Defend environmental defenders
Ecological Solutions, Not Crimes!
Environmental Defenders, not Terrorists!
Unity Statement on the Recent Crackdown on Environmental Defenders in the Philippines
November 8, 2019
We, environmental defenders of the world, stand with our fellow activists, defenders, and development workers in the Philippines who have been arrested for trumped up charges and those who continue to face harassment, threats and human rights violations perpetrated by the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.
On October 31, 57 activists, some of whom are land-rights defenders, were illegally arrested in Bacolod City. Thirty-five (35) of the arrested remained in detention and faced trumped-up charges. During the same day, women’s rights activist Cora Agovida and urban poor rights defender Michael Bartolome were arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearms and explosives in Manila City. The two have led communities in the fight against reclamation projects in Manila City.
On November 2, human rights and environmental defender Honey Mae Suazo was reported missing in Davao del Norte. She was feared to be a victim of enforced disappearance. Suazo was active in campaigns against large-scale mining and agricultural plantations in Mindanao amid military rule in the island region.
This was followed by the arrest of community organizers and leaders Ram Bautista, Alma Moran, and Reina Nacino last November 5. These activists were ardent campaigners against coal stockpiles dumped in Tondo, Manila.
Humanitarian NGOs such as Oxfam Philippines and the Citizens' Disaster Response Center were also red-tagged by the Department of National Defense as a front of terrorist groups. Environmental groups Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment and Center for Environmental Concerns are experiencing harassment and threats of a raid from police forces for more than a month now.
This is but the latest wave of continuing attacks against environmental defenders since a July 2019 Global Witness report said the Philippines as the most dangerous country for environmental defenders.
On August 6, Brandon Lee, a paralegal volunteer and anti-megadam activist working with indigenous people in Ifugao, was shot and critically wounded in front of his house. Brandon survived the assassination attempt and is still in hospital to date.
On September 4, forest ranger Bienvinido Veguilla Jr was hacked to death by illegal loggers in the province of Palawan.
On September 23, Cris Heredia, a people’s lawyer and anti-mining activist, was ambushed along with her daughter.This was 20 days after Cris and her environmental organization successfully reinstated a local ordinance which bans large-scale mining in the province of Capiz.
On October 25, Ronaldo Corpuz, another forest ranger operating in the province of Nueva Ecija, was also shot dead.
They are not criminals. They are our among the many individuals and organizations who are at the frontline of environmental defense in the country.
These continuing vilification, criminalization, killings and impunity must stop!
We thus join hands and link arms in solidarity against all attacks directed at environment and human rights defenders. We will work together to use all human rights mechanisms to ensure our collective safety, care, and protection.
We demand the Duterte government to cease its militarization and human rights violations. The government must immediately lift the martial law declaration in Mindanao. We call on Congress to pass the Human Rights Defenders Act.
Lastly, we call for the conduct of an independent international fact finding mission. We enjoin the United Nations and the rest of the international community to heighten efforts to hold accountable the Duterte Government for the relentless atrocities on the people.
Sign the unity statement
Ecological Solutions, Not Crimes!
Environmental Defenders, not Terrorists!
Unity Statement on the Recent Crackdown on Environmental Defenders in the Philippines
November 8, 2019
We, environmental defenders of the world, stand with our fellow activists, defenders, and development workers in the Philippines who have been arrested for trumped up charges and those who continue to face harassment, threats and human rights violations perpetrated by the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.
On October 31, 57 activists, some of whom are land-rights defenders, were illegally arrested in Bacolod City. Thirty-five (35) of the arrested remained in detention and faced trumped-up charges. During the same day, women’s rights activist Cora Agovida and urban poor rights defender Michael Bartolome were arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearms and explosives in Manila City. The two have led communities in the fight against reclamation projects in Manila City.
On November 2, human rights and environmental defender Honey Mae Suazo was reported missing in Davao del Norte. She was feared to be a victim of enforced disappearance. Suazo was active in campaigns against large-scale mining and agricultural plantations in Mindanao amid military rule in the island region.
This was followed by the arrest of community organizers and leaders Ram Bautista, Alma Moran, and Reina Nacino last November 5. These activists were ardent campaigners against coal stockpiles dumped in Tondo, Manila.
Humanitarian NGOs such as Oxfam Philippines and the Citizens' Disaster Response Center were also red-tagged by the Department of National Defense as a front of terrorist groups. Environmental groups Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment and Center for Environmental Concerns are experiencing harassment and threats of a raid from police forces for more than a month now.
This is but the latest wave of continuing attacks against environmental defenders since a July 2019 Global Witness report said the Philippines as the most dangerous country for environmental defenders.
On August 6, Brandon Lee, a paralegal volunteer and anti-megadam activist working with indigenous people in Ifugao, was shot and critically wounded in front of his house. Brandon survived the assassination attempt and is still in hospital to date.
On September 4, forest ranger Bienvinido Veguilla Jr was hacked to death by illegal loggers in the province of Palawan.
On September 23, Cris Heredia, a people’s lawyer and anti-mining activist, was ambushed along with her daughter.This was 20 days after Cris and her environmental organization successfully reinstated a local ordinance which bans large-scale mining in the province of Capiz.
On October 25, Ronaldo Corpuz, another forest ranger operating in the province of Nueva Ecija, was also shot dead.
They are not criminals. They are our among the many individuals and organizations who are at the frontline of environmental defense in the country.
These continuing vilification, criminalization, killings and impunity must stop!
We thus join hands and link arms in solidarity against all attacks directed at environment and human rights defenders. We will work together to use all human rights mechanisms to ensure our collective safety, care, and protection.
We demand the Duterte government to cease its militarization and human rights violations. The government must immediately lift the martial law declaration in Mindanao. We call on Congress to pass the Human Rights Defenders Act.
Lastly, we call for the conduct of an independent international fact finding mission. We enjoin the United Nations and the rest of the international community to heighten efforts to hold accountable the Duterte Government for the relentless atrocities on the people.
Signatories
- Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, Philippines
- Center for Environmental Concerns, Philippines
- 350.org Pilipinas, Philippines
- UP Saribuhay, Philippines
- Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas, Phiippines
- AGHAM Science and Technology Advocates for the People, Philippine
- AGHAM Youth, Philippines
- Ecumenical Bishops Forum, Philippines
- Aid Watch, Australia
- Deep Sea Mining Campaign, Australia
- Malaya, United States
- Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines, United Kingdom
- Centre for Research and Advocacy, India
- Mining Justice Alliance, Canada
- MiningWatch Canada, Canada
- Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society, India
- Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia
- The Gaia Foundation, United Kingdom
- Adivasi Navjeewan Gathan Navjyoti Agua, India
- Community Resource Centre Foundation, Thailand
- NGO Federation of Nepal, Nepal
- Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights, Canada
- International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland
- Philippines Australia Solidarity Association, Australia
- The Alliance of Pastoralists from Aurunci and Ciociaria, Italy
- Center for Sustainable Community Development, Vietnam
- UBINIG, Bangladesh
- IBON International, Philippines
- Abibiman Foundation, Ghana
- Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation, Nepal
- Rural Women’s Assembly, South Africa
- PA Alga, Kyrgyzstan
- Spirit of Eureka SA, Australia
- Earth Law Center, United States
- Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc., Philippines
- Water Justice and Gender, Philippines
- Integrated Rural Development Center, Bangladesh
- Myanmar Environmental Legal Services, Myanmar
- Bukluran para sa Inang Kalikasan, Philippines
- The Salvation Army, Philippines
- Redon Films, Pakistan
- Wild Migration, Australia
- Migrante Australia of New South Wales, Australia
- Community Initiatives for Development in Pakistan, Pakistan
- Global Witness, United Kingdom
- Kesatuan Nelayan Tradisional Indonesia KNTI, Indonesia
- Lights of Eyrene, Russia
- Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, Ireland
- Partenariat Recherches-Environnement – Médias (PREM), Guinea
- Salva la Selva, Spain
- Asociación Ambiental Petón do Lobo, Spain
- Legalrico Foundation for Business and Human Rights, South Africa
- ICCA, Guatemala
- University College London, United Kingdom
- Malaya Movement, United States of America
- Forum of women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan
- Alyansa Ng Mga Novo Vizcayano Para Sa Kalikasan, Philippines
- UNIMOS, Spain
- Brod Ecological Society, Croatia
- Sheffield Institute for International Development (SIID), United Kingdom
- Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), Philippines
- Good Electronics Network, Netherlands
- AMRC Blacklisted Working Moms Network, HongKong
- Anakbayan, United States
- Global Environments Network, United Kingdom
- Save our Sperrins, Ireland
- Yes to Life, No to Mining, Colombia
- UP College of Science Student Council, Philippines
- Ateneo Environmental Science Society, Philippines
- Milieudefensie, Netherlands
- Climate KIC, Serbia
- Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Netherlands
- Saribuhay UP Manila, Philippines
- Malaya Movement Texas, United States
- Brod Ecological Society-BED, Croatia
- Sheffield Institute for International Development, United Kingdom
- Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation, Philippines
- Good Electronics Network, United Kingdom
- Save Our Sperrins, Ireland
- AMRC Blacklisted Working Moms Network, Hong Kong
- ANAKBAYAN San Diego, United States
- Yes to Life No to Mining Latin America, Colombia
- UP College of Science Student Council, Philippines
- Friends of the Earth Europe, Belgium
- Mouvement Ecologique, Netherlands
- Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece
- Ateneo Environmental Science Society, Philippines
- Milieudefensie, Netherlands
- Climate KIC, Serbia
- Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Netherlands
- Saribuhay-UPM, Philippines
- Internationalt Forum, Denmark
- Milieudefensie, Netherlands