October 2022

November 5th day of action to highlight RBC financing of Coastal GasLink, RCMP violence against Wet’suwet’en land defenders

Photo by Decolonial Solidarity. Decolonial Solidarity, in response to a call from Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and land defenders, is organizing a cross-country day of action on Saturday November 5. Two weeks ago, Gidimt’en Checkpoint spokesperson Sleydo’ spoke on a Decolonial Solidarity call about RBC-financed Coastal GasLink drilling under the Wedzin Kwa river Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico and PBI-Colombia are seeking field volunteers – here are some details

The Peace Brigades International projects in Mexico and Colombia are seeking new field volunteers. Here are some details. Mexico (deadline to apply: November 11) Personal interview: After the pre-selection, a personal online interview will be carried out. Training/selection week: January 18 to 26, 2023 (virtual). Placement in the field: Starting Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Wet’suwet’en water protector Eve Saint to RBC CEO Dave McKay: “You are not a climate leader, you are a leader in genocide”

Photo by Banking on a Better Future. On October 27, Wet’suwet’en water protector Eve Saint spoke at a protest outside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto as the London, Ontario-based Ivey Business School presented RBC CEO Dave McKay with their Ivey Business Leader award. Ivey notes: “More than 400 guests, including Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies UVOC at sentence notification hearing in La Tinta, Alta Verapaz

On October 27, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies the UVOC [Verapaz Union of Campesino Organizations] in a sentence notification in La Tinta.” UVOC has 367 affiliated communities (about 50,000 families); 98 per cent of which are Indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’, Poqomchi’ and Achi.” PBI-Guatemala has been accompanying UVOC since 2005.

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico accompanies the Cerezo Committee at meeting of Special Search Commission on the forced disappearance of Cruz and Reyes

PBI-Mexico has tweeted: “Yesterday, October 26, we accompanied the @comitecerezo who will be part of the formation of the Special Search Commission for the case of forced disappearance of Gabriel Alberto Cruz Sánchez and Edmundo Reyes Amaya, disappeared in 2007 in Oaxaca.” Gabriel Cruz and Edmundo Reyes were militants with Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

CSIS deems rail blockades in support of Wet’suwet’en land defenders as acts of “ideologically motivated violent extremists”

Twitter photo of blockade in Toronto, February 8, 2020. This took place during the RCMP militarized raid against Wet’suwet’en land defenders, February 6-10, 2020. CBC reports: “Canada’s civilian spy service assessed whether First Nations land rights activists who disrupt trains should be classed as a ‘terrorist threat’ to national security Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

UN Special Rapporteurs Fry and Boyd say environmental human rights defenders have critical role in addressing the climate crisis

ISHR reports United Nations Special Rapporteurs Ian Fry and David Boyd have emphasized the critical role of defenders in addressing the environment and climate crises, urging States and non-State actors to take measures to protect them. Fry is the first Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Honduras accompanies COPINH at trial of soldier accused of the attempted murder of Lenca defender Allan Garcia

On October 27, PBI-Honduras tweeted: “At PBI we hope that the start of the trial against Kevin Saravia for the attempted murder of Allan García will be resumed soon, and that the events that occurred will be clarified. We highlight the work of the @COPINHHONDURAS in defense of the rights Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago