Protecting the Human Rights of Public Interest Lawyers

ELAW Partners in Guatemala and Swaziland Threatened

Grassroots advocates challenging injustice face serious risks. In September, ELAW partner Yuri Giovanni Melini was shot four times as he got out of his car in Guatemala City. It is widely believed that Yuri was targeted for his environmental advocacy.

Yuri Giovanni Melini

Yuri is the Director General of the Center for Environmental, Social and Environmental Action (CALAS). He is an outspoken advocate for the environment in Guatemala. In April, ELAW Director Bern Johnson and Associate Director Lori Maddox traveled to Guatemala to work with CALAS and the Ministry of Natural Resources on a national marine coastal zone policy. CALAS and ELAW also hosted a judicial training workshop and a seminar on citizen enforcement mechanisms in the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

The week before Yuri was shot, he wrote a column in a national newspaper calling attention to threats to environmental advocates in Guatemala, including acts of murder, calling on his government to bring an end to this growing trend.
CALAS has successfully mounted legal challenges against destructive mining practices and water contamination, and Yuri is often quoted in the media on these issues. The Guatemalan and international press have reported the attack as “a warning,” to environmental advocates.

As of this printing, Yuri remains in intensive care following three surgeries. His condition is stable. (See update.)

	Thuli Makama

Yuri is not alone in facing threats. In Swaziland, ELAW partner Thuli Makama, her family, and the staff of her organization are facing threats for their work to protect the rights of local communities.

Thuli is the Director of Yonge Nawe (SiSwati for “you too must conserve the environment”). Thuli and Yonge Nawe are representing local people allegedly terrorized by game rangers and employees of Big Game Parks (BGP), a private company that owns and manages two large game reserves in Swaziland. Unfortunately, provisions of Swaziland’s Game Act protect perpetrators of violence in the name of protecting game parks.

Yonge Nawe defended members of the Nhlantambita community who were forcibly evicted from their homes by BGP. Musa Gamedze, a member of this community, was shot and killed in front of his family on August 8, 2008. The Swazi Weekend Observer reports that police officers and Jubela Reilly, a game ranger and the son of BGP Trustee Ted Reilly, were involved in the killing. Yonge Nawe is calling for an independent investigation into this killing.

Since 2004, Yonge Nawe staff have been threatened and harassed. Yonge Nawe's office has been broken into and computers stolen. Recently, staff members have been robbed and terrorized. In response to public calls for an investigation into Musa's killing, BGP has sponsored full-page ads in local newspapers attacking Yonge Nawe, Thuli, and her family.

Ethiopian Advocate Released

Netsanet Demissie

Netsanet Demissie was released from an Ethiopian prison in March, after nearly two and a half years in jail.Netsanet is the founder of the Organisation for Social Justice in Ethiopia. OSJE was chosen by civil society organizations in Ethiopia to be the secretariat of a 35-member network to monitor Ethiopia's May 2005 elections. Following that contentious election, thousands were arrested. Most were released, but others, including Netsanet, were charged with crimes and faced the death penalty.

ELAW Staff Attorney Jennifer Gleason traveled to Ethiopia in 2004 to work with Netsanet on environmental and human rights issues. "Netsanet made an incredible sacrifice to defend the rule of law. We applaud his courage and are thankful that this travesty of justice has come to an end. We will now pick up where we left off!" says Jennifer.

Many thanks to ELAW's friends and partners around the world who responded to calls from ELAW and sent letters to Ethiopian authorities demanding Netsanet’s release.

“You guys are amongst the first persons I would have loved to meet at the gate of the prison … I extend my deepest gratitude.”
Netsanet Demissie