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.

23 October 2012 | Interviews | Social activists at risk

Prisoners of Conscience

South African environmentalists arrested for demanding Eskom to benefit the population and shift away from coal

Fourteen activists from three South African social organizations were arrested on Tuesday while demonstrating in Johannesburg to highlight that Eskom, the state energy utility, has failed to deliver clean, affordable and accessible electricity to the population. The demonstrators were also demanding the company to shift away from coal as an electricity source. Read more
22 October 2012 | Interviews | Free Honduras | 1st Continental Assembly CLOC – Via Campesina | Social activists at risk

Radical Solidarity

Peasants of Honduras at the Assembly of the Latin American Coordination of Countryside Organizations-Via Campesina

Honduras is one of Central America's most problematic places in terms of conflicts over land, even more so after the coup d'état that ousted its constitutional President, Jose Manuel Zelaya, in 2009. Read more
22 October 2012 | Interviews | 1st Continental Assembly CLOC – Via Campesina | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

Real Justice, Not Just Words

The Totonicapan Massacre in Guatemala at the Assembly of CLOC-Via Campesina

The areas for discussion at the 1st Continental Assembly of CLOC-Via Campesina, celebrated this week in Nicaragua's capital Managua, have been a space to expose and condemn the repression suffered by the resisting Latin American peoples. Read more
17 October 2012 | Interviews | Free Honduras | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

Life Under Threat

New interview with Rafael Alegria: “If you see two men in a motorcycle, that means death”

“There is no doubt” that the death threats against social activists come from the “oligarchy”, “they are messages to give up our fight” in a country that the United Nations has ranked as the most violent in the world, said Honduran peasant leader Rafael Alegria. Read more
11 October 2012 | Interviews | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

Argentinean Countryside Like in the Middle Ages

Another MOCASE Peasant Murdered in Dispute Over Land in Argentina

Almost a year after the death of Cristian Ferreyra, member of the Peasant Movement of Santiago del Estero (MOCASE), on Thursday October 10, another peasant, Miguel Galvan was stabbed to death by hitmen hired by agribusiness corporations in the north of Argentina. Read more
10 October 2012 | Interviews | Free Honduras | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

Let’s Call It By its Name

More Repercussions of the Death Threat Against Rafael Alegria in Honduras

The Minister of Security of Honduras, Pompeyo Bonilla, notified peasant leader Rafael Alegria that the government has information about a plan to plot against his life. President Porfirio Lobo confirmed the information provided by the Minister. Several social organizations of the country are extremely alert to defend the coordinator of Via Campesina Honduras. Read more
9 October 2012 | Special reports | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

The Country as a Military Base

Guatemala: “We Cannot Allow Another Massacre”

Valle del Polochic, Santa Cruz Barillas and Totonicapan are all Guatemalan villages that have been victims of repression and the subsequent death of Maya indigenous peasants by the government. This reminds the Guatemalans of the counter-insurgent war that left nearly 300,000 deaths. Read more
9 October 2012 | Interviews | Free Honduras | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

At Risk

Interview with Honduran peasant leader Rafael Alegría: the government warned him about plans against his life

“Last week, on Thursday precisely, I was notified by the Minister of Security and by the President himself about plans against my life. They told me I should take the necessary steps and precautions”, said Honduran peasant leader Rafael Alegría, coordinator of La Via Campesina International, to Real World Radio. Read more
8 October 2012 | Interviews | Social activists at risk

Even More Bullets

Another repression resulted in the death of indigenous people in Guatemala

The Guatemalan government led by Retired General Otto Perez Molina repressed on Thursday, October 4, a peaceful mobilization by Mayan indigenous people, resulting in at least seven murdered indigenous leaders, while they were demonstrating around access to electric power, capacity-building for teachers and against the granting of territories to mining companies without the populations’ consent. Read more
5 October 2012 | Videos | Land grabbing | Social activists at risk

For food sovereignty

New video of La Via Campesina: “Struggle against landgrabbing in Mali”

“Family farmers are producing up to 80 per cent of Africa's food and 70 per cent of food from all over the world. Land grabbing is undermining their ability to feed themselves, their own country, the growing urban population and their right to food sovereignty”, says a new video produced by La Via Campesina called “Struggle against landgrabbing in Mali”. Watch video