Activists from the Greepeace ship 'Esperanza', and assisted by local land owners, halt the loading of illegally logged trees onto the 'Harbour Gemini' ship from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, in Paia inlet, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea, Wednesday 3rd September 2008. These forests are being felled by Turama Forest Industries - a group company of Malayasian company Rimbunan Hijau. Twenty percent of global greenhouse emissions annually are caused by the deforestation of natural forests worldwide.
Activists from the Greepeace ship 'Esperanza', and assisted by local land owners, board the 'Harbour Gemini' ship and halt the loading of illegally logged trees from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea.
Activists from the Greenpeace ship 'Esperanza', and assisted by local land owners, board the 'Harbour Gemini' ship and halt the loading of illegally logged trees from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, in Paia inlet, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea, Wednesday 3rd September 2008. These forests are being felled by Turama Forest Industries - a group company of Malayasian company Rimbunan Hijau. Twenty percent of global greenhouse emissions annually are caused by the deforestation of natural forests worldwide.
"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."
Other contacts: Grant Rosoman Greenpeace forest campaigner: 021 428415
Kathy Cumming - Greenpeace NZ communications - 021 495 216
Tiy Chung Comms officer in Port Moresby: W: (+675) 321 5954, Mobile: (+675) 638 9369, Australian Mobile: (+61) 409 604 010
Dorothy Tekwie Greenpeace forest campaigner PNG: W: (+675) 321 5954, mobile: (+675) 689 1923
* If you would like to contact the ship please contact Tiy Chung.