113 environmental defenders have been killed so far in 2017 while protecting their community’s land or natural resources

By Dilip -
At this current rate, chances are that four environmental defenders will be killed this week somewhere on the planet.

Some of the latest to have died:

Killed on 16 July 2017 in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Dudunyabo Machongani Célestin, a ranger killed in line of duty in Virunga National Park
Killed on 13 July 2017 in Brazil
Raimundo Mota de Souza Jr, leader of the Movement for Poor Farmers of Bahia, killed by 4 gunmen
Killed on 7 July 2017 in India
Sharath Madivala, an activist against sand mining, stabbed by as-yet unidentified assailants
Killed on 6 July 2017 in Brazil
Ademir de Souza Pereira, a local leader of League of Poor Peasants, killed at a car wash
Killed on 27 May 2017 in Guatemala
Carlos Maaz Coc, a fisherman who protested against lake pollution linked to mining

All who have died so far in 2017
What’s driving this violence?

The short answer is: industry. The most deadly industry to go up against was mining, with 33 deaths last year relating to anti-mining activities. Agribusiness, 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.

read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2017/jul/13/the-defenders-tracker

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