The US based Cargill corporation burns large areas of rainforest to prepare for soya plantations.
Brazil's Federal Prosecutors announced yesterday that they will
launch legal action in the Federal Courts calling for demolition of
Cargill's Soya handling facilities in Santarem Harbour, Para State.
The Federal Prosecutors will also ask for the immediate suspension
of the American corporation's activities in Santarem until the
courts reach their decision.
Under Brazilian law the construction of the Cargill facility
required prior preparation and approval of an Environmental Impact
Assessment. Instead of complying, they chose to contest this
requirement in the courts. After four years of court challenges, in
late November 2003 the Court of Final Instance ruled unanimously
against Cargill. However, in the interim, the multinational giant
constructed their facility in Santarem's main beach, in violation
of the law. Twenty-five families were displaced in the process.
"Cargill believed that because they were a powerful
multinational, they could disrespect both Brazilian legislation and
the environment," said Federal Prosecutor Felicio Pontes. "The
court decision shows that they were wrong."
Over the past week Greenpeace has documented huge deforested
areas in Santarem, many still on fire, all being cleared for Soya
plantations. The aerial images, which were given to the Federal
Prosecutors, confirm that the attack of private companies on the
forest continues out of control.
In addition to Cargill's facilities in Santarem, the other
forces driving soya expansion in Para State are low land prices (1)
and the lack of funding for an effective government inspection
infrastructure.
Between August 2001 and August 2002 deforestation in Brazil's
Amazon increased 40% compared to the previous 12 months. Analysis
of satellite images by the National Institute of Space Research
(INPE) shows that the destruction dramatically expanded beyond what
is known as the "Arc of Deforestation" - that runs from the east
and south of Para State towards Acre State - and is cutting deeper
and deeper into the heart of the untouched forest. According to the
Ministry of Environment, this deforestation is a direct result of
the invasion of Soya producers.
Based on ongoing field investigations, Greenpeace believes that
deforestation in 2003 will be even higher than in 2002. A new trend
is appearing.
Traditionally cattle ranchers would move into areas that loggers
had exploited, and clear the land for pastures. Emphirical data now
indicates that cattle ranchers continue to push into new areas that
are being deforested, after exhaustive exploitation by loggers,
later selling the areas to the Soya producers. At the same time the
Soya producers are burning large tracts of the forest solely for
conversion to large-scale agriculture.
"In the Amazon there is a growing and very dangerous trend: a
consortium of illegal loggers, cattle ranchers and Soya producers
committed to maximum short term profit, at the cost of destruction
of the Amazon", said Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon Campaign
Coordinator. "The government needs to choose: contain
deforestation, support and promote sustainable alternative, and
strengthen the Ministry of Environment, or lose immense areas of
the Amazon to predatory exploitation."
VVPR info: Aerial footage shot yesterday of forest fires, which have been deliberately started to clear the jungle for Soya planting are available from the Video Desk +31 627 00 00 57 and the Photo Desk +31 653 81 91 21You can link to web versions of the footage here:Quicktime: http://www.greenpeace.org/multimedia/download/1/366844/0/MYASsoyaClipRe_VF_Quicktime.movRealtime: http://www.greenpeace.org/multimedia/download/1/366844/1/MYASsoyaClipRe_VF_RealMedia8.rmWindows Media: http://www.greenpeace.org/multimedia/download/1/366844/2/MYASsoyaClipRe_VF_WinMedia_.wmv
Notes: The MV Arctic Sunrise is in Para State as a part of our campaign to promote the ecological and social use of the forest resources, as well as the creation of a network of protected areas in ancient forest regions worldwide.The Greenpeace report 'State of Conflict' is available at http://www.greenpeace.org(1) Before the completion of the Cargill facility, one hectare of rural land in the region cost R$ 50 (US$ 13). With the arrival of "gauchos", as the Soya producers are called, the price per hectare skyrocketed to R$ 900 (US$ 300). Entire rural communities were displaced, the inhabitants having sold their land rights and moved to the city.