THE HONDURAN Bishops' Conference has -reneged on a decision to raise complaints with their Government about harassment of clergy and nuns working among Salvadorean refugees. according to Archbishop Hector Santos of Tegucigalpa.
He said it would be up to local Church leaders to raise the issue. . Observers said the change may be related to worsening conditions along the border after skirmishes between Honduran and Nicaraguan troops took place at the end of April.
There have also been reports of plots to overthrow the Honduran President, General' Policarpo Paz Garcia by sectors of the military who are opposed to his plans for a return to civilian rule, Archbishop Santos said the Honduran Bishops' Conference is leaving any action regarding harassment to Bishop Oscar Rodriguez, apostolic administrator of Santa Rosa de Copan. where most of the harassment has been reported.
The archbishop said there were other important issues to be attended to. but that a national campaign for relief funds for the 30,000 Salvadoreans in Honduras would go ahead as planned.
He added that the diocese of Olancho would shortly have a new bishop. The see has been vacant since 1975 when Bishop Nicolas D'Antonio left after violence by soldiers and landowners against organised peasants.
Since the Sandinista Government came to power in Nicaragua relations between Nicaragua and Honduras have been uneasy. Many soliders who were loyal to the overthrown government of Anstasio Somoza fled to Honduras. Both governments are attempting to negotiate a peace settlement.