As the number of earth protectors murdered across the world increases year on year, often with evidence of state collusion, locally a bespoke Silver Command unit has been established by the PSNI to police the Dalradian Gold Mine Encampment in the Sperrins. Is there a connection?
This discussion will hear from local and international earth protector campaigns to explore why states across the world, in spite of their pledges at COP 26, are predisposed to take the side of extractivism against community, and how we might campaign and organise to change that.
Figures released by Global Witness show that 227 people were killed in 2020 while trying to protect forests, rivers and other ecosystems that their livelihoods depended upon. We are honoured to highlight the specific case of one such brave protectors whose concern for her land and community cost her her life.
In October 2020, Fikile Ntshangase, 65, was at her home in Ophondweni in South Africa when three men burst in and she was shot dead. She lived close to Hluhluwe–Imfolozi park, the oldest nature reserve in Africa and was centrally involved in a legal dispute that opposed the extension of an opencast mine operated by Tendele Coal into the area. The murder was witnessed by her 13-year-old grandson. No one has so far been charged with any part in the crime (see Guardian Podcast Fikile’s story).
Speakers Include:
Barney Morrison (Save Our Sperrins): Barney got involved in the anti-mining campaign five years ago. “As a proud Irish man I could not understand why both governments North and South would allow foreign mining companies like Dalradian the RIGHTS to pollute and poison the land that generations of Irish people fought and died for. We have suffered so much, famine, poverty, penal laws, the troubles. But no matter the hardships our ancestors still protected and nurtured the land to pass onto us. I want to be able to able to look future generations in the eye. I will not stand back and allow mining companies to rape and plunder the beautiful land I call home.”
Tom White, Belcoo Frack-Free
Tom is Chair Belcoo Frack Free, Co Fermanagh. He grew up just across the border from Belcoo in Glenfarne co. Leitrim. He has been actively campaigning against fracking since 2011. In 2014 Tamboran came to Belcoo to drill bringing tensions and a large police presence in the village. A decision by Mark H Durkan stopped the drilling going ahead and ultimately saw the company lose their licence. A new petroleum licence application submitted by them is still pending. Belco Frack-Free is one of a network of organisations calling for policy to be changed in Northern Ireland to leave fossil fuels in the ground.
Brian Cuthbert (Not Here Not Anywhere)
Taking the persona of his stage name The Accidental Rapper, Brian’s initial contribution will entertain as it informs us of the anti-LNG campaign in Ireland where 4 LNG terminals are currently planned. Gas is being pushed as a transition fuel yet LNG (fracked and conventional) has been shown to be worse for the climate than coal. It relies on the continuation of an extractive industry that impacts communities around the world.
(Click on the link below)Fikile
Lihle Mbokazi (ALL RISE): Lihle is Liaison Manager of an organisation of “Attorneys for Climate and Environmental Justice” in South Africa called ALL RISE. One of the organisations ALL RISE represents is MCENJO in Somkhele and Fuleni. It was though this her work that she had the honour of knowing mama Fikile Ntshangase and will relate her story. Mama Fikile was both a member the vice chairperson of the MCENJO at the time of her murder.
Sifiso Dladla (ActionAid South Africa): Sifiso has been working against corporate impunity with Mining Affected Communities across South Africa since 2009. That began in Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) the region where Fikile Ntshangase and many other activist have unscrupulously lost their lives to corporate greed. Involved in multiple fronts he will place mama Fikile’s murder in its wider South African and global context.
A former journalist with the Land & Accountability Research Centre at University of Cape Town Sifiso was instrumental in advocating for the decriminalisation, formalisation and regulation of subsistence mining in South Africa. This pushed government to issue mining permits for the first time in the country’s history. A Trustee for the Global Environmental Trust, Sifiso is currently the Mining & Extractives Lead at ActionAid South Africa.
Chair: Maeve O’Neill (Zero Waste NW)
Maeve is a longstanding member and former chair of Zero Waste North West and is now a People Before Profit Councillor on Derry City and Strabane District Council. She was instrumental in Derry/Strabane to become the first Council in the UK or Ireland to recognise Rights of Nature.
The event is Co-hosted by BSMC and Zero Waste North West
Here is a link to a video recording of the event.