US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1610

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001610 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL/PHD, EB, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, PHUM, PREL, ECON, HO 
SUBJECT: GOH BREAKS PROMISE AND CHORTI INDIGENOUS GROUP 
BLOCKS COPAN MAYAN RUINS; PROTEST LIKELY TO BE REPEATED 
 
 
1. On June 7, a group of indigenous people living in and near 
Copan, armed with clubs, seized the Mayan Archaeological Park 
of Copan Ruins. The demonstrators prevented an estimated 300 
tourists from entering the park for the entire day, which 
meant a loss of revenue for both the park and the Honduran 
Ministry of Culture.  The seizure was an effort to force the 
government to make good on their 1997 promise to purchase 
land that would then be divided among the members of the 
Chorti ethnic group.  This was not the first protest to close 
the Copan Ruins.  Two other major demonstrations occurred in 
1998 and 2000. Negotiations between the government officials 
and the leaders of the National Counsel of Native 
Mayan-Chorti of Honduras (CONICH) began shortly after the 
demonstration started.  The two parties reached an agreement 
by the end of the day that the government would honor their 
payments within the week, once the proper paperwork was 
filed.  This appeased the protesters, but this promise has 
been made before and it is questionable that the government 
will follow through this time. 
 
2. The Mayan Archaeological Park of Copan Ruins is a major 
source of revenue for Honduras.  However, little of the 
revenue trickles down to the descendants of the magnificent 
ruins, including the Chorti.  The indigenous people are among 
the poorest in the country.  They are demanding the 
government honor an act signed in 1997, in which the 
authorities promised to buy land to distribute between 
members of the Chorti ethnic group. 
 
3. Comment: Two months later, the GOH still has yet to 
fulfill their promise to the Chorti people in Copan.  Thus, 
it is likely future protests by the Chorti will once again 
shut down the Mayan Archaeological Park of Copan Ruins to 
tourists from around the world.  The lack of follow-through 
by the GOH is teaching the Chorti that only by jeopardizing 
the park's tourist revenue can they get attention from the 
GOH.  End Comment. 
Tuebner