Who is Killing Colombian Environmentalists?
Photo Credit: Favia Carpio via Unpslash
Setting a new record, Global Witness recently revealed that 227 environmental activists were killed last year. Since 2012, Global Witness has tracked murders of "environmental defenders" who protect land, water, and wildlife. Because attacks are underreported, Global Witness acknowledges that the number of fatalities may be higher. Looking at their latest report, for the second year in a row, Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for environmental activists. Why are Colombian advocates the most vulnerable right now?
Indigenous and Afro-Colombians are targeted.
After fifty years of violent conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerilla group and the Colombian government, both parties reached a peace agreement in 2016. In rural areas where the FARC is no longer active, other armed rebels are fighting to gain control of the land for illicit trades, such as drug trafficking and illegal mining. Those rural lands are often Indigenous or Afro-Colombian territories. Indigenous groups are only 4.4% of Colombia's population, but Global Witness's 2019 data showed that half of murdered Colombian activists were Indigenous. As Indigenous and Afro-Colombians protect their lands from illegal trades, they are threatened and killed by roving criminal enterprises. For example, Francia Marquez, who won the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for her advocacy against illegal mining, was almost murdered in 2019 when an armed group attacked a meeting of environmental activists. Her bodyguards did not survive the attack.
Cocoa, coca, and cocaine.
To reduce drug-fueled violence, part of the 2016 peace agreement included incentives for farmers to swap coca for other crops in their fields. Coca is a mild stimulant, and considered sacred by some Indigenous communities, but the plant's leaves contain psychoactive alkaloids that are used to create cocaine. In some cases, the crop substitution program is working as intended and small-scale farms have been able to grow lucrative crops like cocoa. However, NPR found that farmers live in fear of roaming militias and despite all evidence to the contrary, the military may assume they are working with drug traffickers. With aid donations, the U.S. assists the Colombian government in killing the coca crop through fumigation. This has presented unintended consequences as herbicides harm other crops, creating food insecurity. And in the ultimate "Catch 22," without the presence of as many armed narcotics groups, the land is open to illegal miners who environmental defenders also publicly oppose.
The impact of the climate crisis.
As Global Witness has reviewed data year after year, a pattern has emerged. Evidence suggests that as the climate crisis worsens, violence against environmental defenders intensifies. In Colombia, 14% of land owners claim roughly 80% of the land. This has led to longstanding conflicts over sustainable land use and inequality. As land is eroded by climate-related events, those conflicts may become more prominent. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said that Colombia is "at high risk from climate change impacts" for numerous reasons, including chronic water scarcity in the Andes. Colombia's coastline faces other water challenges, like extreme floods, which impact lives, livelihoods, and the country's economy.
Encourage leaders to discuss threats to environmental defenders at COP26: From October 31 to November 12, the UK will be hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.During the summit, parties will discuss the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Young climate activists believe that the agenda should include the safety of environmental defenders. Will officials from your country attend COP26? Follow Global Witness and ask governments to #DefendTheDefenders.