Greenpeace locks down illegal rainforest log export to protect climate
PORT MORESBY, 3 September 2008: A Christchurch man is one of four activists who've halted the loading of a timber
shipment in Papua New Guinea.
Greenpeace activist Raoni Hammer is up the loading crane of the Harbour Gemini, currently in port at Paia Inlet, Gulf
Province.
"We're here to protest illegal and destructive logging practices, which are rife in PNG, and the impact this is having
on the global climate," said Hammer. "The company responsible for the logging of this timber repeatedly breaches
forestry laws, then ship the wood off to places like New Zealand.
"While Kiwi consumers are beginning to wake up and are refusing to buy wood from PNG and Indonesia, the New Zealand
government continues to drag its feet around halting the import of illegal and destructive wood."
The timber onboard the ship is from the Turama Extension, a logging concession riddled with illegalities.
With the full support of local resource owners, Mr Hammer and three other activists from the Greenpeace ship, Esperanza,
have boarded the Harbour Gemini, climbed a loading crane, and have fastened a huge banner reading 'Protect Forests, Save
Our Climate'.
The resource owners and their families are simultaneously conducting peaceful protests at three locations in the
concession area.
Forest destruction is responsible for about one fifth of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Papua New
Guinea Government has asked for international money to protect its forests for the benefit of the global climate, but
widespread illegal and destructive logging continues.
Local resource owners in the Turama Extension concession area, frustrated by the activities of logging companies on
their land, have made repeated pleas to the PNG Government to investigate documented breaches of forestry laws by Turama
Forest Industries, a Rimbunan Hijau Group company. However, these requests have fallen on deaf ears.
Today's action follows the release two weeks ago of a joint statement from New Zealand environmentalists and forestry
groups, calling on the government to toughen up regulations to stop the import of illegally logged timber.
"The New Zealand Government must seriously consider its responsibility to its Pacific neighbours and do all it can to
ensure that emissions from forest destruction do not exacerbate climate change impacts," Hammer said. "It must urgently
pass strong legislation to stop illegal and destructive timber entering New Zealand."
Protesting landowners have called for an immediate review of the logging agreement.
"We are here to protest the total disrespect of Turama Forest Industries and their logging agreement with our people.
The company has abused our sacred sites, our women, polluted our river, logged too close to our villages, made our food
resources scarce and is withholding payments of royalties", said Kemaru Garry Bissue, Chairman of the Kikori
Environmental Association and landowner from Kibiri Tribe.
The PNG Government has a very poor record on forest management. There are widespread allegations of forest corruption,
poor compliance of forest and environment laws. Recently there have been further accusations of corruption and
misappropriation of funds, after logging companies allegedly paid US$67 million into the private Singaporean bank
account of a Government minister.
"The protection of these large ancient forests is vital to prevent adverse climate change impacts," said Dorothy Tekwie,
Greenpeace forest campaigner. "If Papua New Guinea wants to be taken seriously internationally when asking for carbon
financing support, there must be a moratoria on logging until all serious concerns of forest management are addressed,
including an immediate investigation into the serious allegations of corruption between politicians and logging
companies."
ENDS