Kumi Naidoo
Encyclopedia
Kumi Naidoo, born 1965, is a South Africa
n human rights activist and the International Executive Director of international environmentalist group, Greenpeace
. He is the first African to head the organisation.
After battling apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s through the Helping Hands Youth Organisation, Naidoo led global campaigns to end poverty and protect human rights. Recently, he has led the Global Campaign for Climate Action
, which brings together environmental, aid, religious and human rights groups, labor unions, scientists and others and has organized mass demonstrations around climate negotiations.
Naidoo has one 17-year old daughter; Naomi Naidoo.
In June 2011, Kumi Naidoo spent four days in a Greenlandic prison after scaling an oil platform
owned by Cairn Energy, as part of Greenpeace's "Go Beyond Oil" campaign. He was deported to Denmark
where he spent a short time in Danish custody before being released in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
During the apartheid government, Naidoo was arrested several times and was charged for violating provisions against mass mobilisation, civil disobedience and for violating the state of emergency
. This led him to having to go underground before finally deciding to live in exile in England
. During this time he was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University and earned a doctorate
(D.Phil.) in political sociology.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n human rights activist and the International Executive Director of international environmentalist group, Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
. He is the first African to head the organisation.
After battling apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s through the Helping Hands Youth Organisation, Naidoo led global campaigns to end poverty and protect human rights. Recently, he has led the Global Campaign for Climate Action
Global Campaign for Climate Action
The Global Campaign for Climate Action , is a global alliance of more than 280 non-profit organizations all over the world. Our shared mission is to mobilize civil society and galvanize public support to ensure a safe climate future for people and nature, to promote the low-carbon transition of our...
, which brings together environmental, aid, religious and human rights groups, labor unions, scientists and others and has organized mass demonstrations around climate negotiations.
Naidoo has one 17-year old daughter; Naomi Naidoo.
In June 2011, Kumi Naidoo spent four days in a Greenlandic prison after scaling an oil platform
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
owned by Cairn Energy, as part of Greenpeace's "Go Beyond Oil" campaign. He was deported to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
where he spent a short time in Danish custody before being released in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Early activism
Born in South Africa, Naidoo became very involved his country's liberation struggle at the age of 15. As a result of his anti-apartheid activities, he was expelled from high school. He was very involved in neighborhood organizing, youth work in his community, and mass mobilizations against the apartheid regime.During the apartheid government, Naidoo was arrested several times and was charged for violating provisions against mass mobilisation, civil disobedience and for violating the state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
. This led him to having to go underground before finally deciding to live in exile in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. During this time he was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University and earned a doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(D.Phil.) in political sociology.
External links
- Annie Kelly interviews social justice campaigner Kumi Naidoo (Guardian)
- Kumi Naidoo of Greenpeace on Obama’s Peace Prize, Obama’s War, Copenhagen and Climate Debt - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
- Naidoo: Climate Justice Movement Must Intensify Efforts Ahead of 2011 Climate Talks in South Africa
- Elements in the FBI and Pentagon consider climate change a great threat to world peace, Kumi Naidoo's Interview with OneWorld South Asia