The Interdisciplinary Environmental Association (IEA) is committed to the study, understanding, protection, preservation, and sustainable use of ecosystems across the globe. We value the transdisciplinary approach of working with scholars from diverse fields, policy-makers, stakeholders, advocates, and leaders in environmental decision-making. We believe conflict resolution must be guided by the ethical application of science, traditional knowledge, policies and laws, transparent dialogue, and consideration of healthy ecosystems as a commons that benefit society at large. We believe respectful discussions and negotiations, where all sides are heard, are how agreements and decisions should be made and that those agreements must be honored. We believe violence, terrorism, coercion, and force should not be used in environmental decision-making process.
The IEA unequivocally denounces the rash of murders, intimidation, and displacements inflicted upon environmental protectors. Indigenous people protecting ecosystems within their territory have suffered most by this violence, often by outside forces attempting to profit from the non-sustainable exploitation of resources. These assassinations of environmental protectors and community leaders are intended to seed fear for cultural and land appropriation of Indigenous groups and for the political and financial agendas of corrupt governments or private companies. The IEA calls for the immediate halt of violence against environmental protectors and demands that governments must hold responsible individuals, groups, and corporations responsible for the perpetration of these crimes. Reparations must be made to victims and their families and proper punishments must be meted to offenders. No reparation can replace the murdered, but it can assist survivors and dissuade future violence. As individuals we can help halt the violence by contacting government officials and by carefully considering the corporations that we support financially.
We welcome people to memorialize environmental protectors who dedicated their life, and ultimately gave their life, for the land, water, air, plant, and animal relatives of the Earth. Please add the following information to the forum.
________Name _________Country _______ Date of death ______ Brief message and Photo or Video Content.
The next International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment will be held in Mexico City in June 2021, if the pandemic allows. We welcome all scholarly presentations at IICE, but will have a special session and panel related to the intimidation and murder of environmental protectors. If you would like more information, or would like to serve on the panel, please contact Dr. Cronin at MexicoCityIICE@gmail.com. Please join IEA in creating a world with environmental justice for all. The Interdisciplinary Environmental Association stands in solidarity with environmental protectors.
Name: Joël Imbangola Lunea, Country: Democratic Republic of Congo, Killed: July 21, 2019
Joël Imbangola Lunea served as a driver of a boat to transport people and goods from palm oil plantations to the city of Mbandaka. He was a community activist who “played a particularly important role in ensuring communications between the local communities.” Joël was killed by a security guard at a palm oil plantation in Bempumba, Eqauteur, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Source: SynchronicityEarth.org: Human rights advocate killed in DRC palm oil conflict
Link to picture: https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/photos/article/wide/xl/joel-imbangola-riao-rdc.jpg
Carlos Aldario Arenas Salinas. Tolima Colombia. Killed on September 11, 2019
Carlos was a farmer and active ecotourist for the Santa Isabel Wetland and Condor Route, a project that helped facilitate the viewing of endangered species and subjected visitors of the Nevedos National Natural Park to the customs and cultures of the rural coffee town. He was a defender of water and protected the condors. In events still not certain, Arenas Salinas was shot and murdered in northern Tolima.
According to a Global Witness report, in 2018 twenty four environmental defenders were killed in Colombia.
Source: https://hrdmemorial.org/hrdrecord/carlos-aldario-arenas-salinas/
Mariano Abarca Roblero, Chicomuselo Mexico. Killed 2009
Roblero organized protests against a Canadian mining company in his home town of Chicomuselo. Prior to his murder, his family was intimidated on multiple occasions. His wife was held at gunpoint and his family claims his son was beaten before Roblero was ultimately shot and killed.
Source: https://hrdmemorial.org/hrdrecord/mariano-abarca-roblero/
Name: Renato Anglao, Country: Bukidnon, Phillippines, Killed: February 3, 2017
The illegal land grabbing of indigenous land is what Renato Anglao stood against, whom was murdered after protesting this very issue in the indigenous land known as Bukidnon.
Source: Global Witness: Defending the Philippines
Image source: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/assassination-indigenous-rights-defender-renato-anglao
Name: Gloria Capitan, Country: Philippines, Killed: July 1, 2016
Gloria Capitan was killed defending her land from coal-storage facility and corporation-owned plant construction "polluting her community in Bataan."
Source: Global Witness: Defending the Philippines
Image source: https://www.lifegate.com/gloria-capitan-philippines
Paulo Paulino Guajarara. Brazil. Killed November 1,2019
Paulo Paulino Guajajara was killed November 1, 2019 attempting to protect the Guajajara indigenous group’s territory from invasive illegal logging. As the article states, “his murder underscores the reality of the fight facing Indigenous People and traditional communities in Brazil.”
Source : Greenpeace The Life and Death of the Guajajara
Datu Kaylo Bontolan, Southern Mindanao, Philippines,
Datu Kaylo Bontolan, a known Manobo leader, was murdered in the Philippines while opposing illegal mining. He was one of several indigenous leaders killed in 2019 simply “asserting [his peoples’] right to self-determination and protecting their ancestral lands from those looking to exploit their natural resources.” Source: Global Witness: Global Witness Records the Highest Number of Land and Environmental Activists Murdered in One Year--with the Link to Accelerating Climate Change of Increasing Concern
Raúl Hernández, Ocampo in Michoacán state, Mexico, Date of Death: Unknown
Raúl Hernández disappeared on January 27, and was last seen leaving the El Campanario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary where he worked as a tour guide. The sanctuary was opened in the winter as part of a strategy to stop illegal logging in the area. Source: Global Witness: Second Mexican Defender of Monarch Butterflies Found Dead)
Isaac Medardo Herrera March 2020, Cuernavaca Mexico
Herrera was a lawyer and activist opposing housing developments on Los Venados, an environmentally sensitive area. He was shot and killed in his home.
Source: AP News Third Environmental Activist Killed This Year in Mexico
Adan Vez, Veracruz Mexico, April 8,2020.
“was a recognized environmental activist whose voice and leadership had played a notable role in several environment defense causes in Actopan,”
Source: AP News Third Environmental Activists Killed This Year In Mexico.
Neri and Domingo Esteban Pedro. Guatemala. December 2018. The brothers bodies were found at the construction site of a proposed hydrological plant. Prior to their death the brothers were protesting the hydrological project within their community and were members of a resistance movement. More info at hrdmemorial.org
Luis Arturo Marroquin was shot and killed outside a bookstore in Guatemala in May 2018. He was a leader and active land defender for the Committee on Farming Development where he protected and promoted land rights and rural development for indigenous families through social participation (Mongabay: Latin America saw most murdered environmental defenders in 2018). Image from hrdmemorial.org
Indigenous Tarahumara defender Otilia Martínez Cruz and her son, Gregorio Chaparro Cruz, who were shot dead on 1 May 2019 – a year after another family member, Julián Carrillo, was killed over trying to stop illegal deforestation on their ancestral land in Mexico( The Guardian: Mexico's deadly toll of environment and land defenders catalogued in report)
Isidro Baldenegro López, winner of the Goldman environmental prize, was shot dead in 2017. (The Guardian: Mexico's deadly toll of environment and land defenders catalogued in report).