Please find attached several 1996 and 1997 news articles that refer to the situation of former members of the 3-16 battalion of Honduras.

According to the attachments, the situation of some former members of the battalion ranges from indictment and judicial prosecution (The Washington Post 24 Mar. 1996) to the holding of a high position in the Honduran representation at the United Nations (IPS 1 June 1996). The documents indicate that at least three had "obtained asylum in Canada," while a number of others were evading justice in Honduras (ibid. 18 July 1996). Some former members being sought for crimes allegedly have fled the country and escaped arrest (ibid.), and at least one has been seen circulating freely in Honduras and has held a televised news conference accompanied by his family (The Washington Post 24 Mar. 1996).

Only one attachment refers to the family of a former member of the battalion, Florencio Caballero, "who was granted asylum by Canada" and "was the principal witness in 1987 and 1988 for the Inter-American Human Rights Court" on the disappearance of two persons (IPS 12 Dec. 1996). According to the report, Amnesty International complained to the president of Honduras that the former battalion member's wife and three daughters living in Costa Rica were being "harassed by Honduran security forces" (ibid.). The article adds that "members of the Attorney General's office and the state Commissioner for Human Rights travelled to Canada in order to gather additional information from Caballero and two other members of Battalion 3-16" (ibid.).

Please refer to the attached documents for more information.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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.

Inter Press Service (IPS). 12 December 1996. "Military Pursuit of Family of Former Torturer Denounced." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 9-22 Dec. 1996, Vol. 11, No. 23, p. 9)

_____. 18 July 1996. "Human Rights Organizations Denounce Killings of Former Military Agents." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 8-21 July 1996, Vol. 11, No. 12, p. 10)

_____. 1 June 1996. "Reina Refuses to Remove Questionable Military Chief From U.N. Position." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 27 May-9 June 1996, Vol. 11, No. 9, p. 9)

The Washington Post. 24 March 1996. Douglas Farah. "Honduras Begins Holding Army Accountable." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 1-14 April 1996, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 7-8)

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 25 July 1996. "Honduras: Military Complains of Persecution by Civilian Courts," pp. 3-4.

Dallas Morning News. 20 January 1996. "Ruling Clears Way to Try Honduran Soldiers." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 8-21 Jan. 1996, Vol. 10, No. 25, pp. 9-10)

_____. 7 January 1996. "Honduran Court Protects Soldiers in Torture Case." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 25 Dec. 1995-7 Jan. 1996, Vol. 10, No. 24, p. 9)

Houston Chronicle. 22 February 1996. Freddy Cuevas. "Rights Chief Claims Honduras Has Reactivated Death Squads." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 19 Feb.-3 Mar. 1996, Vol. 11, No. 2, p. 10)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 10 January 1997. Thelma Mejia. "Decline of the Armed Forces Predicted." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 5-19 Jan. 1997, Vol. 11, No. 25, pp. 6-7)

_____. 22 December 1996. Farhan Haq. "Suspect General Remains as Deputy Ambassador." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 23 Dec. 1996-5 Jan. 1997, Vol. 11, No. 24, pp. 9-10)

_____. 12 December 1996. "Military Pursuit of Family of Former Torturer Denounced." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 9-22 Dec. 1996, Vol. 11, No. 23, p. 9)

_____. 16 September 1996. "Military Chief Thinks Little of Lawsuit." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 16-29 Sept. 1996, Vol. 11, No. 17, p. 7)

_____. 18 July 1996. "Human Rights Organizations Denounce Killings of Former Military Agents." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 8-21 July 1996, Vol. 11, No. 12, p. 10)

_____. 30 June 1996. Thelma Mejia. "New Trials and Warrants for Military Officials." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 24 June-7 July 1996, Vol. 11, No. 11, pp. 8-9)

_____. 1 June 1996. "Reina Refuses to Remove Questionable Military Chief from U.N. Position." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 27 May-9 June 1996, Vol. 11, No. 9, p. 9)

The Miami Herald. 14 January 1996. "Death Squad Member Deported From Canada." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 22 Jan.-4 Feb. 1996, Vol. 10, No. 26, p. 8)

San Francisco Chronicle. 23 January 1996. John Otis. "In Honduras, the Military's Influence is Fading." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 22 Jan.-4 Feb. 1996, Vol. 10, No. 26, pp. 8-9)

The Washington Post. 24 March 1996. Douglas Farah. "Honduras Begins Holding Army Accountable." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.], 1-14 Apr. 1996, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 7-8)