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On a certain day last November, Julia Chuñil called for her dog, her loyal pet, and ventured into the woods around her residence to search for lost farm animals. The animals came back but Chuñil, then aged 72, and Cholito never reappeared.

Over 100 people participated with her relatives in a hunt that continued for multiple weeks in the rugged, wet and thickly vegetated landscape of Chile’s pristine Valdivian woodland. A month later, they even kept an eye on vultures for any grim signs. However, they found no trace of Chuñil.

Julia Chuñil is one of one hundred forty-six land and environmental activists who were murdered or disappeared around the world in the previous year, as reported by a report by the advocacy organization the monitoring entity. About a third of those, like Chuñil, were from Indigenous communities – a significant toll for populations who together make up just 6% of the global population.

The activist, a leader of Chile’s indigenous Mapuche, was residing in disputed territory. Ten years ago she had moved on to Reserva Cora, a 2,200-acre section of the age-old Valdivian ecosystem 800 kilometers south of Santiago, which her people asserted as an historical homeland.

For many years she advocating to obtain land rights for the location for her tribe. But the site’s nominal owner, the heir of settlers, declined to relinquish ownership. He wanted the area for logging – Chile is a major exporter of wood to the US – and he wanted rid of the activist. Prior to her disappearance, Julia informed supporters: “If anything happens to me, you already know who did it.”

International Reporting on Violence Against Activists

The organization began recording cases of killings and vanishing acts of territorial and ecological protectors in 2012. Since then, it has gathered a total of 2,253 instances. Over the last ten years, the most dangerous place has been Central and South America. Last year it represented 82% of reported incidents, including 45 Indigenous people.

“Land conflict is at the heart of aggression against activists, and Indigenous peoples are paying the highest price,” said a senior policy adviser at the group. “Populations with historical ties to territory often lead the resistance when their lands come under threat from resource extraction and invasion. However, regardless of their critical function, they are frequently refused acknowledgment and legal redress, and subjected to grave risk for protecting their legitimate lands.”

Country-Specific Statistics and Unrecorded Cases

Julia’s was the only incident recorded in her country last year, even though it matched a pattern of the singling out of Mapuche advocates in the country. The nation of Colombia reported 48 instances, making it the most lethal country in total for ecological activists, followed by Guatemala with 20 cases, the deadliest country per capita. The country of Mexico had 19 cases, putting it in third place in the ranking.

Incomplete data continues to be a problem, especially in Asia and the African region, which recorded sixteen and nine cases respectively, Global Witness noted. In general, the previous year the fewest cases of murders and disappearances of environmental defenders were documented in ten years.

The lead researcher, who led the investigation for Global Witness, said: “It would be gratifying to report that this suggests a decrease in hostilities and an improvement in the situation for activists, but sadly that’s not true. Rights advocates face situations of violence that extend well past murder. Often, aggression is evolve, grow more complex, alter its appearance.”

Ongoing Fight for Justice

Chuñil’s family have continued to pursue legal resolution but their advocacy has exposed them to threats and harassment, as well. During April, two animals from Chuñil’s home that they had intended to sell to finance court expenses were found killed, one shot and one poisoned. “This is primarily, a intentional effort to block us from fighting this case,” her son Pablo San Martín informed the watchdog.

Their analysis calls on authorities to take steps to halt the lack of punishment of the perpetrators of environmental defenders by addressing the lack of legal entitlements defenders have over property, strengthening ineffective domestic judiciary frameworks, and ensuring endangered advocates are provided adequate state protection.

“All we are asking for is a comprehensive, impartial probe to take place,” San Martín remarked of his parent’s case. “Nearly twelve months have passed since she disappeared and we’re still in the dark about the events. We want those behind this to be discovered and prosecuted.”