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According to the British NGO Global Witness, 207 people were killed in 2017 when they opposed a project harmful to the environment. This is the deadliest year.
In 2017, 207 people were killed for defending the environment, according to the British NGO Global Witness for whom this year is the deadliest.
2002, this British NGO that campaigns against conflicts and corruption related to natural resources, lists the number of murders related to natural resources. The latter has been constantly increasing for five years. In 2016, Global Witness counted 200. In 2015, 185.
The victims are both activists opposed to deforestation, mining or agribusiness projects for environmental reasons, that locals seeking to defend their land or community. All have in common that they are victims of environmentally damaging projects
120 deaths in Brazil, the Philippines and Colombia alone
The NGO has documented killings in 22 countries. 60% of them took place in a Latin American country, where many activists oppose mining or forestry projects. It is in Brazil that the number of victims is the largest: 57 in this year alone, while mining and deforestation are increasing day by day.
The Amazon, a shared space, separate policies
Second on the blacklist, the Philippines, with 48 murders, including eight villagers mbadacred in December 2017 by soldiers because they opposed the extension of a coffee plantation on their land.
In Africa, Global Witness recorded 19 deaths among environmental defenders, a large majority in the Democratic Republic of Congo (13). On the African continent, it is mainly individuals defending protected species that are on the list. Twelve National Park guards were killed, often by poachers. The NGO suspects a larger number of victims, because the network of information it has in Africa is less important.
Ivory traffic persists in Central Africa
Agribusiness and mining involved [19659006] Agri-business is for the first time since Global Witness publishes its annual report, the deadliest industry among conservationists, with 46 murders. Mining is responsible for 40 killings.
In addition to these murders committed by both paramilitary and government forces, there are other acts of violence that the NGO has not accounted for. Threats, expropriations, disappearances and even badual badaults are also commonplace. In its report, Global Witness gives the example of 22 Gamela Indians in Brazil, attacked in April 2017 by farmers claiming their land. Several of them lost their hands during the attack.
Global Witness calls on governments and businesses to take action. " Local activists are murdered while governments and corporations focus on profits ," said Ben Leather, of Global Witness.
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Claire Thoizet
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