Greenpeace Prevents Palm Oil Shipment
Dumai/Jakarta, Indonesia, 10 November 2008 - Greenpeace activists today prevented a palm oil shipment from departing for
Europe from Dumai, Indonesia's main palm oil export port, to protest against the ongoing destruction of Indonesia's
forests.
Earlier, activists painted "Forest Crime" and "Climate Crime" on the hull of three palm oil tankers and a barge full of
rainforest timber. One Greenpeace activist is chained onto the anchor chain of the Gran Couva that is carrying palm oil
owned by the Wilmar group to stop it from leaving Indonesia for the Netherlands.
"Today Greenpeace is taking action to expose the disastrous impacts of the palm oil and logging industries on
Indonesia's peatlands, forests and on the global climate" said Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forest
Campaigner. "Supplying the demand for palm oil and other commodities can occur without further deforestation and
companies like Wilmar and Sinar Mas must support the call for a moratorium on deforestation."
During the Esperanza's ongoing 'Forest for Climate' tour of Indonesia, Greenpeace witnessed massive conversion of
Papua's tropical forests for oil palm plantation in a Sinar Mas concession near Jayapura. Greenpeace also exposed
ongoing forest destruction for timber in Papua and discovered fresh forest clearances in concessions in the peatland
forests of Riau.
The rapid conversion of forests and peatlands for oil palm and pulp plantations, and logging, is a major driver of
deforestation in Indonesia. The carbon released by these activities make Indonesia the third largest greenhouse gas
emitter on the planet. The majority of Indonesia's palm oil exports are destined for China, Europe and India.
"Indonesia's forests have far greater value standing, than exported as palm oil and timber," said Maitar. "It is crucial
that Indonesia's forests are protected from the rampant expansion of the palm oil and pulp industries in order to combat
climate change, stop biodiversity loss and protect the livelihoods of forest-dependent peoples. This means an immediate
moratorium on deforestation and international funding through the United Nations to protect forests."
The Esperanza, started the Indonesian leg of its "Forest for Climate" tour on 6 October in Jayapura, to shine the
spotlight on the rampant destruction of the Paradise Forests - the last remaining ancient forests of Southeast Asia.
Greenpeace is calling on the Indonesian government to implement an immediate moratorium on all forest conversion,
including expansion of oil palm plantations, industrial logging, and other drivers of deforestation.
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect
and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.
ENDS