On March 15, the United Nations General Assembly voted 170–4 to create a new Human Rights Council, effectively dissolving the oft-criticized Commission on Human Rights. Candidates for the Council will need to be elected by an absolute majority of 96 votes in order to secure a position, and once elected members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Congratulations to Bertha Oliva, a Honduran activist, on her nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize!  Bertha, and her organization COFADEH, have been active partners in the Global Response campaign Honduras:Protect Forests and Environmental Activists.  

June 29, 2005, 7:09 pm ET 

 Honduran priest has organized a grassroots environmental movement to protest illegal logging and government corruption—with stunning results.  

The president of the Confederation of Ethnic Peoples (COMPAH) of Honduras reported that Elipidio Martinez Chavarria, leader of the Pech of eastern Honduras, was fatally shot on Saturday in Dulce Nombre de Culmi, Olancho province. Martinez was the head of the Federation of Pech Tribes of Honduras and was a leading force against landowners and loggers taking over indigenous lands in the region. The motive for the killing is unknown, but COMPAH believes that Chavarria’s death was linked to the defense of land.

Global Response is very happy to report on the inspiring March for Life in Honduras, which ended with a peaceful and powerful rally in Tegucigalpa on June 30.  Thanks to all who sent letters in support of the march to Honduran government officials.