Environmental Activist in Brazil

Hello everyone. Tonight on Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos we will be discussing Activism in Brazil.  In 2015 alone hundreds of deaths were recorded of Environmental Activist trying to stop the spread of demolition throughout forest.  The fights against mining projects, agribusiness expansion and the construction of new hydroelectric plants were the main causes of the killings of the activist in Brazil. Activist around the globe are facing violence and death threats trying to help protect the planet, Brazil being the main place of both. The chart below shows to you the rates across the globe of activist deaths that have been charted.

Brazil	50
Philippines	33
Colombia	26
Peru	12
Nicaragua	12
DR Congo	11
Guatemala	10
Honduras	8

This chart is a copy of the one seen on www.greanpeace.org as well as Global Witness.

Brazil is facing an escalation of violence in remote areas, and murderers often face no consequences from the Brazilian Government. Almost all of the murders of environmental defenders in Brazil took place in the Amazon, where criminal activity is common. The lack of governance in the region victimizes the forest and its people. Small militias are part of the reason why so many people there are facing death. The militias get bought by highest bidders and then sent out on “missions” to get rid of activist to help speed up the spread of production in building new plants and industries. Government support is difficult to find to help protect the people do to some branches within being bribed or they to get threatened if they do not agree to help turn their eyes from what is really happening.

Kids as young as nine are among those being trained to fight and kill to get rid of enviromental activist. The youth accept to join these militias as a way of making money for their families to help get food or clean water. Most tragic of all are some of the ways they try to get the message across such as acid being bottled and then thrown at supporter as well as burning trees down with activist near also hurting the Munduruku Indigenous People. A over ​​the Sawre Maybu Indigenous Land in the heart of the Amazon – home of the Munduruku Indigenous People – and found evidence of illegal logging and mining activities.

And in Maranhão, the Ka'apor people of the Alto Turiaçú Indigenous Land live under constant threat of attack from these paid goons over their territory. To prevent the takeover of their land and forest from being destroyed , they have begun monitoring and patrolling their territory, but this has upset farmers and loggers seeking to exploit it. According to organisations that support the Ka'apor people, farmers and loggers are planning to attack villages using these small militias. Yet the government agencies responsible for the safety of Indigenous People and their territory are not taking action.

If the Brazilian government doesn't immediately enforce measures to address this growing violence – if it continues weakening the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the name of economic interests – there is no doubt that there will be more victims. Environmental defenders are putting their lives at risk to protect their lands, forests and rivers against destructive industries. We must stand in solidarity with them – no matter where we are in the world.

That's it for today's topic on Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. Hope you all enjoyed and stay tuned for next week we will be discussing the elephant program with IDA staff. And remember it is up to us to make the difference we want to see in the world.