Mourning the Loss of a Great Environmentalist
It is with deep sadness that I report the assassination of Berta Cásares of Honduras (pictured), one of the most noteworthy environmental activists in Central and South America. She had dedicated her entire life to the support of the indigenous people and the natural resources which those people relied upon and revered, but she was no match for the government’s military brutality and economic suppression. When big money came in and began building hydroelectric dams and other forms of development that would ruin the environment, Cácares organized and inspired the indigenous people in a grassroots efforts to rise up against this devastation. As a result, she was murdered by government thugs, put in place to protect these enormous economic investments.
Here is her speech in acceptance of the Goldman Environmental Award, which she delivered less than a year ago. I defy anyone of character to listen to this talk and not be deeply moved.
Of course, one shouldn’t expect to find this covered as anything more than a footnote in our mainstream media. That’s because, among other things, the United States routinely supports brutal regimes around the world, when our economic and political interests are at stake. If you doubt this, I challenge you to Google (as I just did) “USA supports brutal regimes,” and read a few of the several hundred thousand articles you will find on the subject.
It’s interesting to note how dangerous it is to be an environmental activist in that part of the world. In 2014, an average of two such activists were murdered every week.
People of decency everywhere should be very proud of Cáceres and her incredible bravery.
The environment is changed when development takes place. Because natural habitats are lost forever it is important to set aside large tracts of virgin land and water in developing countries. To say that development should stop and no loss of natural habitats should ever be permitted is arguably a very provincial attitude. We hewed a lively hood out of forest and prairie in this country and the rest of the developed world. Our average life span has more than doubled as we laid waste to countless acres of beautiful woods and streams. We did save millions of acres of prisoners wilderness.
If a vote was taken by indigenous people I think that they would favor some development and make some trade offs just like we did. The key point I am making is that they have the inalienable right to self determination just like we have. External forces may very well tip the balance away from sustainability but if resource decisions are made by the people who live there, the right decisions will ultimately be made. After all we did get rid of the air pollution over Pittsburgh and bequeathed it to China. They in turn will clean up their act as they find that clean air is a valued resource. If we can keep our mits out of the Amazon and let the locals make their own deals, they will be able to live in peace with the land and have no need for assassinations.
Craig,
Vale Berta Cásares. She bravely chose a difficult cause in an incredibly violent nation.
US policies of interference Central America stretch back almost 150 years, and usually with disastrous consequences for local populations.
Society like Honduras are a morass of conflicting social dynamics. None of these are helped by the pressures exerted by US interference. The insane US “drug war”, along with policies of corruptly or naively interfering in local political affairs, result in the US exporting the worst of US culture and none of it’s best.
The US and the rest of the world must reassess what sort of development is most suitable to support in this region. Even seemingly environmentally beneficial projects like giant hydro electric dams, maybe totally unsuitable for a nation without the capacity to transition to the sort of industrialized economy that would benefit from a change in ecology and destruction of local habitat.
On the other hand, the people of Honduras can’t remain in poverty and degradation. Logging and rain forest deforestation are unacceptable prices for these small nations (and the rest of the world ) to pay for what would only prove to be a short term boom.
Honduras and other nations with valuable eco-habitat must be encouraged to develop realistic plans to lift them out of poverty, without devastating their environment, or the humiliation of being just a tourist destination for citizens of richer industrialized nation.
Very nice. Thanks very much.