Honduran bishop willing to mediate talks between gangs, government

Published: 2006-03-08

GUATEMALA CITY (CNS) -- Honduran Auxiliary Bishop Romulo Emiliani Sanchez of San Pedro Sula said he is prepared to mediate pending negotiations between the Honduran government and youth gang leaders. "The gang members want me to mediate, and I'm completely willing to do that," Bishop Emiliani told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview. Bishop Emiliani said it was a "good sign" that Gen. Alvaro Romero, the Honduran security minister, proposed the dialogue with the gangs. The bishop said the new government of President Jose Manuel Zelaya, who took office in late January, has taken a "more humanistic" approach to the gang problem in Honduras than its predecessor. The previous administration of President Ricardo Maduro attempted to resolve the country's gang problem by making it a crime to belong to a gang and arresting thousands of youths for sporting gang tattoos. Bishop Emiliani said he did not think this approach was effective.

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