In a 27 October 1998 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a municipal councillor for the Municipality of El Porvenir stated that the municipality's main concerns were the lack of services, for example an ambulance service, and not political or agrarian problems. He stated further that he was unaware of any political or land-based violent incidents in the last few years in El Porvenir, and that violent incidents were generally the result of domestic or personal problems within the family or between different families.

Additional and/or corroborating information on human rights issues in the Department of Francisco Morazán could not be found among the sources consulted. Attempts to obtain information from CODEH were unsuccessful.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Offices of the Municipality of El Porvenir, Honduras. 27 October 1998. Telephone interview with a municipal councillor.

Central America NewsPak [Austin]. 1997-1998.

Central America Report [Guatemala]. 1997-1998.

Honduras This Week [Tegucigalpa]. 1998.

La Prensa de Honduras [Tegucigalpa]. 1997-1998.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1997-1998.

Latin America Regional Reports: Caribbean &Central America Report [London]. 1997-1998.

National Commission of Human Rights. Boletín Informativo [Tegucigalpa]. June 1997-January 1998.

Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS and WNC.