BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Sep 26 (IPS) – In 2017, South African activist Nonhle Mbuthuma took a stand against powerful oil giant Shell and halted their plans to explore the pristine Wild Coast.
Despite death threats, she refused to give in. As a co-founder of the Amadiba Crisis Committee and winner of the 2024 Goldman Prize, Mbuthuma continues to fight for the rights of her community and the environment. Her courage reflects the myriad risks faced by land and environmental defenders around the world.
The stakes are high. According to a recent report According to Global Witness, 196 land and environmental defenders were murdered in 2023 alone, with Colombia suffering the highest death toll. Indigenous communities in Brazil, Mexico and Honduras have been disproportionately targeted as they take on powerful corporations that put profits ahead of people and the planet.
Many environmental defenders have taken on powerful corporations, with 2,106 defenders killed worldwide since 2012.
Africa is also a dangerous battleground for environmental activists. Between 2012 and 2023, 116 killings were recorded. Many of these deaths were of park rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with others occurring in Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Chad, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Liberia and South Africa.
However, these alarming numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Many deaths go unreported, causing injustice to a large number of environmental activists. Yet, despite these overwhelming threats, Mbuthuma is undeterred and has risked her life to protect the land and the environment from exploitation.
Mbuthuma continues to expose the devastating impact of extractive industries, including deforestation and land grabbing. She has called attention to the violence and intimidation faced by indigenous communities and activists defending their lands.
“The brutality of these attacks reveals something profound: the power that ordinary people wield when they unite for justice,” Mbuthuma noted in a foreword to Global Witness report.
At the heart of these killings is a clash between development and sustainability. Activists like Mbuthuma are not against development, but rather advocate for a model that respects both the environment and the rights of local communities to their natural resources. Unfortunately, their calls for responsible development are often seen as a roadblock by investors and developers, leading to more land grabs, resource extraction projects, and violent repercussions for those who stand in their way.
Africa’s immense natural wealth makes it a prime target for multinational corporations and foreign governments. The continent holds 30 percent of the world’s mineral reserves, 8 percent of its natural gas and 12 percent of its oil, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment Programme). The country also has 40 percent of the world’s gold, up to 90 percent of its chromium and platinum, and large reserves of cobalt, diamonds and uranium. With more than 60 percent of the world’s arable land in Africa, it’s no surprise that the race to exploit these resources has led to severe environmental destruction, displacement of local communities and escalating violence.
A shocking aspect of this violence is the pervasive impunity. Perpetrators are rarely prosecuted and in many cases the identities of those responsible remain unknown.
“It’s rare that we find out who kills a defender,” Laura Furones, lead author and senior advisor for the Land and Environmental Defenders Campaign at Global Witness, told IPS. “If there’s one thing these cases have in common, it’s that they’re shrouded in impunity. Cases often go unsolved, and families are left to live with the knowledge that the perpetrator will face no consequences. Even in the few cases where justice is achieved, it’s usually the hitmen who end up in jail, while those who ordered and financed the killing walk free.”
Furones also notes that many of these killings go unreported, especially in regions like Africa where obtaining information is a challenge.
“There are many good organisations working hard to improve reporting, but they often operate in difficult circumstances. Public space is limited, access to information is restricted, and those who seek to expose attacks on defenders are themselves at risk.”
The mining sector is particularly notorious for its role in this violence. In 2023, the mining sector was linked to the highest number of defender killings globally, according to Global Witness.
“Our data shows that mining is by far the sector most often linked to killings of environmental activists. The horrific practices of mining interests are well documented, and as we transition to a less fossil fuel-dependent economy, the demand for critical minerals will only increase. We urgently need better practices to prevent further increases in violence,” Furones stressed.
As climate change accelerates, competition for land and resources is intensifying, particularly in Africa. The continent’s vast mineral and natural resources are in high demand for projects that have displaced local communities from their ancestral lands, exacerbating tensions and fueling further conflict.
Mbuthuma’s struggle is just one example of the broader global struggle to protect natural resources.
South Africa in particular has seen its share of tragedies. In 2016, anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi Rhadebe was murdered for opposing titanium mining in the Xolobeni region. Similarly, in the DRC, more than 50 environmental activists were killed between 2015 and 2020, many of whom were caught up in conflicts over artisanal mining and logging.
Demand for land in Africa has increased not only for agriculture, but also for “green” projects that claim to combat climate change. For example, large-scale land acquisitions for biofuel plantations and irrigation projects have displaced communities in Kenya and Ethiopia, leading to violence and unrest. In Kenya’s Lake Turkana region, sugar cane plantations and geothermal energy projects have caused conflict with pastoralist communities, while in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, irrigation projects have displaced indigenous communities.
Despite the growing risks, environmental defenders continue to raise their voices, demanding not only environmental protection but also justice.
“Our voices against environmental injustice are silenced by the killings of defenders, but that will not kill our activism,” Mbuthuma said. She called for more protection and support for environmental defenders and anti-land grabbers, particularly in Africa.
“Development has always been unjust, so it was easy to eliminate environmental defenders. But eliminating defenders does not solve the problems we face in Africa today, all in the name of development,” Mbuthuma explains. She emphasizes that local communities must have a say in decisions that affect their land and livelihoods.
Mbuthuma’s fight, along with countless other activists, highlights the urgent need for reforms in the way land, minerals and natural resources are exploited in Africa. “We are fighting for the future of Africa and for our children,” Mbuthuma said. “The fight for environmental justice is not just about protecting land and biodiversity; it is about protecting the rights and future of the people who depend on these resources.”
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service