables, NGOs and other donors. -------------- ¶5. Other Activities -------------- - POL/NAS/ECON staff met with Treasury Department's Senior Advisor on Enforcement Jim Parrot to discuss OTA'S work plan for Honduras and INL participation in planning, budgetary and implementation issues. The plan includes training for police, prosecutors and investigators from the different money laundering units. The first training is scheduled for mid-June. - POL/NAS/ECON made a courtesy call to the new Attorney General, and discussed OTA'S work plan for Honduras. - POL/NAS met with Minister of Security to discuss Honduras' National Security Strategic Plan and their Merida Plan. - Regional Demand Reduction Program grantee CADCA hosted a conference and training event in Valle de Angeles, outside Tegucigalpa. LLORENS