Mining: The Sector with the Most Environmental Activist Killings in 2023

A Global Witness report reveals that mining and extractive industries are the corporate sectors with the highest number of killings of environmental activists or human rights defenders globally, recording 25 cases in 2023.

Of the 25 deaths of environmental activists, 23 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean. Global Witness also revealed that over 50% of mining-related killings between 2012 and 2023 happened in Latin America.

Indonesia contributed one case to this list: the murder of Sabriansyah on March 30, 2023. Another case was recorded in India, the killing of Sashikant Warishe on February 6, 2023.

Global Witness stated that over 40% of all mining-related killings occurred in Asia between 2012 and 2023.

"This region holds significant reserves of critical minerals vital for clean energy technologies, including nickel, tin, rare earth elements, and bauxite," wrote the research team, as quoted on Wednesday (September 18, 2024).

According to Global Witness, this could be good news for the energy transition, but without drastic changes in mining practices, it continues to put human rights defenders in danger and under pressure.

The second most affected sector was logging, with 5 cases. All these cases originated from Latin America and the Caribbean, specifically Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

Third was fisheries, with 5 cases. These were distributed as follows: 3 cases in Colombia, 1 in Ghana, and 1 in the Philippines.

Agribusiness ranked fourth with 4 cases, 2 of which originated from Brazil. Indonesia also recorded 2 cases, involving the deaths of Logam and Gijik, murdered on July 1, 2023, and October 7, 2023, respectively.

Fifth was the roads and infrastructure sector with 4 deaths. At least 2 cases were from Mexico, 1 from the US, and 1 from Rwanda.

Finally, the hydropower sector had 2 killings, originating from Colombia and Honduras.

(See also: [10 Countries with the Highest Number of Environmental Activist Killings in 2023](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/lingkungan/statistik/66e42779d40b9/10-negara-dengan-pembunuhan-aktivis-lingkungan-tertinggi-2023))