Deadly Shade of Green - Intercontinental Cry
▻https://intercontinentalcry.org/deadly-shade-green
Latin America is, by far, the most dangerous region in the world for environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs). The murder of campaigner Berta Cáceres in March reverberated worldwide, but a new report by ARTICLE 19, CIEL, and Vermont Law School, A Deadly Shade of Green, reveals this to be only the tip of the iceberg, documenting an atmosphere of violence and physical threats, as well as surveillance, spurious charges, and arbitrary detention, across the region.
Key findings include:
Human rights violations (from murder and physical attacks to arbitrary detention and surveillance) often linked to business interests of extractive industries and the State;
Mining and construction projects implemented at the cost of local communities and the environment. Absence of transparency and a lack concern for the environment are major issues;
Honduras is the most dangerous country for EHRDs. Proposed new laws to restrict protest and civil society activity are a worrying trend;
Vested interests and weak rule of law increase vulnerability. Attacks on women environmental defenders doubled between 2012 and 2014.
“Those with vested interests in the exploitation of land in Latin America employ an armoury of threats to silence dissenting voices, who speak out against business and state interests,” stated Thomas Hughes, Executive Director at ARTICLE 19. “Those who violate the rights of EHRDs often do so with impunity, with state apathy or even complicity, creating a climate of fear and self-censorship. The situation is dire: urgent action is needed to protect defenders, and the environment they fight to protect,” Hughes added.