Clovis Razafimalala
NationalityMalagasy
Occupation(s)Environmental activist, Human Right Activists
Years active2009-present
Organizations
  • Lampogno MaMaBaie
  • National Environmental Advocacy Coalition
AwardsGerman Africa Prize (2018)

Clovis Razafimalala is a human rights defender and environmental activist from Madagascar. He is best known for his advocacy against the illegal logging in Madagascar.[1][2]

Razafimalala, described by Mongabay as possibly Madagascar's best known activist.[3] He won the German Africa Prize in 2018.[4]

Biography

Razafimalala has campaigned against the use of rosewood in Madagascar since 2009. In April, following the 2009 Malagasy political crisis, with five friends he started the Maroantsetra-based radio program Radio 2000, at which they discussed the illegal ebony and rosewood logging. Within one month, someone burned his house down. In the mid 2010's he founded the Lampogno MaMaBaie organisation, focussed on protecting the Masoala and Makira national parks from illegal resource extraction.[5] Razafimalala also serves as the regional coordinator of the National Environmental Advocacy Coalition.[6]

In 2016, Clovis was accused of orchestrating a riot after a fellow timber advocate was arrested. Despite not being present during the violent protest, he was imprisoned for these crimes. After a wave of support and a surprise trial, Clovis was eventually released.[7][3] In 2017, he was charged with arson, fined and sentenced to five years of imprisonment, although immediately released on parole.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Clovis Razafimalala". Front Line Defenders. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  2. ↑ "Madagascar: Environmental Activist Clovis Razafimalala". American Bar Association. Archived from the original on 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  3. 1 2 3 Carver, Edward (2017-10-20). "Another Madagascar environmental activist imprisoned". Mongabay. Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  4. ↑ Oneko, Sella (23 May 2018). "Deutscher Afrika-Preis 2018 geht an Naturschützer". Deutsche Welle (in German). Archived from the original on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  5. ↑ Rafidiharinirina, Fabienne (2017-05-08). "Anti-trafficking activist held without trial in Madagascar". Mongabay. Archived from the original on 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  6. ↑ "Clovis Razafimalala - Peace Post". Peace Post. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  7. ↑ "Madagascar: Authorities must drop spurious charges against environmental activist". Amnesty International. 2020-12-09. Archived from the original on 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
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