FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3 November 2017
Media Contact:
Robert Wager (media contact) robert@endecocide.eu + 49 160 8104348
Cabot Davis (general inquiries) cabot@movementrights.org + 1 (831) 854-7634
Natalia Greene (Tribunal’s Secretariat) nati.greene@gmail.com + 593 9944-3724
PRESS RELEASE
Bonn RoN Press Release – One Week Away-Nov3 Presseerklärung – Internationale Tribunal für die Rechte der Natur in Bonn, Deutschland
CASES AT THE INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS OF NATURE TRIBUNAL in BONN, GERMANY BONN, Germany – From November 6th until the 17th, during the 23rd United Nations Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP23) in Bonn, the world’s nations will reach new agreements on climate change. In four days (November 7th-8th) the 4th International Rights of Nature Tribunal will hear 7 cases from a new socio-economic perspective based on the interdependence between humans and nature. 50 people will be on stage coming from over 19 countries and speaking in over 7 languages. Cases will be presented regarding violations of nature’s rights from all over the world. Presenters include prominent voices from indigenous communities. Immediately prior to the opening ceremony, there will be a welcoming from the Deputy Mayor of the city of Bonn, Reinhard Limbach. The Tribunal will begin with an opening indigenous ceremony. The ceremony will be performed by Åsa Simma of the Sámi People, Tom Goldtooth of the Dine’ Dakota, Mirian Cisneros and Yaku Viteri of the Sarayaku people. The Tribunal will then consider seven cases over the next two days. The cases are as follows:- A case on Climate Change focusing on False Energy Solutions. This case will concern violations of the rights of nature caused by fracking, nuclear energy and the consolidation of fossil fuels in North America. The judge will be Osprey Orielle Lake and the prosecutor will be Ramiro Ávila. The case will be presented by Tadzio Mueller. Experts providing testimony will be Enrique Viale, Rheinhard Uhrig and Ben Beachy. The Tribunal will also hear from affected persons Kashmira Banee and Bryan Parras.
- The tribunal will then consider violations of the rights of nature caused by the Financialization of Nature and the REDD+ framework. The judge for this case will be Ruth Nyambura, while the prosecutor will be Linda Sheehan. The case will be presented by Jutta Kill, the expert is Melissa Moreano with the affected person being Ken Henshaw.
- The third case will concern Lignite Mining and the Hambach Forest in Germany. Ute Koczy will be the judge and the case will be prosecuted by Ramiro Ávila. The presenter is Emilio Alfred Weinberg. The experts in this case will be Eva Töller and Alberto Saldamando.
- A case will be presented concerning violations of the rights of nature concerning Defenders of Mother Earth. The judge for this case is Simona Fraudatario and the prosecutor is Linda Sheehan. Specifically, the case will concern violations of the rights of the indigenous peoples in the following areas:
Standing Rock, USA. Presented by Dallas Goldtooth. The expert and impacted person is Kandi Mossett.
The Shor People, Russia. Presented by Vladislav Tannagashev. The expert and impacted person is Yana Tannagasheva.
The Sàmi People, Scandinavia. Presented by Stefan Mikaelsson. The expert and impacted person will be Åsa Simma.
- The fifth case will concern water deprivation in Almería, Spain. The judge for this case will be Cormac Cullinan, while the prosecutor will be Ramiro Ávila. The presenter for this case will be David Dene. The expert in this case will be Ion Holban and the affected person in this case will be Sheila Andion García.
- The Tribunal will consider a case concerning various threats to the rights of nature in the Amazon. The judges will be Alberto Acosta and Fernando “Pino” Solano and the prosecutor will be Ramiro Ávila. The case will concern the following areas:
Ecuador’s Amazon and Sarayaku. This aspect of the case will be presented by Esperanza Martinez. The expert is Mirian Cisneros, while the impacted person will be Yaku Viteri.
Brazil’s Amazon. This part of the case will be presented by Sônia Guajajara. The expert will be Ninawa Yawanawa.
Tipnis in Bolivia. The presenter will be Martin Viela. The expert will be Fabian Gil Rocha and the impacted person is Marqueza Teco Moyoviri de Maleca.
Montagne d’Or in French Guyana. Presented by Marine Calmet, the expert is Patrick Monnier and the impacted person is Christophe Pierre.
- The final case concerns Trade Agreements and their Implications on Nature. The judge for this case will be Shannon Biggs and the prosecutor will be Linda Sheehan. This case will be presented by Maude Barlow. The expert will be Jörg Haas and the affected people will be Ndivile Mokoena, Makoma Lekalakala and Alberto Saldamando.
