Coast Lodge Logging Complaint With UNESCO

West Coast forestry grievances became an international issue yesterday with a $3 stamp and a complaint addressed to the United Nations. John Howard reports.

The West Coast Times newspaper is reporting that a formal complaint against the New Zealand Government has been lodged with the Paris-based United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

The complaint outlines discontent with the Government's continued refusal to consult and act in good faith towards West Coast communities over forestry issues.

The allegations say the Government prevented Coaster's from their right to share in scientific advancements by intervening and allowing last year's sustainable beech scheme resource consent hearing to be stopped where scientific evidence was to be heard.

Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is within UNESCO's field of competence to examine, provides that people have; "The right to share in scientific advancements."

West Coaster's are bitterly complaining that Government seduced the rest of New Zealand by talk of social equity, consultation, partnerships and dialogue, while continuing to deny those values to them.

The UNESCO board of recommendations, who will consider the complaint, meets twice yearly in the northern hemisphere Spring and Autumn

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