“International Coalition Asks Ecuador's President Moreno to Protect Earth Defenders from Attacks” – 9 August, 2018

[At the] International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, an international coalition launched a campaign calling on Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno to implement three policies to protect Earth Defenders – those who dedicate their lives to protecting human rights and nature, many of whom are indigenous leaders. An open letter to President Lenin Moreno accompanied the campaign launch.

Environmental and human rights organizations Acción Ecológica, Amazon Watch, Amnesty International, the Ecumenical Human Rights Commission of Ecuador (CEDHU), and the Pachamama Foundation make up the coalition. The groups call on President Moreno to sign the Escazú Agreement, a regional treaty that strengthens environmental rights; implement a national protection policy; and create a protocol for the investigation of crimes against human rights defenders.

Since President Moreno took office, and despite some progress in direct dialogue between him and civil society and indigenous organizations, attacks have occurred against indigenous people who defend their rights, land, territory, or the environment from the negative impacts of natural resource extraction projects…Among the victims are Patricia Gualinga, Nema Grefa, Salome Aranda and Yaku Pérez, indigenous leaders targeted with stigmatization, death threats, physical attacks and even assassination attempts due to their efforts protect the Amazon or defend the rights of their communities to water, to a healthy environment, or to be consulted about natural resource extraction projects in their territories...