‘More than 160 land defenders were murdered in 2018’

AT LE AST 164 la nd a nd env ironmental activ ists were murdered last yea r for defend i ng t hei r homes, la nds a nd natura l resources f rom ex ploitat ion by mining, food a nd logging f irms, Global Witness said on Tuesday.

The cha r it y watchdog’s a nnua l land defenders report found “countless” more people were si lenced through v iolence, intimidation and the use and misuse of anti-protest laws across t he world.

By far the most dangerous place for activists and indigenous communities was the Philippines, which saw 30 murders last year, the report said.

Colombia and India saw 24 and 23 deat hs l i n ked to env i ron menta l activ ism last year, while Guatemala was t he dead l iest nat ion for la nd defenders per head of population, wit h 16 confirmed k illings.

“T h i s i s a phenomenon s e en around the world – land and env ironmental defenders, a signif icant number of whom a re indigenous peoples, a re decla red ter ror i st s, t hugs or cr i mina ls for defend i ng t heir rights,” said Vick y Tauli-Corpu z, UN Specia l Rappor teu r for Indigenous Peoples.

“This violence is a human rights crisis but it is also a threat to everyone who depends on a stable climate.”

The biggest single massacre documented by t he g roup l a st yea r occur red i n t he sout her n India n state of Tamil Nadu, with 13 people murdered after protesting t he env iron ment a l i mpact of a c opper mine.

At le a s t eig ht la nd defender s involved in disputes with representatives of the soy industr y were killed last yea r i n t he Bra z i l ia n state of Para a lone, t he report said.

In the Philippines, which overtook Brazil as the deadliest place for land defenders, one incident saw a group of gunmen shoot dead nine sugarcane farmers including a number of woman and children on the island of Negros.

The law yer representing families of t he v ic t i ms wa s s hot de ad days later, Global Witness said.

A week ahead of a landmark UN report expected to emphasise the vital role indigenous peoples play in protecting nature, the charity also highlighted what it said was a “worrying global trend” in the intimidation and jailing of defenders.

It said investors including development banks were fuelling the violence by financing abusive projects and sectors, and named a number of well-known companies accused of facilitating rights violations.