The sharp increase in the number of children and youth in Honduras has unfortunately continued. In April 2010, the number of children and young people under the age of 23 who were killed on the streets of Honduras was 85, bringing the total number of killings recorded by Casa Alianza Honduras (CAH) since 1998 to 5380, as of April 2010.

Sadly, one of the victims was a Casa Alianza resident. 15-year old Marlon Noel Arliaga had lived at CAH for three years and was dearly loved by staff and peers alike. He disappeared from the vocational school he was attending and was later found shot. Initial investigations indicate that he may have been the victim of gang violence, although there is no evidence Marlon had been a member of any gang. Other children who attended the school are being found places elsewhere, and CAH is investigating the possibility of teachers holding classes on its own site.

Great efforts are being made to comfort staff and fellow residents at CAH and to reassure them regards their security. Unfortunately violence is a fact of life in Honduras. Please help us to show the Honduran authorities that we will not forget Marlon or the other 84 victims murdered in April. Please write to President Lobo to:

• Call on the authorities to undertake a thorough investigation into the murder of Marlon Noel Arliaga and the other 84 young people in April this year and bring those responsible for justice.
• Express your concern about the high level of young people killed every month in Honduras and the increasing level of violence against street children.
• Ask what measures he intends to take to combat violence against street children and to respect and protect the rights of all children in Honduras, in keeping with the state's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Please address your letters to:

Sr. Porfirio Lobo
Presidente de la Republica de Honduras
Casa Presidencial
Boulevard Juan Pablo Segundo
Palacio Jose Cecilio del Valle
Tegucigalpa, Honduras

and

Mr Ivan Romero-Martinez
Ambassador of Honduras
Embassy of Honduras
115 Gloucester Place
London W1U 6JT
Fax: 020 7486 4550
Email: hondurasuk@lineone.net

Please send appeals to your local MP and MEPs
Please send copies of your appeals to Casa Alianza UK so that we may measure the response: casalnzauk@gn.apc.org
www.casa-alianza.org.uk