Our Support is Urgently Needed for Threatened Water Defenders in Central America

Take part in our solidarity action for water defenders under dangerous attack in Central America. 

Indigenous leader Berta Caceres won the prestigious Goldman Envrionmental Prize for her efforts to protect the rights of Indigenous river communities in Honduras threatened by a dam project. Last March, Berta was assassinated. Since then, other leaders of Berta’s organization, COPINH, have been attacked and killed.They are not the only ones to pay with their blood for defending land and water in Honduras. 

In Guatemala, Lolita Chávez led a community referendum on mining and dams in which residents overwhelmingly rejected those activities on Indigenous K’iche territory out of fear they would negatively impact access to clean water and other rights. Lolita continues to suffer harassment and death threats. Other defenders of Indigenous rights to land and water have been killed. Women defenders have been sexually assaulted.

WHAT YOU CAN DO 

SIGN OUR ACTIONS Please add your name to the e-petitions for the protection of threatened water defenders in Honduras and Guatemala. Download print petitions for Honduras and Guatemala and gather signatures. 

CREATIVE SOLIDARITY The following action aims to make visible our concern for threatened water defenders

  • Cut long strips of blue cloth or blue paper with wavy edges to symbolize water
  • Use the strips of cloth to create TWO separate eye-catching messages of support for water defenders in Guatemala and Honduras respectively. Be sure to mention Canada! Add your name to add weight. 

  • Send us your blue cloth messages. We will use them to show authorities that Canadians are concerned, and then deliver them to water defenders in Central America so they know they are not alone. Address: Amnesty International, 1992 Yonge St., 3rd Floor, Toronto ON M4S 1Z7, Attn: Water Defenders 

TWEET YOUR SUPPORT Take a photo of your blue cloth message with the hashtags #DefendersUnderAttack and #worldwaterday, tagging the handles shown below. Your tweeted photo will appear on our Water Defenders solidarity page. 

ATTRACT ATTENTION If you are doing this with others, think about how you can display all your blue water defenders messages in a public place to attract attention. Invite local media to cover your action. Take photos and share them with us. 

HAVE A QUESTION? Contact campaigners Kathy Price (kprice@amnesty.ca) or Tara Scurr (tscurr@amnesty.ca) 

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