§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the Government of Honduras' recent crackdown on the Mara Salvatrucha street gang. [175114]
§ Mr. RammellThe Government of Honduras has acknowledged publicly that it has a serious problem with gang-related lawlessness. Our embassy in Guatemala, responsible for our relations with Honduras, and officials in London have been monitoring the measures taken by the Honduran Government to tackle this problem, including legislation prohibiting gang membership. Since the introduction of this new law, there has been a reported reduction in gang violence. But concern has been expressed by some NGOs and members of civil society that the new legislation, which resulted in mass arrests of gang members and those suspected of being gang members, infringed human rights. The Government of Honduras has responded to this criticism by undertaking to provide training and rehabilitation schemes for those either in prison or wishing to leave the gangs. We have made clear to the Government of Honduras, bilaterally and in the company of our EU partners, the importance we attach to respect for human rights. I raised human rights, particularly those in respect of children, with Honduran Security Minister Oscar Alvarez, during his recent visit to the UK.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the fire of 17 May at the prison in San Pedro Sula in Honduras; what assessment his Department has made of conditions at(a) that prison and (b) other prisons in Honduras; and if he will make a statement. [175115]
§ Mr. RammellThe San Pedro Sula incident has been widely reported in the UK and local media. 104 prisoners, all gang members are reported to have died and only a few injured. Our embassy in Guatemala, responsible for our relations with Honduras, is watching developments closely and the DFID representative in Tegucigalpa attended a briefing on 18 May given by the Honduran Government.
Our non-resident ambassador, who was visiting Honduras at the time, has raised this incident with members of the Honduran Government.
The Government of Honduras has ordered an inquiry that will include investigating claims that: prison wardens refused to open cell doors; the fire services arrived late: and the fire was started by wardens.
We have made no specific assessment of the conditions at the San Pedro Sula Prison or that of other prisons in Honduras but we are aware of the problem of serious overcrowding. We continue to discuss human rights concerns with the Honduran authorities, particularly those relating to children.