Stop the violence against Indigenous People; Recognise and Protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples Every year, since 1995, August 09 is observed as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples where every person is “encouraged to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples.” [1] 23 years on, and states still need…
The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) held on August 7th a press conference to denounce judicial irregularities in the investigation process that is accusing eight people over Berta Cáceres femicide. The General Coordinator of COPINH, defender of peoples and territories, was murdered on March 2nd, 2016 in La Esperanza. She had been fighting against the…
At 9.30 am today, August 8, the Argentinian Senate started debating a bill to legalize abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. This moment arrives after years of struggle by the National Campaign for Safe, Free and Legal Abortion that raised the debate in National Women Meetings, in public spheres, educational centers and the media. Before this vote, seven…
Today marks the 8th day of hunger strike in demand of Lula´s freedom and the restoration of democracy in Brazil. The activists on hunger strike requested a hearing with the ministers of the Federal Supreme Court. The hunger is part of the mobilizations plan, including a national march that will start on August 10th. The hunger strike is being carried…
The negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), involving 16 Asia-Pacific countries, are failing international standards of transparency and public participation, according to a study titled “RCEP: A secret deal” conducted by several international organizations. “It is quite shocking how representatives of the governments are able to hide behind secrecy, saying that it is necessary for effective negotiations” said…
In an interview with Real World Radio, Mauro Vay, founder and General Coordinator of the Peasant Development Committee (CODECA) said that the kidnapping, torture and murder of Juana Raymundo “is a sign of what we´ve been denouncing for quite some time: we are under a criminal government”. “The Ministry of Government plans extrajudicial killings against all human rights defenders, because…
It´s been a year since Santiago Maldonado disappeared and was subsequently found dead. Maldonado was an Argentinian young man who worked in solidarity with the Mapuche people, struggling to recover their ancestral lands that were acquired by business magnate Luciano Benetton. On August 1st, 2017, Maldonado disappeared after the Argentinian security forces violently repressed demonstrators at the Pu Lof community…
Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi, who was detained by the Israeli regime in December in the context of her struggle for the freedom of her country, was released on Sunday, together with her mother Nariman, who had also been imprisoned since then. The teenager, who was 16 years old when she was detained, became an icon of the Palestinian resistance and…
Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands launched a report where they warn that Dutch Banks ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank have to take responsibility for the disastrous environmental and social consequences of providing finance to the palm oil sector at large scale. These banks should pull out of this sector, demands the organization. "What we wanted to show is…
At the end of June, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which gathers actors from several sectors of the palm oil industry, reported that they had suspended Swiss company Nestlé´s membership for failing to follow the RSPO´s Statutes and Code of Conduct. However, Nestlé “doesn´t seem to care”, warned Friends of the Earth International. “Voluntary certification has no means…
