Murders of Earth's Defenders: The Deadly Trend Continues

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/04/20/murders-earths-defenders-deadly-trend-continues

by
Andrea Germanos

"How many more people will die before the world takes notice?"

That's a question posed by the organization Global Witness, whose new report, How Many More?, exposes what it calls a "hidden crisis" of murders of those who defend the earth from environmental destruction.

The "overarching theme" of the killings last year, which averaged more than two a week, involved disputes over control and use of land, but they also included incidents involving pollution, wildlife conservation, and illegal fishing. This year's report also found a spike in the deaths of those protesting hydroelectric dams.

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Global Witness emphasizes the challenges of finding the perpetrators of these crimes, though in some cases it has been able to point to paramilitary groups or private security guards. Yet, the report states, "The true authors of these crimes—a powerful nexus of corporate and state interests—are escaping unpunished."

Unless real action is taken to protect these often invisible eco-defenders, agreements at the UN climate talks (COP21) taking place in Paris later this year "will ultimately ring hollow," Global Witness declares.

It's time, the report states, for governments to take action—and for civil society to exert pressure on governments to protect these land defenders.

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The report adds: "The world is standing idle whilst people on the frontline of the struggle to protect the environment are getting killed. The time for action on these killings is now."

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Powerful cruel interests want it all now. Short read that I find pretty depressing, but very important.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/04/20/murders-earths-defenders-deadly-trend-continues