Murders of environmental leaders

An extraordinary number of enviromental activists and journalists covering the environment have been murdered in recent years. This list was compiled through searches of databases of Environmental Health News, Lexis-Nexis, Amnesty International and other non-governmental organizations along with Google and other public databases. Although incomplete, it does demonstrate a rising pattern of violence directed against environmental activists and a need for international human rights investigations.

2012

  • One 15 year old girl (May 17, 2012) -- Violence continued in the eastern province of Kratie, Cambodia as government forces tried to evict peasants from traditional land and clear the way for a Russian development.
  • Margarito Cabal (May 9, 2012) -- Clergy in the Philippines have expressed deep concern over the murders of environmental activists there.
  • Chut Vuthy (Wutty) , (1983 - April 26, 2012) -- A prominent Cambodian anti-logging activist helped expose a secretive state sell-off of national parks. Circumstances of his death are still being investigated, but he was apparently killed while trying to smuggle photos of illegal logging past Cambodian police and company security guards. Killing took place in the eastern province of Kratie, Cambodia.
  • Jimmy Liguyon, March 5, 2012, Philippines, killed by para-military forces supporting mining operations.
2011

  • Arif Rachman and Syaiful, students killed after police fired on peaceful anti-mining demonstrators, city of Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia -- Dec. 24, 2011. (video) Protests involved Arc Exploration and its Indonesian partner, Sumber Mineral Nusantara, according to The Jakarta Post.
  • Xue Jinbo, (1969 - Dec. 9, 2011) -- Trying to resolve a land dispute, Xue was arrested and beaten to death by police in Wukan, China.
  • Nísio Gomes, indiginous leader killed, three children abducted, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil -- Nov 18, 2011
  • Sister Valsa John - (1959 - Nov. 16, 2011), India -- Advocate for people's rights in the face of mining. "Sister Valsa said she did Jesus’s work by teaching the aboriginal people – known in India as adivasi or “tribals” – about their rights to their land…." acccording to an article in A Nun's Life.
  • One unknown man, part of peaceful protests over fertilizer plant, Damietta, Egypt -- Nov.13.
  • Joao Chupel Primo (1956 -Oct. 25, 2011), Brazil, "An active protestor against the deforestation occurring in Brazil’s rain forest. He was currently working on the Projeto de Assentamento Areia (Area Settlement Project) which publicly criticized the illegal logging taking place in the Riozinho de Anfrisio reserve," according to Impunity Watch. Twenty other activists have died in the Amazon since 2005, according to Bishop of Itaituba, Dom Frei Wilmar Santin.
  • Father Fausto Tentorio, (1952 - Oct. 17, 2011) Italian priest known as "Father Pops," was an anti-mining advocate working to preserve the Manobo tribe ancestral lands. According to Agence France Press, "Tentorio had dedicated his life to helping the Manabo tribesmen and other disadvantaged people in Mindanao, a resource- rich but deeply poor island" in the Philippines.
  • Lee Xiang - (1981 - Sept. 18, 2011) China, -- A journalist who had been following a scandal involving the sale of cooking oil made from leftovers taken from gutters was been stabbed to death.
  • Shehla Masood - (1973 - Aug. 16, 2011) India -- was a wildlife defender and environmental activist.
  • Thongnak Sawekchinda - (1964 - July 28, 2011) Thailand -- (update)
  • Nery Jeremias Orellana - (1985 - July 14, 2011) -- Honduras - A journalist working with social and environmental movements.
  • Marlon Lozano Yulan, ( - July 20, 2011) Guayaquil, Ecuador -- Youth leader of the Ecuadorian organisation Tierra y Vida (Land and Life)
  • Six unknown Aymara farmers who were among 1,000 occupying the Juliaca airport, Peru -- June 24
  • Obede Loyla Souza, Esperança, Brazil - June 15 -- Killed in what the Guardian newspaper called a battle for the forest but also for the idea of progress without destruction."
  • Juan Francisco Duran Ayala - El Salvador -- June 3
  • Adelino Ramos - Brazil -- May 27
  • José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva - (1959 - 2011) Brazil -- May 24
  • Maria do Espírito Santo - (1960 - 2011) Brazil -- May 24
  • Javier Torres Cruz - (1981 - 2011) A member of Environmental Organization of the Coyuca and Petatlán Mountains, Torres Cruz fought illegal logging in Mexico -- April 18
  • One unknown man, killed when police fired on anti-nuclear demonstrators, Mumbai, India -- April 18
  • Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego, Colombia, disappeared Feb. 17
  • Gerry Ortega - (1963 - 2011) Philippines -- Jan. 24

2010

  • Ketheeswaran Thevarajah - (Dec 31, 2010) -- Sri Lanka, investigating illegal sand mining for construction materials
  • Samuel Rodríguez Reyes - (Jan. 2, 2010) -- Reyes was a ranger at the Cerro San Gil National Park. He was assassinated in Santo Tomás de Castilla which is located on Lake Izabal. Guatemala.
  • Ardiansyah Matra'is - Indonesia
  • Muhammad Syaifullah - Indonesia
  • Amit Jethwa - (1975 - 2010) environmentalist trying to protect the Gir Forest area near Junagadh, Gujarat, India -- July 20

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

1998

1995

  • Ken Saro-Wiwa - (1941 - 1995), Executed following a mock trial by the military junta of Nigeria, along with eight co-defendants -- Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine.
  • Blanca Jeanette Kawas Fernández - Feb. 6, 1995, Honduras One of a string of seven murders of environmental activists in the Olancho region. In 2009, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights found the government of Honduras had facilitated the murders.
  • Karel Van Noppen, veterinarian, murdered after exposing mafia connections to the meat industry, March 1995, Belgium

1994

  • Suonandajie - Jan. 18, 1994, China -- A provincial official, Suonandajie and four of his team members were attacked and killed after arresting 20 poachers.

1993

1991

1991

1980s

Other major incidents or general statements about environmental murders, by country:

Brazil - More than 1,500 rural activists have been killed in conflicts over land and logging in Brazil between 1990 and 2010, the Guardian newspaper reported. The New York Times said that "over 1,000 environmental activists, religious workers, organizers and rural workers" have been killed in the past 20 years, but successful prosecutiouns are virtually nonexistent.

Bolivia -- Black October massacre -- left 67 people dead and more than 400 injured during protests in El Alto, near La Paz, in late 2003. The clashes included soldiers opening fire on unarmed crowds during demonstrations sparked by opposition to a proposed pipeline to export natural gas through neighbouring Chile.

Honduras - Nine environmentalists murdered 1997 - 2007

Mexico --Five environmentalists murdered in Mexico, 2009

Peru -- At least 191 people have been killed in clashes with police in Peru, 2006 - 2011. Most of these involved opposition to mining and other environmental issues.

Philippines -- Thirty seven environmental activists have been killed from 2001 to 2011, according to environmental group Kalikasan-PNE. Most were involved in campaigns against large-scale mining projects. Suspected perpetrators of these killings are police, military, and private security forces of private corporations.

Philippines -- Four environmental activists have been murdered on Palawan island since 2001.

Philippines -- List of Environmental Workers and Activists killed, missing and assassinated from January 2001 to September 2010 Chronological Order 1. Nicanor Delos Santos 2. Manuela Albarillo 3. Expedito Albarillo 4. Roger Fernando 5. Erwin Bacarra 6. Ramon Ternida 7. Fr. Allan Caparro 8. Joel Pelayo 9. Rodel Abraham 10. Romy Sanchez 11. Rev. Raul Domingo 12. Napoleon Pornasdoro 13. Joey Estriber 14. Jose Doton 15. Noli Capulong 16. Marcus Bangit 17. Rogelio Lagaro 18. Eladio Dasi-an 19. Rei Mon Guran 20. Orlando Rivera 21. Victor Olayvar 22. Atty. Gil Gujol 23. Nilo Arado 24. Audy Anchangco 25. Arman Marin 26. Fernando Sarmiento 27. Eliezer ‘Boy' Billanes 28. Samson Rivera 29. Ricardo Ganad 30. Gensun Agustin

Thailand --Twenty environmentalists killed in Thailand over 10 years

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International law resources:

  • Human rights and the environment -- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - 2001 background papers
  • Aarhaus convention -- 2002 -- Ensures public rights in three areas: access to information, public participation and access to justice.
  • UN Declaration of the rights of indiginous peoples -- 2007 -- PDF
  • Cartagena Declearation, International Conference of Envrionmental Rights and Human Rights, Cartagena, Columbia, 16-18 Sept., Colombia.

Non-Governmental Organizations