A tribute to Environmental Warriors

The year 2017 saw the bloodiest year in the record for Environmental Warriors. The year saw some of the most prominent names in the environment sector, notable Environmental Activist, Wildlife Rangers, and Indigenous leaders killed for the job they love. The number of deaths ranged from 150 to 200, reported by The Guardian and The National Geographic. The conflicts ranged from land protection from logging, poaching, mining and agriculture companies. The number of deaths is indeed vast and surely is appalling.

It breaks my heart, being an environmental activist to see our extended colleagues being gunned down, stabbed and shot dead for something they love doing. These people are no different from soldiers. They spent most of their times away from home, families, and friends, spends days in remote lands with one goal in their mind to protect and serve our beautiful mother earth and its people. Their contributions are unmatched, and this piece cannot portray the amount of dedication they have, in words.

One of the most notable activists from last year was Honduran indigenous environmental activist, Berta Cáceres, winner of the Global Environmental Award.

Conservation is very close to my heart. I had the privilege of working with the USAID's Bengal Tiger Conservation Activity back in Bangladesh. The work experience gave me the first-hand experience of how people are fighting and sacrificing every day in the line of wildlife-human conflicts. Hence it was profoundly saddening reading yesterday's news ( I started writing this after I saw the WCS news) about Wildlife Conservation Society - Cambodia losing one of their most excellent colleagues in the line of duty and two others from the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. I stopped writing, tried collecting my thoughts and before you know it, the world saw another death. This time it was Esmond Bradley. In a span of five days, four prominent leaders in the field of wildlife conservation were gunned and stabbed to death.

Mr. Bradley, a Kenya-based American conservationist, was a leading investigator for illegal elephant and rhino horn trade, was a significant figure in this field. His work over the last decade contributed significantly to curbing the ivory trade in Africa. He was an inspiration and a beacon of hope for the many, who do not have a say in this world. His untimely death comes after the news of Hong Kong announcing the ban on ivory trading by 2021, making it bittersweet for the environment-community. His work will be undoubtedly unmatched in the next decade to come, but we can surely hope, that his work will not go in vain. I am sure his work and legacy will create a platform for upcoming environmentalists/conservationist to be a beacon for the fight against wildlife and environmental conflicts.

Speaking about my home, In 2016 Bangladesh saw seven prominent activists killed. Anowarul Islam Mortuza Ali, Zager Ahmed, Zaker Hossain, Shyamal Hembrom (Shyamal Soren) Mangal Mardi (Mongol Madri) and Ramesh Tudu. Of the seven Bangladeshi victims, Anowarul, Mortuza, Zager, and Zaker were killed on April 4, 2016, in a clash between law enforcers and locals in Banshkhali Upazila of Chittagong over an installation of a coal-based power plant. Working in the field of Climate Change for three years, my journey from behind the desk and doing research might contribute to this vast area sparsely, but it is undoubtedly unmatched with people who are laying down their lives for this cause.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the families, friends, and colleagues who lost their loved ones. These people are my heroes, and hopefully, someday I will be able to contribute to what they have left behind.

In the words of S. Patton, "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - Let us celebrate their memories.

May God bless your souls.