The Guardian reports: “Murdered Honduran activist Berta Cáceres buried as others vow to continue fight.”

BEVERLY BELL, bev.otherworlds at gmail.com, @beverly__bell
SIMONE ADLER, simone.otherworlds at gmail.com
Bell and Adler are with the group Other Worlds, which has collaborated closely with the group Berta Cáceres founded, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras. Bell repeatedly warned of threats to Cáceres prior to her death. For background, see “Cáceres Murdered — Honduran Activist who Stood up to Clinton-Backed Coup Regime.”

Bell appeared on the program “Democracy Now!” this morning. She emphasized the situation with Gustavo Castro Soto, coordinator of Otros Mundos Chiapas / Friends of the Earth Mexico: “Gustavo is not only the sole witness [to the murder of Cáceres] — he also was a target for assassination. He was shot twice in the attack. And in the one letter that he has been able to get out to a few of us, he said, ‘They tried to assassinate me and they are still trying to assassinate me.’
“Gustavo feigned death after having been shot twice. The death squads who were sent, we are certain, by the Honduran government thought that he was dead. Berta died in Gustavo’s arms. He was then immediately picked up for questioning. He is now in his fifth day of questioning. It reads like the worst horror movie you could ever imagine. …

“We are calling for his safe passage out of Honduras and into Mexico. We are also calling for an independent investigation of the assassination of Berta Cáceres because so far it’s been grossly manipulated by the Honduran government, which is seeking to target and blame other members of Berta’s group who are being held without lawyers being present.”

Bell also stressed that this was “not just a horrible human rights crisis,” but ultimately a struggle between indigenous people and colluding government and corporate interests. Atop their website, Other Worlds, they note that Cáceres “was a leader of indigenous peoples defending their land, rivers, and rights. She was part of the ongoing struggle to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam by the internationally-financed Honduran company, DESA, on the Gualcarque River.”