Social activists at risk - Real World Radio

Features / Social activists at risk

In this section Real World Radio aims to expose the murders of social activists and the cases of death threats against leaders. We will report on the wave of criminalization of the social protest. This new section of Real World Radio is also a memorial page for all those who were murdered in their struggle for a socially just world.

This special section is funded in part by the European Commission.

27 June 2013 | Community Radios | Social activists at risk

Bad Memory

Colombia: Government Speaks about Peace, Kills 4 Activists in Catatumbo

Last Tuesday, at least two people died in Catatumbo, Colombia, because of the bursts of gunfire by the Colombian army against a big rural demonstration that was blocking a crossroads called “Ye de Ocaña”, says the news agency Agencia de Prensa Rural. Read more
19 June 2013 | Interviews | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk | 6th International Conference of La Via Campesina

Solidarity, Unity and Internationalism

Interview with Deo Carrizo of MNCI: “We are exposing our bodies in the territories”

Deolinda Carrizo is a member of the Peasant Movement of Santiago del Estero (MOCASE), Argentina. Despite her young age (she is now 30), she has been a longtime activist in the struggle for access to land for peasants, against agribusiness and social injustice. Read more
14 June 2013 | Chronicles | Criminalization of COPINH | Free Honduras | Social activists at risk

Freedom!

Honduran Army Defeated in Accusation Against Activist Berta Caceres: Social Movements Celebrate Victory Against Authoritarian Regime

Truth won over the military and political persecution of Berta Caceres, leader of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), who had the accusations against her overturned, although the trial is not finished yet. Read more
13 June 2013 | Interviews | Criminalization of COPINH | Social activists at risk

Legal-Military Trial

Interview with Juan Almendares (Friends of the Earth Honduras): Berta Cáceres is a military target

“There is a policy to occupy and evict land. Berta Caceres is defending the lands that have been occupied by transnational corporations with the aid of the Honduran army”, said Juan Almendares of Friends of the Earth Honduras. Read more
12 June 2013 | Interviews | Criminalization of COPINH | Social activists at risk

She’s Not Alone

La Via Campesina and human rights defenders express solidarity with Honduran activist Berta Caceres

24 hours after the trial against Berta Caceres, leader of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), tens of organizations and nearly a thousand people have sent a petition to the Honduran authorities to demand the case be overturned Read more
11 June 2013 | Interviews | Social activists at risk | 6th International Conference of La Via Campesina

Egidio Brunetto, builder of dreams

Paul Nicholson discusses challenges at internal opening ceremony of the 6th Conference of La Via Campesina

After the public opening ceremony of the 6th International Conference of La Via Campesina, the work panels that started on Monday will focus on the international context, the global crisis of capitalism, the resistance struggles, especially peasant struggles and the victories over capitalism on agriculture, among other issues. Read more
11 June 2013 | News | Criminalization of COPINH | Social activists at risk

Solidarity to stop criminalization of COPINH

E-action for the definitive release of Berta Caceres and against criminalization

“It is urgent that the international community expresses itself in favor of the respect of indigenous people’s right to land, their human rights and the physical integrity of the Rio Blanco communities”, said the Lenca feminist activist and leader of COPINH, Berta Caceres. Read more
4 June 2013 | Interviews | Social activists at risk

The response of TNCs

Vale continues persecuting and criminalizing Mozambican social activists

In mid April, 2013, artisanal brickmakers of Moatize, Mozambique, affected by the largest open-pit coal mine of multinational company Vale were violently repressed during a demonstration. As a response to this situation, the company promised to meet with the brickmakers (called “oleiros” in that country) to negotiate their demands. The claims by the workers and communities include: payment of compensations by the loss of their jobs caused by the installation of the mine, the delivery of housing –in good condition- to families displaced by the mining project and the distribution of lands of enough quality and quantity, since the families were granted less lands than promised, and of bad quality on top of all. Read more
29 May 2013 | Testimonies | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

Deepening of the crisis

Honduras: deepening of the agrarian crisis in Bajo Aguan

The Honduran peasant movement denounced that three farms will be evicted after an arbitrary order by the Honduran Court of Justice in favor of landowners. Read more
27 May 2013 | Interviews | Criminalization of COPINH | Social activists at risk

Illegitimate Operations

Arbitrary arrest and charges brought against Bertha Caceres, leader of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras – COPINH

On Friday 24, on the 53rd day of the roadblock in Rio Branco carried out by the Lenca indigenous communities in rejection to the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project, two members of COPINH were arrested: Bertha Caceres and indigenous journalist Tomas Gomez, in a context of repression against popular organizations in that Central American country since the coup d’ etat of 2009. Read more