Lecture Notes: Environmental Activists and Global Witness Report

Introduction

• Recent incidents of violence against environmental activists.
• Focus on illegal logging, oil and gas extraction, and indigenous rights.

Key Incidents

• Sandra Liliana Pena: Indigenous governor murdered in Colombia; fought against Coca crops.
• Virunga National Park: Facing threats from oil and gas extraction.
• Joanna Stuchberry: Ranger shot in Kenya.
• Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira: Murdered in Brazil's Javari Valley.

Global Witness Report: "Decade of Defiance"

• 1,733 activists killed between 2012 and 2021.
• Record 227 killed in 2020 despite the pandemic.
• 200 environmental defenders murdered in the last year.
• 214 of those killed were indigenous people.

Notable Cases

• Kawasiwaga Uikapandu and Corsa: Killed by security forces in India during a protest.
• Father Stan Swami: Jesuit priest charged under anti-terror law; died in custody.

Statistics and Trends

• Mexico: Highest number of killings in 2021 with 54 deaths.
• Indigenous people constitute over 40% of those killed.
• Rise in lethal attacks in Brazil and India.
• Drop in killings but still high in Colombia and the Philippines.
• Latin America: Site of over three-quarters of attacks.
• 78% of attacks in Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela occur in the Amazon.

Causes and Context

• Resource exploitation and infrastructure projects linked to over a quarter of lethal attacks.
• Western industrial viewpoint sees nature as something to be conquered.
• Nearly all murdered defenders are from the Global South.

Recommendations from Global Witness

• Urging governments to enforce protective laws for activists.
• Need for accountability in global company operations.
• Zero tolerance policy for attacks on land defenders.
• Mike Davis (Global Witness CEO): Stresses the role of activists in preventing ecological collapse.

Conclusion

• Emphasis on government responsibility to protect defenders.
• The future of humanity and the planet hinges on addressing these issues.