Continuing Berta’s Struggle

Two years ago our hearts broke when we learned about the brutal assassination of Indigenous leader, and our friend, Berta Cáceres. On this second anniversary of her death, we ask you to take time to remember her spirit and continue her struggle.

Berta was the co-founder of our partner the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH). Through COPINH, Berta organized her Indigenous Lenca community to resist the building of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam on a sacred river in their territory as well to stop logging corporations’ destruction of their homes.

Her death, however, has not killed her movement. As her friends and allies have been saying, “Berta did not die. She multiplied.”

We hope you will join us today in remembering Berta by watching one of the recent films that have been made about her life and COPINH’s struggle:

• Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied – a film produced by Grassroots’ Board Member Sam Vinal that is available in a 10-minute or 30-minute version in both English and Spanish
• Rebeldía Inclaudicable – a film produced by COPINH documenting the diversity of their struggles and the courage of their members (available in Spanish only)

We also ask that if you live in the US, you tell your Congressional representatives to support HR1299 – the Berta Cáceres Human Right in Honduras Act – to demand that the US suspend military and police aid to Honduras until human rights violations committed by Honduran security forces cease and their perpetrators are brought to justice.

As Berta said, « Our Mother Earth – militarized, fenced-in, poisoned, a place where basic rights are systematically violated – demands that we take action. » Join us in continuing her struggles today and beyond.

Berta Cáceres, Presente!