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Violence dominates lives of street children
Street children are turning to gang violence and drugs in Honduras with an average of up to seven deaths among them every week.
Street children are turning to gang violence and drugs in Honduras with an average of up to seven deaths among them every week.
Human rights groups accuse the police of being involved in death squads and the government of incompetence.
But the government has responded saying it`s cracking down on crime in this central American nation.
You grow up quickly as a homeless child in Honduras. Vices come at an early age. Thousands of children, some as young as five, live on the streets of the nation`s cities, forced to leave home because their parents can`t afford to feed them.
Many are drawn into street gangs involved in the drugs trade and violent crime, they are particularly at risk from other gangs, but increasingly they say from the security forces too.
Many will only talk on camera if they can remain anonymous. "A number of my friends have been taken away from by the police and killed. They deny it, but we see them here every day. We know they`re working with other private groups as well." Ronny (not his real name), Street Child (Silhouette) . It is here in the fetid waters of the river that provides for the city where the last two bodies were found. They were both those of young teenage boys, probably 12 or 13 years old. They had been shot in the head.
The government says it`s investigating the matter, seriously, and that the real culprits are the gang members themselves. Hundreds of statements from gang members have been taken up by human rights groups.
They`ve tried to take cases to the courts, but so far no members of the security forces have gone on trial. Leo Valladorea, Government Human Rights Commissioner, Whoever`s responsible, the killings are still going on.
Half a dozen a week. Some kids find refuge in safe houses, but only until they are sixteen. There are no places for them after that.
Bureau Report
Human rights groups accuse the police of being involved in death squads and the government of incompetence.
But the government has responded saying it`s cracking down on crime in this central American nation.
You grow up quickly as a homeless child in Honduras. Vices come at an early age. Thousands of children, some as young as five, live on the streets of the nation`s cities, forced to leave home because their parents can`t afford to feed them.
Many are drawn into street gangs involved in the drugs trade and violent crime, they are particularly at risk from other gangs, but increasingly they say from the security forces too.
Many will only talk on camera if they can remain anonymous. "A number of my friends have been taken away from by the police and killed. They deny it, but we see them here every day. We know they`re working with other private groups as well." Ronny (not his real name), Street Child (Silhouette) . It is here in the fetid waters of the river that provides for the city where the last two bodies were found. They were both those of young teenage boys, probably 12 or 13 years old. They had been shot in the head.
The government says it`s investigating the matter, seriously, and that the real culprits are the gang members themselves. Hundreds of statements from gang members have been taken up by human rights groups.
They`ve tried to take cases to the courts, but so far no members of the security forces have gone on trial. Leo Valladorea, Government Human Rights Commissioner, Whoever`s responsible, the killings are still going on.
Half a dozen a week. Some kids find refuge in safe houses, but only until they are sixteen. There are no places for them after that.
Bureau Report