Kinshasa – “December 10 is the most celebrated day for human rights defenders, and especially for us, environmental defenders and climate activists.” With these words, lawyer and public interest advocate Olivier Ndoole summarized, in an interview with KilaloPress, the significance of this date, which is dedicated to International Human Rights Day.
According to him, this day directly relates to freedoms, recognition, and the affirmation of defenders. He reminds that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “establishes the obvious” that the fight for the environment and climate is essential for the survival of humanity and the protection of all people.
Olivier Ndoole emphasizes that 2025 has not been an easy year for climate defenders and activists, not only in the Democratic Republic of Congo but worldwide. He cites cases of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in Europe and Canada, judicial procedures used to silence the rights and freedoms of climate activists.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, he mentions assassinations, summary and extrajudicial executions, as well as arrests. At the time of the interview, he noted that they were celebrating the release of detained climate defenders and activists. The climate defender explicitly denounces “the brutality of the multinational KIBALI GOLD,” associated with gold, which he describes as claiming monopolies over justice, intelligence services, and “everyone.”
He asserts that this multinational “roams the streets” to suppress the rights and freedoms, as well as the voices, of climate defenders and activists who protest against land grabbing, water and forest destruction, unlawful demolition of homes, and the destruction of livelihoods. According to him, the company acts “through gold, through its money” and violates laws to infringe on the rights and freedoms of communities and defenders. Olivier Ndoole stresses that this moment should serve to alert all of humanity, as well as UN authorities, special rapporteurs, and international mechanisms regarding environmental and human rights defenders, so they closely examine the current situation.
He points out that December 10 is also a “major day” because of the launch of the LIDE network. This initiative aims to open multilateral discussions on the participation of defenders and indigenous peoples in climate talks, their protection, access to justice, autonomy, and rights and freedoms in climate action. Olivier Ndoole calls for the mobilization of civil society at the United Nations, the African Union, and sub-regional bodies to defend the rights and freedoms of climate activists. He recalls that these activists are fighting to protect forests, lakes, rivers, community livelihoods, and land. In his words, “they are fighting for a noble cause.”
Finally, the lawyer acknowledges that it is a very risky struggle, but he insists: it is an essential fight for the future of this planet.
By KilaloPress