Put An End To The Murder Of Environmental Defenders And Indigenous Peoples

In the midst of the onset year of the Covid-19 pandemic, numerous killings of environmental defenders are recorded in a report by the environmental and human rights watchdog Global Witness. According to its report there are 227 lethal attacks that have an average of more than four people killed defending the environment, their home, and livelihood. The data given attests that 2020 is the deadliest year for environmental defenders.

Indigenous Peoples (IP) are in the forefront in defending the environment. Invasion of land-grabbers destroys their home and the ecosystem—crucial to the biodiversity and the climate. Attributable to the strict quarantine protocols during the pandemic is the murder of IP locked down in their homes, especially those who are protesting against the actions of the government and companies.

Columbia and the Philippines—are amongst those who have the highest number of environmental defenders being murdered in safeguarding the lands for the sustenance of the ecosystem. From July 2020 to April 2021 there are over 44 documented murders of environmental defenders in Columbia. For Indigenous Peoples of Colombia, this accounts 21 of the 44 deaths recorded.

Indistinguishable from the situation in the Philippines, there are a myriad of killings of the IP. These killings are mostly linked to the defense of their ancestral land against big businesses. Accompanied by the inadequate action of the Duterte Administration to these killings, the implementation of highly militarized lockdown enabled effortless red-tagging, vilification and harassment of activists. Until now, many IP leaders are criminalized and maliciously tagged as communist rebels leading to trumped-up charges, illegal arrests and extra-judicial killings by government military forces, paramilitaries and business’ private army.

The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) condemns the murder of Indigenous Peoples and environment defenders. We denounce the growing impunity that worsens injustice. Now is the time to put an end to the murder of environment defenders and Indigenous Peoples.

Our call to launch a comprehensive and independent investigation in the killings remains crucial and urgent. We also call for the swift justice for all the victims by exacting accountability from the governments, multinational and transnational companies and their local lackeys. In addition, let us demand for international and local actors to fulfill their commitments in recognizing peoples rights, and to ensure human rights mechanisms are upheld with utmost inclusion and democratic participation.

Year after year, these killings increase as ancestral lands, the worlds natural resources and peoples’ democratic spaces shrinks. The current global structure that systematize resource extraction and fascist repression will only result to bloodshed unless a radical transformation overhauls the dominant world order.

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