ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE
INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
OF DECEMBER 18, 2013
VICTIMS’ LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND
CASE OF THE GARIFUNA COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBERS v. HONDURAS
HAVING SEEN:
1.
The brief of February 21, 2013, and its annexes, in which the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter also “the Inter-American Commission” or “the
Commission”) submitted the case of the Triunfo de la Cruz Garífuna Community and its
members to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court”
or “the Court”), with regard to the State of Honduras (hereinafter “the State” or “Honduras”).
2.
The brief of July 8, 2013, and its annexes, received on July 18 that year, in which the
representatives of the presumed victims (hereinafter “the representatives”) presented their
pleadings, motions and evidence (hereinafter “the pleadings and motions brief”), offered five
testimonial statements, and asked for access to the Victims’ Legal Assistance Fund of the Court
“to provide funds to litigate this case.”
3.
The note of the Secretariat of the Court of July 29, 2013, indicating that the
representatives had not mentioned that they were providing evidence to prove the presumed
victims’ lack of financial resources. As established in articles 2 and 3 of the Court’s Rules for
the Operation of this Fund, the representatives were asked to provide, by August 5, 2013, at
the latest, a sworn statement by the community authorities or other appropriate evidence to
prove that the presumed victims “lack sufficient financial resources to cover the costs of the
litigation before the Court.”
4.
The communication of August 6, 2013, and its annex, in which, in response to the
Secretariat’s note, the representatives forwarded a statement by the President and Secretary
of the “Patronato Pro-Mejoramiento Comunidad Garífuna de Triunfo de la Cruz.”
5.
The note of the Secretariat of August 13, 2013, indicating that, in accordance with the
provisions of article 3 of the Rules for the Operation of the Fund, the request would be
examined and submitted to the consideration of the President of the Court for the pertinent
effects.
6.
The brief of October 1, 2013, and its annexes, in which the State of Honduras
(hereinafter “the State”) forwarded its answer to the brief submitting the case and with
observations on the pleadings and motions brief.
7.
The note of the Secretariat of the Court of December 9, 2013, in which, in application of
article 3 of the Court’s Rules for the Operation of the Victims’ Legal Assistance Fund, it
required the representatives of the presumed victims to forward, by December 12, 2013, an
estimate of the costs that would arise from the production of the evidence for which they had
requested access to the Fund.
8.
The communication of December 12, 2013, in which the representatives of the
presumed victims forwarded an estimate of the expenses that “the mobilization of five
witnesses” would entail.