Meet Our Planet's Hidden Defenders | Anjan Sundaram | TED

譯者: Esther Lam 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

I'm here to tell you

我在這裡要告訴你

about some of the most vital heroes of our time.

一些我們這個時代 最重要的英雄

They fight a hidden war across our world that will define our future.

他們在世界各地開展了一場隱藏的戰爭， 將會決定我們的未來。

They battle on behalf of us all to protect mountains, rivers, forests

他們代表我們所有的人去戰鬥， 保護山脈，河流，森林

and the last pristine ecosystems.

和最後的原始生態系統。

Yet these warriors pass almost invisible.

然而這些戰士幾乎是看不見的。

We don't know their names, and we rarely read about them.

我們不知道他們的名字， 我們很少讀有關他們的信息。

These obscure heroes are environmental defenders.

這些默默無聞的英雄是 環境捍衛戰士。

They mount protests and fight legal and armed battles,

他們發起抗議， 進行法律和武裝戰鬥，

and have already saved many plants and animals from destruction.

並且已經拯救了許多植物 和動物，使它們免受破壞。

Small Indigenous communities make up only five percent

一個小原住民社區

of the world's population,

僅佔全球人口的 5%，

but they defend 80 percent of all the biodiversity that remains on Earth.

但他們保護了地球上仍然存在， 所有生物多樣性的80%。

Their stories aren't told,

他們的故事沒有被講述，

in part because many of them live in war zones.

部分是因為他們中的許多人住在戰區。

I've committed myself to reporting on forgotten conflicts

我致力於報導像

like those in the Congo and the Central African Republic.

剛果和中非共和國那些 被遺忘的衝突。

For several years now,

多年來，

I’ve documented the war for the environment

我記錄了環保戰爭，

and I'd like to show you this fight for the future from the inside.

我想從內部向大家表露 這場為未來的戰鬥。

The front line of this war runs right through Latin America.

這場戰爭的前線 橫跨拉丁美洲。

At least 1,700 environmental defenders have been killed over the last decade.

過去十年，至少 有 1,700 名環境保護者死亡。

Nearly 70 percent of these assassinations

近 70％ 的暗殺案是在墨西哥

were perpetrated on the land between Mexico and Argentina.

和阿根廷之間的土地上進行的。

Three years ago,

三年前，

I read that more than 50 defenders were murdered in Mexico just that year,

我讀到，當年就有 50多個環保者在墨西哥被殺害，

making it the world's deadliest country for the defense of nature.

使其成為全球為了保護自然環境最致命的國家。

I didn't know how long it would take to investigate these crimes

我不知道調查這些對環境保護者

against environmental defenders,

的罪案需要多長時間，

so I bought a one-way ticket there

所以我在那裡買了一張單程車票

to uncover and tell the stories of their sacrifices.

要去發現並講述他們 犧牲的故事。

One of the first defenders I met was David Salazar.

我第一次遇到的環保人士之一是 大衛·薩拉薩爾。

I met him on the Pan-American Highway.

我在泛美高速公路上遇到他。

His community had hijacked buses and trucks

他的社區人士 劫持了公共汽車和卡車，

and blockaded the longest highway in the world

並封鎖了世界上最長的高速公路，

to protest a planned industrial mega-project.

以抗議已經在計劃中的工業大型項目。

Their lowland forest, called El Pitayal,

他們的低地森林，叫 El Pitayal，

had been marked for destruction to build a new factory complex.

已經被標記為要被銷毀， 以建造一個新的工廠綜合體。

They're up against the US and Mexican governments

他們對抗美國和墨西哥政府

and multinational companies

和跨國公司，

that want this vast inter-oceanic mega-project to go forward.

這些公司希望這個龐大的 跨洋大型項目繼續推進。

According to researchers,

據研究人員稱，

Mexico's violent cartels also see a chance

墨西哥暴力的卡特爾也看到增加他們

to boost their multi-billion dollar revenues

數十億美元的收入的機會

through theft and protection rackets on their territory.

通過在其領土上的盜竊和保護費。

Governments, companies and cartels stand to profit.

政府、公司 和卡特爾都會獲利。

When David's protests didn't stop the construction,

當大衛的抗議 沒有阻止施工時，

saboteurs burned government vehicles near their forest.

破壞者在他們的森林附近 燒了政府車輛。

Their weapon was fire, which locals call "lumbre."

他們的武器是火， 當地人稱之為「Lumbre」。

We don't know who burned the vehicles,

我們不知道誰燒了車輛，

but the community authority, David, was singled out.

但是社區管理局成員， 大衛，被單挑出來。

The other men and women organizing the resistance warned me:

組織抵抗軍的其他 男女成員警告了我：

David's going to be attacked or even assassinated.

大衛會被襲擊 甚至被暗殺。

The municipal police had once severely beaten him up.

市政警察曾經 嚴厲打了他。

That afternoon, I sat down with David in his yard and I pulled out my notebook.

那天下午，我和大衛 在他的院子裡坐下，我拿出筆記本。

"Aren't you afraid they'll kill you?" I asked.

「你不怕他們會殺你嗎？」 我問道。

He said, "Of course I'm afraid."

他說：「當然我害怕。」

David wasn't killed,

大衛沒有被殺，

but two months ago, a Mexican court sentenced him

但兩個月前， 墨西哥法院判他

to 46.5 years in prison

因破壞財產而被判處

for damaging property,

46.5年監獄，

effectively handing him a life sentence.

實際上是判他終身刑。

But David told me all the world’s prisons aren’t large enough to fit the defenders

但大衛告訴我世界上所有的監獄 都不夠大到足以容納

willing to risk everything to protect the Earth.

願意冒一切 以保護地球的防守者。

I've gotten his community legal assistance.

我得到他的社區 法律協助

Since the courts don't reliably protect the planet,

由於法院無法 可靠地保護地球，

other communities have armed themselves.

因此其他社區已經裝備了自己。

On Mexico's Pacific coast,

在墨西哥的太平洋海岸，

a locality of only a thousand people

這個只有一千人的地方

fights a drone war to protect their ancestral mountain.

進行無人機戰爭， 以保護他們祖先的山脈。

A European company has built a huge iron mine nearby,

一家歐洲公司在附近建造了 一座巨大的鐵礦，

and now wants to expand its excavation

現在想要擴大挖掘範圍

to this pristine mountain called La Mancira.

到這座名為 La Mancira 的原始山。

A ferocious cartel regularly strikes the community using drones,

一個激烈的卡特爾經常使用無人機來襲擊這個社區，

as it disappears and kills anti-mining activists.

無人機消失，然後造成 反採礦活動人士的死亡。

The European company denies allegations made by local activists

這家歐洲公司否認當地活動人士

that it's involved in any illegal activity.

對其參與任何非法活動的指控。

But the mountain is full of gold.

但這座山裡充滿了黃金。

It is also a home to jaguars,

它也是美洲虎、稀有植物

rare plants and an intact forest.

和一個完整的森林的家園。

This isolated Indigenous community, called Santa Maria de Ostula,

這個與世隔絕的原住民社區 名為「奧斯圖拉聖瑪麗亞 （Santa Maria de Ostula）」

fights back to defend nature and to defend its culture and its people.

為了保護自然和它的文化和人民, 奮起反抗。

It sends its young men to the front lines.

它把他的年輕人送到前線。

It scavenges weapons after its victories over the cartels.

在擊敗卡特爾之後， 他們會收集武器。

I'm told it's common knowledge

我聽說，普遍知道

that factions of the Mexican army and police

一些墨西哥軍隊和 警察派系

sell weapons to the cartels and communities,

銷售武器給卡特爾和社區，

thereby profiting from both sides of this war.

從而從這場戰爭的雙方中獲利。

The cartels, by some estimates, Mexico's fifth largest employer,

根據一些估計，卡特爾是 墨西哥第五大雇主，

recruit young, poor men, arm them,

招募年輕窮人，為他們武裝

and have them run illegal businesses in remote places

讓他們在對記者有危險的偏遠地方

that are dangerous for journalists.

經營非法業務。

Scores of reporters have been killed in Mexico,

許多記者在 墨西哥被殺死，

many of whom investigated illegality and corruption.

其中許多人調查了 非法的事情和貪污。

I carry cigarettes and chocolate to hand out,

我帶著香煙和巧克力 準備分發，

so any cartel fighters I run into might spare me.

以便當我遇到任何的卡特爾戰士時 他們會饒過我。

I asked one of Ostula's young defenders, a councilman named Pedro,

我要求奧斯圖拉的一位年輕環保人士， 名叫佩德羅的議員，

to take me to their front line.

帶我到他們的前線。

I'm not showing you his face for his protection.

為了保護他，我不會讓你看到他的臉。

He said, "I'll take you to the European iron mine,

他說：「我會帶你去歐洲鐵礦，

but it's crawling with cartel fighters."

但那裡充滿了卡特爾戰士。」

Ostula had just lost three defenders in a cartel ambush

奧斯圖拉剛在卡特爾伏擊中失去了三名防守者，

and was braced for a new attack.

並已準備好迎接新的攻擊。

Millions of dollars are extracted each year from the iron mine.

每年從鐵礦中 數百萬美元被提取。

But in the nearby municipal capital, the houses were dirty.

但在附近的市政府所在地，房子很髒。

Paint peeled, the walls crumbled.

油漆剝落，牆壁碎了。

We drove into a compound with an ordinary low building.

我們開車進了一個 普通的低層建築物。

I wasn't allowed, of course, to take photos inside,

當然，我不允許在裡面拍照，

but this is what I saw.

但這就是我看到的。

As I walked in,

當我走進去的時候，

it was like a fixer upper meets the movie "The Matrix."

這就像修理工遇到了電影《駭客任務》。

I was surrounded by 50-millimeter guns and assault rifles covering the walls.

我被50毫米的槍包圍了， 牆壁被突擊步槍滿滿的覆蓋著。

Large drones, walkie-talkies.

大型無人機，對講機。

Bullets lay on the ground.

子彈放在地面上。

A carpenter repaired the roof, fortified with three layers.

一個木匠修復了屋頂， 並用三層加固。

I interviewed the base commander, a hefty man named El Chopo.

我採訪了基地指揮官， 名叫埃爾·喬波的一個魁梧的男人。

I asked where the cartel attacked.

我問卡特爾在哪裡攻擊。

"Here," he said.

「在這裡，」他說。

I looked out into the valley and asked how often they attacked.

我向山谷望去，並詢問他們襲擊的頻率。

Every two days.

每兩天一次。

“They sent four drones this morning,” he said.

他說：「他們今天早上 發送了四個無人機。」

"Carrying C4 explosives mounted on motor heads.

「攜帶安裝在馬達頭上的 C4 爆炸物。

They didn't drop those bombs, but they'll be back later today."

他們沒有投擲這些炸彈， 但他們今天晚些時候會回來。」

A fighter jumped out of his hammock and loaded his rifle.

一名戰士從吊床上跳出， 裝了他的步槍。

“Estamos listos.” “We’re ready.”

「我們已經準備好了。」 「我們已經準備好了。」

This is how the battle to save nature is waged.

這就是拯救大自然的 戰鬥的方式。

One mountain, forest and river at a time.

一次一山、一森林、一條河流。

The roads were quiet as I drove with Pedro, the councilman,

當我和議員佩德羅 開車前往歐洲鐵礦時，

to the European iron mine.

道路很安靜。

It was a wide, gray mountainside.

那是一個寬闊的灰色的山坡。

Mexicans say the mining companies work to “licuar las montañas,”

墨西哥人說，採礦公司致力於 「利庫拉斯蒙塔尼亞斯」，

or “blend the mountains down.”

也就是「將山脈融合起來」。

Pedro pointed up at an old shack.

佩德羅指著一個老的小屋。

He said, “The cartel fighters are behind those walls and we should leave,

他說：「卡特爾戰士在那些牆後面， 我們應該離開，

because I’m on their hit list.”

因為我在他們的名單上。」

These remote wars for the environment can seem to not exist.

這些偏遠的環境戰爭似乎不存在。

Meanwhile, the international mining companies

同時，國際採礦公司

are winning so-called corporate sustainability awards.

正在贏得所謂的 企業可持續發展獎。

That night, walking on Ostula’s beach,

那天晚上，在奧斯圖拉的海灘上散步，

I waited for turtles to swim ashore to nest.

我等著烏龜游岸上巢。

I saw their soft white egg shells glow in the moonlight.

我看到他們柔軟的白色蛋殼 在月光下發光。

In the morning, baby turtles hatched.

早上，海龜嬰孵化了。

The turtles seemed oblivious to the humans fighting around them.

海龜似乎沒有意識到周圍人類的爭鬥。

Or maybe they knew about the environmental defenders.

I've now covered a dozen battles for pristine ecosystems rich in titanium,

我現在已經報道了十幾場爭奪富含鈦、

copper, gold,

銅、金、

water, sand, forests,

水、沙子、森林、

jaguars, butterflies.

美洲虎和蝴蝶的原始生態系統的戰鬥。

Without war reporters on the ecological front lines,

沒有戰爭記者 在生態前線上，

environmental defenders are killed in obscurity,

環境保護者 在暗中被殺死，

ecosystems are destroyed in silence

生態系統 在沉默中被摧毀，

and the perpetrators get away.

犯罪者逃脫。

In my own work, I've shone a light on war crimes in Central Africa.

在我自己的工作中， 我照亮了中非的戰爭罪

I've seen criminals be prosecuted.

我見過犯罪被起訴。

Yet we won't win the global environmental war

然而，除非我們更加 關注並與世界各地

unless we pay more attention

勇敢的防守者合作，

and join forces with brave defenders around the world.

否則我們不會贏得全球環境戰爭。

These small bands of fighters are fearless.

這些小隊的戰士是無畏的。

They fought colonial conquerors hundreds of years ago,

他們在數百年前 與殖民地征服者戰鬥，

then led fiery revolutions

然後引領火烈的革命，

and remarkably, hold off heavily armed cartels.

並且顯著地阻擋 強大武裝的卡特爾。

Together with them,

你和我現在

you and I now need to take on our biggest

需要和他們一起應對我們最大

and most important war.

而最重要的戰爭。

To save all that remains of nature and ensure our survival.

拯救大自然中的所有殘留物 並確保我們的生存。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）