Dear <<First Name>>,
 Our thoughts continue to be with the people of Canterbury who are still counting the costs following the earthquake. And also with the people of Japan who have been doubly devastated by quake and tsunami. The human and environmental impact of both events will reverberate for generations.
This year we’ll continue to campaign together for environmental human rights defenders. As you will see in our first newsletter – you could be mistaken for thinking it’s open season on such individuals. Please do take action on their behalf.
Editorial
In many countries, human rights activists and environmentalists face life-threatening risks when trying to pursue change through legal channels. Extraction companies and governments often commit human rights abuses in exploiting and destroying vital natural resources and landscapes, and often contaminating the water necessary to the life of a community. Battling against impunity puts activists’ lives and families at risk.
In El Salvador, despite numerous death threats, human rights lawyer Hector Berrios is pursuing his work to obtain justice for a group of community activists opposed to a gold mining project. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has ruled since 2009 that Hector Berríos should be protected by El Salvador, but no security has been provided so far. Without appropriate protection, his life is still very much at risk.
Last week, environmentalist Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego, a lecturer at the National University in western Colombia was presumably abducted. Director of the NGO Surviviendo, she was conducting an environmental management project on water and wetlands protection for the municipality of Yumbó, in the department of Valle del Causa, when she ‘disappeared’. She was also working with the Yanacona Indigenous people and was promoting their activities on the Cauca River, which she was fighting to protect.
Human rights defenders are targeted and threatened every day. Many have died for persevering despite ultimatums, violence and intimidation. Activists like Hector Berríos and Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego are vital to preserve people’s natural resources, livelihoods and cultures and to defend communities and landmarks from destruction, crime and injustice. Every day, they face corruption and impunity. Their strength and determination in the face of so many obstacles is laudable. Environmental defenders can achieve a lot. We need to keep supporting them and we need to alert the authorities of the dangers they are facing in trying to pursue their critical activities.
Guest editorial by Adeline Guerra.
Campaign Updates
Nigeria
We continue to campaign for the release of information held by oil companies on the massive impacts of oil pollution on the people living in the Niger Delta. A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on pollution in the delta is due for release soon and is expected to parallel AI's own 2010 report.
In 2011 we continue to campaign actively for justice for the victims of this man-made environmental disaster.
Take Action: download a letter to the Nigerian Minister of the Environment, asking him to make information on the environmental impacts of oil production and oil pollution available to the public. Release of this information will assist the people of the Niger Delta to take action on their own behalf.
There are still postcards available for sending to the Nigerian authorities. If you need larger quantities for events please contact the AIANZ office. Please keep sending the postcards to help maintain pressure.
India
Following on from the Indian government's rejection of the planned expansion of the Vedanta bauxite mine in Orissa, we have now heard that a planned massive steel plant in the same state threatens the livelihoods and traditions of the farming communities living near the site. We are calling for the Indian authorities to ensure the affected communities have a voice in the decision-making process. About 2,000 Indian farmers could lose their livelihoods in the next month if a proposed US$12 billion steel plant operation involving South Korean steel giant POSCO goes ahead. Read more here.
Take Action
 Colombian environmentalist "disappeared"
In February Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego (pictured right), a lecturer at a university in Cali, Colombia 'disappeared' while on her way to give a lecture - presumably abducted for her work on water rights and environmental protection.
Please send urgent appeals on her behalf as soon as possible. Further information can be found here.
Community lawyer threatened in El Salvador
In El Salvador Hector Berrios, a lawyer has received death threats for trying to obtain justice for a group of community activists opposed to a gold mining project by one of the world largest gold mining companies.
Please send urgent appeals on his behalf as soon as possible. Full information can be found at this link.
Mine activists beaten and threatened
On 28 February, protesters against the Marlin Mine in south-western Guatemala were attacked. One protester, Aniceto López, was taken to the office of the local mayor, where he was allegedly beaten and threatened with death for speaking out against the mine.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) had previously ordered mining activities to be suspended until the effects of the mine on local indigenous communities are properly assessed.
Please send urgent appeals to the Guatemalan government as soon as possible. More Information can be found here.
Other News
EcoDay, West Auckland
We ran a very productive stall at the Eco Day festival organised by the EcoTrust in New Lynn on Sunday, March 6. Lots of appeal letters were sent on behalf of environmentalist Sandra Cuellar Gallego, who ‘disappeared’ last month in Cali, Colombia. Another large batch of postcards were sent to Nigeria protesting the impact of massive oil pollution on communities in the Niger Delta. Thanks to everyone who helped out on the stall.
We are hoping to repeat this successful action again at the EcoFest at Auckland University in May. If you have an interest in supporting this event please email eden@amnesty.org.nz
The Business and Economic Responsibility Network (BERN)
We recently held a very useful teleconference with an Amnesty network which at first glance may not seem to have many environmental connections.
This was the Business and Economic Responsibility Network (BERN) which has strong support in some of AI's European sections. However it was BERN's work on corporate responsibility which laid the foundations for the Niger Delta campaign. All too often we find that large corporations are complicit in human rights violations, but still deny responsibility for the impact of their operations on local communities and habitats. We hope to work closely with BERN on future campaigns.
Want to do more?
We are very interested to hear from you if you would like to take a more active role in EDeN. We would like to expand the co-group to include two or three more people who bring new skills, energy and enthusiasm to our team. We meet every six weeks at the Amnesty office to plan actions, discuss strategy and coordinate the network. Some areas we are interested in developing are: membership support, utilising social networking sites, event coordination, newsletter editing, policy and strategy. If you would like to know more please email eden@amnesty.org.nz We can skype or teleconference you in to meetings if you are out of Auckland.
Our Thanks
A very big thank you to Kit Howden for all the time and effort he has put into EDeN and his help in getting the network established. Kit will be focusing his energies on supporting the International Ranger Foundation and on local environmental projects, particularly around the volcanic cones of Auckland.
Food for thought
Links to interesting news articles and websites.
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Cambodian National park and indigenous communities at risk. It appears that the investor behind the plan to turn a large area of the Virachey National Park into a rubber plantation was behind the controversial eviction and development of Boeng Kak lake in central Phnom Penh which Amnesty raised concerns about previously. Read more here.
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A wake up call on biodiversity. A joint report released by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) finds that our natural support systems are on the verge of collapsing unless radical changes are made to preserve the world's biodiversity. Read more here.
How to get involved
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Keep writing letters and sending postcards (if you receive replies to your appeal letters, please forward copies to the AI office).
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Volunteer to attend events as an EDeN member.
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Share with us your specialised skills or knowledge in human rights and the environment.
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If you belong to other environmental networks please encourage them to take action on the featured environmental human rights defenders. You might also like to consider using AI information to write articles for inclusion in environmental publications you subscribe to or letters to the editor etc, where issues AI has commented on feature.
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More resources are available on the AIANZ website. Keep checking the site eden.amnesty.org.nz regularly for more information.
That's all for this edition.
Regards,
Nick Keenleyside.
The Environmental Defenders Network (EDeN) is co-ordinated by Nick Keenleyside in conjunction with Activism Support Manager Margaret Taylor.
You can contact us by email at info@fragileworld.org.nz or eden@amnesty.org.nz
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