197 environmental defenders have been killed in 2017 while protecting their community’s land or natural resources
Over the past year, in collaboration with , the Guardian has attempt to record the deaths of all these people, whether they be wildlife rangers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or indigenous land rights activists in Brazil. At this current rate, chances are that four environmental defenders will be killed this week somewhere on the planet.
All who died in 2017
Hernán Bedoya Colombia | Hugo Rabelo Leite Brazil | Marcelito “Tito” Paez Philippines | Victor Danyan Jr Philippines | Artemio Danyan Philippines | Pato Celardo Philippines | Samuel Angkoy Philippines | To Diamante Philippines | Bobot Lagase Philippines | Mateng Bantel Philippines | Felipe Pérez Gamboa Nicaragua | Lando Moreno Philippines | Eleuterio Moises Philippines | Mario Castaño Bravo Colombia | Rafael Nahuel Argentina | Mario Jacanamijoy Colombia | Héctor Noé Cárcamo Castellanos Honduras | Leodan Mancías Honduras | Elvia Azucena Vargas Colombia | Htay Aung Myanmar | Felipe Ramírez Mexico | José Jair Cortés Colombia | Silvino Zapata Honduras | João Ferreira dos Santos (João do Ouro) Brazil | Efigenia Vazquez Astudillo Colombia | Oscar Ferney Tenorio Colombia | Constable Mushtaq Pakistan | Jhony Cáceres González Peru | José Alfredo Rodríguez Honduras | Flávio Gabriel Pacífico dos Santos (Binho) Brazil | Ruben Arzaga Philippines | Jorge Matias da Silva Brazil | Eraldo Moreira Luz Brazil | Celedonia Zalazar Point Nicaragua | Tito José González Bendles Nicaragua | Engracio de los Reyes Philippines | Jorge Calderón Campos Peru | Orlando Burillo Mendoza Peru | Feliciano Córdova Abad Peru | Alcides Córdova López Peru | José Edil Córdova López Peru | Lomer Gerodias Philippines | Christian Mbone Nakulire Democratic Republic of the Congo | Roger "Titing" Timboco Philippines |
Edilson Pereira dos Santos Brazil | Gabriel Ramos Olivera Mexico | Manuel Ramírez Mosquera Colombia | Wayne Lotter Tanzania | Charles Paluku Syaira Democratic Republic of the Congo | Jonas Paluku Malyani Democratic Republic of the Congo | Pacifique Musubao Fikirini Democratic Republic of the Congo | Pablo Andrés Jiménez Mexico | Fernando Asprilla Colombia | Santiago Maldonado Argentina | Manoel Índio Arruda Brazil | Maria da Lurdes Fernandes Silva Brazil | Boy Cañete Philippines | Dudunyabo Machongani Célestin Democratic Republic of the Congo | Ezequiel Rangel Romano Colombia | Héctor William Mina Colombia | Leopold Gukiya Ngbekusa Democratic Republic of the Congo | Patrick Kisembo N’singa Democratic Republic of the Congo | Sudi Koko Democratic Republic of the Congo | Antopo Selemani Democratic Republic of the Congo | Lokana Tingiti Democratic Republic of the Congo | Raimundo Mota de Souza Junior Brazil | Hussen Antônio Laitone Mozambique | Carolina Arado Philippines | Rosenilton de Almeida Brazil | Sharath Madivala India | Ademir de Souza Pereira Brazil | Ande Latuan Philippines | Manoel Quintino da Silva Kaxarari Brazil | Bernardo Cuero Bravo Colombia | Valdenir Juventino Izidoro (Lobo) Brazil | Lito Casalla Philippines| Carlos Maaz Coc Guatemala | Weldson Pereira da Silva Brazil | Nelson Souza Milhomem Brazil |Weclebson Pereira Milhomem Brazil | Ozeir Rodrigues da Silva Brazil | Jane Julia de Oliveira Brazil | Regivaldo Pereira da Silva Brazil | Ronaldo Pereira de Souza Brazil | Bruno Henrique Pereira Gomes Brazil | Antonio Pereira Milhomem Brazil | Hércules Santos de Oliveira Brazil | Rodrigo Guadalupe Huet Gómez Mexico | Uday Yadav India | Niranjan Yadav India | Vimlesh Yadav India | Miguel Ángel Vázquez Torres Mexico | Agustín Vázquez Torres Mexico | Paulo Sérgio Bento Oliveira Brazil | Mario Andrés Calle Correa Colombia | Freddy Menare Venezuela | Aysin Ulvi Büyüknohutçu Turkey | Ali Ulvi Büyüknohutçu Turkey | Daniel Felipe Castro Basto Colombia | Kátia Martins Brazil | Etevaldo Soares Costa Brazil | Jorge Arbey Chantré Achipiz Colombia | Federico “Pande” Plaza Philippines | Tims Nalola Butinda Democratic Republic of the Congo | Friday Pyne Liberia | Silvino Nunes Gouveia Brazil | Aldo Aparecido Carlini Brazil | Edson Alves Antunes Brazil | Ezequias Santos de Oliveira Brazil | Fábio Rodrigues dos Santos Brazil | Francisco Chaves da Silva Brazil | Izaul Brito dos Santos Brazil | Samuel Antônio da Cunha Brazil | Sebastião Ferreira de Souza Brazil | Valmir Rangeu do Nascimento Brazil | Gerson Acosta Salazar Colombia | Raimundo Silva (Umbico) Brazil | Joël Meriko Ari Democratic Republic of the Congo | Gerome Bolimola Afokao Democratic Republic of the Congo | Bernardo Calan Ripdos Philippines | José Carlos Jiménez Crisóstomo Mexico | Luis Gustavo Hernández Cohenete Mexico | Francisco Jiménez Alejandre Mexico | Santiago Luna Crisanto Mexico | Danilo Ruiz Nadal Philippines | Lalita India | Cora Molave Lina Philippines | Arman Almonicar Philippines | Arlyn Almonicar Philippines | Pehelwan Singh India | Pedro Pandagay Philippines | Javier Oteca Pilcué Colombia | Waldomiro Costa Pereira Brazil | Jailal Rathia India | Xukuru-Kariri Damião Lima da Silva (Dão) Brazil | Benjamín Juárez José Mexico | Orestes Rodrigues de Castro Brazil | Renato Souza Benevides (Baixinho) Brazil | Dharmendra Vala India | José Caneta Gavião Brazil |
Sônia Vicente Cacau Gavião Brazil | Duba Issa Kenya | Roba Duba Kenya | Ruth Alicia Lopez Guisao Colombia | Ramon Dagaas Pesadilla Philippines | Leonila Tapdasan Pesadilla Philippines | Eder Cuetia Conda Colombia | Lung Jarm Phe Myanmar | Gilbert Bancat Philippines | Daulat Ram Lader India | Willerme Agorde Philippines | Falver Cerón Gómez Colombia | José de los Santos Sevilla Honduras | Edweno ‘Edwin’ Catog Philippines | Elivelton Castelo Nascimento Brazil | Mia Manuelita Mascariñas-Green Philippines | Luís Manuel Medina Dominican Republic | Leo Martínez Dominican Republic | Rodrick Ngulube Zambia | Orlando Eslana Philippines | Alejandro Laya-Og Philippines | Edilberto Cantillo Meza Colombia | Renato Anglao Philippines | Roberto Santos Araújo Brazil | Juan Ontiveros Ramos Mexico | Ceará Brazil | Porfirio Jaramillo Colombia | Yoryanis Isabel Bernal Varela Colombia | Camilo Frank López Nicaragua | Wencislao Pacquiao Philippines | Gustavo Alberto Suárez Osorio Colombia | Xavier Ribes Villas Spain | David Iglesias Díez Spain | Veronico “Nico” Delamante Philippines | Alexander Ceballos Philippines | Hernán Enrique Agámez Flórez Colombia | Emilsen Manyoma Colombia | Joe Javier Rodallega Colombia | Sebastián Alonso Guatemala | Alamgeer Sheikh India | Mafizul Khan India | Laura Leonor Vásquez Pineda Guatemala | Isidro Baldenegro López Mexico | Edmiro León Alzate Londoño Colombia | José Yeimer Cartagena Colombia | Aldemar Parra García Colombia | Mario Contaoi Philippines | Marciano Martínez Cruz Mexico | Rafael Hernández Cisneros Mexico | Olmedo Pito García Colombia | Datu Venie Diamante Philippines
Most dangerous places for defenders
Since the start of 2015, 145 land and environmental defenders have died in Brazil: the highest number on Earth. Many of the killings were of people trying to combat illegal logging in the Amazon. The Philippines comes second on the list, with 102 deaths in all. Honduras remains the most dangerous country to be a defender, with more killings per capita than anywhere else.
The pattern over recent years
The death toll has risen in recent years, and researchers warn the upward trend is likely to continue if governments and businesses fail to act. The most violent full year recorded so far was 2016, when 201 defenders were killed.
What’s driving this violence?
The short answer is: industry. The most deadly industries to go up against were agribusiness and mining. Poaching, hydroelectric dams and logging were also key drivers of violence, Global Witness found. Many of the killings recorded occurred in remote villages deep within mountain ranges and rainforests, with indigenous communities hardest hit.
Source:
Related to SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions and SDG 10: Reduce inequality
