Human Rights

Since 2012, over 2,000 environmental defenders have been killed for standing up against projects that put land, water, and local communities at risk. In 2023 alone, 196 people died: 79 in Colombia, 25 in Brazil, 18 in Mexico, and another 18 in Honduras. Indigenous peoples, about 6% of the global population, accounted for 43% of the victims. The pattern suggests a systemic problem, tied to corporate interests, armed groups, organised crime, and often, state inaction. ...

Imagine standing on the pavement, observing an injustice unfold. Perhaps a villain is performing egregiously bad deeds, or a bureaucrat is quietly rearranging paperwork in a way that ruins lives. You shrug. You mutter, “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” and continue scrolling through social media. This is the practical magic of neutrality: invisible, polite, and utterly useful if your goal is to help the oppressor. Desmond Tutu, who knew more than a little about elephants on mice, explained it in no uncertain terms: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” And just to make sure nobody missed the metaphor, he added: “If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” ...