Hundreds of ActivistsStill Face Death Threats in Amazon

At least 260 environmental and human rights activists campaigning to slow deforestation of the Amazon rain forest remain targeted for assassination, according to a report by Brazil’s Catholic Land Commission. The commission released a preliminary report on the death threats to mark the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Chico Mendes, the Brazilian environmentalist who was shot while fighting loggers, ranchers, and farmers who were rapidly clearing the forest. The Catholic Land Commission said elements of that same coalition continue to issue death threats against forest campaigners, including Frei Henri des Rosiers, a French priest with a reputed price of $28,000 on his head; Maria Jose Dias da Costa, a union leader; and Dom Erwin Krautler, an Austrian bishop who has been under police protection for two years as he has battled forest developers. In part inspired by Mendes’ efforts, the Brazilian government has announced an ambitious plan to reduce Amazon deforestation by 72 percent by 2017.